Chapter 29

As much as everybody kept bemoaning our interrupted training and lack of readiness, we snapped into action quickly, joined by the train station’s employees. Everyone had decided that our group was at the rallying point.

Our fellow travelers were none too pleased, complaining loudly in a half-dozen languages and demanding their money back. The station’s employees got the brunt of everyone’s ire at once, before Mariko stepped in between them. She spoke in stern-sounding Japanese that I didn’t quite parse. I made out, “behaving like children,” and “don’t worry. We’re with the Wizard Corps. Everything will be fine.”

Hm, it was the first time I’d heard her claim ownership of her wizard-hood. I couldn’t help but be proud of her.

I slipped in my translator, since I knew I’d be useless without it. It let me catch the end of Yukiko speaking with a prim-looking Japanese man in a vest and square-brimmed cap. They were going about, gathering the stranded passengers to a single spot. He seemed to be in charge, and I thought I heard him identify himself as Kaito.

“… our services, sir. We have about eighteen wizards here at your disposal.”

“I thought it was strange to have so many unaccompanied teens traveling at the same time,” he said. “Honestly, I’m not sure what you can do for us. We don’t have enough fuel to run the generators for more than a few minutes.”

“Can you communicate with the outside world? We lost cell coverage when the power dropped,” said Yukiko.

Kaito nodded. “We have enough power to run the emergency line. It’s not the whole city, but a good portion of it has gone dark; several power lines snapped in that last gust.”

“Sir, if I can interject?” I took a step forward. “What is the state of the tracks?”

He shook his head. “Even if we had power, the company has decided that the line is unsafe until conditions change. They had to turn the incoming trains around. All travel is cancelled until the morning.”

“So we are stuck here,” said Mariko.

“It seems that way,” he said. “I admit, we are not well prepared to house so many for so long. I wish to extend the apologies of the Nagaoka Line for the inconvenience.”

“What? That’s it?” Gabriella stepped forward, staring the man straight in the eye. “We’re just supposed to sit in the dark and the cold until morning, too bad, so sorry?”

“She has a point,” said Yukiko. “How far does the blackout extend?”

“Far enough to knock out at least one cell tower,” said Mariko, thoughtfully scratching her chin. “I wonder if I could transmute some junk into fuel for the generators? What do they run on, sir?”

“Deisel,” he said, a bit taken aback. “I didn’t know wizards could make Deisel out of thin air!”

“My Lovely Alchemy lets me transmute matter,” said Mariko.

Gabriella perked up at that. “I didn’t either! That’s pretty badass.”

“Well…” she hesitated. “I am still learning to control it. I would probably just damage your generators.” She bowed in apology. “I should not have gotten our hopes up.”

Gabriella let out an irritated sigh. “Figures.”

“It doesn’t go out that far,” said Kiyo, emerging from the shadows in a way that had me wondering if she’d used Death of Light. “The blackout, I mean. I checked the entrance. I think I see some lit buildings a few blocks away.”

“How bad are the streets?” I asked.

“Oh, dude,” she said, “the snow didn’t stop the whole time we were in here. Yukiko would be up to her knees on the sidewalks.”

“I’ll ignore that dig at my height,” said Yukiko.

“I don’t know what you mean,” said Kiyo, failing to hide a smirk.

“Regardless, we’re here for the duration,” said Yukiko. “We need to make it work. Everything will be fine.”

Yukiko Sato was many things, but heat-efficient was not one of them, owing to her short stature and light build. She was talking a good game, but she was already starting to shiver as the train station lost its heat. I could just make out her breath as we spoke.

“Seems to me we need to take care of food, water, and heat,” I said, gesturing to take in the whole facility. “At least the shelter is holding.”

“We do have emergency food and water, at least,” said the station employee. “We have some people going to fetch that.”

I turned to some of my fellow wizards, zeroing in on Hiroto, since I remembered his name first. “Hiroto, pick a couple of people and go give them a hand.”

He hesitated a moment. If I could read his expressions in the magical torchlight, he was wondering who had put me in charge.

However, Hiroto nodded instead of objecting. “Suzume, Yamato, come with me.”

I turned back to Kaito, nodding towards the abandoned food stalls. “We’ll want to commandeer the food there, as well.”

He tilted his head at me. “We are gathering the emergency stores, though.”

“But that will be warm, and it’s bound to go bad anyway. We might as well put it to use.”

Kaito frowned. “We will have to ask for payment. It is the line’s policy.”

“Well, you heard him, Yukiko. Pay the man.”

Yukiko’s eyes widened. “That will not be possible.”

“Oh, pish posh,” I said, earning confused looks from everyone present except Mariko. Her love of Jane Austen novels came in handy. “Nonsense. You might have to write a check, but your father’s good for it.”

“He would be, but I am not,” she said. “Kindly drop it, since this is not the time.”

That was curious, but I respected her wishes. I gestured for Kaito to follow me out of earshot and lowered my voice. “How about we barter? We know some spells that can generate electricity.”

“Why didn’t you say so before?” demanded Kaito. “We can save ourselves a lot of trouble if you can run the whole facility!”

“Not that much,” I said. “At least, not long enough to matter. But we could use Electrowave in shifts and keep all of your food from spoiling.” It was similar to a trick we’d used at the Serving Wizard’s House. “Of course, we’d want something in return.”

“You’re Wizard Corpsmen!” he said, sounding scandalized.

“We’re off duty,” I said. “And not so loud. Please, see reason. Surely the home office would understand about feeding some hungry travelers during an emergency. Besides, it’s Christmas.”

I managed to say the c-word with a straight face, since cringing wouldn’t help my negotiations.

It paid off, since Kaito’s expression softened. “You are welcome to use what you like. As far as I’m concerned, it was all tossed out in the morning.”

“Good man,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. “That will do wonders for the morale, since it sounds like we’ll be short on pillows and blankets.”

“To put it mildly,” he said. “We donated our stock to help with the British refugees last year, and they never got around to replacing them.”

Once again, I was suffering for my past military glory. “Don’t worry, sir. We’ve got eighteen wizards on hand, if I accept Yukiko’s count. You’d be surprised what we can accomplish.”

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*************

“Not too shabby,” I said, looking over our handiwork. There were a dozen floating Fireballs heating the sleeping area we’d set up near the entrance. It didn’t make it much more fun to sleep on the cold tile with our suitcases as pillows and jackets as blankets, but they kept things from getting too frigid.

“Kind of a crappy Christmas,” said Kiyo.

I shrugged. “It’s better than what we’ll have out in the field; if we’re near the front lines, the light from these stationary Fireballs would give us away. Sitting ducks for a good sniper.”

Kiyo grinned. “You always did know how to cheer me up.”

“Good job on the, ah, ‘creative procurement’,” said Hiroto, stuffing another piece of chicken karaage in his mouth. “Almost makes it a traditional Christmas.” Whatever worries about the chain of command he’d had faded away as soon as he came back to plates full of fried food. Funny how easy it is to win people over.

“Fried chicken?” I asked. “Traditional? I’d always thought of the holiday as being more about roasts and pastries.”

“It is a Japanese thing,” said Mariko. “I am not sure where it started, honestly.”

“It’s no Kentucky Fried Chicken,” said Hiro. “I think it’s soy protein and fillers, but it’s still good.”

“Probably,” said Hiroto, using his chopsticks to grab the last fried morsel from the container. “I wasn’t expecting to be on a camping trip tonight.”

“Camping trip?” asked one of the Japanese girls, Suzume if memory serves. The fact that I don’t remember her tells me she was probably a plain girl. Was that unfair? Sexist? Probably. But, reality is what it is.

Hiroto brushed his overgrown black hair out of his eyes. “We’re all out here roughing it next to a roaring fire, ready to sleep without beds. Sounds like camping to me.”

All of us cadets had settled into a wide circle, huddled around a pair of the stationary Fireballs. All told, there were about eighty souls in total trapped in that train station, which meant that we wizards were about a quarter of their number. There were similar circles all around made up of Kaito and his staff, as well as the mundanes, though none of the circles were quite as large.

“It’s not quite so roaring as it was,” I said, pointing at the shrunken spell. “Yukiko, that one was yours, right?”

“Yes,” she said, snapping her fingers, disbanding the floating Fireball in a shower of Residuum. “We need to figure out how to add energy to these instead of replacing them.”

“That would be more efficient,” I said. “And it raises a problem. Yukiko, what time did you cast it?”

She glanced down at her watch and tapped a button. “An hour and seven minutes ago.”

Leave it to her to have set a timer. “That means we’re going to have to keep them fresh and wake up whoever cast it last to dispel it safely.”

“We could douse them in water,” suggested Hiro.

Mariko shook her head. “We would be letting off steam, or worse, rupturing the energy envelope. It could be dangerous.”

“I have one cast’s worth in me,” said Hiro, looking guilty. “I used Immortal Form quite a bit today.”

“Hey, you got us out of The Gauntlet,” said one of the American girls, giving him a sympathetic look. Her I do remember, for how her green eyes sparkled in the firelight. “That was pretty amazing!”

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought she was pretty, since Yukiko sidled even closer to Hiro, which was an accomplishment; if she went any further, she’d be in his lap.

“I’m good on magical reserves,” I said. “Still, if Yukiko’s measurement holds true, we’ll need to cast and replace about, oh… seventy of these before daylight?”

“Assuming the power doesn’t turn back on,” said Suzume.

“Probably best to assume the worst,” said the American girl.

“Hiro can do one,” said Gabriella, standing to approach the source of the conversation. “That means we’ll need to do about four each. Who wants to keep track of the shifts?”

“I should,” said Kiyo. “I’m not gonna sleep much tonight anyway.” She held up a can of Hybrid Vigor energy drink to emphasize the point, placing it next to three of its empty fellows at her feet.

Mariko frowned. “That seems like a bad idea before going to sleep.”

Kiyo blew a raspberry. “Please. If I’m going to have a sucky Christmas, I’m going to game every second I can.”

“Works for me,” said Hiroto, hopping to his feet and turning to those out of earshot of our discussions. His head passed awfully close to one of the floating Fireballs, which seemed dangerous with as much hair product as he was wearing. He certainly looked less formal than usual. There really were all types in the service.

He clapped once to get everybody’s attention before quickly explaining the plan. “Someone go tell Mr. Kaito about our plans, and get ready to sleep light. You’re going to have Cadet Jones shaking you awake at some point.”

I’d expected a chorus of groans, but it seemed the assembled group of cadets were made of sterner stuff. Once we’d freshened up the spells and made sure nobody was liable to get too chilled, we all went to sleep.

****************

“Hey, Soren.”

I opened an eye, momentarily surprised to see Kiyo before remembering where I was. Waking up proved to be no problem; once my body knew I was roughing it again, it had settled into my habits from my campaigns in England and Spain.

I had to move carefully to avoid waking Mariko. We’d quickly seen who was shacking up, or at least very comfortable with their fellow cadets, based on the sleeping arrangements. It had been Yukiko’s suggestion, which had shocked me. Foreseeing my quip before I could start it, she shut down any suggestion there was anything untoward about it. The scheme was all practical, of course. We needed to conserve body heat, since the temperature had dropped to well below freezing outside. Getting to cuddle with her Hirokins was just a happy coincidence.

Mariko snored on as I sat up, the biting cold assaulting me through a sweater and our makeshift blankets. I made sure to wrap them around her so she wouldn’t get chilled.

“Hm? Kiyo, what’s going on? All of those Fireballs still look full.”

“Y-yeah, that isn’t why I woke you up,” she said. I noticed her red GoSato console was nowhere to be seen.

“Clearly not,” I said, seeing from my watch that barely half an hour had passed. “Then, why did you wake me?”

“C-can… um…” She fidgeted in a way that would have been adorable… if I wasn’t cold and tired.

“Can you what?”

“Zone of Silence,” she said, cutting us off from the outside world. “Don’t wanna say that too loud. I… can I… join you two?”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “I thought you weren’t going to sleep.”

“Oh, God no,” she said, holding up a hand that shook like Mariko’s. “That was a week’s dose of caffeine back there. I’m completely wired. I-I just didn’t think it’d be so darn chilly out there. A-and I know… y-you’re pretty… warm to sleep with.” I couldn’t tell if she was stammering due to her nerves or the temperature.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said.

“W-well, I feel better asking you than Hiro, that’s for darned sure,” she said. “Or Hiroto, Suzume, or Rita, or that bitch Gabriella.”

“Tell me how you really feel about her,” I said. “I’m not a fan either, but hopefully we’ll be out of basic soon enough and get our final assignments far away from her.”

Kiyo rubbed her slim upper arms, and now I knew it was the chill. “M-magpie, seriously, hold me or l-light me on fire, either one works for me.”

I did the former, naturally. “Were you even near a Fireball?”

“Y-yeah,” she said, finally relaxing as I enveloped her in an embrace. “I’m n-not really made for the cold.”

“I can tell, my d…”

Kiyo waited a moment, before sighing. “I guess I’m not anymore.”

“Oh, it’s nothing against you,” I said. “Mariko has this idea that it’s inappropriate to call everyone that.”

She buried her face in my chest. “Yeah, you’ll do that for her.”

“Kiyo…”

“Look, I’m just using you for your body tonight,” she said, her voice muffled. “Just like we both know that something is going on with you and Gabriella. And with those girls in Ireland.”

“What? No, nothing of the sort!”

“Uh huh,” she said, pressing more closely against me. “God, I wish I was ten kilograms heavier and taller. Then m-maybe I could keep warm on my own. I-it sucks needing you again.”

If she’d been anybody else, I’d have told her to take a hike. However, I’d more than earned her scorn. “You know how much I regret what happened with Maggie.”

“Sure,” she said. “God, and I’m saying that ‘cause I know it bugs you, God I miss you sometimes, y’know?”

“Understandable,” I said, trying to defuse the situation with a bit of humor. “I am pretty amazing.”

She went rigid, showing that the effort had failed. “Please tell me who you’re cheating on Mariko with. I won’t tell her. I just have to know.”

“Nobody,” I said, my tone allowing for no argument. “Why are you so convinced?”

“B-because otherwise, it means you did change,” she said, “and I don’t think I could handle that.”

“No worries there, my… Kiyo. I’m still a rotten scoundrel. I’m no good for any of you, and I don’t get why Mariko tolerates me.”

She actually laughed, though it was mostly muffled by my chest. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

“At your service, my… it’s damned hard to suppress that with you, you know.”

“Kinda wish I’d kept my mouth shut,” she said. “C-cause now it’s gonna be awkward to snuggle with you. Guess there isn’t another choice. I’d sooner cuddle with a porcupine, though.”

Part of me wanted nothing more, but I had some pride, and her accusations had cut into me. Kiyo only had so much credit at the Bank of Malthus, and she was getting close to an overdraft. I needed some distance. “I might just have a little something for you,” I said.

She pushed away, her cheeks still flush as she looked up at me with her big eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we demons haven’t figured out this trick with Fireball,” I said, gesturing towards one of the flaming orbs. “It didn’t stop us from taking Alaska and Russia, though.”

“Why didn’t you say something before?”

I frowned, wondering if I was being too hasty. “I’m a bit reluctant to try; there could be some long-term side effects from casting demonic magic on you.”

“Psht,” she said. “After the time you electrocuted me? As if you can hurt me more.”

That settled it! Without waiting for a response, I arranged my fingers into the proper casting position and whispered a word. “Hesseblut.” Let it be on her spiteful head.

The harsh, angular runes of demonic magic swirled about my fingers a moment before collapsing into a red aura around my right hand. I reached out and touched Kiyo’s cheek, since it was the only exposed skin on her body.

“Eep!” She scuttled back on all fours, passing out of her Zone of Silence, popping it like a soap bubble. She stopped herself just shy of plowing into Gabriella and the American girl with the striking eyes.

She came back closer, hissing in my ear. “The heck was that?’

“It’s how we devils keep warm on winter campaigns,” I said. “It’s a variant of healing magic that raises your body temperature for a bit. You might want to grab a snack while you're at it.”

“H-huh,” she said, removing a glove to probe her face. “So, what, you gave me a fever?”

“More or less," I said. "Tell me, do you feel better?”

“Y-yeah, actually,” she said, actually unzipping her jacket a bit. “I feel great.”

“Fantastic,” I said. “Then you can keep your dignity. I’ll see you when it’s my shift.”

“Sure,” she said. “This is great. Thanks, Magpie. And, uh, Merry Christmas.”

“And a Happy Holidays to you, too.”

At the time, I was too tired and grumpy to notice that note of defeat in her voice as I ducked back under the covers with Mariko.