On the way, she spoke first.
"You used to be different," Naya said quietly.
"Different how? And what happened anyway?" "Your parents... they got sick and died. You didn't leave your room for two weeks. And when you finally came out, you fell and lost consciousness. Then I found you like this."
"What?" I was surprised, but no emotions or sadness resonated inside me.
"In here," Naya cut herself off and pointed to a door. It turned out to be a small apartment: just one room and a separate kitchen. With a familiar movement, Naya gathered her green hair into a bun and headed for the stove.
I quietly slipped into the kitchen after her. She was just cutting a carrot. With lightning speed, I snatched a large, uncut piece from the board and ate it with a loud crunch. She spun around: "Hey, I hadn't finished cutting that!"
"Too late, the carrot is already in my stomach," I answered unperturbedly.
I watched her with curiosity. Three knives were flying in the air on their own, quickly dicing meat, while Naya tossed the vegetables into a piping-hot pan. Something hissed loudly.
"Wow. I think the carrot is crying from such unbearable pain," I noted.
"That's the oil hissing," she sighed.
"Why are you killing the oil?"
"You can't kill oil, it's not alive."
"Ah, gotcha. Right."
I sniffed the air. "Seems it's time to put the meat in."
"Too early," Naya cut off.
"I think it's high time."
"And why is that?"
"Well, the carrot will soon turn completely yellow and burn. Better to mix everything now and toss the meat on top than to chew on burnt carrots later."
She froze, looking thoughtfully into the pot. And then obediently tossed the diced meat in. My empty stomach rumbled.
"And your name is Naya, right?" I clarified, wandering around the kitchen.
"Yes."
I mechanically opened some drawer in the table. Inside lay something red and shiny. My hand reached for it on its own, when suddenly... Thwack! One of the flying knives forcefully plunged into the countertop just a millimeter from my palm.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"Put it back," Naya commanded in an icy tone.
"Uuuuh, what's in there?"
"NOT ALLOWED." I sighed in disappointment.
"You know, you have such a cute little face, but when you say 'not allowed,' it ruins everything."
I closed the drawer, sat back on the chair, and started rocking on the back legs. I rocked too hard and fell flat on my back with a crash. The heavy bracelet on my arm clinked painfully against the floor again.
"BRACELET!" I shouted irritably, getting up. "When will the food be ready?"
"In half an hour."
"Any faster?"
"Faster won't work."
"And why?"
She turned to me angrily, hands on her hips: "ALRIGHT, MR. WHY! Get out of the kitchen! Sit in the room and wait for the food in silence!"
"Why are you such a meanie? A real meanie. Grumpy-pants," I smiled widely.
I noticed the corners of her lips also twitch in a slight smile, but she never turned around.
I got kicked out after all. I trudged into the room and plopped onto the sofa. Probably a whole two minutes passed.
"Taking too lo-o-ong..." I drew out. "LONG!" I shouted loudly toward the kitchen.
But the only answer was silence.
I heard a muffled boom. Somewhere a little lower, right beneath me, someone was using magic. I got interested. The floor under my feet instantly became viscous, like clay, and I simply fell through to the lower floor, landing softly in the corridor, and walked toward the sound.
I pushed the door open. In a huge hall, some mages were training.
"And you call this magic?" I asked loudly and with disappointment. A couple of people immediately turned to me.
"What do you want, kid?"
"Well, I heard utter disappointment over here, so I came to look. And here you are... Alright, I'm leaving. You are not worthy of my attention."
"If you're so tough, show us something!" one of them shouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
I smiled widely. "THEN LET THE FUN BEGIN!"
I clapped my hands and stomped my foot hard. At that very instant, everyone in the room flew up to the ceiling with yells—I simply inverted the gravity in the room.
"Wow! And now back to the ground!" As soon as they slammed into the ceiling, I turned off the inversion, and they went flying down. Someone crashed heavily to the floor, while someone more agile managed to land softly.
"And now to the left! And to the right!" I commanded. "Or even better... Objects to the right, and living things to the left!"
BOOM! A terrible crash rang out. Someone slammed heavily into something, tables and training dummies flew into one wall, and screaming students into another.
Suddenly, people in austere robes ran out from a side door. Surprisingly, despite the fact that I was changing gravity however I wanted, they confidently walked straight toward me, overcoming my spell.
"Oh, are you guys a bit stronger, perhaps?" I asked with curiosity.
But they didn't attack. Instead, they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. "We beg you, Grandmaster, please stop!"
I stopped controlling the gravity, and everyone who was still dangling in the air fell to the floor.
"Grandmaster?" I repeated in surprise.
"Yes, you are Grandmaster Zenkhald Helvard. Please, stop," one of the robed mages pleaded.
"Ummm... I kinda haven't finished playing."
The mage hesitated, choosing his words. "We ask you... please come tomorrow. But not today. There are... novices here. Yes, novices! They're no use, nothing to get from them."
"Alright, alright," I drew out displeased, turning to the exit.
But leaving just like that would be boring. Walking past the kneeling mages, I inconspicuously: untied all their shoelaces and tore absolutely all the buttons off their pretentious robes. Walking down the corridor, I laughed mentally: "Aha-ha-ha-ha!"
I was having fun right up until I saw her. Naya.
She ran up to me, breathing heavily, and abruptly hugged me with all her might.
"Don't do that again," she said quietly.
"What... what's wrong?" I was taken aback, my arms hanging awkwardly in the air.
"Don't leave like that again," she repeated, burying her face in my shoulder.
"Alright, alright... but why so tight?"
She answered nothing and simply didn't let me go from her embrace.