Early Morning Training

Feeling the need to improve my hand to hand battle combat skills, after a horrifying nightmare I might add, I hurriedly prepare myself for a vigorous day of training. I run through the apartment and grab water, some snacks, towels, and a still asleep Natsu. Oblivious to the fact that it is 5 am Natsu and I make it to the training ground and as I start throwing everything i was carrying onto a nearby bench I notice that Natsu has started glaring at me. I manage to tell her that "there's No Time to talk!! must fight!! must train for the science invasion". Natsu shuts her eyes, takes in a deep breath, lets out that deep breath and starts to walk away. I try to think of an reason to make her stay, but nothing comes to mind. The only option I have left is to throw one of the rocks that I keep stored in my hat, hoping that it will be enough to keep her attention. To my amazement the rock whizzes by Natsu and craters into the adjacent wall. I really didn't mean to throw it that hard, but now it would appear as though I have my beloved partner's full attention. She turns toward me with a look of mild irritation, I give her one of my classic innocent-kawaii smiles and then take up my fighting stance, "SCIENCE INVASION IS COMING!! we train now, ready-set-go!!". I rush toward her throwing a barrage of punches, which has now become the start of the early morning training session!!

The morning was always simple. If you go to class, you should get there early. If you are going to skip, make sure there was nothing important happening. Mathieu was always the one to skip when class wasn't important. He wasn't a bad student per say, he just hated wasting his time in the classroom learning things that could be taught through practical testing.

Today's morning was spent just exploring more of the DWMA. Learning all the different parts of the school, he eventually found out that though the training grounds were useful. So for a peaceful place to watch the sun rise on campus, he arrived quite early to the training field.

As the sun began to rise there was a sudden yell of, "SCIENCE INVASION IS COMING!! we train now, ready-set-go!!"

He sat up with a jolt that threw off his balance and caused him to almost fall out of the tree, barely catching himself on the tree limb. Down below him he saw a little, well mostly little, girl and another girl about to actually train.

'Well at least someone show initiative. You go girl' ,he thought as he routed for the smaller of the two, because who doesn't like an underdog?

Left, right, left, right, duck, block, kick, "HHEEYYYAHH!!!"
I keep up with my furry of attacks until I notice that my movements have started to slow. I soon realize that I am no longer in any position to continue with my onslaught of attacks, and try my best to deflect Natsu's oncoming punches, although I know that all my efforts will be in vain. Even though my defeat is imminent I shall not give up. Natsu's persistence continues to push me back towards the trees on the edge of the training grounds. Although I have lost my position I have managed to keep my footing for this long which is a huge improvement considering the fact that Natsu has been known to take me out in less than 5 minutes of sparing.

Step back one, two, one, two, duck, block, block, dodge…
I look up past my raised fits but instead of getting a quick look at Natsu’s face, I get a heeping eyeful of blinding light from the rising sun.

“AAHHHH IT BURNS!!!”

Taking advantage of the situation Natsu unleashes her final attack which knocks me of my feet.
Step, kick, swoosh and a lot of pain befalls me as I fall back and hit my head on what I think is a tree. The match is over, the victor is Natsu, and I now see stars floating blissfully in the air above

"OH MY GOSH!!!" She yelled as she rushed to assist her fallen partner. Natsu wasn't a very manly man when she was still a guy and being transformed into a girl messed that up even more. However, that is neither here nor now.

"Noir?" She said softly as she lifted up her smaller partner, "Noir are you still awake?"

She was worried, especially after the last big mission they had. First they had some kind of ghost, then there were those 'Angels' and then last week there was Professor Stien. She felt kind of useless not being able to help her partner even more.... Noir was such a frail looking person and she was always so kind to her...

A red blush started to creep up onto Natsu's face as she remembered what happened with the white soul. Embarrassed she leaned the small girl against a tree and headed off to find her some water after she was able to figure out that Noir was just unconscious.

She knew that there was something there... But... she didn't feel the same so she shook her head to eject some of the unneeded stress of the situation and continued her task.

"Awwwwww stars" they shine so brightly in the dark, showering me in their glow. They dance and twinkle about so playfully, so sweetly. They entice me to join them and take part in the spinning and twirling, but as I watch their dance, I notice them drifting farther and farther away. Although they have moved further into the distance, further into the pale black void, their light does not fade. The darkness that separates each individual star vanishes as they all become one. One mass of warm glistening light.

"Ahhhh it feels so good"

I lay staring up at the bright mass that has illuminated this dim, foggy void. While basking in its warmth, I can't help but feel as though I'm sinking further into this bleak hole.

"what... what is this? am I... asleep? wait...or worse...am I un-...un...un-ahhhhh HOLY HARD CORE HILL MIDGETS!!"

I clench my eyes shut hoping that it will do something, and as I slowly open them I make out the speckles of sunlight between the leaves. Natsu is kneeling beside me with a water bottle and concerned look on her face. I smile at her and she gives a sigh of relief, but then the pain from before resurfaces.

"HOLY HALIBUT THis HURTS SO BAD"

I jerk back and put my hands to the back of my head, and while wincing up at the tree I notice a strange silloette amongst the wavering leaves

The training was going pretty well for a short while and it seemed that the two girls were pretty green still. Combat was simple and you had to strike hard and fast to win. He however stuck to graceful moves, wasted effort is wasted time. So as the girls had their fight drag to an end he pulled out his violin, one of the few things he actually carries with him at all times, and started to play.

As he made it halfway through his song the tree he was in shook. He looked down to see the blue haired girl fussing over her friend. He smiled to himself.

"HOLY HALIBUT THIS HURTS SO BAD"

Her cry was so loud that it even shook the leaves in the tree. He chuckled to himself.

'Well that ends today's training for her... At least for now.'

I try squinting to see if i can make out the identity of the shadowy figure lurking in the tree, but it does not work. Still struggling to see I stand up and continue to stare upwards. I look to my side to see Natsu's confused face and proceed to point towards the thick of the tree.

"Can you see, Natsu? There's someone up there"

Natsu looks up, her eyes widen as she sees the shadow start to move around in the branches. I contemplate throwing a rock towards the obscure figure, but before I can reach into my hat, the figure starts to scale down the side of the tree. It reaches the ground and to my surprise it turns out to be a he, but not just any he, a very well dressed he with a violin case. I rub my head trying to piece together a logical reason for him to have been up in that tree. Nothing comes to mind so i figure I might as well say something to him in order to prevent an awkward moment from occurring.

"Well I'm happy you climbed out of that tree, I was just about ready to throw a rock up there"

I smile as I say this and notice the mildly concerned look that begins to emerge on the boys face.

I think to myself, "I wonder if what I said, was a bit weird?"

"Well my gratitude that you didn't. Many accidents could start from a mere grain of sand."

He gave her a wiry smile as he pulled a small pebble out of his pocket.

"I heard that you had looked at my report on the Keisan suru Pulse... What did you think of it?"

He smiled to himself. It took him a long while and based the original idea on the Soul Menace. Most students didn't try to find new ways to arm an unarmed meister. He gave a good look at the two girls now. the blue one was still fussing over the smaller one and the smaller one had a very strange feel to her soul. It was... Different... It was rare that a soul gave off a feeling like this one... It felt protective... A shield!

He smiled at her as he figured out the feeling. She was a protective type.

"Wait you're...the...guy...book...move...OH MY GLOB!!!"
"But, yes, the Keisan suru Pulse, it's great, the notes were a mildly hard to decipher but I managed, and might I add it's so cool...I mean amazing to actually meet you. Oh, almost forgot, my name is Noir and this is my partner Natsu"

I stand there, wide eyed and bushy tailed marveling at the student who developed this amazing technique. I never imagined him to be a student let alone close to my age. I always thought that the person who developed the Keisan suru Pulse would be some one older and like professor Stein but way less crazy and not a sociopath.

"Oh yeah, I had a few questions about the Keisan suru Pulse, how did you perfect it? I mean after decifering the notes it was easy to do but I still feel as though my timing and execution are still flawed."

While waiting on a response I notice how high the sun has risen in the sky.

I think to myself, "well I wasn't planning on going to class anyway today, at least not until I get over what professor Stein did last week."

The little girl seemed so excited in finding out that he created the K-Pulse that it seemed like she was going to stop breathing as she spoke to him at high speeds.

"Oh yeah, I had a few questions about the Keisan suru Pulse, how did you perfect it? I mean after decifering the notes it was easy to do but I still feel as though my timing and execution are still flawed."

She eventually took a breath and looked at the sky.

"well I wasn't planning on going to class anyway today, at least not until I get over what professor Stein did last week."

Mathieu chuckled to himself for a bit. he knew that Stein was a scary person. He went through his phobia and became a stronger meister because of it.

"You know... That the K-Pulse is based on the Soul Menace right? And that the number user of the Soul Menace is Stein..."

"Hehehe...ahh... Stein again. I'm in no way, shape, or form to desk with professor Stein right now"

I look away mildly disappointed in my self for admitting to my problems with the professor. I mean it's not like his actions weren't expected after hearing all of the stories of him as i was growing up in Death city. It's just that i never thought that i would be in as much contact with him as i have been. I always thought i would live out my life without having to meet one of death city's finest and strangest, considering that he was a hermit up until a week ago.

"But anyway, i think i might be able to manage the technique if i could see a demonstration."

I look back toward Matthieu with pleading eyes hoping i will have the privilege of seeing the k-pulse performed by it's creator.

He smiled softly at her. She was a little trinket wasn't she...

"Well if the K-Pulse can fire as quickly as you can talk, I think we just found ourselves a nickname for you little meister."

He patted her gently on the head. Just a year ago, he was with his own team. He remembered how Lucy, Kelly, and he were pretty excited the first time they started to learn and fight for the betterment of society. He also remembered when the old golden trio went their separate ways, Lu went to Asia... Kel went to Europe... And he was branded a mad scientist...

"But anyway, i think i might be able to manage the technique if i could see a demonstration."

This pulled him out of reminiscing about his old friends.

"Alright here's a small demonstration. First you must understand the mathematical calculations of size, and mass of the object. Then decide the velocity and direction."

He then shot the pebble in his hand straight through a nearby tree.

I watch in amazement as Mathieu takes up the pebble and sends it flying through a nearby tree.

"Oh...my...sock monkeys, THAT WAS SO COOL!!"

Still relishing in the pure greatness of the execution of the k-pulse, I look over to Natsu. Her eyes are wide and her jaw slightly open, her dazed look is kind of cute. Natsu's expressions have always been fun too see except during the fight with the angels when I had been fatally wounded. Before I lost consciousness I remember her screaming out my name and crying, I never want to see her that sad again. Ever since that incident I have been determined to become a stronger miester, which how I ended up learning the k-pulse in the first place. Yes, one day I will be strong and powerful enough to keep Natsu smiling and possibly get that bracelet off her wrist and turn her back into a guy. Woah come to think of it I wonder how Mathieu came to develop a technique like this. I wonder if it has some kind of heart wrenching back story involving a secret lover or some inner desire to obtain world power. Wait, that whole world power thing would be pretty creepy, I hope that doesn't turn out to be the case.

Refocusing my attention on Mathieu, I feel a surge of inspiration come over me and I feel as though I can perform the k-pulse just as good as him.

"Alright, I think I got it. I'm ready to try it out"

I take out a rock from my hat, position myself infront of one of the far off trees.
Breathe, focus, and FIRE!!

He watched her file the rock and for a first try it wasn't too bad. It flew a great distance but her aiming was slightly off.

"Watch yourself, the faster something goes the harder it is to control it's speed."

He smiled at her, enthusiasm and all, she reminded him of Lucy.

"Well I best be off. Meeting some old friends soon."

He waves to her as he walks towards town.

"Bye Mathieu!!! Thanks for the help, and see you around!!"

I wave Mathieu off and twirl myself around towards Natsu.

"Thank you for training with me today Natsu, sorry about waking you up so early. How's about I cook you something special tonite?
It will be my way of saying thanks"

Smiling long and hard I wait for Natsu's reply and hopefully one of her glowing smiles to follow.