Sometimes, a sunny day and overall good weather don’t really represent the mood of the situation. It’s a typical trope in everything from books to movies. If something sad is happening, it will be raining or it will be dark, or if it’s a positive scene, there will be sunshine and chirping birds. Really, it’s understandable why people do this. It helps set a mood, and really, it would be odd to have a murder happen on a cheerful sunny day, it just wouldn't feel right, like a red crayon in a sea of blue ones. It would stick out too much, but this isn’t a work of fiction. Real life is different from novels and shows. Real life doesn’t care about the weather or the mood of a scene. Real life will act as it will, and you’re just along for the ride, no matter the time of day or the state of the weather.

Kitari realized this fully some time after Halloween, roughly a week or so later. Really, she’d known this fact about life forever, but when her sister came back from school early, that was when it really sank in. It wasn’t summer levels of hot, but it was a comfortably warm day. The weather was nice enough, with only a few clouds to occasionally hide the sun that beat down on the harbor as she rode in the back of her father’s black sedan. Kitari was only fourteen, and was on a short break from her middle school. Though, it wasn’t for her lack of plans that brought her along on this trip to the docks of Tokyo, it was instead her father’s desire for her to come.

The second she heard that the day before, she knew that nothing good was going to come of this excursion, and her heart fell even farther when she heard the reason for the trip. Her father was a strict man, one that cared only for their reputation, having several high-ranking friends in the government, and whose best friend was currently in the running for the position of Japan’s governor. Because of this, he spent very little time with his family, and he certainly never took trips with his daughters for the joy of it. Whenever they did anything with him, it was because there was a lesson to be learned, or an example to be made, there were no other reasons, and there was no kindness in any of it.

For Kitari’s entire life, she’d known that to her father, she was nothing but a puppet, a tool, something to be manipulated and used to better her family name. Her older sister was no different in this regard, or, so she thought early on. Eventually, after overhearing things she probably shouldn’t have, she realized that her sister had it far worse than Kitari ever did. As the first-born, her father put all his hopes on her sister’s shoulders. It was her duty to bring them to further fame and fortune. It was the reason why she was born. Kitari thought about all of this while staring out the window of their car, watching the docked ships pass them by. It was busy at the port today. There were people everywhere, doing one task or another. She even saw a fisherman that came back from a night at sea with a huge haul that was being unloaded by several men and women.

None of them knew the kind of hell that awaited one lonely girl that had more responsibility placed on her than any of them would ever experience. Eventually, the car pulled to the side of the road, and Kitari knew that in that moment, she would rather be dead than be there, but that would have been seen as cowardly to even mention in her father’s presence, and just that would be enough to earn her a punishment.

“Get out of the car.” her father ordered coldly, opening his own door.

“Can’t I wait here?” she stupidly asked.

He turned his head, his black hair swaying and his amethyst-tinted eyes narrowing on her so that she saw her reflection within them. He had an older face, bearing some wrinkles and some grays in his dark hair. With these older features and his sharp, defined face, he was an intimidating sight for any child, let alone one that knew just what he was capable of.

“Sorry, Father. I’ll get out.” she said, before unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for her door handle.

Her father’s door slammed behind him while Kitari shut hers much more gently, almost afraid of making a noise. She felt bad for her sister, but perhaps selfishly, she didn’t want to take any of the attention off of her. If one of them had to be punished, as much as she loved her, it was better for it to not be Kitari. A short distance away, she saw a smaller boat docked near the seawall. It was primarily white with some accenting blue stripes. On either side of the bow, though Kitari could only see one side, was the golden silhouette of a phoenix. Walking along the metal ramp that bridged the deck of the ship to the sidewalk of the harbor was a girl not even a full two years older than her. She had straight black hair that shone purple in some places as the sun gleamed off some of the individual strands. Her face was beautiful, and her body was a constant topic of discussion of boys in their middle school when Raven still went there. In her hair was a silver pin that matched the bird for which she was named, and for a while, that was really the only discerning trait that Kitari could make out.

It certainly wasn’t her pretty face, seeing as Raven was staring at the ground as she walked, most likely avoiding their father’s gaze, which was already trying to pierce into Raven’s very being like a knife. When Raven did come close enough to them, her father stepped closer. He was straight-backed, and had a large muscular body that would intimidate even most body-builders. As Raven and their father came within touching distance of one another, there was complete silence between the two. Neither said anything for a short time, they just stood there. For a second, Kitari thought about stepping in to greet her sister, but as she took a step forward, her father looked over his shoulder, causing her to freeze in place. She clasped her hands together in front of her and looked away, avoiding the pleading eyes of her sister and the stern, murderous glare of her father.

“You have nothing to say for yourself?” her father said quietly, looking back at Raven.

“I’m sorry.” Raven muttered.

“Sorry?” he questioned. “You’re sorry?” he then asked again. That was when Kitari heard a loud smack and a cry of pain. She hurriedly looked towards her sister, who was on the ground, cupping her already reddening cheek. “You were expelled.”

“Please. I’m sorry. I didn’t–”

“You were expelled!” he then shouted loudly, causing her to go quiet at once. Both girls winced and Kitari even took a step away. “You!” he then yelled towards Kitari. “You stay where you are. You won’t look away. This is a lesson for both of you.” He then glared back at his first-born. “As for your apology, I spit on it. Sorry won’t get you into a good college. Sorry won’t earn you a living. Sorry won’t do anything for our family!”

“But… I… You have to– Ah!” Raven screamed as a foot connected with her side, knocking her over.

“I don’t have to do anything, girl. It is you that has to listen this time.”

“Father, wait! Maybe–” started Kitari, but something swiftly connected with her own face, causing her to stumble back. She felt blood welling up in her mouth where her cheek had split open against a tooth.

“You will stay silent, Kitari.” her father snapped. “I am educating your worthless sister, but don’t think that I’m too occupied to deal with you as well. You will obey or you will be punished alongside her.”

Kitari had tears welling up in her eyes as she held her face. All around them, there were people gathering, watching, muttering, but none of them did anything to help. Instead, when her eyes found theirs, they looked away awkwardly, like none of this was their concern.

“Cowards.” she thought, before feeling a deeply rooted sadness and anger welling up in her own heart. This wasn’t because she hated them for ignoring this, but it was because she was no different. She could fight back, but she didn’t. She was too scared. In the end, she would sit back and let her father do as he wished, because it was for the family, and because she was afraid of being punished.

“You were expelled for assaulting a student.” her father stated, staring down at Raven, who was clutching her side as blood dripped from her slightly parted lips. “So, you like violence? You like abusing others?”

“No.” Raven whimpered as she struggled to move away. Another kick prevented her from doing so. “Please.” she begged, sobbing as she held her ribs now, but that didn’t stop another kick from coming.

“I’m going to teach you discipline, Raven. I’m going to teach you how to be obedient if it’s the last thing I do. I thought I did a well enough job of that while raising you, but apparently I was too lenient. From my understanding, you planned an assault on a girl and beat her to a bloody mess. I heard she has a scar now, right on her cheek. How about we even things up?”

“No, I’m sorry. Please stop.” Raven sobbed, holding up a hand in surrender. “Please.”

To Kitari’s surprise, her father stood up and straightened the jacket of his suit. With a stern look, he glared down at his beaten child. “Get your things and get in the car. Kitari, I want you to remember this moment. Take it in, because you now carry her responsibility. You will carry on my legacy, or you will suffer the same as her. As for you, Raven, you’re not out of trouble yet, and I think that if you won’t make a name for us in academics, you can do so as a soldier. Pack your things when you get home. Starting next week, you’ll be enrolled in a military school. I have connections to accelerate the process.”

Kitari would remember that day. She would also remember the screams of terror and agony that echoed in the halls of their home for the days that came after. She didn’t know what her father was doing to Raven, but she knew that whatever it was, she was glad it wasn’t her. The day Kitari received the application for Olirian, which was already filled out for her, she remembered her father’s words then too.

“You will be starting here in January. I expect you to do better than your sister. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father.” she said, standing in front of him and his desk in the massive study at their home. It was a lavish room that was full of bookshelves that had a limitless number of books that would probably never be read.

“Excellent, because if you don't, if you fail me too, you’ll suffer a worse fate than her.” he said, his dark eyes glowing ominously in the dim lighting of the room. “I have no need for a worm squirming in the muck to bear my name. This is the last chance for both of you. I’d rather have no daughters than have daughters that tear everything I built down around me.”

“I understand, Father.” said Kitari, her voice and body trembling, though she tried to hide both.

“Think on this before you decide to squander this opportunity. If you pass with high marks, I already have a job lined up for you in a political position. Nicholas Moon is currently in the running for governor, as you know. He’s like a brother to me, and as it stands, it’s looking as if he’ll win the election. He has more support than any other candidate, and his numbers are continuing to grow by the day. He’s already promised a position to you, should you do well. Should you fail… Well, let’s not think about that. Go and start packing for school.”

“Yes, Father.” she said, bowing her head and leaving the room behind her.

There was another day that she wouldn’t forget as well, a day where she came close to complete ruin. The day that the level assignments were conducted almost spelled her downfall, since she was assigned level-3. She didn’t know why she was given such a low mark. By her calculations, she should have gotten at least level-2. Her control of all of her powers were high, and that was another thing, she had multiple powers, not just one like her sister. She was strong with them, and during the test itself, she only slipped up once near the end, causing her to get shot and the simulation to end. She wondered if that’s what did it, getting shot. Were there people that avoided it somehow? Whatever the reason, her father didn’t take kindly to the news.

Her sister had gotten level-4, so she did do better, but even level-2 wouldn’t have been good enough for her father. He had cursed and rampaged and threatened, and after it was all said and done, Kitari was about at her wit’s end. She threw her phone across the room, causing it to explode into pieces before curling up on her bed, trembling from fear and rage. She knew from her sister that her father’s threats were not just hot air, but real, dangerous promises. He would kill her if she failed. That’s why today, she woke up from a restless night with a ferocity and incomparable fright behind her eyes. She stood in front of the mirror by her dresser, buttoning up her shirt and tying a ribbon underneath her collar. She was already dressed in her skirt and black knee-high socks.

Her hair was so short and scruffy that there wasn’t anything she had to do on that front. Besides, with a fight being in her near future, it was probably best to avoid dressing up too much anyway. Any effort for looks would be wasted if she had to get really serious to win. There was a light knock on her door, causing her to glance back momentarily.

“Come in.” she muttered softly.

The door creaked open and her partner stepped through the threshold, wearing their usual girl’s uniform, though they weren’t technically a girl. Sam was an odd sort to Kitari upon first meeting them. They were kind enough, but the fact that her partner was a boy, and that this boy enjoyed dressing up as a girl made her feel strange about the matter. She didn’t normally care about things like this, she knew people cross-dressed or changed sexes or were gay, none of it bothered her. However, actually being forced to live with somebody like that took her by surprise, and at first, she acted rather harshly, calling him a creep and a weirdo, and even requesting a new partner from the headmaster. That all changed once she actually got to know Sam, which was exactly what the headmaster said would happen if she stuck with it for a while longer.

What confused Kitari the most was what to call them. He, she, they, she couldn’t get it down, but in the end, she asked Sam what they preferred. Sam laughed at her and shook their head.

“I don’t really care, to be honest with you. You can call me any of them. Technically, I am a guy, I know that, but I like to act and dress girly, so you can also call me a girl, it doesn’t matter. Personally, as long as I can be who I want to be, I don’t really care what anybody calls me.”

Kitari thought Sam was incredibly strong because of this. To have such little care about what others thought or felt about you… that was something she wanted very much. If she cared a little less, maybe this fight would actually be fun instead of literally being life or death for her. Maybe she wouldn’t have to fight at all, and would just be able to have a fun, normal school year for the first time in her life. Of course, Sam didn’t know how much really relied on this fight going in her favor, so they just stood there and smiled before leaning against the doorway, holding their right arm with their left hand.

“So, how are you feeling?” Sam asked kindly, in their feminine tone.

“Anxious.” Kitari admitted.

“Did you get enough sleep?”

“No.”

“Do you want a hug?” Sam asked, walking slowly towards her. Kitari gave a silent nod before feeling Sam’s arms wrap around her. “You’ll do great. You’re really strong, Kitari.”

“Thanks for saying that.” Kitari murmured, before lightly nudging Sam off of her. “I’m going to grab some toast or something before I leave. I should probably eat something.” As Kitari walked past her partner and out into the hall, she muttered, “It might be my last meal, after all.”

As she was settling down at the table, two pieces of slightly burnt toast on a plate in front of her, there was a knock on the door that was soon answered by Sam, who held their hands behind their back after swinging it open.

“Ah, Headmaster, it’s good to see you this morning.”

“You as well, Jules.” said the upbeat voice of the headmaster, Guji Hakamura. Kitari looked over at the door to see the tall, thin man standing in the hall. He had slicked back black hair with a single, bizarre white streak over his left temple, and he was as well dressed as he was every time Kitari had seen him. “Is Ms. Emming here? Ah, there you are.” he said, looking past Sam to see Kitari sitting at the table. “Would you mind if we had a word?”

“I suppose not.” said Kitari, rising from her seat and stepping out into the hall with the man. “Look, if it’s about that assho– Er… I mean, if it’s about that boy, I’m sorry I hit him. He was–”

“It’s not. You can relax on that front. I already have the whole story from the teacher that witnessed it and he’s being punished accordingly. The matter of concern I wish to discuss with you is the upcoming test. I know the day of is perhaps a day or two too late, but I had to think on it for a short time before coming to a decision. This does go against regular protocol, of course.”

“What do you mean?” asked Kitari.

“Well, Ms. Emming, your situation for today is rather unique. Somebody requested to have a match with you, and this particular student is a second-year, which is normally not allowed. We pick participants of any level, but I typically assign examiners to challengers that are of the same year. However, I did already permit your match before coming to the realization that I should get your approval before doing so. I have another examiner lined up if you were to refuse the second-year.”

“Who is this person? Why do they want to fight me?”

“This person is a girl named Ferain Hirigaya, and as for her reason, I was not made aware.”

“Hirigaya? The lightning girl?” gasped Kitari, feeling a rage boil up within her body, taking the place of some of her fear and anxiety.

“Yes, the lightning girl.” replied the headmaster, grinning amusedly. “I take it that you’ve heard of her, then. I would fully understand if you wish to fight a diff–”

“I’ll do it!” Kitari said, practically yelling. “If she wants to fight, I’ll do it.”

“Aren’t you making this decision a bit too hastily? Ms. Hirigaya is quite skilled, and a year above you at that. Even if she was in your year, I would be rather hesitant with this pairing.”

“I don’t care. I’ll tear her apart if she wants to take the chance against me.” Kitari growled ferociously.

Headmaster Hakamura gave a slow nod and grinned grimly. “Very well, then. That’s all I needed to hear before fully approving of this. With that matter being resolved, I bid you a good day and a tide of good fortune. Farewell, Ms. Emming, see you at the match.”

“Bye.” Kitari said before closing the door.

“A second-year? Are you sure about this?” asked Sam, as they walked towards the school a short time later.

“Yes, I am.” Kitari hissed, flexing her fingers as she stomped down the sidewalk.

“Kitari, are you okay?” Sam questioned, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“I’m fine. It’s just… that lightning girl is the reason for everything. She’s the person that got my sister expelled. If that never happened, I wouldn't…”

Kitari stopped short of finishing, not wanting to put her problems on her partner’s shoulders. It wasn’t Sam’s responsibility. Besides, there wouldn’t be any need for Sam to worry about it anymore anyway. That was true the second Kitari heard who her opponent was. The bitter reason for this was simple. Ferain Hirigaya was a level-2, and according to something Kitari heard from an older student, they only assign you an opponent of the level they expect you to reach. This meant that even if she did pass, she would not be level-1, and if she wasn’t level-1, her father would be disappointed. During her call after the level assignments, her father was perfectly clear that this test would be her last chance. If she failed to reach his standards, she was done. Now, the only pleasure she could get out of this, knowing that her life was practically over, was that she could at least get some sort of justice from it before she met her end.

“Kitari, you have a scary look on your face.” Sam pointed out, sounding deeply concerned.

“I’m fine. It’s fine.” Kitari smiled darkly. “I’ll win this fight and everything will work itself out afterwards. All that matters is that I tear her apart.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“I don’t know, Kitari,” said Sam. “I actually heard she’s pretty cool. She doesn’t seem like a person that would do anything bad.”

“She’s a liar and a coward, that’s what my sister said. I don’t care what anybody else says. I’ll get payback for everything she did.” Kitari started walking again but was stopped by a tug on her sleeve. She pulled her arm free and glared back at her partner. “Cut it out!” Sam recoiled and held their hands in front of their chest. “I don’t need your help right now, and I don’t need you to be worried about me anymore, got it?!”

“You don’t mean that,” said Sam.

“Don’t I?! I think I sound pretty serious! Leave me alone for a while. In fact, just go back home. You don’t need to see me during this fight.”

“What does that mean? I’ve seen you–”

“You haven’t seen me like this yet.” Kitari said menacingly, her eyes glowing as shadows began to creep around her flesh. “I don’t want you to… Just go back home.”

Kitari turned and continued towards the school, leaving her partner behind her. It was only when she was sitting by herself in the locker room of the arena did she regret her decision. Truly, she didn’t want Sam to see her at her most dangerous, it wasn’t the impression she wanted to leave on her closest friend, not when she would be gone soon. She wanted Sam to remember her for the person she’d been, not the monster she could be. While sitting in her silence, stewing on all of the misfortune she’d been subjected to recently, she started wondering about Raven, strangely enough. It wasn’t really about what she was doing now, but what she was doing when she was sitting here last year. She wondered what was going through her sister’s head when she stood in this room, waiting for her own test to come. Then, perhaps even stranger, she wondered about her opponent.

What was Ferain Hirigaya really like? What was she doing during her own test? Was she nervous? Was she just as nauseous as Kitari was becoming? Kitari shook her head, scolding herself for worrying about the girl that caused all of her recent misfortune. Though, deep down, despite what she told her partner, Kitari knew the truth. She heard it from her father, who heard it from the headmaster himself. Raven assaulted this Hirigaya girl, and it even resulted in her going to the hospital or something. It was Raven’s fault, not the lightning girl’s, but, after everything, she didn’t want to admit it. She wanted to blame somebody other than herself or her sister, even if that was childish or wrong of her. So, with that blame needing to be directed somewhere, she tried even harder to keep it aimed at the girl she’d be fighting soon enough.

After a while of waiting, dozens of girls had left and returned, some bruised and beaten, and others seeming pleased with their results. Kitari would not be the former, she was sure of that. In fact, she would win in the shortest time, and when her father came to get her, she’d fight him too. First was Hirigaya, and then it was her father’s turn. Her name was called, and she rose to go meet her challenge. Past the metal doors of the locker room, she was greeted by a large polished court that reflected the ceiling lights with such a clarity, you’d believe it was a mirror. All around the arena were the stands, and most of them were filled by spectators, or in other words, other students that were bored and wanted a show. Of course, some of them were partners of the participants, examiner and challenger alike.

She spotted a faintly familiar face near the front of the crowd, one with silver hair and storm gray eyes. It was the girl that saved her in the library from that bullying bastard that hadn’t stopped picking on Sam since the start of the year. Kitari wondered briefly who’s partner she was before shifting her focus to the center of the arena. There, she saw the headmaster, as well as her opponent, Ferain Hirigaya. Level-2, second-year at the school, a scholarship student, and known as Prodigy among the older students. Really, all of this made for a typically bad match-up, unless you were Kitari, who was confident, despite the difference of years and the level that separated them.

As she got closer, she got a better look at who she’d be fighting. Ferain was a pretty girl, surprisingly. She was also bizarrely an inch or two shorter than Kitari was, though their bodies were somewhat similar. She had a short mess of brown hair that seemed to stick up everywhere, like she was some sort of wild thing that crawled out of a nearby forest, and a minuscule bundle of it was tied into a spiky tail behind her head, just above the base of her neck by a purple and black ribbon. There was a dazzling blue teardrop shaped earring dangling from her left earlobe by a silver chain, and she was wearing the summer, short-sleeved version of the school uniform with some slightly sheer black tights beneath the skirt. Really, she only noticed all of this because she was trying to avoid the girl's face.

The initial examination showed her the sparkling, beautiful yellow eyes the girl possessed, which almost seemed wolfish in nature for one reason or another. However, the primary thing Kitari was trying to avoid was the jagged white scar that ran somewhat vertically along her right cheek. In Kitari’s personal opinion, it was the only ugly thing about her, unless you included her right arm which was entirely covered in white bandages, with some strange black brace clasped around the forearm. The most disgusting thing about that scar was that she knew how it got there. It only reminded her of her sister’s guilt all the more, which was starting to detract from the last pleasure she had in this world. If there was nothing to actually get revenge for, what was even the point? She might as well just roll over and die now. At least then, she wouldn't be risking even more pain before everything came to an end.

As Kitari stopped at her white line, only a few feet away from Ferain and the headmaster, who stood between the two of them, she saw the brown haired girl smile.

“Hello, Kitari.” Ferain said, her voice sounding like a sort of whisper. It was like a light breeze that was there one second and then gone the next, as if it never existed. It was probably the least threatening thing she’d ever heard in her life.

“I’m not here to make friends, Hirigaya.” Kitari snapped, trying her hardest to hold onto whatever anger she could before the fight. Once she was in the heat of it, she wasn’t concerned about her resolve, but if she let herself waiver now, it was all over. She had to hold onto her hatred, because if she didn’t, if she allowed her mind to clear, she might realize the truth she was too cowardly to face.

“I know.” Ferain said, grimacing darkly. “Anyway, Headmaster Hakamura said that you accepted my request. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

“Oh, trust me, I didn’t do it for you. This isn’t your opportunity, lightning girl, it’s mine. Raven told me all about you. I bet you only wanted to fight me so you can screw even more things up in my family.”

“Actually, I wanted to ask about Raven. I don’t know how much she told you, but I…” The girl raised her left hand and began playing with her earring. It annoyed Kitari for some reason, just watching her act all innocent and stuff, like she was the victim, like she was actually concerned about her sister. Ferain then looked around some more, eyeing the crowd of students, and then looked over at the headmaster.

“You do have to fight soon, Ms. Hirigaya. That is what you signed up for, I’m afraid.”

“I know.” she said to him, before turning her attention back to Kitari. “Look, I really did this on a whim. I wanted to talk to you so I might start making things right. Unfortunately, I guess I have to fight you now, but I’m hoping we can get something to eat afterwards, my treat. Anyway, best of luck, okay? Don’t go easy on me, I want you to be as serious as you can.”

“Don’t worry, I intend to take this very seriously.” Kitari growled, staring incredulously at the girl.

She took a step back and lowered her body while holding her arms out at her sides. They began to become cloaked in shadows that seemed fluid and alive as they raced around her body. As for Ferain, she finally seemed to play the part of a nervous, or excited teenager. She began bouncing on the tips of her toes while stretching her fingers, allowing some blue and white webs of static to create webs between them that crackled violently. Her beautiful round eyes were glowing vividly, almost like a fire lived behind them, and within seconds, her whole body was snapping and arcing with living energy. That was when Kitari’s confidence began to wane. This girl seemed impatient to Kitari, like she was struggling to keep herself in place. She seemed like she was barely able to contain herself, or her powers.

The primary thing that caught Kitari’s attention, however, was her eyes. They changed after a single blink. There was still that kindness in them, but there was also a seriousness, a determination that Kitari didn't expect. She knew then that this girl wasn’t taking her lightly. She didn’t think Kitari was weak or not worth the time. Most of all, this didn’t seem like the girl that Raven warned her about before leaving for her military school. She didn’t see somebody that manipulated people by acting the victim. Instead, she saw somebody who seemed to be quite genuine, and who seemed kind enough to mean what she said.

“If you both are ready, we will get started. Kitari Emming, Level-3. Ferain Hirigaya, Level-2. I will briefly explain the rules. 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. Is this understood?” he asked them both.

“Yes.” growled Kitari, readying herself to strike.

“Yes, sir.” said Ferain, stopping her continuous bouncing to stare directly at Kitari with those fierce, hungry eyes. There was a crackle of light behind them, something that shook Kitari’s remaining confidence.

“Good, then I believe we’re ready to start the match.” said the headmaster, before taking a few steps back. Another teacher appeared beside him as he waved his hand down. “Fight!” he shouted, before vanishing from the arena.

A loud beep played over the speakers above and Kitari moved the exact second it rang out. She stepped forward and brought her right hand down so quickly, it appeared to honestly take Ferain by surprise. A black fluid blade slashed out in her direction, but Ferain quickly stepped backwards. From the shadow around her, a dark tendril rose and attempted to coil around her leg as she landed, but the older student swiftly went into a backwards flip. In mid-air, a blue spark burst out of the sole of her foot, acting like a platform that she again flipped off of before landing on the ground several feet away. Kitari’s tendril vanished into a wisp of black smoke as she straightened up, staring curiously at the older girl, who had a smile on her face.

“That took me by surprise. You’re pretty quick.” said Ferain.

“You’re toying with me.” Kitari hissed. “I know you’re faster than that. I heard about you almost winning the race the other week.”

“I am faster than that, but that doesn’t mean I’m lying. You really did shock me. I wasn’t expecting you to move then.” Ferain then lowered her gaze, not to the floor, but just enough so her messy bangs were hanging over her glowing eyes. It gave her an ominous appearance, like a hunter stalking in the shadows of bushes while watching her prey. Kitari shivered at the sight, taking a step back at the sudden shift in the girl’s glance. “Don’t worry, I won’t make that mistake again.” she growled quietly, lowering her body.

Kitari prepared for an incoming attack, but that was just impossible. There was a flash of blue and white light, and in a second, the girl was on her. Kitari only had enough time to see the zig-zagging trail of lightning left in Ferain’s wake. After that brief glimpse of light, she felt a powerful strike against her side. Kitari gasped as she was hoisted off of her feet and sent flying through the air. Before hitting the ground a dozen feet away, she was hit again, this time from above. She was driven into the court beneath her, gasping for air as she coughed and groaned. Through her pain, she opened one eye and glanced to her right, taking note of Ferain standing on hands and toes, like the wolf Kitari thought she originally resembled. Her hair was standing up everywhere, even worse than usual, and she had a sporadic aura of lightning snapping around her. Kitari began to panic at the sight. Her chest started heaving and her breaths became shallow as she felt a wave of uncontrollable fear washing over her.

“I can’t do this.” she thought. “She’s going to kill me. I can’t keep up.”

“Stand up.” she heard Ferain say softly while rising to her feet. “Come on, I know you have more in you.”

“I can’t.” Kitari cried, struggling to rise. A twinge of pain stung her beneath her ribs and she winced, falling back to the ground. Ferain began stepping closer and instead of the girl, she saw her father.

“You’re just as much a failure as your sister,” he said.

“No. I’m sorry. I… I didn’t… I’m sorry.” she cried, curling up into a ball on the ground, trying to protect herself.

“Kitari.” came a soft voice from beside her. She didn’t want to listen to the voice. Kitari’s eyes began to glisten as she tried to blink away the oncoming tears, but with every passing second, she began succumbing to the fear that was rising in her heart. Her body began to tremble as she thought about her father, and about what he’d do to her once he saw her for how much of a failure she really was. “Kitari.” the voice said again, and this time, it was accompanied by a soft touch on her shoulder.

Kitari looked over with one open eye, and through her blurry vision, she saw Ferain looking at her with some concern.

“You’re afraid.” Ferain said softly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. Are you okay?” Kitari was breathing heavily, and without being able to come up with anything to say, she lay there as silent as ever, staring up at the girl. She had lost to her fear, the fear that she tried so hard to overcome by sheer confidence and a cocky attitude. It was all a facade though. She should have known that better than anyone. She was weaker than Raven, and she was certainly weaker than this girl here. She was weaker than all of them. She was a baby bird that was thrown out of the nest before she was ready, and this was where she fell.

“I can’t do this.” Kitari cried.

“You can.” Ferain said confidently. “You almost had me at the start. I know you have a good chance in this fight. I’m not all that strong, not really. Even with my speed, I’ve been stopped loads of times. Even during my own test last year, my speed and power was nothing. I know you can counter it somehow. You just have to give yourself that chance.” Ferain held out her hand. “Come on, let’s continue before Guji calls the match. You don't want it to end here, do you?”

“What’s the point?” Kitari asked in a murmur. “I’m done anyway. You might as well just accept the victory.”

“But it wouldn't feel like a victory, then,” said Ferain. “Come on, have some faith in yourself. I didn’t know Raven that well, but if there’s one thing I did know, she was confident in herself.” Ferain then gave a grim smile. “Though her overconfidence caused so many problems. Still, she knew she was strong. You’re her sister, so that means you must be pretty strong as well. After that opening attack, I know that for a fact. Get up and show everyone what you can do.”

“I ca–”

“Stand up, Kita!” she heard a shout from the crowd. Kitari looked over and saw Sam standing at the edge of the barricade, right next to the silver haired angel that saved her the other day. “Get up and teach her a lesson!” Sam screamed, cupping their hands around their mouth. Ferain seemed amused as she looked over at the pair in the stands. The silver haired girl gave them both an odd smile, though it was probably mostly to Ferain, who sighed and shook her head.

“Come on, Kitari. Do you want to give it another chance?” Ferain asked her.

Kitari sniffled and saw the girl in front of her in a new light now. She had a warm radiance about her, one that reminded her of Raven when they were younger. Raven changed in middle school, but before that, she was always keeping Kitari safe, and helped raise her up. She would always push Kitari into doing things, saying that she wouldn't always be there to do them for her. It was Raven who encouraged Kitari to really put some effort into training her powers, saying that she had the potential to be strong one day, strong enough to finally put an end to their father’s reign over them. She sucked in a quiet breath, trying to steady herself, and then accepted Ferain’s bandaged hand.

“I do.”

“Good,” said Ferain. “I was worried you were about to give up. It would have upset me.”

“Why?” asked Kitari.

“Because, it would have reminded me of myself before I came here. I always gave up. I was always afraid. It was when I was taking my own test that I finally realized the potential I had, and I fought tooth and nail to try and win. I wanted the same for you, though perhaps not to the same extent. I couldn’t even stand after my fight. Come on, up you go.” They clasped hands and Ferain helped Kitari to her feet. She then took a quick leap backwards, assisted by a burst of power from her left foot as she stepped off of the floor. She flipped and landed on one leg before setting the other one down. “You start whenever you’re ready, I’ll wait.”

Kitari nodded before taking in a breath of air. After a second, she lowered her body and took her stance again. “Okay, I’m ready.” she said.

“On your mark.” Ferain stated, grinning as she began impatiently bouncing again.

Unfortunately, the fight didn’t last long after that. Kitari made her move, and she put up a good fight. She started by trapping Ferain with several shadowy tendrils around her legs, but instantly, Ferain teleported away. It wasn’t like her previous movement. She literally went from one spot to the next, leaving only a small puff of electrical energy behind. Kitari dodged the girl’s oncoming attack after reappearing and countered with several swings of her own, but each one was either dodged or countered by the girl’s lightning. She used her hands and legs like electrified blades and claws, sending out a consistent number of attacks. She primarily used kicks for attacking, where her hands were used for countering. It was a hard defense and attack strategy for Kitari to counter. After five minutes of a grueling uphill battle, Kitari used all of her energy in creating a web of shadows to catch Ferain as she rushed towards her for a final blow.

It looked like it was going to work until Ferain swung her right arm down, revealing the purpose of the brace around her forearm. A glowing blue and white cord lashed out, cutting right through the web and dismantling it. She landed in front of Kitari, who swung once more but missed as Ferain went smoothly into a crouching position. Before Kitari could react, Ferain’s foot was connecting with her chin and the last thing she remembered of the hard fought battle was a flash of lightning in front of her eyes. She didn’t even feel the thud of her hitting the ground, due to her being temporarily unconscious from the attack.

Some time later, she was sitting in a burger restaurant within District-B with Ferain and the silver haired girl sitting across from her. Of course, Sam was sitting beside her, and in front of all of them was a large platter of wrapped burgers and some drinks. Kitari was holding an ice pack against her face to help with the possible swelling. The nurse at the school, Mr. Ita, seemed confident that after his treatment she would be fine, but the ice did help with a bit of the soreness. Sam smiled and had their hands clasped together in front of them joyously. They seemed pleased about something, but all Kitari could think about was how upset her father would be. She hadn’t received her results yet, but pass or fail, she would still be a disappointment to him.

“You don’t seem pleased.” said the silver haired girl, whose name was apparently Anita. She didn’t remember if Anita introduced herself in the library, but Sam told her shortly after regaining consciousness.

“Why should I be?” Kitari asked. “I lost.”

“It was to be expected, really,” said Anita, shrugging. “Honestly, Fera, what were you thinking? You could probably take on the strongest wielder in the school and win. How could you think a first-year had a fair chance?”

Ferain gave an embarrassed grin while playing with her earring. “I doubt that, Anita. You expect too much of me. Besides, Kitari put up a good fight. If not for Senna’s training, I would have certainly lost.”

“You’re selling yourself short again.” Anita said, as if she was scolding a child. “And back to you,” she then snapped, jabbing a finger in Kitari’s direction, causing her to recoil slightly. “You should be happier. You did well, surprisingly so. You should be more proud of yourself. Fera isn’t an easy person to fight.”

“My father won’t see it like that.” Kitari muttered, before catching herself. That was when she looked up and saw confused looks on her partner’s face, as well as Anita’s. Ferain’s expression, however, took her by surprise. She wasn't surprised to hear such a thing, or she didn’t appear to be, at the very least. Instead, she looked saddened, as if expecting it.

“Raven mentioned your parents briefly the last time we spoke,” said Ferain. “She said something about never being enough for them. I’m guessing that after whatever happened to Raven, they began pressuring you. I never wanted things to go that far. I even tried to talk the headmaster into letting her stay, but he said it had to be done.”

“Why?” Kitari growled. “She did that to you, didn’t she?” she asked, nodding at the scar on Ferain’s cheek.

“She did, sort of. She was responsible for it. Look, I’m not saying that I forgive her, and I am still mad at her. I don’t think I could ever not dislike her for what she did to me, but… But, I didn’t want her to get expelled. I’m sorry that it happened.”

“She attacked you, Fera.” Anita said angrily. “You shouldn’t apologize for her actions. It’s her fault and she has to live with it now.”

“Anita, you–”

“No,” Anita interrupted, cutting off her partner. “You need to listen to me.” Anita then looked at Kitari with a furious gleam in her stormy eyes. “Your sister could have killed her. I don’t care what Ferain says or what she apologizes for, it was Raven’s fault. I don’t know what your sister told you, but ever since starting school last year, she was harassing her left and right. That Prodigy nickname was her doing as well. It was a mockery of her lack of ability. Your sister was a cruel and harmful person that did everything she could to ruin her life at every turn. I don’t care what she’s going through, or how she was raised. I care about the damage she did, and the damage that she’s still causing.”

“Anita, you can stop.” Ferain said quietly, probably noticing the angered, tearful expression on Kitari’s face.

Anita looked like she was about to protest, but upon seeing Kitari’s face, her expression softened and she relaxed into her seat. “I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Ferain wasn’t the only person she hurt either. I know she’s your sister, I know she probably means a lot to you, but you need to see her for who she is.”

“I know what she is.” Kitari said softly, through gritted teeth. “I saw her become it. I watched as all of my father’s expectations weighed her down. She couldn't carry them anymore and she started getting spiteful and violent.” Kitari clenched her hands into trembling fists, causing Sam to place a gentle hand over one of them. “It’s not her fault. It’s his. She used to be really sweet and protective. She taught me so much, and she was always encouraging, until our father started putting all this pressure on her to continue his legacy.” Kitari then looked into Ferain’s face. “And you’re right. He sent her off to some boot camp and she’s already signed up to be a soldier once she graduates. Everything was put on my back now, and I didn’t even last as long as her. Once he finds out that I failed to get level-1, he’ll come and get me. He’ll take me away from the school and do something terrible to me next. It’s what I deserve anyway. All of that time and I just sat there, watching him beat Raven bloody over and over. I felt bad for her, but I was always glad that it was her and not me. It’s only fair that it’s my turn now.”

“I’ll kill him.” came a dark voice, one that took her by surprise. She looked up and saw Ferain glaring at her wickedly, that same terrifying hunger in her glowing golden eyes that she saw during the fight at the school. “If he touches you, I’ll tear him limb from limb. I can’t stand people like that. Fathers are supposed to be there for their children. They’re not supposed to just throw them aside like a useless tool.”

Anita put a hand on her partner’s arm, looking softly at her. Kitari remembered that look for the rest of the night. She was in the bath, her chest up against the wall of the tub as Sam soaked behind her, remembering the look of pure fury in those beautiful eyes.

“Do you think she meant it?” asked Kitari, without thinking before speaking it aloud.

“About killing your father?” asked Sam. “She looked pretty serious. You know, I heard a rumor about her. Some of the older students said that she killed her parents.”

“Really?” asked Kitari.

“Yeah, apparently. But, I also heard that it was because of her father.”

“Where’d you hear that from?”

“Anita. Before we left, she pulled me aside and apologized in case Ferain scared us. She said that Ferain’s father was similar in a way, and he caused her a lot of trouble. She said it cost her mother’s life, as well as her freedom. Knowing that, I can see why she’d be so mad at your dad. You know, after hearing that, I think you two have a bit more in common than you realize.”

“Maybe.” said Kitari, resting her chin in her folded arms over the side of the tub.

Kitari didn’t sleep well that night, and instead, thought about what her next move would be. What if her father did come for her? She was now level-2, she received a message shortly after returning home letting her know of her advancement. Maybe that was good enough, and like it or not, her father would have to deal with it. On the off chance that he didn’t and he tried to strike her, maybe it was time for her to finally do what she and her sister should have done a long time ago. Perhaps it was time that she finally revolted against his expectations. She could do it, and maybe if she needed it, Ferain would be willing to help her. She was definitely strong enough to deal with that man, even if Kitari wasn’t.