Fool's World: The Hierophant (ch. 3) (Patreon)

"So, are you actually going to teach me anything, or nah?" I asked Touko, who sat at the desk, a heavy tome flipped open. The faded yellow pages were marked with a language that wasn't Japanese. It had been a few days since Touko showed up and Korra and I found ourselves in this world -- Korra from being ripped from her homeworld, myself because I had my memories stolen from me.

I would like to say that those few days were productive ones. That would be a lie, though. I gained more perspective and detail about who I was, but as the picture became clearer, the less interest I had in seeing it. The only good part of it was spending time with Korra as she was continuously wowed by everything.

But, the point was, I had yet to learn anything about being a magus. We had two weeks and time was ticking.

"I did say we would begin when I found what I wanted?" Touko questioned, idly flipping the page. I crossed my arms as I leaned against the wall of the study, ancient books at my back. It appeared mostly the same since I was last down here, though the books I had knocked over were straightened and returned to the shelves. Touko was starting to build up a pile of those she seemed to want.

She had. "You did. And I agreed with the assumption you wouldn't take days," I said, my voice firm. Touko flipped another page, proving that she was giving me only a fraction of her attention at best.

"You know what they say about assumptions," Touko remarked lightly, her tone distracted.

I didn't. "And if you don't find what you're looking for, say, within two weeks?" I questioned her, sighing. I knew what my answer was going to be before I even spoke.

"Maybe you'll get lucky and the next Grail War will happen prematurely again. Otherwise, you'll be waiting seventy years until the next one," Touko dismissed, "or, you could die trying to enter this one." She added, sounding like she had no horse in this race. And maybe she didn't. Getting a wish granted sounded like one of those things that most people would be interested in, but it seemed that she wasn't most people.

A sigh escaped me as I looked up the stairs to my right, seeing Korra standing there. I offered a small nod before she started marching down the steps, each footstep ominous as she approached. Holding out a hand, I took a red canister from her.

Wordlessly, I turned around and started splashing gasoline on the shelving and books. The smell of it was thick in the workshop as the gas soaked into the ancient tombs and splashed onto the floor as I doused the shelves. I heard the chair creaking behind me, proving that I had Touko's attention now.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw that she was looking at me with narrowed eyes, while her expression had gone otherwise blank. No, not blank. Amused. "I said you could have everything in here for teaching me. But, if we're going to ignore the spirit of the agreement, then you can have whatever's left." I told her, my tone blunt.

I wasn't sure what reaction I was expecting, but it wasn't for her to lean back into her chair. "You aren't bluffing," she noted, though it sounded half like an observation and half like a question.

"I'd dramatically pull out a lighter, but that'd set all of us on fire because of the fumes. But, yeah -- I'll burn this place to the ground in a heartbeat." I answered honestly, earning a small nod from Touko.

"Why do you want to be a magus?" She asked me, though I was uncertain why.

I gestured to Korra, who frowned at Touko, "To win the Grail War and use the wish to bring her home." I answered, making Korra spare a glance at me, some tension easing out of her when she heard my answer.

"So, are you going to help or not?" Korra pressed, squaring her shoulders and glaring at the redheaded woman.

Touko smiled. It reminded me of a lot of cat that had cornered a mouse, "A magus isn't a sorcerer or wizard that flings spells from their fingertips. A magus, at the heart of it all, is a researcher. A scholar. If any have combat capabilities, then they tend to be a secondary priority pursued in defense of their research." She said, adopting a matter-of-fact time. "Except in some rare cases."

I saw the point she was hinting at easily enough, "There's not enough time to bring me to a point where I could fight the ones that specialize in combat, and the ones that don't will be hiding behind their Servants. Which I can't beat." It was simple logic. Two weeks wasn't enough to bring me from a novice to an expert. "But, two weeks could be enough to teach me something."

It could be the difference between being unarmed and having a knife in my pocket. It was at least something.

"But I am teaching you," Touko argued, her smile growing a fraction at my narrowed eyes and suspicious look. "It took you two days to think like a magus," she said, closing her book with a loud thump that echoed in the workshop.

Korra looked at me, "Thinking like a magus?"

"All magus are inherently untrustworthy. We will attempt to deceive you at every turn. We will betray you at your most vulnerable. We will only hold ourselves to agreements based on how much it benefits us, or how tightly we're forced to compliance ," she said, taking a cigarette from her breast pocket and sticking it in her mouth. "Expect the bare minimum from every alliance, then expect betrayal."

That was… "You're giving yourself a ringing endorsement," I remarked, a frown in my voice as she grabbed the book she had been reading.

"It would be a waste to teach you any magecraft. Oh, I'll teach you the fundamentals -- magic circuits, how to block your thoughts, and the like. But actual magecraft would just be a waste of both of our times. You were completely talentless as a magus. So, I'll teach you how we think. How we act. How we plan." Her red eyes gleamed in the low light, her smile growing until I saw a hint of her teeth. "Your enemies will be expecting the same from you."

As she spoke, she walked by us, paying no attention to the dumbfounded look from Korra, or the thoughtful look from me. That made… a degree of sense, I guess. It still felt like I was being taken for a ride, though.

Touko headed up the stairs and continued to speak, "Lesson number -- read up on the Magus Killer. Technically speaking, he was the winner of the Fourth Grail War," she said, coming to a stop at the top of the stairs. Korra and I walked by her, and only then did she light her cigarette. She took in a deep drag and let out a cloud of smoke. "Where everyone else will have magecraft as their power, yours will be information and approaching things from angles that they won't expect."

Information, huh? "How would I learn more about the Fourth Grail War?" I asked her bluntly, and I was only half surprised when I received a half answer in response.

"You tell me," Touko said, taking her cigarette out of her mouth before she flicked it down the staircase. My eyes widened a fraction as I saw the barest hint at flames before the doors swung shut, leaving the only trace of the fire being a blast of hot air.

I hope that wouldn't burn the house down.

…

Korra wasn't sure what to do with herself, and that left her feeling restless. Naga, her animal companion, wasn't here with her. She hoped that her polar bear dog wasn't missing her. They had grown up together in the south pole, and now they were suddenly separated. Not just across a blizzard, or a continent, but… however far it was between here and home.

She might as well be in the spirit world for how far away she was. And, given the strangeness of the land, she could almost believe she was.

Korra blew out a sigh, throwing herself over to land on her back, a burning ache in her arms from the pushups she had been doing. She didn't know what else to do. It had been another three days since Touko had burned the workshop, and Majima had been glued to his books since then. Books about Magecraft, whatever that actually was. Books about the Grail Wars. And other things.

Korra stared up at the ceiling, frustration simmering under the surface. It felt like she was contributing nothing. That she might as well be standing still. It was the absolute worst feeling , especially when there was no simple solution in sight.

"The Grail War," Korra muttered. It sounded like an insane thing -- a magical cup that granted wishes? It was almost as odd as being the only bender on the planet. Majima seemed convinced that the Grail was her ticket home. That they had to defeat seven Servants and Masters, claim the grail and make a wish.

As far as people she could have stumbled into, Korra could admit to herself that she was lucky it had been him. He had the face of a thug, but that was just hiding how much of a softie he was.

However, as thankful as she was, Korra was literally dying of boredom. She wouldn't make it another day like this, much less another week.

"What should I do?" Korra muttered, looking up at the ceiling. Work out? Done and done. Explore the city? Already did. And as much as there was to watch on TV, Korra could only stomach so much of sitting on her butt and doing nothing. She could… she could…

It was official. She was so bored that she was going to meditate of all things. Maybe one of her previous incarnations could offer some advice on her situation. Because, right now, Korra felt aimless. Listless. Useless, even.

Sitting up, Korra adopted a familiar sitting style -- her legs tucked underneath her, hands on her thighs, shoulders squared. Katara, her mentor, had taught her how to meditate… but it was a skill that was covered in rust, and even when she had practiced it, Korra could admit that she hadn't ever been any good at it. Meditating felt just as much like doing nothing as watching TV or lazing around. Just wasting time as you sat still.

"Come on, Aang," Korra took in a deep breath and let it out, her eyes closed as she sat in the living room of Majima's home. She sat there, trying to let go of her thoughts, reaching out for a connection to her past lives, but if it was there, then it was slipping between her fingers like smoke. There was nothing there for her to take hold of.

She couldn't tell if being in a new world somehow cut her off from her previous lives, or if she just sucked at meditation. The whole spiritualism thing was always something she was terrible at. The old bags of wind constantly told her so. And, for the most part, she hadn't cared at the time. Korra never doubted for a moment that she would master Airbending, regardless how much spiritualism they wanted to attach to it.

Now, however, it was a problem. Every Avatar before her could look back and speak with the Avatars that had come before. To gain wisdom and insight born from their long lives and the tribulations that they overcame.

Every Avatar except for her.

Korra's frustration grew with each passing second that Aang failed to materializing himself, or whatever was supposed to happen. . At her failure to connect with him spiritually. Until- "Auuugghhhh!" Korra groaned into her hands as she cupped her face in frustration and annoyance.

"You okay?" Korra went stiff when she heard Majima speak up, poking his head out of his bedroom to look at her. Now she wanted to die of embarrassment. Maybe the next Avatar would be more put together. He stepped out of his bedroom, revealing that he was in a pair of loose pants and a simple white shirt. Both hugged his well-muscled frame pretty well.

"I'm fine!" Korra said, a little too quickly to be believable. It was pretty evident that Majima didn't believe her based on the cocked eyebrow. "I'm just a little… bored," she admitted, choosing to sweep her inability to communicate with her past lives under the rug.

"Tired of the wonders of the world already?" Majima asked, a book in his hands as he headed to the kitchen area. Inside were nothing but snacks -- the maids of the house made all the actual meals. They would make whatever they wanted, but… it seemed neither she nor Majima wanted to take advantage of that fact.

Korra stood up, abandoning her attempt at meditation. "Not tired, more… you can only see so many incredible new things before they start to mesh together," she corrected. Phones, cars, TV… the less said about the internet, the better. Communication across this world was instantaneous. Nearly all the information of the world was a single web search away. It was so incredible it was honestly daunting.

"I suppose I can understand that," Majima said as he grabbed a thing of bread. "Sandwich?"

Korra nodded as she searched Majima's face. Korra liked to think of herself as a people person, but Majima was really difficult to read. Up until he told her that he had no memories, Korra had been clueless. He just… didn't seem to react beyond mild expressions. She had freaked out at being stuck in this world without warning, but he was treating waking up with no memories as if it was an everyday occurrence.

She didn't know if he was afraid or if he was as calm as he appeared to be.

And despite how uncertain she was, Korra was thankful for it in a way. Majima just… accepted what had happened, and decided on a way to deal with it. Like it was nothing. That was more reassuring than she could put into words.

"If you're bored of this world already, then would you mind telling me a little about yours?" He asked as he went about making food. Three sandwiches for each of them -- they were big eaters.

Korra opened her mouth for a moment, but the words failed to come. Simply because… "I don't really know," Korra admitted. "I can tell you all about the South Pole, but I didn't see much of the world. I just read about it or listened to stories. I know about the four Kingdoms, and benders, but…" she trailed off, taking a seat and leaning into the counter as she idly watched Majima work.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that soon enough. The Grail War is just another week away," he said, speaking as if their victory was a foregone conclusion.

"You aren't nervous?" Korra asked him -- she felt a little uncertain, but mostly confident. The same kind of nervousness when you fought a new sparring partner and didn't know what tricks they had up their sleeves. The Servants, the Masters -- they would all be unknown.

And this wouldn't be sparring.

Majima offered a small shrug, "Not really. I think I've hammered out a decent plan of attack. Can't say anything for certain until we actually see the Servants and Masters, but I think we have a good shot. Even if I don't have Magecraft, you have your bending. That should be enough."

"And what plan would that be?" Korra questioned, earning a small smirk from Majima. It suited his face, but it didn't suit him -- it was small, sharp, and as dangerous as a knife. The Majima that she had come to know was more aloof than anything.

"Well, you won't be bored much longer," he said, passing her the book that he had been reading. A book that was filled with words that almost looked like her native language, but she couldn't make heads or tails of it. She looked to him, hoping that he would elaborate or she would have to reveal the embarrassing fact that she couldn't read. Thankfully, he did, "Touko agreed to help me find someone with Mystic Eyes. The ones I'm looking for are the Mystic Eyes of History Perception -- basically, letting us view the ending of the Fourth Grail War."

That sounded kinda crazy. "Why?" Korra asked, wondering what good that would do.

"Because I want to see how the Grail grants wishes," Majima answered. "And… I want to see it. I read about the fire that killed my family, and it just doesn't make sense. Half a city went up in flames. More than a thousand people died. And not just normal people, but my parents and brother, who were all apparently magi."

Korra frowned, "Do you think… that was the winner's wish?" She questioned, uncertain if she should show pity or not. Majima seemed increasingly detached from his previous life. He was quick to use the benefits it offered, like the mansion, but he no longer seemed so eager to find out who he was. So, she was uncertain if he would want pity for the death of parents that he didn't remember… who had been awful people.

"Don't have a clue. I just know that the Fuyuki fire happened at the climax of the Grail War. I want to see how it happened and learn what I can. Because, maybe, the information will help us win. Learn from the mistakes of those that came before us," Majima said before he passed her a plate. Korra began digging in while Majima prepared tea.

"Will Touko actually help you?" Korra said through a mouth full of food, only to have to repeat herself when Majima looked like he didn't understand a word she had said.

Majima nodded, "She already has. I threatened to start calling up my family's favors on my own if she didn't. That was good enough for her."

Korra nodded to herself, thinking it over. Touko was… an odd one. She sounded like she hated all magus, but she always said 'we', including herself in their number. "Did she give a timeline?" She asked, taking the tea that Majima offered and burning her tongue on it.

"She said it wouldn't be more than a few days. And that was yesterday," Majima said, beginning his own meal while Korra polished off her plate. She let out a content sigh -- she hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"No word on those Yakuza guys?" Korra asked, looking for… something. She still didn't know how she felt about the fact that Majima had been a part of a criminal organization. But, it was just easier to separate the two -- Majima made the decision of joining the Yakuza and whatever, while Majima , the one she knew, was just dealing with the after effects of Majima 's decisions.

"I was told to wait for a call. Not sure for what, though," Majima admitted. There was that word again. The one that she hated. Wait.

"More waiting," she grumbled. Korra wished something would just happen. The waiting was the worst of it. How could you enjoy yourself when you had something like the Yakuza or the Grail War looming on the horizon? It was always like this -- an exam to prove her mastery over the elements, or meeting someone important that wanted to meet the Avatar. Except this was a thousand times worse.

Majima let out a chuckle, "What would you normally do to help pass the time?" He asked her after swallowing and taking a silent sip from his tea.

"Spar?" Korra tried, sounding hopeful. "I mean, it would have to be without bending since you can't, but-" she trailed off, feeling like she was putting her entire foot in her mouth. But, there was one thing that Korra didn't do and that was to quit when she was ahead. "Not that it's a bad thing that you can't bend. You can still fight. I mean, I could take you on pretty easily, but-" and now she was bragging.

However, Majima seemed thoughtful before he offered a small shrug. "Sure," he agreed easily, finishing off his own sandwiches.

"I'll go easy on you?" Korra tried, only to earn a dismissive shake of his head.

"Don't. The other Master's won't," Majima said, earning a smile from Korra. She made the offer to be polite, but she was glad that they had something in common -- Korra hated her opponents holding back as much as she hated losing. With that, she got up and helped Majima rearrange the living room. By the time they were done, giving themselves a wide area to spar in, their food had settled.

Korra stood across from Majima, her hands clenched into fists. She could feel water in the pipes around her, and she felt the flames of passion inside her. She wouldn't use either, though. This was a straight fight. No bending. Even if she really wanted to. In contrast to her, Majima didn't have a stance, yet he looked ready to fight.

"Ready?" Korra asked, a smile in her voice. She had seen a bit of Majima fighting, and it could best be described as rough. Cheap shots to quickly end the fight. Well, crotch shots wouldn’t work on her! In response, Majima offered a simple nod as Korra put her weight on the arches of her feet. With that acting as the go-ahead, Korra darted forward, her hands up as she dove in. She threw a testing jab, letting Majima get a feel before they really began.

Majima might not have much fighting experience, but he did have good instincts, Korra found as he blocked the blow with his forearm with a light smack. His expression didn’t change as he sent a low kick to her knee in response, delivering a decent blow, though despite their words, it looked like they were both holding back a fair bit. Neither of them really wanted to hurt the other.

Upon seeing that he did have some moves, Korra decided to kick things up a notch. She chose to return the kick, the top of her foot striking his ribs, then going up to his shoulder instead of kicking at his head, only to find that the second blow blocked. Korra’s eyes widened a fraction at the smooth block, more so with the counterpunch he threw toward her stomach. He pulled the punch, but it still solidly slammed into her abs.

“I’ve fought a lot of people that kick, I think,” Majima explained as he settled into something that resembled a fighting stance. One fist clutched high, another low, his body angled to make a smaller target. His footwork seemed a bit odd, not quite a wide stance, and he seemed to be putting his weight on his forward foot instead of his back foot. It was an odd mismatch -- his posture said defensive, but his footing said offensive.

“Then I’ll throw more punches,” Korra said with a smile, darting back in. She was light on her feet, her blood singing in her veins as she fell into the familiar activity. It wasn’t bending, but it would be a lie if she said she didn’t like fighting in general. Of putting her skills against another and finding out who was better. Competition was in her nature.

Majima returned her smile weaving between the punches with deft ease before he returned the jabs with some of his own. Then, quick as a whip, he mixed it up with a sweeping kick from his back leg, nearly knocking her on her back. Korra managed to keep her footing, only to quickly be pressed back as Majima pressed the attack. The more that he fought, the more that it became clear that Majima didn’t just have good instincts.

He was good. He was dusting off forgotten skills, and his fighting style became smoother as they traded blows. More distinct. Then, when she managed to sweep his leg, it became weird. Majima dropped to the floor, using his hand to prop himself up as he continued to kick at her with his legs, displaying a flexibility Korra didn’t think that he had in him. More than that, it gave him range and made attacking him awkward.

Korra smiled at the challenge, itching to use her bending, but instead she chose to sweep her leg out low, intending to sweep his hands from underneath him. It was an obvious point of attack and Majima reacted instantly by pushing himself up, proving that his muscles weren't just for show. As her leg sailed underneath him, Majima twisted in midair, righting himself so he would land on his feet as he went to bring an axe kick down on her collarbone.

Korra proved her own flexibility and strength by maneuvering despite the awkward positioning to dodge the blow. His heel slammed into the floor, sending vibrations running up her arms as she flipped herself back on to two feet once again. They clashed again and Korra kept her word and threw more punches. His fighting ability rapidly improved as he continued to rediscover his instincts, and each blow was either blocked or diverted.

He fought like a waterbender and an earthbender, capable of evasive dodges and stubbornly staying in the thick of the fight, blocking and taking blows when needed to better dish out his own. Before long, Korra felt herself working up a sweat as they continued to spar, the fight growing in intensity. The impact of their blows grew stronger as they felt less of a need to pull them back. Important locations like the head weren't attacked, but Korra knew she would be sporting a few bruises.

So, she made sure that Majima would be too.

However, that came to an end when Majima's phone rang, making both of them go still. Majima dropped his stance and picked up the phone from where he had dropped it so it wouldn't get damaged during the spar. Flipping it open, he answered with a, "Mikoto Majima speaking."

Majima's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, prompting Korra to stealthily move in so she could overhear the conversation. "- building immediately! The Nishkiyama family are on their way!" Korra heard, and it took Korra a moment to place the name. Wasn't that…?

"Alright. I'll leave now," Majima said as he closed the phone and looked at her, forcing Korra to lean back since their faces had been so close. "The Nishkiyama family is on their way to kill me. So, we should go," Majima said, sounding frighteningly unconcerned with the fact that people were coming to kill him.

"We're running?" Korra questioned, not liking the sound of that at all.

"They have guns. And if they're coming to kill me specifically, they probably have a way to deal with Magecraft," He answered, heading into his bedroom and grabbing a duffle bag. One that was packed with clothes, and the contents they found in the safe, while Majima took the time to place the gun in his waistband before grabbing the bag. "It's smarter to run. Plus, we were already about to leave for Fuyuki," he pointed out.

It still rubbed her the wrong way. She looked at the door of his bedroom, beyond the piles of books and clothing. She had never run from a fight before. And she didn't really see a reason why she should start now. However, Majima's mind seemed made up because he heard him say, "Touko, we're heading to Fuyuki now. Tell the guy when you find him to meet us there," Majima said, snapping the phone close.

He put on a jacket before he tossed her the duffle bag, his amber eyes sharp. "Let's go," he said, walking by her.

Korra blew out an irritated sigh -- it still rubbed her wrong in absolutely every way. She was the Avatar. Running wasn't what she was supposed to do. When something challenged her, her job was to kick it's butt. But Majima seemed set on running, regardless of whether they could take the family on or not. And… he was the target…

"Fine…" Korra muttered unhappily, putting on the duffle bag like a backpack as they stepped into the elevator. Reaching the ground floor, one of the maids bowed deeply as they stepped out.

"Get everyone out of the building," Majima ordered, his voice harsher than she had ever heard before. The same was the case for the maid based on how startled she looked. "Load up, and get out."

The maid hesitated, "Of course, master." She said, her voice laced with fear because of the way he was acting, before she quickly broke out into a run to go warn the others.

Korra didn't like it, "How long do we have?" Korra asked as they headed to a garage. Stepping inside, she saw six vehicles -- sleek looking metal bodies, and sharp angles, then there was a thing with two wheels. Like a bike. Instead of picking the cars, Majima headed to the bike after grabbing a key from a hook on a board near the door.

"Not long enough," Majima answered shortly before he threw a leg around the bike and it roared to life. Korra got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso as she pressed her body against his. It was a little embarrassing, but she was far more concerned about the people coming for Majima. She'd ridden with other people before, but usually she was the one in front, and the people in question were usually kids from the village when she managed to sneak out of the compound. With her secured, the bike lurched forward, heading to the wide door that opened as they approached.

Korra felt the wind in her hair for the first time in what felt like months -- the bike was faster than Naga twice over, so Korra felt like she was riding the wind. The only down side they seemed to be moving too fast to really enjoy the sights as they pulled out of his mansion's driveway to pull onto the main road. The sun shone overhead, not a cloud to be seen, and she was greeted by the still unfamiliar sight of the city. Her heart pounded in her ribs as they drove through the city streets, her eyes peeled for any sign of the enemy.

For minutes, there was no trace of anyone following them and Korra began to relax. However, as they headed for a bridge that would take them off of Kyushu island, Korra saw that there hadn't been a need to follow them.

"Oh… looks like my phone was tapped," Majima remarked, spotting two black cars with tinted windows parked at the opening of the bridge. Not enough to block it off, but definitely guarding it. A warning to not venture forward. "That's annoying. Korra?"

"I'll take care of it. Just don't stop," Korra decided, eyeing the vehicles as they rapidly approached. There weren't many other cars on the road, so they approached in plain view. And when they sailed by, the cars pulling into the two-lane bridge were also in plain view. Korra shifted her position so she was facing them as they approached from behind, the duffle bag in her lap.

The two cars raced towards them, going into some kind of flanking maneuver. Majima was boxed in when one of the cars threatened to run him off the road. There wasn't any room to maneuver around, but that was fine for Korra.

She breathed in, filling her lungs with air, then she channeled her breath and her passion into her inner fire. Feeding it, stoking the flames until they became potent enough to protect them. She threw a fist at the front tires of both cars, jets of flames shooting from her fists. They washed over the tires, filling the air with a horrible scent as the rubber bubbled and melted. They swerved, nearly hitting Majima in the process, but he avoided getting his back tire swiped with some quick maneuvering.

The windows of the cars rolled down as they started to lag behind, two men leaning out of each vehicle. They had guns in their hands.

"Slow down!" Korra shouted, and clenched down with her thighs when Majima slammed on the brakes, the back tire nearly flipping up despite her weight keeping it down.

The cars raced by and Korra shot flames into the exposed interiors, washing it over the men inside. Korra heard panicked screaming as Majima gunned the bike again, and they raced by. The cars began smoking, forcing them to pull over. A second later, all of the men dressed in suits got out, smacking out flames while the fire consumed their vehicle. They were fine.

So, to add insult in injury, Korra stuck out her tongue as they drove away, feeling proud of herself.

"Do you think this will interfere with the Grail War?" Korra questioned over the rushing wind.

"Probably," Majima answered, racing across the bridge at speeds she could never imagine going before she found herself in this world.

Yeah, probably. But, if that's all they had, then Korra felt confident that they could take everything they could dish out and then some.

"Eh, we'll be fine."