Chapter 55 Let's Start Over

"We started off on the wrong foot in the beginning," he offered his hand in a shake. "How about we start over?"

Lank looked down at Nix's hand, skeptical of the reason for the change of heart. Why would he want to be friends with him? Nothing added up.

"Are you sure this isn't a trick?" He looked wearily at his hand.

Nix sweat dropped, even if the mission hadn't told him to do this, there was no way he was going to let him off like that. It would have been delayed but he was still going to do it.

After his friendship with Drui had been severed, it had made a great impact on how he viewed that word and people, but he had decided that he was going to take this friendship in good faith.

Lank was a loner, treated differently because of his unique existence. In his perspective, this was the perfect recipe for friendship.

Lank thought about the opportunity to be friends with Nix. It had been a long time since he had someone he could freely converse with while being himself. Nix had seen past his facade and was willing to be friends with him.

Nix shook his hand, reminding him that his hand was still suspended and eagerly awaiting his response.

Finally making up his mind, he took Nix's hand and shook it warmly, feeling the odd sensation of the handshake.

Lank had tried pulling his hand away after it lingered for far too long past his comfort zone, but Nix's grip was strong. Nix looked at him, amused, before letting go.

"What the hell was that for?" Lank massaged his fingers, staring daggers at him.

"You don't happen to have a roommate, do you?" Nix asked out of the blues.

"No I don't," Lank replied, but immediately caught up with what he was thinking. "My answer is still no, you have a roommate and you should head back to your dormitory."

'Then it's a good thing that I had learnt about the rules with the help of Mune.'

"There wasn't anywhere in the academy rules which states that we aren't allowed to hang out with students of another dormitory," Nix said, his expression shifting to a bit more serious.

"I just have a feeling this is a bad idea. It's just..." Lank stopped talking. "You're not that bad, it's just that..." He looked worried, and Nix could tell that he was having doubts.

"I'm in a strange place. I don't want to do anything that's going to change that. The feeling of being here alone, it's fine. But this...I don't know what to say."

Nix was about to say something, but Lank started talking first, with a sudden surge of energy."I appreciate that you would even give me an opportunity to be friends, but I can't drag you down with me. You're a fire g–"

"I think you're great. I am just a living, breathing being, just like you." Nix tried to smile, but it seemed a bit feeble. "It sucks being referred to in that manner though."

"What about Lumina?" He asked, hoping to distract him somehow, since he really didn't want to say the big reason behind his refusal.

"There's nothing between us." Nix grinned at him.

"I just don't want to get involved with you two." Lank didn't want anything that might provoke a reaction from Lumina.

"I need a break from there." Nix took a moment to enjoy this time with his new friend, he suddenly realized how much he had missed this.

"You know, there's nothing wrong with being a loner. There's always people who need to be alone." Nix looked him in the eyes. "I can be your friend. You don't have to be alone, Lank."

Lank looked at him, a bit surprised. "Enough with the sentimental talk, it's getting a bit sickening." He cringed at how deep the conversation was going, "let's head to my dormitory, that should shut out all of this."

[300 points gained]

[Congratulations on your successful completion, you have a total of 2657 points earned]

"Finally!" Nix whooped.

–––––––––––

Placing his finger on the door, he waited for a brief scan.

Hmmmm!

Ding!

Sensing Lank's presence, the door swung open.

"You don't use passes?" Nix asked, looking up at the door number which read '9' and back down at Lank's hands.

"Turns out I was deemed not worthy of one, so I was given a special room." He gave a bitter smile.

"I never would have guessed you would be treated more like an outcast than most of the people here. You look like a student that everyone wants to be with."

"Well, here we are." Lank interjected, ignoring his comment as he walked in and into the room.

Nix looked around the room. He didn't even bother to look at the bed, there was no way he was considering it, that's if he could make out where it was anyways.

The room was oddly dark, the light from outside barely reached inside the room.

"I guess you can say that I am a bit sensitive to light." Lank chuckled, tossing his shoes, it made a thud after it had collided with the wall.

"Woah!" Nix took a step back as he noticed Lank's glowing red eyes.

He stopped moving when his feet hit a piece of furniture.

"I can put up the curtains if you like."

Nix stared and countered, "I think the light bothers you."

"Not exactly, I can walk in the sunlight. Remember the statue we fought the other day?"

"Right." Nix looked around the room for something to use to brighten the room so that it would be more comfortable for him to.

"I hope you don't mind me pulling away the curtain for then. It would just be for s brief amount of time."

"Feel free." Lank nodded his head.

"I hope you like the room," Lank added, as he gestured around, "please don't mind the mess...if anything, it's my fault, I keep the place so clean that it doesn't look like a mess on a normal day." He gestured to the mess.

Nix couldn't possibly believe what he had just said, he was also a guilty party back in his world, but nodded anyway.

All the tables and chairs were a dark slate gray. As if sensing the sudden shift in mood, Lank stared at him.

The chair was a deep maroon. "What happened to your eyes?" Nix asked, a bit curious.

"What's wrong with my eyes?" Lank countered.

"I have never seen anyone's eyes glow like that, while their powers or gifts are not in use." He raised his hands in defense, feeling he had probed a sensitive topic.

"Oh, you mean that." Lank's mood suddenly darkened, turning around, "You'll probably want to grab something to eat. I will be back."