Magnet

Part 2


Pratty leaned against the wall next to the door leading to the Central Tower's Great Hall. Inside the Great Hall Craftlords Sakuro, Ureksa and Kouren were giving their speech to the young Craftknights hoping to become the new Craftlord of Crystal. Pratty, being the youngest of the Craftlords, wasn't part of the proceedings just yet so she was just waiting outside for her friends. Sugar, as always, was next to her, hovering quietly in the air and suddenly her presence was very... noticeable. Pratty felt a bit... awkward. On the one hand she just wanted to reach out and take Sugar's hand, but on the other hand she didn't. She looked up at the ceiling, trying to come up with a good reason why she shouldn't hold Sugar's hand.

Silently, Pratty extended her hand and felt Sugar's fingers entwine with hers. Blushing, she looked away and in doing so missed the blush spreading across Sugar's face.

The door opened and the large group of hopefuls poured out. Pratty waited quietly until she saw a familiar face.

"Varil!"

Varil turned, smiled vaguely and waved just as vaguely. He left the throng, followed by Sanary and Razzy.

"Morning Pratty," Varil said. "Missed you at the opening ceremony today."

"I wasn't invited," said Pratty.

"What?" said Razzy. "Why not?"

"Only three Craftlords are needed for the ceremony and anyway I'm still just an apprentice."

"Oh will you stop saying that," said Varil. "My rival is not an apprentice."

"And will you stop saying she's your rival. She beat you twice already," Razzy said.

"Some rivalries are eternal," said Varil.

"Uhm..." Pratty said.

"Anyway, why couldn't she be my rival?" Razzy said.

Varil gave Razzy a look of mock disdainful. "Please, you didn't even make it to the semi-finals."

"Because I was beaten by the same girl who beat you in the finals," said Razzy. "So that makes us about equals, wouldn't you say Sanary?"

"Hmm?" said Sanary. After she'd walked over to Pratty and Sugar she'd glanced down at their hands once and had been looking away since.

"Varil and I are both Big Sis's rivals, don't you think?"

"I don't think you should be asking me," said Sanary. "Look, I'm going back to the Guild. I need to start forging weapons for the tournament. Bye guys."

"See you around Sanary," said Razzy.

"Bye," said Pratty.

"Later," said Varil.

Sugar didn't say goodbye. She just looked.

-----

Sugar let go of Pratty's hand once they reached their room. Pratty was a bit surprised to find that she hadn't noticed she'd been holding Sugar's hand all the time. Although she could recall feeling safe and comfortable and now she missed that feeling.

"Shall I heat up the forge, Master Pratty?" Sugar asked.

Pratty lay down on bed and looked up at the ceiling. "No," she said. "I don't have any projects to work on right now. And even if I did, I..."

"Master Pratty?"

"Never mind. Say, who do you think will win?"

"Sanary or Varil, I think," said Sugar. "Razzy isn't skilled enough just yet."

"Neither was I when the tournament for the position of Iron began," said Pratty.

"That's true."

"Then again, I only managed to improve so quickly because of you," Pratty continued. "Razzy isn't so lucky."

"I'm sure Razzy's Guardian Beast gives her plenty of help."

"But only with forging and spellcasting I think," said Pratty. "Sugar?"

"Yes Master Pratty?"

Pratty sat up. "Do you remember what you did shortly after the previous opening ceremony?"

"I was summoned here by you and... oh."

Pratty looked down at the floor, then up at Sugar, then down at the floor again. "I was just wondering if you could..." Pratty looked up and faltered.

"Do you want me to... kiss you again?"

Pratty looked down. "I don't know."

Sugar sat down next to Pratty, or came as close to sitting down as she could while still floating. She carefully took Pratty's hand. "Maybe this is better," she said. "For now."

Again Pratty didn't look at Sugar, but she did smile.

-----

It should be dark in the room, but to Sugar's eyes it wasn't. Even asleep, Pratty's soul shone brightly, perhaps even moreso than when she was awake. Sugar could spend hours looking at Pratty's sleeping face and often had. She was so beautiful. Sometimes it hurt so much that she was so close to her, but couldn't kiss her. And sometimes she was so happy that was so close to her. Lately she'd most often been happy just to be near Pratty, but now that Pratty had kissed her cheek and had held her hand, the familiar pain of longing was coming back, its stab more vicious than before.

Sugar reached out and brushed Pratty's cheek. Tears blurred her vision, but still Master Pratty shone.

Sugar closed her eyes and shook her head. She hadn't woken up to stare at Pratty in quiet worship. Quietly, carefully, Sugar hovered up into the air and left the room.

-----

Sanary sat in the Labyrinth observatory, staring blindly at the fishes swimming by. The sight of the ocean on the other side of the glass used to calm her down and give her a sense of peace. Not any more, though.

Sanary looked up when she saw a faint reflection appearing in the glass next to hers.

"Go away."

"No," said Sugar.

"I don't want to talk to you," said Sanary.

"You love Master Pratty, don't you?"

Sanary didn't respond. That damn Guardian Beast was only here to gloat, she was sure of it.

"I love her too."

"I know," said Sanary flatly. "I saw you two."

"You don't understand," said Sugar. "Master Pratty doesn't love me back."

"Could have fooled me," said Sanary.

"I think she hasn't sorted her feelings out yet. But maybe one day she will. It could be one day soon."

Sanary pulled her knees up under her chin. She rapidly blinked a few times, trying not to show the tears. "Good for you."

"No," said Sugar, "it's not. Because I don't think your friendship with her would survive when that happened and that would crush her."

"What are you saying?"

Sugar smiled. "The only thing I really want in life is for Master Pratty to be happy. I don't desire anything else."

"You desire her," said Sanary.

"Not if it would end up causing her grief," said Sugar.

"So now what?" said Sanary. "Do you want my blessing or something?"

"I don't think I'd get it," said Sugar. "And it's not what I want. I just want Master Pratty to be happy. And I think you could make her even happier than I could."