Tatsu insisted the morning was going fine.It was not.
Fridge Sama had stopped in the middle of Mage Roadway, staring unblinkingly at a street vendor who was selling fish skewers.
The vendor looked uncomfortable."Sir, please stop glaring at my fish."
"I am not glaring," Fridge Sama said. "I am calculating their temperature."
"That is worse," the vendor whispered.
Tatsu dragged him away by the wrist."Stop intimidating seafood."
"They were looking at me first," Fridge Sama replied.
"They are dead."
"All the more reason."
Tatsu wanted to argue, but decided his sanity was already strained enough for one morning.
They cut through another street where awakened trained in small parks, sparring with elemental bursts or sword techniques.Tatsu had always walked through here quickly, mostly to avoid getting hit by a stray fireball and becoming a tragic footnote in someone else's character development.
Fridge Sama watched them with a bored expression.
"So much noise," he said. "And none of them have learned control."
"That guy is literally controlling fire," Tatsu pointed out.
"Barely," Fridge Sama replied.
Tatsu groaned. "You are impossible."
"You are inefficient," Fridge Sama said calmly.
"Please stop evaluating me like a broken appliance."
As they walked, a small commotion formed near the center of the park.A young awakened girl, maybe eighteen, stood crying next to a knocked over mana cart.A group of older boys, definitely trouble, snickered while one of them kicked her dropped supplies.
Tatsu sighed, shoulders sagging."Great. More jerks."
He took a step forward out of instinct, then froze when Fridge Sama placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait," Fridge Sama said.
"What, you are going to handle it," Tatsu asked hopefully.
"No," Fridge Sama said. "I am observing your choices."
Tatsu stared at him."That is not helpful."
"It is helpful to me."
Tatsu let out a long exhale.Fine. He would handle it.
He approached the bullies, tapping the leader on the shoulder.
"Hey, maybe stop tormenting children today," Tatsu said, doing his best to sound confident and not like a tiny frightened raccoon.
The leader turned, visibly annoyed."Who are you."
"Tatsu," he said. "Just Tatsu."
The guy laughed."Oh yeah, your reputation is terrible. You are that powerless laborer who always gets stepped on."
Behind him, Fridge Sama spoke."That is correct."
Tatsu spun around. "You were supposed to stay quiet."
"I was supporting the statement," Fridge Sama replied.
"That does not help."
"Truth always helps."
"Not today."
The punk lunged forward, grabbing Tatsu by the collar."Get lost, fridge boy."
Tatsu braced for impact.He had lost count of how many times he had been hit by people like this.He did not even try to block.
But Fridge Sama stepped forward.
Without raising his voice or lifting a hand, he looked at the bully.
"What is your name," Fridge Sama asked.
"Huh," the bully grunted. "Why do you care."
Fridge Sama blinked slowly."So I know what to put on your gravestone."
The punk's grip loosened.
Cold seeped into the air.Subtle, but unmistakable.The grass around Fridge Sama stiffened as frost laced its edges.
Tatsu stepped quickly between them."Please no freezing. No glacial punishments. I cannot afford lawsuits."
Fridge Sama tilted his head."I will do nothing extreme."
The ground cracked slightly under his feet.
"That is extreme," Tatsu said.
Fridge Sama sighed as if inconvenienced.He glanced at the bully one last time.
"Leave," he said.
The boy shoved Tatsu aside and muttered curses under his breath, but the fear in his eyes was clear.
One look at Fridge Sama was enough.
The group scattered.
The young girl collected her supplies with shaking hands and bowed repeatedly."Thank you. Thank you so much."
"It is fine," Tatsu said gently. "Stay safe."
She glanced at Fridge Sama."And thank you, sir."
Fridge Sama nodded."You are welcome. Do not leave your belongings unattended. The world is full of idiots."
Tatsu rubbed his forehead. "You cannot say that in front of people."
"I can and I did," Fridge Sama replied.
As they continued walking, Tatsu glanced at him.
"For someone so strange, you helped her without hesitating."
Fridge Sama looked ahead, voice quiet.
"I dislike injustice," he said. "It weakens the air."
"That is not how injustice works," Tatsu said.
"It is how I perceive it," Fridge Sama replied.
Tatsu opened his mouth to argue, but stopped.
Because from the top of a tall building nearby, a faint flash shone.
Someone was watching them.
Not the punks.Not the crowd.Someone who did not belong among ordinary awakened.
Tatsu felt a chill unrelated to cold.
Fridge Sama did not look up, but his voice dropped to a tone Tatsu had never heard from him.
"We should go," he said.
Tatsu swallowed."Is something wrong."
Fridge Sama looked at him with an expression that was neither dramatic nor sarcastic.
Just serious.
"It is too early for trouble," he said. "Yet trouble is already looking for us."
Tatsu followed his gaze to the rooftops.
The flash was gone.