"Welcome my friend."
As Kai said, Ray was momentary stunned. But taking on a deep breath, he sighed as he looked at Kai straight in the eye, smiling as well as he said;
"You have a lot to explain, Kai."
Kai softly chuckled, jumping down on the lake. But he didn't drown, rather was walking over the lake water. Taken by surprise, Ray just looked at Kai walking over the water. But without caring to Ray's surprise, Kai spoke again.
"Right, right. You deserve to know everything now. But, from where should I begin?"
Saying so, Kai had already reached in front of Ray, placing his hand on Ray's shoulder as he asked. As Kai's hand fell on Ray's shoulder, he came back to his senses. Looking in front, he saw Kai standing in front of him, a calm smile playing on his lips.
For a moment, Ray paused but smiled back at him; saying it's good that he can talk. But then with a worried tone, he asked that if Kai wanted no one to know about him being able to walk and talk, why did they meet outside.
But to this, Kai just smiled and said; since everyone is asleep now, and there's a great night view out tonight, I thought why not we talk outside. Ray wanted to argue on how carefree Kai was acting, but sighed, looking at him with a straight face and asked;
"…Since when?"
To this, a memory flashed through Kai's mind: the calamity beast's attack on the Willowshade village, and Emily coming to rescue him.
Kai paused for a while, before he said; the day Hiro and Sakura came to the village looking for him. Ray, hearing his answer just nodded. Looking at Ray acting so calm, Kai raised an eye brow, asking; didn't he had any more question to him? About how and why he killed those intruders.
To this, Ray scratched his head as he said that he just has too many questions right now, and not sure what to ask first. Kai just laughed heartedly as he patted Ray on his shoulder, saying he can take his time to ask his questions, since now he knew that Kai could talk without any third-party route to interact. Ray too smiled, as he agreed to what Kai said. The two laughed together for a while, before settling down by the lake.
Kai laid down on the grass, while Ray just sat there, the two looking at the Moon. Just then Ray asked;
"By the way, are you a guy or a girl?"
To this, Kai asked if Ray hit his head somewhere, asking such stupid question. But Ray turned to him, saying he seriously meant it. How come he could turn in Trickster, who's a female assassin?
To his question, Kai chuckled as he responded to Ray, saying he should have asked it that way. Ray sighed, saying he just had seen too many things tonight, so his brain is having a hard time to process everything. Slowly turning back to Kai, he added;
"Well, forget that. Just tell me how come you became Trickster!?"
Kai just smiled, closing his eyes as he spoke up; saying he could become Trickster, because he is Trickster. But Ray didn't get it, asking what he meant as Kai explained that Trickster was just a cover for him to move around without caring about people noticing him as the Archduke's son. Ray wondered for a while, before saying;
"But you always wear that fake hair set, so how would someone know that you're Kai Hamada, the son of the Archduke? And also, everyone thinks you're disabled. So why did you had to disguise yourself as a girl?"
To his question, Kai laughed as he complimented Ray; saying he's smart and that's what he likes about him. The cold wind then blew by, as a cherry blossom petal fell over Kai. Picking it up, he said that it's not just about disguising himself as a girl, but something else which he shall tell Ray later.
But Ray just got more confused at what Kai said, as Kai sighed with his smile, and told Ray that he should ask the next question. Ray then slowly turned to the lake, thinking as he asked if Kai uses transformation magic to change into a girl. To this, Kai replied, yarning as he agreed to it. But at that moment, a thought structs Ray as a teasing smirk came on his lips and asked;
"So, does that mean every part of your body changes into that of a girl's?"
As he asked, an awkward silence fell upon the two. But slowly, Ray began to laugh saying how funny it would be. At that moment, Ray felt a hit from behind, which was Kai; who kicked Ray in the back and he fell over the lake. Kai sat up, saying Ray should stop joking now and get serious. Also added; that Kai could become anyone if he wants to. Ray stood in the water, all soaked, as he rubbed his eyes, asking what Kai means by he could become anyone.
But as Ray turned back to look at Kai, he was left speechless. His eyes widened, as the wind made the cherry blossoms fly around him. And in front of him, was Sitting Nino, at the same place where Kai was sitting. Looking innocently at Ray, as if wondering why he's all wet.
"…Nino?"
Ray called out, as Nino looked at him with concern in her eyes. Slowly reaching her hand towards him, but not reaching; asking why he was in the water, and if he's alright. But at the same time, Ray had lots of questions running in his mind; when did Nino came here? Where did Kai go? Is he having some kind of dream or something?
But as he was wondering, Nino said something that froze Ray to function.
"Quickly dry yourself Ray! What if you get sick!? You need to look after both me and our child, right. So, you shouldn't get sick, alright?"
Nino said so, as she pulled out a tissue and wiped Ray's face. but Ray was stunned, as the word 'Child' kept running in his mind.
"Child…? …Wait… What child…?"
Ray wondered, as he suddenly realized something and asked, what Nino meant by 'Our child'. To this, Nino blushed slightly as she said that she was pregnant with his child, as she touched her belly.
Ray looked at her slightly flushed face, then at her stomach in disbelief. He was shocked, trying to say something but kept breaking at his words. For a few seconds, it continued until he finally asked; "Ou-ou-ou-… OUR CHILD!?"
He asked, his voice loud and clear as Nino happily nodded her head. Saying how happy she is to have a child with him and it finally did happen after the two kissed back in the banquet. But to this, Ray paused for a while before sighing in relief as he said, she won't have his child just because they kissed. To this, Nino looked at him in surprise; saying she surely read it in a book where it was said that a man and a woman makes a baby when they kiss. She looked down at her stomach in a worried look, asking with a sad voice;
"Then how am I supposed to have your child…?"
At this question, Ray froze up. The situation got awkward, as Ray began to blush, flustered, trying to speak. But all his words were stuttering; looking away from Nino.
But then,
"Pfft-"
Nino began to laugh, as Ray slowly looked back at her in confusion. But Nino kept laughing, rolling back on the grass as she said that Ray's reaction was really funny just now. But Ray was confused, asking why she was laughing like that. To this, Nino; still laughing looked up to Ray, asking if Ray still hasn't figure out yet.
But Ray only looked at her in confusion, as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes as she spoke up; but her voice had changed,
"That was really hilarious Ray. Just look at that face of your."
The voice was of Kai's, but in front was sitting Nino. Ray was confused, until Eva's screen materialized next to him, showing the image of him flustered. Ray was dumbfounded, flustered again as he looked at Nino; who had magic circles moving around her and was slowly changing. Back into the original form, it was not her but Kai; who was still laughing at Ray.
Slowly realization hit Ray, as he understood what Kai meant by, he could become whoever he wants; as the one in front of him before as Nino was Kai.
Kai was still laughing, as Ray felt embarrassed. In that moment as Kai was laughing, he felt a pull on his collar, as he saw Ray grabbing onto his collar and throwing him off to the lake. As Kai fell on the lake, water splashed and Ray said in a low voice;
"If you ever change into Nino again, I won't go easy on you…"
After that, Kai came out of the water all wet; still laughing. And slowly after a few minutes, the two continued talking again. Ray kept asking questions, and Kai kept answering to all of it one by one:
-About why Kai kept his abilities hidden.
-Why only show it now.
-Why can't Ray sense his magic.
-Who were the assassins that just attacked the mansion.
-And who he really was.
Among them, Kai answered only four of them;
-According to Kai, it wasn't yet the time to reveal his true self.
-To him, it was the right time he let at least one person know his true self.
-As for his magic, Kai explained that his magic works in the advanced form of mana that everyone possesses. A stronger form of magic, that is dormant in everyone; but only a few individuals unlock it. Also, according to him; Hiro, Maximus and Ferio are the closest to unlock that form; Astral Flow.
-As for the assassins, he didn't mention about their group or the one who ordered them for attacking. Simply saying that they came after Elysia; apparently to obtain her mastery skills, maybe to brainwash her into becoming a part of their group or maybe more, robbing her off her skills leaving her lifeless.
-And finally, who he really is. But Kai said, if he begins to say now, it would take them a whole day to finish it. So, he didn't say anything to that.
That night, the two kept on talking, till the sun rose in the morning.
-To be Continued