It was now early July, a little past the six-month mark of their school year. From this point on, there were only roughly four months left, seeing as it ended in late November, and they had all of December to themselves back on the mainland. However, this was not why Ferain had a restless night due to high strung nerves, nor why she was struggling to relax in any way for the last week or so. It was finally time for the advancement tests, in which she would be participating. As the alarm of the black band beside her bed rang out, she sat up and wiped her eyes on her bare arm, ignoring the tangles of brown hair that fell around her face as best she could. As she was getting dressed, she pulled on a pair of black tights, slid her skirt up her legs before zipping the side to keep it in place, and shrugged on a white, collared shirt.
While Fera clasped the buttons, starting at the bottom and working her way up to the collar, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were fierce, more so than was normal for her. It was almost as if she could see her own lightning coursing wildly behind the lens of her golden irises. Even a smile didn’t feel possible at the moment. She wasn’t unhappy, it was simply the expression of how driven she was to succeed today. Once finished with her shirt, she looped a red ribbon underneath her collar and then tied it into a bow in the front. The final thing she added was another scarlet ribbon, this time tying it around her right wrist, while her school band would go on her left. When she finally left her room, she saw Anita walking around already, wearing some pink panties with black lace around the hems, and a T-shirt that barely covered them.
The sight made Fera turn red, but not as much as she used to. Anita, for one reason or another, had grown more comfortable with dressing this way around Fera in recent months, so she wasn’t exactly a stranger at this point to Anita’s way of dressing in the morning. Her silver hair was almost as messy as Fera’s naturally was, despite how straight she normally kept it. She was working away at making breakfast for the pair of them, which to Fera, smelt like some rice and eggs, and hopefully a bit of cheese melted over them when all was said and done.
“Morning.” said Anita, cheerfully.
“You seem to be in high spirits.” Fera said, grinning back at her partner.
“How can I not be? Today’s the day, Ferain, the one I’ve been waiting for forever. I can’t wait to see you kick some serious butt out there.”
Fera gave a slight shake of her head as she rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and made her way to the kitchen. “Here, I’ll help too.” she offered.
“Good, you can start by getting out of the way.” Anita said, taking Fera by surprise.
“Huh?”
“I’m cooking this morning, as a gift to you for making it this far. Sit down and wait like a good girl, breakfast will be up momentarily.”
“But, Anita…”
“No ‘buts’. I got this covered, just do as you’re told.”
“Fine.” Fera said, resigning herself to Anita’s bidding.
While Fera was waiting patiently, as was demanded of her, a knock came from the front doorway, catching both girls’ attention. Anita insisted on getting it, but seeing as she was cooking, and as she was half-naked, Fera put her foot down on this matter. She rose and walked to the door, expecting Mana or Lilipa, both of whom were not uncommon in the mornings nowadays. However, who she was not expecting to see, was Headmaster Guji Hakamura, dressed in his black suit and slicked back hair. The sight of him standing in her doorway was, for some reason, intimidating. She never expected him to call on her at her apartment, and apparently, neither was Anita.
“Who is it, Fer…” Anita stopped abruptly as she was just in sight of the door, and was just able to catch a glimpse of the headmaster. Anita, being partially undressed, let out a quiet squeak and she hurried back towards the kitchen.
When Fera returned her attention to Guji, he was nonchalantly looking at something in the hallway outside, probably pretending that he had not seen anything of Anita’s nightwear.
“Good morning, Headmaster, can I help you?” she questioned, trying to avoid the silence from growing too stagnant and awkward.
“Why, yes you can, Ms. Hirigaya. I would ask if I could come in, but seeing the circumstances, I believe I would ask you to step outside with me momentarily. I have some things I wish to discuss with you and I hoped you would oblige in lending me your ear.”
“Of course, sir.” said Fera, before smiling back at Anita, who was peeking just her head out of the kitchen's little archway entrance, like some kind of curious feline that had heard an odd noise.
She closed the door behind her and leaned against the wall as Guji stood straight in front of her, looking down into her eyes, as most people did.
“So, what’s on your mind, sir?”
“The advancement test, partially.” Guji replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets and smiling warmly… and fatherly. His darker golden eyes gleamed with a mixture of emotions that Ferain could not place, but the way he looked at her almost seemed to be prideful, if she had to make a guess. “I wanted to check on how you were feeling.”
“I’m doing okay.” she said honestly. “I was a bit nervous before, but I think I’m ready for this.” she told him, confidently.
“I can see that you are.” he said. “I’m not meaning to detract from your enthusiasm, but I do have a warning for you. These tests are real fights, just as much as the team events and sparring matches. Your opponent will be stronger than you, or a higher level, at any rate. I simply wanted you to be aware of what you were walking into with this challenge. You know where to go when you get to the school, yeah?”
“It was in the paperwork, so yeah, I know where to go.”
“Good.” he said, sounding relieved. After that, he just stared at her for several seconds, and if she was being honest, it sort of creeped her out. Not in the way that she was afraid of him doing anything weird, but in a way that made her feel like something was wrong, and that he was keeping something from her. To her, it felt like he wanted to tell her something but could not for some reason.
“Sir, you didn’t have to come here to check on me.” Fera pointed out. “I appreciate it, of course, but you’re not doing this for every student, are you? What makes me so special?”
He seemed to think for a moment, and after a while, she thought that he did not hear her questions somehow. Just as she was about to repeat them, he opened his mouth to speak. “Well, Ferain, you’re a special case, after all. As I told you, I knew your parents, and while I do not claim to pick favorites among my students, given your situation, I have taken an interest in your school career. I am merely concerned for your well being, as your teacher, and as a sort of acquaintance. I have also stated previously that you know less than most students here, primarily in the way that everything works. I did not want you to feel as if I was belittling you by offering you a helping hand, but in a sense, that is what I’m doing. Not belittling, but helping. I assumed that you might need somebody to ask questions to, or to otherwise offer you directions or advice in the case that you might’ve been a bit lost. I know you have Ms. Caswell to look out for you as well, but I personally wanted to offer my assistance on the off chance it was necessary.”
“Well, again, I appreciate it, sir, but I think I’m all good for today. I know where to go, I know about the matches, and Anita will be by my side until the fight. I’m grateful for your help, for all of the things you’ve done for me this year, but for today, and I’m sorry for saying this, I don’t need you.”
For a second, Fera thought that this might have sounded harsh and ungrateful, but Guji seemed to understand what she was trying to convey, as he gave a short chuckle and a slight grin.
“Yes, I can see that now.” he said, quietly, and he sounded like a burden was lifted off of his shoulders. “I’m glad, truly I am.”
He reached a hand out and almost touched her cheek, but he held back at the last second. The look on his face was truly the look of a parent that was gazing proudly down at their child. It was a look that she had never seen her own father make, and if he did before she got her powers, she did not remember it. Honestly, it broke her heart. Here was a man, a stranger, a teacher at a school she had wound up in by luck and chance, and somehow, this look meant so much to her, and it seemed like it was vice versa. Oddly enough, he appeared to hold her in some high regard, and of some great importance. He took his hand away and the look was gone, replaced once again with his normal, grinning expression. He was back to being the headmaster of Olirian Academy, and she… she was back to being his pupil, a student under the wing of their teacher.
“That’s all I could ever ask of my students, Ferain Hirigaya, to be able to look after themselves. As with most things in life, independence is a skill that needs to be learned and honed, and it is of great necessity that one learns it at one point or another. Relying on others is never a bad thing, but to only rely on others, to have a complete lack of one’s own independence… well, they would be lost. You’ve grown so much in your short time here, and I pray that I never stop saying that. Your growth astounds me, and it fills me with more pride than I could ever put into words, seeing where you came from, and how hard you have fought to get here. Well, Ms. Hirigaya, I will be seeing you later. Best of luck today, and know that you have my confidence, always.”
“T-thank you, Headmaster.” she said, stunned and nearly speechless from their interaction thus far. Everything he had done, the way he looked at her, the way he talked to her, it temporarily broke the barrier of student and teacher, and shifted to something more intimate, more familial. “See you.” she said, and after he gave a quick wave, he walked down the hall towards the elevator and waited for it to arrive.
A few students seemed to be stunned by his presence as well, and they all broke into excited conversations, of which Guji joyfully participated. She stared as he, and the surrounding teenagers, boarded the lift and vanished from sight, their jokes and laughter being heard even as they descended to the floor below.
“Is he gone?” asked Anita, who was now wearing a skirt, though it was slightly unzipped, and a collared shirt with some of the buttons in the wrong slits. It had been hastily thrown on, hoping to avoid another incident of showing more than she originally intended to the public.
“Yeah, he’s gone.” she said, still staring curiously after the empty space he had occupied moments before.
“You seem lost in thought. Did he say something important?”
“Not really.” Fera said, and while that was the truth, what he did say still meant a lot to her. She didn’t want to explain it to Anita, probably couldn’t even if she did, but his words struck a chord in her chest, and it made her heart feel simultaneously full of warmth and broken.
“Hmm, odd, then. Surprised he even bothered to show up. Either way, your breakfast is going to get cold and you need your strength. Best eat it now, I say.” Anita stated, grabbing Fera’s arm and guiding her back inside the apartment.
Anita fixed the state of her clothes while they ate, and Ferain sat there in contemplative silence, barely focusing on the food so that twice, she missed the plate entirely with her fork. This seemed to make Anita laugh, and the sound of it brought Fera back to reality. She saw her partner resting her cheek in her palm, twirling the fork in her other hand as she watched Ferain with an odd interest.
“What?” she asked, somewhat defensively, though she couldn't say why she said it the way she did.
“Nothing. You looked cute, that’s all.”
“Cute?” asked Fera.
“Yeah, cute.” Anita repeated, before setting her fork down and pushing her plate of unfinished food away. “I’m all set, I think. I’m going to do my hair and we can head out, if you want?”
“Sounds good to me.” Fera said, and with that, Anita grinned as she rose before heading for the hallway. After she was out of sight, Fera glared down at the table, thinking about the headmaster again, wondering if everything he said was the truth, and if there wasn’t anything else, some other meaning, behind the words. “There has to be.” she thought, unable to believe that he was just doing what he did because he cared about her school-life.
He had done so much for her, so many things that any teacher, including him, would probably not do for just anybody. He rushed to her aid after the first murder, defended her after the second, and he had called on her a few times in class now to speak with her throughout her time here. He had an interest in her, but she couldn't determine why that was. There was no way it was just because of her situation, her history, she knew that. What she didn’t know was what else there could be about her that he would take to so protectively. Fera shook her head and lightly smacked her cheeks with both hands.
“I’m getting too distracted.” she said, scolding herself. “I have a fight to prepare for, I need to focus on that. I can’t let my mind wander too much or I’ll fail the test. I have to pass it.”
After Anita was finished getting ready, the pair of them left their apartment and soon reached the lobby of the dorm, where Yarin, Kiko, and Lilipa were gathered. Yarin had a book in his hand, as was normal for him, and Kiko was leaning lazily against one of the support columns beside Yarin’s bench, his hands stuffed into his pockets and one eye closed as if he was half-asleep still. Lili was sitting next to Yarin, her legs crossed under her, and her eyes intently focused on Yarin’s book, as she was reading it too.
“Morning, guys.” said Anita, waving at them all.
Kiko let out a snort and nearly fell over, as if a bubble had just popped unexpectedly in his face. Lili looked away from Yarin’s book and waved energetically, but Yarin continued reading and flipped to another page, causing her to glower at him.
“I wasn’t done with that page yet.” she growled.
“I was.” Yarin stated, coldly, his crimson eyes scanning the next pages as his fingers gripped the corner in preparation to turn another.
“Hey, girls.” Kiko said, sounding as low-energy as always. He eyed Anita up and down and had a hungry leer in his dull eyes. An odd smirk creased his lips and he whistled. “Anita, how about we go out tonight? Just you and me?”
“Taken, I’m afraid.” she said coolly, folding her arms over her chest. “I plan on going out with Ferain tonight to celebrate her advancement.”
“That’s if she wins.” Kiko said. “How about tomorrow, then?”
“Not tomorrow, not ever.” Anita answered. “You’re a good guy, but you’re not my type.” Anita added, and to this, Lilipa broke into a fit of mocking laughter.
“Rejected again, ice pop.”
“I told you not to call me that, runt.”
“And I told you to stop calling me that, ass.” Lili snapped, rising to her feet and standing somewhat taller on the bench.
Both of them jumped as Yarin’s eyes momentarily glowed and he turned another page in his book. “Pipe down, both of you. It’s too damn early for your bickering.”
“Some fun you are.” Kiko grumbled, looking at his partner with a disconcerting glower. “Eh, I suppose you’re right though. Wouldn’t even be up if not for that raving gremlin of yours.” he said, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.
“You calling me a gremlin, ice for brains?” asked Lilipa, as all of her spiky black hair grew even more wild.
“Lilipa.” Yarin said quietly, but forcefully.
“Sorry, Yarin.” she apologized, before taking her seat beside him once more.
Yarin then closed his book and stared up at Fera and Anita. “Unfortunately, I am not able to make it to the event, so I will not be able to watch your fight. As your teacher, I expect you to pass today, Ferain, and I don’t like being disappointed.”
“Your fault for having so much faith in her,” Kiko muttered. “Not that I don’t believe in you or anything, girl, just… you know, being honest.” he added, looking at Fera now.
“I have faith in her because I know what she’s capable of. I think you can pass, and if I think that, it means you can. You have skill, and while not perfect just yet, you’re better than you were before. You might not win your fight, but you’ll advance, for sure.”
“Thank you, Yarin, it means a lot to hear you say that.”
Yarin gave a nod of his head before returning to his book. Lilipa gave her a few words of encouragement and a thumbs up as she left, and after a quick sharing of farewells and well wishes, Anita and Ferain were out in the streets, making for the District-A checkpoint.
“Still feeling alright?” asked Anita.
“Not really.” Fera admitted. “Everybody believes in me so much, it’s making me feel a bit overwhelmed, to be honest.”
“If that’s what’s bothering you, just think about Kiko for a while. He certainly didn’t seem very confident. Though, in hindsight, I guess he never does.”
“Not really, huh.” agreed Fera, before giggling softly. “Do you really think I can pass?” she then asked.
“Yeah, I do.” Anita said, supportively. “If anybody is going to pass today, it’s you. You’ve got this.”
Fera, feeling incredibly cheered up again, nodded her head and smiled. “You’re right.”
“I know I am. After all, I’m always right, aren’t I?” After a pause, Anita’s expression grew serious and intent. “No more doubts, okay? You’ll do great. Just try not to push yourself too hard, I know you can get a bit carried away during things like this.”
“I won’t. I’ll be careful, promise.”
“That’s my girl. Oh, and I have so many plans for us after you pass. We’ll need to celebrate, of course, so we’re going to eat a big dinner tonight, and we have a small break coming up next week that I have a whole heap of things planned for.”
“What was your plan in case I did fail? Were you just going to throw it all away and act like none of it existed?” asked Ferain.
“No, obviously not. We were still going to do it, but instead of being celebratory, it would be to cheer you up.”
Before long, they were finally at the school grounds, where a countless number of other students were walking about, all chatting about the upcoming event. Fera would obviously not be the only participant. There were plenty of other kids that were trying to go up in levels, and then there were the people they would be facing for the tests, which would be higher levels than what they currently were. Since Fera was lvl-4, she could fight anything above her level, including lvl-1s if she was unfortunate enough. As they were approaching the school’s primary building, Fera noticed her teacher, Sara Yakuma, walking towards her from the entryway. She was wearing her suit in its usual, relaxed style, and had a hand in her right pocket.
“Morning, Professor.” Fera said, trying to not get on her bad side this early.
“I would like a word with you, Hirigaya. I won’t take up too much of your time, but I have something I need to say.”
“O-of course, Professor.” Fera stammered, growing a bit unnerved by her resolute expression and piercing leer.
“Caswell, you can wait here for her to return, it won’t take long.” Sara said, in more of a commanding tone than a suggesting one.
“Yes, Professor.” Anita said, giving an acknowledging dip of her head.
“Be back in a sec.” Fera told her friend before following Sara into the school, and next into her office.
It was just across from her classroom, and had a sort of… bland decor. The carpet was gray, the walls were gray, and the ceiling was the usual clean white. There weren’t any paintings or pictures on the walls, and the majority of the furnishing consisted of a bookshelf, her desk and chair, and a filing cabinet. The only picture Fera saw was on the desk, a small rectangular one, though she could not see what sort of image was framed since it was facing towards Sara and not herself. As Ferain took her seat opposite of Sara, she expected some sort of scolding or reprimanding, which if that was the case, she would have something to say about it. Fera knew she did not do anything wrong recently, at least, nothing bad enough to warrant a trip to her office for a private rebuke. But, as Fera was building up her nerves to argue back against any unwarranted accusations, she was instantly deflated. Sara grinned at her from behind her desk, and gave a short snort that seemed to be a laugh of some kind.
“Something funny, Professor?” she asked curiously.
“I’m surprised, is all. Let me ask you this, Hirigaya. Do you think I hate you? Do you feel different because of how I’ve treated you these last six months?” After a moment of Fera deciding if honesty would serve best, or if a lie would be more effective at keeping her out of trouble, Sara clicked her tongue. “The truth. I want to know how you really feel.”
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“Then…” Fera started, finding her courage. “Yes, I did think that. And yes, I did feel like you were singling me out sometimes. I know you were rough on the others too, but me in particular, I never felt like anything I did was good enough.”
“Do you know why I was that way with you, why I’m that way with all of my students?” asked Sara.
“N-no, Professor, I don’t.”
“It is to make you better. Maybe it’s harsh, maybe it’s cruel sometimes, but it gets results. When you push past a person’s defenses and get them angry, that is when you see what they are truly capable of. Or should I say, when you make them want to prove you wrong. I pissed you off, always looking down on you and always talking to you like you were some useless child. It dug in deep, left an impression, made you strive for more just to spite me. I don’t offer praise often, Hirigaya, but you have improved drastically during your stay in my class, and I am proud of it. Especially recently, I’ve seen a fire in your eyes that wasn’t there at the start of the year. You’ve changed not just as a person, but as a wielder. Now, I will ask you another question. Do you have a goal in mind?”
Fera thought about it for a second before glaring into the dark eyes of her teacher. “I do. It’s–”
“Ah, don’t tell me. I want you to show me. I spoke against you coming here, like most of the staff, but I am pleased to say that the headmaster had the right of it, having faith in you the way he did. I see that now. If you pass and level up, you will be transferred out of my class the week after next, so when we come back from our break. Ferain Hirigaya, I do not want to see you in my class when we come back, got me?” said Sara, with a faint trace of a smile creasing her lips.
“That means a lot to me, Professor, really, it does.” Fera said honestly. “Looking back, I think I agree with you, that what you’ve done has really helped me grow. Thank you for putting up with me.”
“Likewise.” said Sara. “In these recent months, I have to thank you for putting in the effort. When you first started, I thought you would never actually try, and it worried me. That’s all I ever want from my students. I want them to try, and try, and to keep trying until they eventually succeed. I want them to prove that they deserve to be here. I would say that you have done just that. Now, that’s all I wanted to say. You may leave now, Hirigaya, and remember, if I see you in my class again, I’ll be sure to make your life hell.”
“I’ll keep it in mind. Bye, Professor.”
Sara gave a brief bow of her head as Ferain left the room. She made her way back to Anita, who was still waiting by the entrance of the school, and the pair proceeded to the stadium where they had taken their placement tests at the start of the year. Professor Autumn Willow was directing the competitors to the locker rooms while pointing out the stands to the spectators, of which there were already plenty. Anita gave Ferain a breathtaking hug before giving a final word of encouragement. Afterwards, she was told to take a seat in the stands while Fera made for the locker rooms. A bunch of boys were conversing as they went into their own, and Fera silently followed a group of chatting girls that were ahead of her into the girls’ lockers.
The tension in the air was almost physical, as most of the girls present were fidgeting with their hair or their accessories, all anxious of the upcoming test. Ferain was no exception to this. When she found her locker, she took a seat on the bench, and began running her hand through the loose hair that fell around her shoulders. Her mind wandered, thinking about everything that she had heard this morning. Guji’s words were still fresh in her thoughts, but now, to accompany those, she had all of these hopes and expectations from her friends and teachers to ponder as well. They all came as a surprise, especially Yarin’s and Sara’s, and she was now more timorous than ever before. Her confidence was wavering, her determination was sinking down into a deeper recess of her body, and the old Fera was starting to bubble back up to the surface to take their places. This time, she didn’t even have Anita to help revitalize these fading feelings. Instead, she was alone again. Despite being surrounded by what felt like a hundred girls, though that was probably an overestimation, she did not have a single friend among them.
In fact, she would put money down that the majority hated her, and the minority didn’t care in any way. As if to prove this point, Fera’s lowered gaze was soon met with a pair of black loafers and some similarly dark thigh-high socks. Her eyes followed the long, curvy legs up to the dark skirt and white shirt, before finally meeting a face she did recognize, but despised. Long, shiny black hair fell around this girl’s beautiful, but snobby face, and per usual whenever they came across each other, her lips were shaped into a sneer.
“Prodigy.” Raven hissed, softly.
“What do you want?” Fera questioned.
“I wanted to see if you actually showed up or not. To be honest, I’m surprised you had the nerve, after everything you’ve done.”
“By ‘everything’, you mean what, exactly?” asked Ferain.
“Keep acting innocent, murderer, and see where that gets you. I know you killed Copper. Marrow knows it, I know it, and the whole school knows it. Yet you have the nerve to sit there and pretend like you never had a hand in any of it. You disgust me.”
“Think what you want, I’m tired of trying to convince everyone. It’s just wasting my breath.” she said, sounding defeated and rightfully upset.
“Well, we’re all going to know today, won’t we? If you fail, we’ll all know you haven’t changed at all, and if you pass, you’ll only be proving all of us right. You’re a coward and a rat. Sneaking around and killing my friends. When this is over, no matter what, I’ll be coming for you next, get me? I’ll make you pay for what you’v–”
Raven’s words got stuck in her throat as a tiny squeak forced its way past them. Fera had just glared up at her, her hair growing wild and her eyes glowing brightly as the lights around them began to flicker. Her menacing glare was enough to cause Raven to stumble back a few paces, raising an arm as if to defend herself from whatever Fera had planned to attack her with. Ferain had no such intention, of course, but she was angry, and she was fed up with everything this year has had to offer her. All of it, from the very start, had started with this girl. She rose to her feet, blue and white lightning crackling around her body as she clenched her fists. Raven was several inches taller than herself, and her body was larger in every other way as well, but the pulsing energy that radiated from her body was enough to make up for all of her shortcomings.
“S-stay away from me.” Raven snapped, taking another step back, but Fera put a foot forward to grow nearer.
After seeing a glowing reflection of herself in Raven’s quivering eyes, Ferain looked away and bit her tongue. Her power died out, her eyes returned to normal, and she took a calming breath as she fell back onto her seat.
“Go away.” she muttered, and to this, Raven glowered angrily.
“I’ll leave you be for now, Prodigy, but know that we aren’t done.” she said, before storming off.
As names began getting called out for the tests, Ferain sat there in silence. She held up her right hand, staring at the red ribbon she tied there earlier that morning, wondering what her fight was going to be like, and attempting to come up with viable strategies to use on different types of opponents. From her experience so far, battles hardly ever followed plans perfectly, but having some sort of basis in her mind might come in handy, even when things inevitably go awry. One by one, the girls that had left would come back, some injured in various fashions, others grinning from ear to ear with confidence and pride, and a small number of them had defeated looks of pain and sorrow. Ferain did not know which of these she would be when it was her turn to come back through those doors, but she did know that no matter what, she would face it head on, and accept whatever the outcome was. That isn’t to say that she wasn’t going to try her hardest, but if she did fail, whining about it would make no difference.
“Ferain Hirigaya.” said a woman’s voice over the loudspeakers.
Ferain sighed, every eye in the vicinity fell on her, and as she rose to her feet, she tugged the red ribbon loose from her wrist. While walking, she tied it into her hair, putting it into a tail at the base of her neck, and trying her best to keep her eyes forward. She knew people would be watching her, the lvl-4 Prodigy, the murderer, the outcast. The only thing she could do was to face it without any further hesitation. This was her time, and she was going to prove that she belonged here, that she was putting in the effort, and that she deserved this. The double doors at the end of the locker room pushed open, revealing the sleek court of reflective hardwood, shining with the lights from the ceiling that lit it up like a spotlight. The crowd had to have hundreds of students sitting there, and in the front row, with her glistening silver hair, was Anita. She met Fera’s eyes and gave the brightest smile she had ever seen. Instantly, she felt lifted up again. Ferain felt like she could do this, no matter what happened from this point on.
In the middle of the court was Guji Hakamura, and beside him, standing behind a white line on the court, was a massive boy. He was easily over six feet tall and his stature fit a bull more than a human highschooler. His muscles seemed to be constricted by his shirt, and appeared to be barely contained within it. His hair was short, wild, and as black as Guji’s suit. His eyes were a mixture of black and red, like they were lumps of burning coal in a grill. Despite his size and build, his school uniform proved that he was indeed a student. Her eyes narrowed as she neared, and she already felt her powers growing restless within her. They wanted to be let out, to escape, and she was just as antsy to let loose. She came to a stop behind her own white line, opposite of the massive boy, and beside her, Guji beamed at the pair of them.
“Ferain Hirigaya, Level-4. Victor Crimson, Level-2. You both will be the participants in this next fight.” said Guji. “I will explain the rules, rather briefly. The fight will continue until one of you resigns, is unable to fight, or an official calls the match for whatever reason. There will be no arguing against any decision made by a staff member, and there will be no lethal acts permitted. Minor injuries are to be expected, but try to refrain from majorly maiming your fellow students.”
“You don’t seem like much, Prodigy.” said Victor, in a deep voice that did not match his assumable age.
Ferain attempted to give her most confident smirk, but she doubted it had appeared as she intended. “I’m much stronger than you think.” she replied, hoping it didn’t come out as shaky and unsure as she thought it might have.
“Do you have an understanding of the rules?” asked Guji, giving both of them a knowing smile.
“Yes, Headmaster.” said Victor.
Ferain found herself quivering as she stared deeply into this boy’s face. Some of it was most likely due to nerves, of that she had no doubt, but there was something else there too. She thought for a split second and figured that it was excitement for the upcoming battle. It wanted to leap out of her just as much as her powers did, and all the while, she felt her body tingling with an uneasy tension that needed to be released. Victor cracked his knuckles in front of her and she began bouncing slightly as she stretched her fingers and contracted them again.
“Yes, sir.” she finally replied, as lightning began flickering around her body sporadically.
Guji, apparently taking note of her increasing impatience, took several steps back and yelled, “Fight!” Ferain did not know where he went, as her eyes were focused solely on her opponent, and a good thing too. Victor moved at a speed that was astounding for his size. He was on her in a second, clearing the distance between them and swinging a mighty right hook towards her head. Instinctively, going off of the many months of training up her reflexes and speed, she bent backwards and touched her hands to the floor. She flipped and sent her electrified foot into the chin of Victor while springing back and evading his attack. Lightning burst out on impact, causing the massive boy to stumble back a few steps as Fera pushed herself into an actual flip and landed on all fours.
She looked like an electrified cat that was eyeing its prey with a starving, feverish desire to consume it. In the blink of an eye, a flash of light, the single beat of a heart, she was in front of Victor as he was regaining his balance. A zig-zagging trail of cerulean static followed in her wake, and she spun while driving her foot up towards his chest, using her hands to push her body from the floor to add extra power to the kick. A blinding flash of light, the sound of an explosion of power, and Victor was sent airborne. As he fell back towards the ground, Fera was on her feet, and sent a quick kick into his side, putting even more power into it than before. Time seemed to stand still for a moment. She was in place, her foot connected with Victor’s ribs, and he was stationary as the momentum transferred from her to him. It sent a shockwave around his body, causing his flesh to ripple and a blast of power to appear around them, cracking the ground below.
When everything seemed to catch up with reality, Victor flew across the room and crashed into the wall at the foot of the northside stands. There was a deafening sound of crackling energy as a blue field of what looked to be digital panels quaked and rippled from the impact, revealing the protective means that had been put up to keep the crowd safe. Ferain lowered her leg so that she was standing straight again. Her chest was heaving rapidly with every breath, and she already felt some of the effects of overusing her abilities tingling beneath her flesh. She still had a ways to go, but to use that level of speed so early in a fight, as well as putting that much power into her first attacks, it was only natural that it would take its toll.
Cautiously, she eyed the place the boy had landed, and to her surprise, she saw him rising to his feet. It was a slow movement, but still, he was standing again. Ferain glared angrily at him, hoping that those attacks would have been enough to take him down.
“Ha.” the boy chuckled, grabbing the tattered remains of the burned away shirt that did, at one point, cover his bare chest. He ripped it off in one quick motion before throwing the shreds to the ground beside him. “I’ll admit, Prodigy, you surprised me with that.” Fera saw his eyes glowing brightly so that they really did resemble heated coal, and what looked like electrified veins ran beneath his skin before fading away. “I guarantee that will be the last time you do that.” he said sharply, before jabbing his hand into the ground.
He ripped up a massive piece of the court and launched it at her. Ferain ran ahead, leapt up, and lightly kicked off of the debris, leaving a trail of lightning behind her as she launched towards her enemy. Unfortunately, as she passed over the previous chunk of earth and hardwood, she failed to notice the other one heading for her. Just in time, she managed to flip her body so that her feet connected with the projectile. A burst of power left her soles, pushing her into a backflip as the monstrous chunk exploded in front of her. Fera landed softly but as she did, a reaching arm came through the rubble and smoke that was created from her countering the rock. She ducked and then had to avoid another swinging fist.
Victor was swift and accurate in his punches, and he was relentlessly chasing her down. After several more dodges, she ducked under a final one before launching herself into a backflip again. Upon landing, she sprung back several more times and stopped on all fours once more, now with a good distance between the two. The lightning around her snapped and arced, burning the court, and her body was growing heavier and slower, she could tell. Her breaths were coming harder and she was starting to feel fatigued. Victor continued running towards her, and while she planned out her next move, he did something she did not anticipate. He jumped, stomped both feet against the ground, and a massive crack formed. The court began splitting in front of him, quickly making its way towards Ferain. Either side of it lifted up like a miniature mountain, and spewing from the top of the spidering ridge was rock and steam.
Fera hurriedly rolled to the side to avoid it, but as she focused back on Victor, it was already too late. His oversized hand grabbed her face and before she could react, she was lifted from the ground. He spun with her in his grasp for half a turn, raised her as he twisted, and then brought her powerfully back down towards the court. She felt her back hit it hard, and even felt the ground give way beneath the impact. It cracked and indented, leaving her in a sort of crater as her lightning sparked twice, and then flickered out. He raised her again and then tossed her aside. She flew a dozen or so feet before landing on the ground, rolled three times and slid another handful of feet. Only then did she finally come to a complete stop, resting on her stomach as her hair fell loosely around her head. For a moment, she couldn't even breathe. Ferain raised a hand, placed it on the ground in front of her, trying to push herself up. Her arm quivered, however, and her strength gave out, sending her back to the floor in a plume of dust that had fallen loose from her hair and tattered clothes.
Her head shifted upwards just enough to see Victor walking slowly towards her, his eyes focused solely on her motionless body. She imagined him repeating his last move a final time, in which case, she would surely fail. She also imagined Guji stepping in now and putting an end to the match before she had the chance to take any more damage. Either way, her odds of passing were growing slimmer the longer she remained there, lying face down on the floor. Her hands reached out again, and this time, her nails scratched against the hardwood as they burst to life with electricity, which was enough to leave charred grooves where her fingers dragged across it. Her messy fringe of hair fell in front of her face as she rose to all fours, and looking through it, she saw Victor pause for a moment in his stride.
“You should just stay down.” he advised her.
“I’m not done yet.” Ferain snarled, before kicking off from the floor.
She became a sapphire blur, and when she reached him, she was in the air, twisting her body and sending a kick towards his face. He put an arm up to block her hit, and when he did, she flipped back and landed at his feet in her feline-esque stance. She sent another kick towards his stomach but felt her ankle get seized by his unshakable grip. She was lifted from the ground and thrown again. This time, she flipped, let out a burst of power from her feet, and launched herself back towards him in midair. She twisted and brought her heel down towards the top of his head, but again, she was grabbed and tossed aside. Ferain landed on hands and feet, her shoes squeaking and her nails leaving deep gouges and black scorch marks where they trailed across the ground. Her breathing had only grown heavier, her hair messier, and her face became twisted in fury. She bared her teeth, crinkled her nose, and kicked from the ground at another attempt to deal some sort of damage.
For three blurry pounces she leapt forward, and on the fourth, her speed increased so that she resembled a sapphire spear, piercing the air and launching towards its target. Her next kick was aimed dead center of his chest, but when it connected, she felt as if she had bounced off of him. There was a burst of light, he slid back several inches but did not lose his feet, while she was deflected back into the air. While she was unable to move and too stunned to react, a massive fist connected with her body. The strike was so powerful, it felt as if its strength rippled across the entirety of her being. For a split second, she thought her living, breathing body of flesh and blood would implode from the impact. She remained motionless for a half a heartbeat before she was flung across the court. Ferain landed on her back and slid to a stop. She rolled onto her side, coughing up what felt like her organs, and even a bit of blood had flecked out with it. She knew she was too hurt to continue, but she had to keep going. She could not resign yet, she could not allow herself to give up just like that.
A shadow was suddenly growing around her and when she looked skyward, she saw Victor falling towards her position, both of his hands clasped above his head and a dark intention in his eyes. She barely rolled out of the way, but the force of the impact sent her a foot or two in the air again, and flung her a few feet away. She somehow landed on her hands and feet once more, but again, she slid back due to the slick surface, and her shoes failing to bite into the court properly.
“Damn these things.” she spat furiously.
After kicking off her shoes, she forced a load of power around her feet so that her black tights burned away up to her knees. She wiped the blood from her lips and rose unsteadily to her feet. The world spun briefly, and she almost collapsed on the spot, but Ferain miraculously managed to stay upright. Her vision was beginning to blur and her balance was rocky at best. The currents pulsing around her were flickering unwillingly, indicating that her time was about up. Even her glowing eyes were dimming and brightening repeatedly, as she struggled to push out every ounce of power she could manage.
“Why don’t you stay down?” he asked her.
“I can’t. I have to win.” she said, through panting breaths.
“Suit yourself, then.” Victor replied.
To Fera, he seemed larger than he had at the start of the fight. Electrified veins pulsed around him, his eyes glowed, and right in front of her, she thought she could see it happening. It was as if her power was fueling his strength. If that was the case, Fera didn’t have any idea how she was going to win this fight. After noticing his ability, it seemed like an impossible hurdle. Besides just her own weakening strength, every blow she dealt him appeared to be making him more immune to her attacks. Now, even the most powerful hit she could currently muster would probably result in her bouncing off like a pebble being thrown against a concrete wall. There would be no scratch, no ding, no sign of her ever even striking him. But, even knowing this, she had to try. Ferain had to win, she knew it, there was no other option. If she was going to prove her place here, if she was going to earn any sort of respect, she had to win this fight.
The lightning around her body flickered, blinked, and died. Instead, it was solely focused around her hands and feet now, appearing more white with blue accents instead of the other way around. It was all of her remaining power before she would seriously start hurting herself from overuse. She had a few attacks in her, at best, and she had to make them count. Fera tried to take a step forward and faltered, nearly collapsing to her knees from the excruciating pain in her body. She bit her tongue so hard that she felt a tooth pierce it, and she forced herself through the agony that was holding her back. After a short breath, she darted forward, with a final burst of blinding speed. Her punch reflected off of his chest, and he was able to counter instantly. He swung his right fist towards her, which she quickly dodged to the left, allowing it to just graze some of her billowing hair.
She moved so fast, he didn’t even have time to finish his attack. Ferain kicked from the ground and flipped sideways over his outreaching arm. As she spun, the top of her foot connected with his right cheek and she landed on the other side on hands and feet, all in the blink of an eye. However, as she suspected, her attack did not even bother him, not a single bit. It barely caused him to turn his head as he registered that she had even made contact in the first place. Her power flooded through his veins, his body grew stronger, and a much more powerful foot connected with her body. She flipped in the air, rolled on the ground, and slid on her side before coming to a stop in the center of the field.
Everything around them was filled with silence. The crowd made no noise, the very air of their surroundings seemed completely still, and the only things Fera could take note of was the pulsing of her heart in her ears, her wheezing breaths as she struggled to fill her lungs, and the steps of her opponent as he moved nearer. If there was any noise besides those, she did not take notice of them, possibly because she could not. All of her remaining power crackled, fizzed, and popped as it faded away, leaving her eyes dull and hazy, and her body limp and weak. She tried to rise again, but the second she went an inch from the ground, she fell once more. Her limbs were numb, her heart felt like it was going to explode, and everything hurt worse than she ever remembered hurting in her life.
“Get up.” she cried, clenching her hands into fists and pressing her forehead against the hardwood. “I have to win. I have to prove that I can. Get up! Stand! Mooove!” she howled, while gritting her teeth and struggling to force her exhausted body to make any movement whatsoever. Tears fell down from her eyes and dripped onto the court below. “Please.” she begged, quietly, so only that she could hear it. She raised her fist and lightly hit it against the ground. Finally, she managed to get on her knees, just a bit, so that she was several inches off of the court. Her entire body shook and it felt like a single action more would be the end of her.
“That’s enough, lightning bug.” Victor said softly, almost sounding like he pitied her. She raised her head enough to see him standing in front of her, his hand out for her to take it. “The match is over. Let me help you up.”
For a moment, Ferain thought about refusing him, and imagined herself raging at his assumption that she had already lost the match. But, something quickly clicked in her mind, a sensation that had brought her back to reality, back to the truth. She had lost. There were no words she could tell herself that would convince her of anything else. The match was over, Victor had won, and she had lost. Fera raised a shaky hand to meet the one he had outstretched, whose grip was much more gentle than she expected of a person who had hit so hard just moments before. With relative ease, he lifted her gingerly to her feet, and supported her against his body as Guji walked over to them from the sidelines of the arena.
“Why?” she asked hoarsely, watching the headmaster slowly make his way over.
“Because… you earned it.” he replied, but they had no more time to share words, as Guji had just reached them.
“Well fought, both of you.” said the headmaster, and while he spoke, his eyes were primarily focused on Ferain. She saw that proud gleam again, the same one as earlier, and despite her injuries, despite her loss, this somehow cheered her up a little. When Guji next spoke, his words went over the speakers in the arena, so that everyone present could hear his voice. “To start off, I would like to offer a well earned congratulations to both of these students. Ferain Hirigaya, you fought hard, and what you did today demonstrated what these academies are about. Growth and drive, two things you showed during this test, and I couldn’t be happier. However, there is a clear victor to this fight, and it would be Mr. Crimson. I know you were reluctant to participate as an examiner, but I do hope that you found it a worthwhile venture after this experience.” Guji turned to the onlookers. “A round of applause to both participants, and they will be on their way.” he said, and for the first time in her life, Fera heard people cheering in her presence, and not the opposite.
She knew that most of it was for Victor, and she knew that the ones that did applaud for her, more than likely were doing it out of mockery, but it was still a nice change of pace for her. Victor bowed his head, and Ferain struggled to do the same, though she was still too weak. Even the slight dip caused her to nearly fall over. If not for Victor, she imagined she would not even be standing at the present.
“I’ll take you to the nurse’s office.” Victor offered, while eyeing the crowd of watching students.
“That sounds like an excellent idea.” Guji said, his voice only loud enough for those nearby once more. “Ms. Hirigaya, I would like you to get checked out by Mr. Ita, if you don’t mind. You look like you took quite some damage in that fight, and I would hate for it to be left alone.”
“I need to let Anita know.” Fera said quietly.
“I have already informed her to wait by the front exit. She has your discarded shoes as well, I figured you would wish to keep them.”
“Thank you, Headmaster.” Ferain muttered, before leaning on her massive opponent more than ever.
They began walking away when suddenly, she was lifted from her feet. Next thing she knew, she was being carried in his arms, which appeared to be much too easy for any normal person. Fera then reminded herself that he was not normal. He was a wielder, and one that had a lot of excess strength.
“You surprised me, Prodigy,” said Victor. “I didn’t expect you to really try, if I’m honest. I didn’t want to believe the rumors, of course, so I had to test you to see if it was true. There’s a friend of mine, a girl, and she too has some nasty things spread around about her. I wanted to see if you two were similar. After seeing how hard you fought, I believe you. Nobody who is just riding out their time here would put in that much effort for something of so little importance.”
“It’s not little.” Fera stated fiercely.
“It’s not because you had something to prove. In the grand scheme of things, what importance does a single number have? Lvl-4 or lvl-1, it makes no difference in the end. You heard the headmaster at the start of the year, didn’t you? If I had my way, I would say that you passed.”
“T-thanks.” Fera whispered, not exactly knowing how she should respond to this.
He was acting like a sort of friend now when just minutes before, he had been trying to annihilate her existence, or that was how it felt anyway. As they reached the end of the court, not even the doors yet, everything in her vision went pitch black. The sound around her went fuzzy, and her eyes would not open again. In the next passing seconds, she was gone to the world, lost in darkness, and all of her pain was gone.