Waking up, I was greeted with a great headache.
It seems a person was trying to attack me and I ended up headbutting his balls.
Falling behind me the person groaned in pain.
"Damn you... OWWW... MY... Precious... OW!!!"
"Ouch!! What the hell are you trying to pull!?" I was puzzled as to why that person attempted to jump on me while I was unconscious and the mockingly enormous laugh of Tada and Akira only worsen my pain.
Gerald and Mina were looking at the scene with mixed expressions.
Both confused as to how the situation had come to this.
Unlike Mina though who was laughing with the outcome, Gerald let a deep sigh as he facepalmed.
"That bastard got what he deserved. That was some instant karma right there"
Tada who along with Akira laughed his ass off, mockingly commented as to piss off the enemy even more.
"HUH? What was that pipsqueak? Wanna die? HUUUUH?" Upon hearing Tada's insults Gerald started acting like the delinquent he resembled.
However, unlike me who would have lost his shit right about now, Tada spoke in a calm voice.
"No, you lost alright. Cowardly attacking someone when they're unconscious is definitely the wrong way of being a swordsman, especially for a prideful one like you're supposed to be."
That was incredibly brave especially coming from someone as weak as Tada in terms of fighting.
"What kind of an elite swordsman you're supposed to be if you lose your cool so quickly?"
In response to his words, Gerald's other followers along with Genji who had recovered started insulting Tada.
"Who do you think you are four eyes?"
"No one talks to Sir Gerald like that."
"He's known as the demon of the battlefield you know!!"
I didn't know how the demon of the battlefield title came to be, but looking at the back of Gerald's jacket I could guess it referred to the demonic face imprinted there.
And as if the demon's wrath unleashed and shut everyone up, Gerald walked closer to Tada.
Each step seemed heavier than the previous one.
"You've got balls to talk like that in front of a sin I'll give you that... Speak up four eyes. Tell me your name"
"The name is Tada Matsuri. The heir of the honorable Matsuri household as well as the one who'll create the ultimate blade"
Upon listening to his words, a big grin appeared on Gerald's face as he let out a laugh.
But instead of being happy, his expression grew into a mocking smile.
"A blacksmith huh? That's a dream to have. Alright, I'll remember you four eyes, you are amusing me. I'll be sure not to lose my cool when I beat your ass. But man, all that talking made me hungry, everyone let's go eat something. I'm in a good mood right now so it's my treat."
Mocking him Gerald grabbed Genji by the back of his collar and headed for the exit as his followers started cheering.
"Mina, I don't know what you saw in that kid. But I gotta say, he has some interesting friends."
With the edge of his eye, Gerald quickly glanced at Tada once more before leaving the room.
"What was that all about?" Being confused was the least of my problems.
What happened to me at the naming process? Did I choose a nature? Did I name my sword?
If so why can't I remember any of it?
"Glad to see you're finally up. I was starting to think that you'll miss the summoning class"
Tada pat me on the shoulder in relief.
"The nerve of that guy... If only my fans were here he would see who's more popular"
Akira was irritated but what he said was wrong, deep inside him he knew he would lose on a popularity contest against a sin.
He of all people knows to respect a sin.
His brother is one of them after all.
Despite everything though he continued.
"Nevertheless, he's right Octo-head. We were really worried. But maan, you really chose a weird name for a sword"
A drop of sweat rolled down my face.
Glancing at my sword, I could see the word ZAP inscribed on it.
ZAP? What is this supposed to mean? Being zapped by electricity maybe?
I could vaguely remember the pain of electricity passing through my body.
And thus I concluded that this might be my nature.
At that moment, Soro barged into the room.
"What are you guys doing still here? The class is about to start. If you don't hurry up, you'll be late again"
"Oh crap you're right "
{It seems that's another class he looks forward to} Was what I thought of Akira's reaction.
It made sense for him to be excited, for an undefeated swordsman as he claims to be, things like natures and summons must have a special meaning.
I too had to get ready, I can't just chill on the bed while the others work hard.
If I don't try my best as well, I will never become the swordsman I dream to be.
However just as I was about to get up, I noticed that there was something unusual going on with my body.
Looking at my hands, a reversed circle with a colon on the left side was drawn on the back of each of them.
Looking at it, someone would think that it was marked on them using a heated steel or something similar.
It looked more like a scar than a drawing but surprisingly, it did not hurt one bit.
"Wait that mark!!" The first to notice after me was Soro who seemed to knew what this mark represented.
To me, It was nothing more than the weird symbol I saw below that picture in my dream.
But Soro widen his eyes upon seeing it.
"What is it Soro? Do you know what this means?"
"Certainly it is strange. Ran this symbol marked on your hands is just gibberish normally, but for an informant like me is different. You see if we take your name Ran in the dialect of Reformatics, it means Life, and it is drawn as a circle. The circle of life if you may call it. But if you reverse the circle and put the colon symbol on the left side, it becomes F:Ran (Pronounced Fran). It means reincarnation or being reborn and various other meanings that come close to that. As to why it's marked on your body, I have no idea whatsoever."
"Reincarnation huh?" On my head came the words inscribed under that picture.
To you my friend, I shall gift F:Ran.
So they meant reincarnation.
The picture was with someone who looked like me, Pandora, and that robot I used to have as a butler when I was young.
My father had a specialist make it to work as my butler.
He cared a lot about me which made him overprotective.
I didn't give much thought to it, but I wonder what happened to that robot.
We used to spend so much time together.
However, all this talk about F:Ran made me excited.
"Okay then, let's put this into our minds and keep following that thought. We may be Team F right now, the worst of the worst, but just like F:Ran we will keep going and be reborn as the greatest team ever existed"
Throwing my right arm on the air, I pointed at the ceiling, I've meant to point at the sky but all this excitement made me forget that I was inside.
I felt proud at that moment.
If Pandora was here she might... No, she would definitely do the same.
"Now that's more like you Rant!"
"Ran's awesome"
"That's a very nice thought to have Ran"
Tada along with Mary agreed with my speech as Mina nodded and jumped on my shoulders again.
"We should hurry up, The class won't wait for us to start you know"
"Alright. By the way, where is Tifa? Won't she join us?"
"Why don't you ask her?"
My question was answered as Soro opened the door.
Behind it was Tifa who was eavesdropping all this time.
Probably even before I wake up.
"Tsk...rude!!"
"Yeah haven't your parents taught you proper manners?"
Tada and Akira scolded Tifa for her actions, as she just stood there having this look that said: "I don't want to hear that from you, master artists."
She then walked towards me and gave me a handkerchief to wipe my face along with a pocket mirror.
"here use this to um... shave" She left a slight giggle.
I just then realized that those two amigos were doodling on my face and now acted as nothing happened.
{I'll get back to you, mark my words..} I glared at them before sighing, cleaning my face, and fixing my clothes.
A glare that stated "Run. You have three seconds"
"Oh look at the time, we should hurry or we'll be late" Claimed Tada looking at his wrist.
"What was that? There are some pretty girls in the hallway looking for me?"
Upon noticing my glare those two made a run for it.
"Get back here you two!! Tada, you don't have a watch!!" I shouted following behind them.
