Somewhere Someplace

Blossom and Swordstaff were staring down at it…

It had come straight out from nowhere; a sneaking trick that had been so seeded within this sheet.

Swordstaff had improved throughout the last…however long they had been at this—a week or a little over. He knew the basics of what to do, no matter the arrangement: isolate the letter and find the value; move the numbers over via the inverse of their operation. Certainly, there were occasionally the weird things called 'negative numbers', which…in a real practical sense made no sense at all—How could there be a negative quantity of something? It seemed abstract.

But the pattern was all Blossom had made him focus on.

A negative added by a number was essentially subtraction; a negative subtracted by a number was essentially addition… Simple a pattern indeed, which he was able to grasp…up until magnification had come along. Magnification of a negative number by a positive number was negative; a negative magnified by a negative was a positive number.

Initially, the latter had seemed almost paradoxical when applying Blossom's so-called 'trick', considering that a negative added by a negative was subtraction and subtraction of negatives was addition and therefore should result in a negative—if magnification was just the number added by itself the magnified number of times… Only for them to realize, wait, that actually did make sense when a negative was magnified by a positive since that was the negative number added by itself that many times, which then raised the question of what the fuck did it mean to magnify by a negative quantity since that meant a number was being added by itself a negative number of times…

By that point she had told him to stop thinking about it.

Indeed… Blossom was beginning to reach the limits of her understanding; all of this tutoring began to make her question how the fuck did she even know any of this and why the fuck had she even been taught this?

Yet regardless, Swordstaff had improved—particularly because he had, indeed, stopped thinking about it. However, he had perhaps improved too much in this short period of time… His last practice sheet had obviously left some kind of impression on his arithmetic tutors; his sudden improvements must have given them a false belief of some hidden awakening…or perhaps they wanted to show him his place.

Either way, whilst this parchment of practices had begun with an initial set of simple problems through which they had swiftly persevered, so abruptly from the shadows of that final page had it struck…

2x2 + x = x2 + 6

And, indeed, Blossom was dumbstruck.

"…what is this sorcery?" Swordstaff blurted, sweat dripping whilst staring it down. "The little two hanging off the letter… Why is there… What is that?" He was able to deduce that small '2' had to be significant, he just did not how… "They are all 'x', so…do we…collect? That does not seem so hard, combine the x's and move the other x over and…then partition…?"

Yet Blossom shook her head; "No… No, they are not…the same…"

"But the letters are all x…" It was as if his breaths were actually intimidated. "Tell me, what does the miniscule two mean?"

"…" Blossom looked at him… "A…uhm…a…square? Yes… You haven't been…taught that?"

"…square…" Swordstaff very lightly nodded his head, contemplating the word, 'square'… "I remember…him speaking of squares—the shape and something abouts… It was awfully boring." He looked at her again. "Why is it called 'square'? What does this have to do with a square—there is no…square…"

"I don't know; it is…just called that." Blossom nervously replied… "It means that…a number is 'squared', which is to say…empowered by two, which is to say magnified by itself that many times…so twice." She was failing at this explaining. "An x squared is…then x magnified by x twice… Or… Here, give me"—she took the quilled pen and began to scribble on a spare blank parchment—"A better way… Two squared is two magnified by two, so four. Three squared is three magnified by three, which is…nine."

"Ah… I see… So, a further magnification of magnification…" Sure, if that was how Swordstaff wanted to understand it. "You cannot just…divide everything by an x, then…"

"No… You'd have to seek the, uh, 'root'—but you don't even know what this…" Blossom was astonished that she even knew what that was, frankly. "You cannot do that, however, because it would apply to the whole thing, so…" Her head was hurting… "You have to find x, but…the square makes this very tricky and there's…two answers? Rightly, because this is…a line or curve…not quantity." There was a familiarity with this type of problem, the only issue being she could not remember it.

It should be noted that quadratic equations were not part of the standard tutorship curriculum for even the highest social classes. It was definitionally advanced for this continent.

"If I ever gain real power, I am going to hang every mathematician." Swordstaff softly decided; knowing him, it was feasibly possible that he was being serious. "First a square, and now a line…" He ughed aloud; "I know it for certain that this is my tutor's attempt to show himself off—to flaunt as the better… That I am the student, and he the wiseman."

"I don't know…what to do… I'm sorry…" Blossom was actually kind of sincere.

"They have done this before—all of them… Those tutors…" Swordstaff reflected; "Every time I made some…gain, they would do something like this… They feel I am not worthy of their arts and seek to hinder me—to…make me beneath them and…to ensure that I never understand their arts as they do."

"Maybe it's…because you couldn't comprehend the basics of magnification." Blossom, however, abruptly flipped tone with taunting sneers in her voice. "You never respected their art, so they never respected you. They treat you exactly the way you deserve…"

Astonishingly, Swordstaff was not provoked by her words… He just…stared at the problem, as if paying her no mind. "You know, there is no affinity in our blood…" He looked at Blossom. "Blood determines your place in this world—who is higher, and who is lower… That is how the Gods devised this world; our place—our right—is born…" His gaze returned to the parchment on his desk… "But I still…mastered fire and life magic, no affinities in blood, and did what I was told was…impossible."

"I would hardly say mastered, pfft…" Blossom audibly muttered.

Yet Swordstaff continued to pay no mind, to her surprise. "It's perplexing…" Leaning forward, he began to tap and tap his forehead… Was he actually…introspecting? "A mage and a sorcerer tutored me since I was a boy, and I forged a new model of spellcraft—I did that…" He again looked at her. "And then there is…something like you… A bastard, illegitimate and with no privileges—no different than a meagre peasant in status, yet"—he spun his hand—"here you are, my attendant…in place of the ones…who were so much more desirable… I loved them; they were always there, yet father took them away, but he gave me you… All because he wants a child… He never said it to me, but I know the expectation… All because of your blood…"

Gods' sacred, he was rambling… Though, his voice was awfully mellow; not angry. This was weirder; Blossom was getting weirded out, though…in a weirder way.

This was weird.

"A bastard with no inheritance, illegitimate… But your blood cares not for mortal rites, since it was given by the Gods. You carry the blood of a sovereign line… Your blood still has power, even though you are powerless." What the fuck was he even going on about? "It's utterly nonsensical, if you think about it… That 'bastard' is a concept, when your legitimacy is from your blood rite… That's why claimants are so often from a line of mothers, because daughters or not, they still have the blood… But yours is not diluted; yours is closest to the sovereign... Right? Sunnycloud was here before, I remember them… I was young, though…"

"Uhm…" Blossom was…confused, though these words were oddly making her feel something… And she did not like feeling anything anymore.

Swordstaff, sweating from cognition, relooked at the parchment once again… "Blood carries affinity, yet I know sorcery… Blood carries power, yet you are a slave…"

"…I'm not a slave, but…alright…" Blossom had to say.

"It's nonsensical." Swordstaff continued nevertheless; "Like this problem… It's completely nonsensical, but those are the rules; those are the ways… And we must follow them." He bit his lip somewhat. "But I sit defeated…by these letters and numbers, symbols whose meanings… I am not stupid, I know there is something to it, but they, those mathematicians, my tutor… They must always keep it esoteric to themselves… Incapable of simply realizing not everyone is them…"

"You really are one to speak…" Blossom sighed…

"Why would he give me this unless he was anticipating my failure?!" Now Swordstaff was shouting. "Every day I awake with more things to detest; with more things to feel enraged about… If it's not this, it's that; if it's not that, it's this… Billhook never had to know…these squares of curvy lines and…negative inverted upside-down numbers! Yet I have to know them… Father wanted me to be everything."

"…dugh…" They were now wasting time, really… Though, maybe Blossom was feeling just a little…empathetic… It disgusted her; she should not feel bad for this cretin.

"I was born with a destiny, he always told me… I was born to be the son who would take this house forward… It was Fate's oracle who said so." He was not going to stop, was he? "Fate chose me… I was told I was born with a rightful place, with rightful privileges… I was special; I was elite; I was born for greatness… A conqueror—I was to be a conqueror, not of realms but of right and rite…" His eyes sprung right to her yet again, his focuses being everywhere seemingly. "I was told over and over, the story of our house… We Berrybottoms were conquerors; the founder of our line was a conqueror who, thousands of years ago, carved out his own kingdom—by his right alone and nothing else…"

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"It must've been insignificant because nobody's heard of a Berrybottom Kingdom…" Blossom wanted to provoke him out of this ramble.

But, again, he was…too different in his state of mind to be provoked, seemingly… "Yes…" Indeed, he was actually accepting… What the fuck? "For all I know, it could be a fabrication. It was just a story, but I truly believed it… A realm not named by the Child or recognized by the God of Sovereigns… One forged by right of power—of real power, of nature; to overcome and conquer… And father was truly convinced I was to be…the conqueror's reincarnate." His face abruptly scowled. "Then you came along…"

"Hither we arrive…" Blossom ughed… "Are you going to…maybe…hate-fuck me now?" Why did she say that?

"Every day ever since you become my attendant, it has been the same question over and over… You, you, you, you… Everything is you. Are you well? Are you safe? Am I behaving with you? As if you're the son and I the attendant!" Now there were his unhinged spits. "Because you are a bastard yet still have that blood… Despite everything he had expected of me and everything he made me prepared for, in a sudden thrust, I am now…just a precursor? That's it? I'm only needed for my seed?"

"You sound like you're going to cry…" She was belittling him. "Maybe you should; it would be helpful…" And extremely funny.

And, indeed, his eyes were slightly watery. "I hate you…so much…" His voice was…sincere, not even mad or…upset. "You have no idea…how much I hate you. At first, you were…interesting; a little thing that needed to know its place—I could not get you out of my head; the idea of humbling you… But now… Now it sickens me to even be near you… I barely want to think about you or your…horrible friend."

"…oh." That was all Blossom replied, her eyes looking away… "Alrightly…" Why did that hurt? The feeling was mutual, yet it still hurt.

His eyes drifted back to that parchment; that one equation which had set him off on this ramble… "But I know… This must be a trial of Fate… And, you know what? Father might have…become convinced of your blood as being something, but I am convinced of my blood! I conquered sorcery, I subjugated you, and I will conqueror this." There was the Swordstaff she knew, and she barely knew him. "Because I am a Berrybottom, the line of a conqueror mythical or not; I believe that, and I shall be that!" Indeed, he picked up the quilled pen, staring the equation down… "I will show those arrogant mathematicians that their stupid game failed by conquering this problem and usurping their art."

"You know, that first day I saw you, I thought you…were…one of those handsome deceiver nobles…" Blossom began to say; "I never imagined you would actually reveal yourself as an unhinged megalomaniac…"

"You will help me." He just…abruptly said out from the ether.

"Huh?" Indeed, Blossom was confused.

"You are my attendant, girl. You are not my equal, and I will never recognize you…as anything beyond…the little speck of dirt on the boot that keeps stomping on my neck and striking my groin, over and over and over and over…" He kept banging his finger into the desk with each 'over'. "I hate…everything that has happened these last weeks, my entire life has been flipped…" He looked at her again; "But I know you detest me too. A witch who despises her prince… But…" He relooked at the parchment… "I hate you, you hate me, and…much like when two of these…negative numbers are magnified, that somehow…nullifies? Through the very nonsensical rules, two hatreds, two negatives, turn into...a positive?"

"Uh…" Seriously, what the fuck was this? "…so, then that…means…uhm…?" Please, please, she hoped he was not going to spin this into that direction…

"We will help each other…" Oh, she could only thank the Gods he did not say what she was dreading he was going to say… She would have puked—right onto him; she would have puked. "You didn't ask for this, and neither did I…" Wait, did he…actually just say that?

This entire rambling monologue was continuously leaving her so confused.

"You are…so…weird, Swordstaff. Weird… Terrifyingly weird." Blossom needed to say, reflecting. "First you cornered me that day, touched me and threatened me… And now you burn me and hurt me and violate me only…for you to apologize?"

Right, Swordstaff had actually off-handedly apologized at some point.

"Like, what the fuck? Why are you sorry? And then you do everything again because you…you…love it! You love hurting me!" Now she was starting to ramble. "And now you go on this pitiful tirade, even though I am never going to feel bad for you. No matter how much you cry or say you are misunderstood or some daddy's boy who was blah blah blah blah! Bleh!" She splurred her tongue at him. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, you're so stupid… All of this is so stupid, I never asked for this…" Oh, great…she was the one about to cry.

Breathing in and out, however, Blossom managed to rebound and calm… Though, only for her to promptly notice…

Swordstaff was silent.

"Uh…"

Indeed, he was staring into her, and she knew those eyes…

"No one ever would dare utter such things to me…" he began to utter; "That is what makes you weird…and insufferable, testing me always… But now you have made me curious… Is this the bold wolf who will bite or the pathetic sheep underneath who will lay limp? This time will you cry, moan, or…maybe fight?" He stood himself up. "Let's find out."

And that is an immediate fade to black.
Certainly, what a transition.
What a repulsively fascinating dynamic.
Human relations will never cease to be interesting.
Though, here I was hoping they would figure out the problem
Highlighting their potential for cooperation…
I was rather invested, indeed.
Hm…
Well, seeing that they are preoccupied…

Warning: Desynchronization
Warning: Desynchronization

2x2 + x = x2 + 6
x2 + x = 6
x2 + x – 6 = 0
x2 + x – 6 —> (x2 + 3x) + (-2x – 6) = 0
(x2 + 3x) + (-2x – 6) —> x(x + 3) – 2(x + 3) = 0.
(x – 2)(x + 3) = 0
x – 2 = 0 | x + 3 = 0
x = 2 | x = -3
Check.
x2 + x – 6 = 0
(-3)2 + (-3) – 6 = 0 | (2)2 + (2) – 6 = 0
9 – 3 – 6 = 0 | 4 + 2 – 6 = 0
6 – 6 = 0 | 6 – 6 = 0
0 = 0 | 0 = 0
Solution is {2, -3}
Done.

No doubt, they will be wondering once they return focus…
What is this gibberish abruptly engraved upon this parchment?
From whom? By whom? Why is it so gooey?
Granted, there could have been a more helpful presentation generated…
One that actually taught.
Yet she is smart enough to figure it out…
Probably.

Wait.

Analyzing…

Quick shift.

Analyzing…

Well, that is not good.

"Huh??" Abruptly, Blossom returned as all the world around could once again be felt. "Ow… Ow… Ow, ow, ow! Get off me!" She shoved him off. "Ew! Ouch, ouch! What the fuck?! You're so gross!"

She proceeded to reprimand him for his…actions, dialogue skipped.

"Feisty, now… That's different. Are you finally going to fight back?" Swordstaff, however… Well…

Dialogue further skipped.

Warning: Desynchronization

"Something is happening out there." Blossom, fixing herself up, finally said. She pointed to the door; "Did you not hear that shriek??"

Indeed, there were shouts and hails, many heels rushingly stepping their way.

"I…" Swordstaff had been too engrossed in his activities, and therefore… "I did not…"

Blossom straightened her attire and immediately went to the closed door, placing her ear onto it, listening to the hectic voices of those passing by… "…something happened in the dorms? That's what they're shouting…"

"Why, yes, it's obvious… Did you really need to defile my door with your ear? It is audible!" Swordstaff so loudly pointed out.

"I don't…want to…hear that from you." Blossom was very blunt, shivering… "Seriously… Why must you—" Dialogue skipped.

Move already, stupid teens.

Warning: Desynchronization

"They are calling for the Sir." Blossom could hear. "Something really bad happened…" She promptly opened the door.

"Where are you going?" Swordstaff was still trying to put his attire back on. "What are you doing? They can see me!"

Blossom, however, stuck her tongue out at him. "I am going to go and see what happened. Bye-bye." She departed immediately and followed the hectic stream.

Swordstaff barged out eventually, chasing in kind… He had not seen such an abrupt chaos erupt in this manor-estate in quite the some time.

-||-

Quiet and silent. Quite the crowd had gathered; propers, seniors, and juniors. This crowd extended outside into the hall from this junior dorm room. Confused, worried, concerned, frightened; so many affects varied across their faces. All focused on a single bed amidst the many empty others.

"…wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Gods' sacred, wake up…" A single voice, mellow and quiet yet teary eyed and unable to bear; unable to comprehend; completely and utterly confused. "Just wake up! Please, wake up!" It was Moon. "I put you to sleep… You were fine… I put you to sleep… Please…"

"Moon…" One of the maids tried to—

"SHUT UP!" Moon, however, lashed out immediately. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!"

Black was amidst the crowd; her eyes were clogged with tears though she tried to keep them obfuscated. Burgundy, eyes completely widened, was dead silent.

"Girl…" One of the senior maids tried to step closer… "Step away, now. We need to see."

"Well, fantastic, delightful—because you can see!" Moon did not budge, however. "She was…so tired… Disoriented… She was yelled at again and disciplined, she was so… I took her away, I brought her here, I wanted her to rest and…she did and…I came back to see if she was fine, and… I cannot wake her up, no matter what… She won't wake up!"

"We see that, so please—"

"WE SAID SHE WAS SICK, AND YOU ACCUSED HER OF BEING LAZY!" Moon was…very…very upset. "Is… Is this what will happen to all of us… Gods' sacred…" She was beginning to break down… "We are…doomed… Doomed…"

A voice quickly emerged, however; one authoritative and was quickly shifting others out of the way. "Out of the way! Out of way!" Before more sooner than not, standing before the door with maids behind…were Sir Berrybottom himself and the head maid as well. "What is… What is this?"

Swordstaff, meanwhile, had squeezed his way through so that he could stand by his father's side. "Father…" he greeted, looking at the situation too.

Though, Sir Berrybottom ignored him—focused.

Moon's teary eyes and sniffling breaths turned to her higher blooded overlord… "Apple, she is Apple… She is…was… I can't wake her up. I thought…she was dead, so I screamed, but… I cannot wake her…"

"…'thought'." The Sir…quoted her wording. "Girl… She is not breathing." He was very quick to note.

Moon…gritted her teeth, looking at the motionless and breathless girl, unable to deny any further… "I don't know what to do… I don't know what to do!" she cried.

The Sir, bewildered and with sinking breaths, looked to the head maid. "Get these girls out of here!" he ordered her though was loud enough to be heard by everyone else. "I need this room emptied, now!"

"Father's words are sharp and clear, ladies!" Swordstaff decided to contribute. "Get out of here! Move away now!"

The gathered began to dissipate, the head maid promptly going to Moon. "Get up girl. We will handle this. Leave."

"I can't—I can't…" Moon was beginning to weep.

Yet the head maid forced her up onto her feet. "Get going. Now!" She was rather impatient.

Black, still around, went to Moon who was now sobbing. "C-come on, Mun…" With her comforting tug, she awkwardly helped the distraught Moon away, leaving only those who needed to be there—besides one specific other who decided to linger, silent.

The Sir approached the motionless Apple, pressing his fingers upon a specific spot of her neck… There was a slim shake to his breath. "…Swordstaff," he turned to his still present son, "take a horse to the village and fetch a doctor, immediately."

"Ye…yes, father." Even he was seemingly disturbed. "There is a Wandering Frog camp near; I shall head there…at once."

Okay.
I suppose I have delayed this long enough…
Far too long enough.

Sol to Whispering Oceans: There has been a complication.
[--]
The consequences of our rust.