CHAPTER FOUR
Back at the Cursed side of Masquerade, where Mason and Sam have just met their new Blessed teacher, Mr. Gentus, the class plods along with writing down every mark that is written on their chalkboard. Save for Mason, who's taken to staring around at the sheep around him who follow his lead as doctrine.
"So impressive."
Mason mocks, his thoughts prickle about in his head and he gets a chance to giddily laugh at everyone, his best friend included. Though he knows Sam would follow any teacher anyways, always the astute one.
With the arrival of Mr. Gentus to the Second-year Cursed class, Mason can only feel annoyed at the man. Sitting with his arms crossed, his short-katana still strapped tightly to his shoulder, Mason broods while the rest of the class is hushed and scribbling away. Very light scratches of pencil and paper play in the air, and Mason works to blow the sounds away with huffs and sighs.
"Hfffff"
Mason lets his chest fall lower in his chair, dipping into his stomach as he exhales.
Peeking over at Sam, who is huddled over with his nose into his work, Mason can't help but feel a bit sad for his friend. Being a true and proper slacker, Mason worries that his friend is doing too much. A worry that Sam often wishes Mason didn't have.
Sam sits in his seat, racing through with the correct answers on the worksheet handed out to them only minutes ago, entitled - Manifestations of Cursed and Blessed (Physical) -
Sam has known these facts for years, even before Masquerade. Having only a tier-4 manifestation, one of the weaker forms of being Cursed, Sam has never had to worry too much about losing himself to the curse. And with that, he's always had a bit more of a fascination with other people's manifestations, learning as much as he could, hoping to one day be able to figure out a way to reverse or slow them down.
In the many years since the War, humans have pondered and found a great number of answers to why the world is the way it is now. But it's the questions that haven't been answered that interest Sam the most.
The scribbling seems to get louder as Mason focuses a bit on the room, it begins to taunt him for not doing any of the work. Even being a simpler topic, one designed to show what everyone knows for their second year of schooling - Mason is left brooding about, thinking maybe at this point Gentus has it out for him. Though the truth is, all Second-year students are entering the A.C.E class, and with that comes a deeper understanding of their powers, of their control, and hopefully of their resolve in the discovery of what to do with their power.
Some students wish to grow their power in hopes of being able to work as hunters, being on the frontlines of responding to the Blight and Faith issue. Some want to control their power so that they don't have to fight and potentially sacrifice themselves. This is the year that the separation of these students begins. But, as with every school setting - the work being done isn't for everyone's lone interest. Covered in the worksheet, is the commonplace knowledge given and hopefully received by the populace of today.
Another Cursed student's worksheet looks as such,
***
What Elements can be most associated with the Cursed? Fire, Rock, Metal, Lava, Acid, Poison, Darkness, _________,________
What Elements can be most associated with the Blessed? Water, Air, Plant, Ice, Electricity, ________, _________, ___________
What Blights are most likely to appear in a city landscape? Fire-type blights are most likely to show up in any environment, and then for all the Concrete and Metal in any city, those types are likely to show up too.
The sheet continues on like this.
***
"Dammit, test! This is stupid!"
Mason tries to rack his brain for the answers to the test, taking it up a moment ago out of spite for Mr. Gentus and Sam
"What Blight might show up in a city landscape!? I've seen at least one of each element erupt in the city!?"
Mason recalls a few of his encounters - for Cursed and Blessed, the undertaking they each have is such that Blights and Faiths tend to find them, leading to a lot of them becoming hunters regardless of their preference.
"This is ridiculous."
Mason shoves the sheet of paper forward, quietly refusing to do the work.
At the front of the room, Mr. Gentus stares out at the class, wringing his pen and tossing the tiny pom-pom hanging at its end from side to side. He watches as everyone's pens and pencils drag back and forth.
Kr Kr Kr Kr Kr Kr Kr
Shiiik
Mr. Gentus' ears twitch, and he looks over to see a sat-up Mason. His sheet is pushed away from him, and the boy sits with his arms crossed over his torso. He is bothered. Taking the opportunity as a chance to see how far he and his peers have gotten, Mr. Gentus shoves his chair back, standing upright at the front of the class. The students, mid-worksheet, don't move to look. Their teacher is actually impressed by this.
Stepping out in front of his desk, Mason watches Mr. Gentus' movements and tries not to meet eyes with him. Mr. Gentus doesn't seem to mind much though, hovering past Mason and the others to reach the back of the classroom. He closes his eyes and breathes in deeply.
Fiiiiiiiiiih.
"That one's so obvious, even I know that."
"Oh no, was it Metal and Rock?"
"I haven't even heard of this one…"
Using his natural Blessed ability, he begins focusing on their inner voices, Mr. Gentus starts to create images of everyone's learning bases. Students like Sam seem to have a good understanding of their world and could be used to help the other students.
"Young Miss Edwards on the other hand is woefully unprepared, she's guessing wholeheartedly on a few of the questions- her guidance will be closely followed."
And so on are his thoughts.
Reaching to the right side of the classroom now, Mr. Gentus peers in a little deeper towards Mason.
"Guh, this is dumb."
Mr. Gentus smiles, unsurprised.
"I know everything I need to know about Blights and Faiths, why is he testing us like this."
Mason brags and huffs.
"Dammit! Okay, well if I can't get the answers to this stupid test myself, I'm sure my best buddy will help out."
Mason's thoughts race towards Sam's answer sheet.
Mason yawns aloud, reaching his arms up and wiping his right eye with his hand, keeping his other eye open to look over at Sam's sheet - successfully writing the answers down now half-blind.
"Heh heh heh. Knew I could count on you, buddy."
Mason pats himself on the back at his success.
Mr. Gentus would hardly even need the ability to hear thoughts to know what Mason was up to.
Continued in PART FIFTEEN…