Saturday, February 3rd.

Today is a good day. I finally found myself a merchant who was willing to buy my crystals.

He has a kid a year above me who's also a student of air, Wolfe Lance.

It sounds familiar, but I don't think I've meet him.

Regardless! A buyer! It's only a trial for now, so he isn't paying me a whole lot for them. After all, it's just lighting and heat crystals, even the most inept crystal craftsmen can imprint those.

But luckily for me, no one else knows how to make them light up when they are low on power.

And more importantly, light up in warning and or vibrate when they are close to their capacity.

Things are finally starting to look up.

I've been spending some time with Julius too. He tends to be a bit slow, and he has a lot of questions for practically everything, so the teacher hates him almost as much as he hates me. Even if we didn't sit together, he'd probably ask us to sit at the back of class so we wouldn't disturb his precious favorites.

At least I don't have to pay attention on learning how to read and stuff.

Poor Julius keeps asking questions trying to keep up. Gets berated all the time.

Sarah has really brightened up. She's laughing and telling me about her class and her friends every day.

She feels like she isn't that far from being able to channel her aura. Alfred didn't teach her when he was still-..

Anyways, she's making progress in class, as is her friends it seems.

Seeing her smile without a care in the world.. It's worth everything.

I haven't been to see Shawn yet. I said that I would, but I haven't had the time.

Not that I have a whole lot to say to him. He was Mom and Dad's friend, not mine.

Still. I should pay him a courtesy call when I have the energy.

But I shouldn't spend too much time with him.

I don't want rumors going around that I'm on friendly terms with the headmaster. Any publicity is bad publicity.

Also..

He's quite perceptive. And he knows more about me than I would prefer.

People tend to question that I don't act childish a lot less if they just assume I'm a freak.

It worked out well enough when Mom and Dad were still alive. It was clear that people respected them, so most kept their distance from me when they were around, which was every time I wasn't with my friends or Alfred.

They absolutely don't anymore. I need to be a lot more-

As I pass an alley, movement in my peripheral vision makes me turn my head instinctually.

Two thugs are inside, one of them holding a kid up against the wall.

He punches him in the stomach, and releases him to fall to the ground.

The kid buckles over, and vomits all over the ground.

``Hey!'' [Nathan]

They turn their heads to me. One of them takes a step towards me.

I turn around, and yell at the top of my lungs:

``MUGGERS! SOMEONE IS GETTING MUGGED OVER HERE!! QUICKLY MISTER GUARDSMAN, THEY ARE RIGHT HERE!'' [Nathan]

I gesture wildly towards absolutely no one. The streets are almost empty, and the few people that are around simply stop to look at me like I'm deranged.

Not that I expected them to do anything else.

I peek into the alley. One grabs the other by the arm, and whispers a few words.

``YES MISTER GUARDSMAN, IT'S THIS ALLEY, HURRY!'' [Nathan]

When I peek again, they're both running away.

I yell once more, and slowly, cautiously, wander into the alley.

Quick reminder to myself: Bring a weapon when going to this part of town.

I reach the kid, who's still on his hands and knees. I quickly pull him to his feet, wrap his arm around my shoulders, and carry him out of the alley as fast as I can.

Once we're out in the open, I get a better look at him.

It's the dogkin that attacked the bullies a few days ago.

``Are you okay? What happened?'' [Nathan]

``Ugh...'' [???]

He moans, sounding like he's in pain.

``Just try to relax, I'll take you home and patch you up.

``Ug- Blargh!'' [???]

Aaand he barfs over my shoes and pants.

``Don't try to keep it in, but do let me know if you're doing that again.'' [Nathan]

``Umph.. Sorry..'' [???]

``My place isn't all that far. I'll take you there and patch you up so you can go back to the dorms. What's your name?'' [Nathan]

``Tanhide Arthur.. Ughm.'' [Arthur]

He groans painfully.

He's in bad shape. Other than getting punched in the gut, he has a bruised lip, a black eye, and several scrapes on his face, like he was shoved against a wall face first. Which he probably was.

``So what happened? Did they pull you into the alley from the street, or did you try to make a shortcut?'' [Nathan]

``.. They stole a lady's bag..'' [Arthur]

He says with a bit of a smile.

``... What?'' [Nathan]

``They stole a lady's bag, so, augh, I went after them.'' [Arthur]

Okay, he's definitely grinning now.

``Are you insane? They could have killed you, you idiot!'' [Nathan]

``My dad says that whenever you let something happen, you might as well have done it yourself.'' [Arthur]

And now he has a proud ass look on his face, the little runt.

``So you confronted two thieves in a dark alley?!'' [Nathan]

``Yeah! I did! I'd do it again if- Guarh, auw auw.'' [Arthur]

He buckles over in pain after raising his voice.

``Alright alright, just be quiet. We're almost there.'' [Nathan]

We've reached the edge of the park. My house is just a hundred yards in, so we're almo-

Julius is sitting on my porch.

``... Hello'' [Julius]

``Ehm. Hello? What are you doing here Julius?'' [Nathan]

``... I have questions.'' [Julius]

``So?'' [Nathan]

``...You told me I could come find you if I had questions. I have questions.'' [Julius]

For a few seconds, I just stare at him, trying to compute what the hell he's talking about.

Then I remember that I did tell him that a few weeks ago.

``I'm kinda busy right now, Julius.'' [Nathan]

``... Oh.. Then I'll wait.'' [Julius]

.. What?

``... You have puke on your pants.'' [Julius]

He says, eyeing and pointing at me pants.

``Yes, I know that.'' [Nathan]

``... Your shoes too.'' [Julius]

At this point I'm just staring at him in disbelief.

Arthur starts shaking next to me.

``Bwahaha!'' [Arthur]

Before erupting in laughter.

``Oh, my sides, my stomach, don't make me laugh like this when I'm hurt.'' [Arthur]

``... Why are you hurt?'' [Julius]

``Because I got into a fight, obviously.'' [Arthur]

He jokes back at him with a grin.

``... Okay.'' [Julius]

``Hah! You're a simple fellow aren't you. I like that, much better than this serious stupidhead.'' [Arthur]

``... I can let go if you want.'' [Nathan]

``BWahahahaHA! See, exactly what I was saying!'' [Arthur]

He laughs, holding his stomach with his free hand before whimpering about his injuries again.

I stare at him and Julius for a puzzled moment before the absurdity gets the better of me, and I let out a crackle.

I haven't laughed in a month.

Before I know it, I'm laughing as hard as Arthur.

Julius stands there, looking at us with a confused expression.

Before asking me if this means I have time now.