"Why should we bother our selves with etiquette when we are alone at home?"

I answer with an indifferent tone, I don't have the energy to put up a good face towards people like her.

(Rina's perspective)

'I can't believe it! This blind orphan actually talks back at me!'

Ever since I was born I have been treated like a princess. Even Eric Silver, the young master treats me like an equal.

But this brat who is even younger than me actually speaks to me like that. Just hearing his tone reminds me of... that incident...

Shivering I look at Clair for help. Maybe she can steal some luck as a revenge. But my Spirit isn't even looking at me. Her usual beautiful proud eyes are focused on someone else. The brats bird type Spirit, Haux.

I have heard mama and papa speak about how its so sad that Nero is blind, he has a Mysterious Spirit. He would undoubtedly be able to enter the Spirit Academy if it wasn't for his blindness.

Remembering their conversation I follow Clair's line of sight onto Haux.

Seeing his green eyes I flinch. Bright green pearls which can only be compared to emeralds. Yet the emotion in his eyes is somewhat similar to Nero's, indifference. But not the same kind of indifference as Nero, no. Haux's eyes seem to transmit the meaning "I won't care what you do, but hurt me or my master and I'll rip you to pieces".

Haux notices my gaze and looks back at me, not in the least lowering the contempt in his ice cold gaze.

Shrinking back into my chair I clench my fists in anger. But what can I do?

Turning my gaze back towards Clair I remember why I gave her the two horned fishes earlier this morning.

The Spirit Academy's letter.

With a smile on my face I snort and continue reading the rulebook for students attending the Spirit Academy.

------

(Nero's perspective)

After leaving the kitchen and the spoiled princess I headed towards the library.

The only time I can be inside the library is when dad and mom are out on business. Wouldn't it be kind of weird if you saw a blind boy electrifying your precious books?

And I don't want to tell anyone about my ability to 'see'. It's amazing what people can do when they think no one sees, and I really enjoy keeping a secret, it's like I am some kind of hero heheh.

The reason I'm in the library is to practice my ability to sense finer details. It's still hard for me to read as there is barely any different in the ink and paper.

But there IS a difference! That's why I practice, my dream is to be able to enter the Spirit Academy. Which just happens to be everyone's dream.

A school with students who are daughters and sons of kings, students from all over the continent possessing unimaginable abilities and the most exotic Spirits in the universe!

It's the birthplace of legends, The Spirit Academy.

To enter you need to:

1. Have a Spirit in the Captain rank at the age of 6 or lower.

(Commoner > Soldier > Captain > Commander > General > Royal > Emperor > Heaven > Legendary > Ascension (only rumoured) > ?)

2. Be able to read and do basic mathematical formulas.

That's it, if you achieve these two requirements they don't even reject orphans or homeless.

But achieving the rank of Captain before 6 is a very, very rare thing.

To be able to do that you either need a Spirit with a rank of General or over. As the rank of a Spirit is based on its potential to reach the claimed rank. Not which rank it was born with. If a Spirit was born already in the Heaven rank, what is to stop it from exterminating a whole city?

Or you need a Spirit with incredible willpower and an initially strong soul.

I think Haux has recently breached the border entering the Commander rank. Which is really good since he's only 6 years old.

Rina's cat type Spirit is probably around the middle of the Captain rank soon reaching the peak.

So with newfound determination I start trying to sense the differences between ink and paper.

....

Three hours quickly passed with little to no progress.

Haux is currently outside hunting small game and playing with (harassing) other servants Spirits.

Putting down my book I sigh. I have gotten far in this one year of practice but I am still quite far away from being able to 'read'.

Checking the pendulum clock I notice my mom should have gotten home already.

With a smile on my face I head towards the kitchen.

...

My mom, Emma is the kindest person I know. She is the reason I can go outside everyday when the world is against me. Her Spirit is a white rabbit. Which is what I used as a model for my rabbit sculpture.

Imagining her smiling face when I give her my present I unconsciously speed up.

Entering the kitchen I sense my mom staring out the window with her back facing my direction, her expression is sad yet glad? The expression is so strange I unconsciously stop, forgetting about my previous excitement.

It didn't take long for her to notice me. Her expression changing to her usual sunny smile.

"Oh Nero, I thought you where still in the library?"

Hearing this I snap out of my daze with a flinch.

"H-how d-did yo.."

Before being able to finish my mom cuts me off with a sweet smile.

"Hihih Nero you're still to young to hide anything from your mother. I guess it has something to do with the lightning bolts you were sending into the book but as long as you are careful I wont mind."

Hearing this I feel a mountain disappearing from my shoulders. The feeling of hiding something from your mom is truly excruciating.

Letting out a sigh I start smiling once again.

"Speaking of which. M-mom I made you a.."

*BAAM*

"MOOOOOOOOOM I'M HUNGRYYYY!!"

Getting cut off.... for what I think is the 3rd time today. I don't even need to sense who it is that basically destroyed the kitchen door.

"Rina! You need to be more lady like! You won't get any friends in the Academy like.."

Remembering me she stopped talking. But the damage was already done.

'So Rina got the letter...'

Thinking this I notice my sweet smile fading. But not wanting to show it hurt me I force my smile to remain. But what's left is a miserable smile.

Rina noticing my expression smiles while saying in a loud voice.

"Yeah I'm sorry mom, I'm just so excited to have been invited to the Spirit Academy!"

During the last line she was even looking at me while talking. A sweet smile on her face.

Feeling the fist in my throat wanting to break free I struggle to utter some almost inaudible words. While clenching the wooden rabbit figure in my closed hand so hard I feel something snap.

"Ah.. e-ehm it was n-nothing. I n-need to find H-Haux he is p-probably looking f-for me. Bye."

I say while stuttering. I can feel mom looking at me with a nostalgic expression... pity. Seeing my mom looking at me like those strangers on the streets I feel my heart start hurting and the fist in my throat almost hindering me from breathing.

Turning around I run out of the room. Barely hearing my mom sigh behind me.

I continue to run all the way to my room. My body screaming with the desire to cry. But there are no tears falling.

Panting I look at my rabbit figure.

The neck broke.

Wanting to cry more than ever I throw it into the garbage can.

Pity.

She was looking at me like I am some kind of pitiful creature.

The fist in my throat has been there so long it has started hurting. Jumping on my bed I bury my face in my pillow.

...

*Peck* *Peck*

...

*Peck* *Peck*

Without the care to pretend to behave like a 'normal' person. I just release some electricity in my bed which quickly travels throughout my room. Focusing on the electrical currents I 'see' Haux pecking my window.

Glass has always been hard to sense but I know it's a window because there is a rectangular shape where I can't sense any wall.

Like a zombie I rise from my bed. My eyes closed and head facing the floor.

Opening the window I take Haux by the wings and pull him close. With my nose running I start sobbing while hugging the quiet Haux.

---------

(Emma's perspective)

Seeing my son run away in panic I don't know what to do.

Turning my head towards Rina who is looking at the door Nero just ran out from with a questionable gaze I sigh.

"Rina.. you know your brother has dreamed about the Spirit Academy through all his life. When he was smaller he cried for days when we told him he needs to be able to read to go to the Academy. Why would you say something like that?"

Hearing me I see Rina's face turn ugly.

"What? I only said the truth and he is not even my brother!"

Hearing this I feel something snap.

"RINA BLACK! How dare you say such a thing! He may not be your brother by blood but he is MY SON. Do not ever say such a thing again!"

Rina flinched and I can see her eyes start welling up with tears. Only now do I realise I screamed at a six year old. Regretting my actions I sigh once again.

"Rina, he's had a miserable life not being able to see. I think you know that except from us, his family, he only is with that bird of his. So we need to be here for him more than anyone. Do you understand?"

Rina's who is desperately trying to withhold her tears and failing miserably at it nods weakly.

Seeing my darling baby daughter like that I can't help but walk up to her hugging her tightly.

She completely collapses in my embrace saying she is sorry. And hugging me while she drenches my clothes in snott and tears.

Author's note:

Wow, I sat in the train and wrote this. Not being able to hold it I started crying... people are staring at me as I write this... imagination is dangerous...

I want to take this chance to apologise for my bad grammar. As I said previously I'm Swedish and have just moved to Japan. With Japanese lessons everyday my English has deteriorated.

Peace out everyone!