Spencer's face appeared on the screen, his voice tight with anxiety.

"Project Raiju is completely offline," he reported. His fingers tapped nervously at the keyboard next to him. "It's bizarre; it's as if the entire system just decided to shut down on its own. I've never seen anything like it before." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I can't even get into the data core when interfacing with it directly – all permissions are denied."

Enya nodded, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she worked on her own diagnostic tools. "All systems are completely unresponsive. It's like someone flipped a switch and turned it all off. The satellite isn't responding to pings either."

I frowned, feeling a sense of unease settle in my gut. This couldn't be a coincidence.

I'd felt the sudden presence of Raiju across the portal, and now we were locked out here? There had to be a connection.

"Is there any way to fix it?" I asked.

Spencer sighed heavily, shaking his head. "It's like trying to fix a car without knowing what the problem is. I'm doing my best, but it could take some time."

Enya nodded in agreement. "Finding out why the satellite went offline could take weeks or even months," she said, shaking her head sadly. "Without the data stored on it, there's no way to identify which of the countless potential problems might be to blame."

My head throbbed as I massaged my temples. This was not a good sign. Project Raiju was our most important project, and the sudden shutdown of the system meant our options for helping the magical girls next week were limited.

There was something else that was bothering me, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"Let's try to fix Raiju as soon as possible," I said, pushing my unease to the back of my mind. "But in the meantime, I guess we should just stay focused on our exams?"

Spencer and Enya nodded in agreement, and we ended the call.

I sighed, feeling the stress of the situation weighing heavily on my shoulders. I needed to figure out what was going on, and fast. But I knew I couldn't let it consume me. I had to focus on the present, my studies, and my friends.

As I closed my laptop, I stood up and stretched, feeling the tension in my muscles relax slightly. It was time to take a break, clear my head and focus on something else for a while.

I strolled over to the window, admiring the cityscape outside. The illuminated windows of the buildings twinkled in the dark night like stars in the sky, reminding me of how small this home was compared to the rest of the world.

But even as I looked out at the city, my mind kept returning to the sudden shutdown of Project Raiju. It was like a puzzle that I couldn't entirely solve.

As I turned away from the window, I stared at the orb on the table across the room. Without thinking, I walked over to it, picked it up, and examined it.

I brushed my fingers over its metallic chassis, and nothing happened. The surface was smooth and cold to the touch, like an ice cube. I wondered what caused it to malfunction so suddenly.

It was like any lifeless object, devoid of any energy or power.

I placed the orb back on the table, feeling a sense of unease settle over me. This wasn't a coincidence - it couldn't be.

Suddenly, the silence was interrupted by the sound of my phone beeping. I picked it up, seeing that it was a text from Natasha.

"Hey, found a cute vid that I thought you'd like. How's everything going? Are you feeling okay? Taking breaks?"

I smiled at her thoughtfulness, grateful for her check-in. But I knew I couldn't burden her with my worries.

"Thanks, I'll check it out! Everything's fine. Just a little stressed about the exams. How are you doing over there?"

I sat on my bed, scrolling through the clip she had sent me. It was adorable - a little fox with fluffy ears and a magical gem on its forehead. The familiar flitted around the screen, casting spells and causing mischief as a magical girl cooed in the background.

I closed my eyes and just breathed for a moment, letting the world's worries fade away.

"Meow?"

When I opened my eyes, Kuro was sitting at the entrance to my room, staring at me with his big eyes.

"Hey there, little guy," I said with a smile, reaching out to pet him.

I scratched behind his ears, feeling a sense of peace. Kuro purred contentedly, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence. His warmth and affection were a reminder that, no matter how chaotic the world seemed, there were still little moments of joy and love.

I looked down at my phone as it beeped again, seeing that it was a message from Natasha.

"Just gonna be studying all night, but it's all good. Lmk if you need anything! 💕"

I smiled at her message, feeling grateful for her constant support. But even as I replied, thanking her and assuring her that everything was fine, the unease in my gut remained.

Something was going on, something that I couldn't quite put a finger on. And I knew that I needed to figure it out before it was too late.

I had my first exams tomorrow: math and chemistry, and I couldn't afford to let my worries consume me.

With a deep breath, I pushed the thoughts of Raiju and the orb to the back of my mind. I focused on the present moment —the warmth of Kuro's purring and Natasha's support.

Hard sciences were always some of my stronger suits, and I had spent weeks preparing for these exams. I couldn't let my fear and worry get in the way of my success.

I spent the next few hours reviewing my notes, working out practice problems, and quizzing myself on key concepts. Time seemed to fly by; before I knew it, it was past midnight.

I yawned and stretched, feeling my eyelids droop. It was time to get some rest before the big day tomorrow.

As I crawled into bed, Kuro jumped onto the covers, curling up beside me. His soft purring felt like a lullaby, and I soon fell into a deep sleep.

----------------------------------------

The next morning, I felt refreshed and ready to tackle the day. I got dressed and went downstairs, where Talia was making breakfast again.

"Good morning, sunshine," she greeted me with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well, thanks," I said, sitting at the table. "How about you?"

Talia nodded, poured me a cup of coffee, and slid me a plate of eggs. "I slept okay. Just a little nervous for my history test later."

I sipped my coffee and dug into the eggs, feeling the warmth spread through my body. It was good to have a sense of normalcy, even if it was just breakfast with friends before exams.

I nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I have math and chemistry this morning. But we've got this. Is Midori up?"

Talia looked toward the back door. "She's outside doing her morning exercises. She said she wanted to clear her head before her exams."

After devouring my breakfast, I headed outside to find Midori standing on a series of wooden stakes and wielding a thin wooden sword. She moved seamlessly between the posts, her movements light and effortless as she soared through the air. I was mesmerized by her agility and concentration. Her body was a blur as she moved through the air, and I stared, captivated by her skill and focus.

As she finished her routine, she noticed me standing there and smiled. "Hey, morning Ikki. Ready for the exams?"

I nodded, feeling a surge of energy. "Definitely. How about you?"

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Just trying to get my head in the game for them."

We headed back inside, and I quickly collected my backpack and verified that I had all the materials necessary for my tests. Their exams would start later than mine, so I said goodbye and went to the academy.

The subway ride to school felt quick and short, and I spent it reviewing last-minute formulas and concepts. As I stepped out of the train, the familiar sight of the campus came to view. Students were bustling about, some with their heads down in concentration, others in groups chatting animatedly about their preparations.

The air was crisp and cool as I walked to my exam room. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. This was my chance to prove myself, to show that I was capable of anything I put my mind to.

My testing room was quiet, besides the sound of pencils tapping on lecture hall tables. I spotted Dior down the aisle — she had a comically intense look on her face, like she was battling an invisible enemy. I couldn't help but smirk at her focused expression.

Carrie Kong and the tall, athletic girl named Chelsea, who had manhandled me, were also in the same room, and Carrie gave me a smug smile and saluted me as I passed by. I focused on what I needed to do, choosing to ignore her.

I took a deep breath and focused my attention on the test before me.

I furrowed my brow, staring at the foreign notation on the paper.

Conceptually, I knew how to do everything here. However, the Terrans definitely didn't use Leibniz notation for their high school calculus. It was a weird notation that I still had to map in my head step by step.

I took a moment to calm myself and clear my mind. With a deep breath, I began working through the problems, carefully applying the formulas and concepts I had studied.

But something strange began to happen as I worked through the exam. The numbers on the page seemed to blur and shift, turning into strange symbols and shapes I couldn't understand. It was like my mind was playing tricks on me, twisting the concepts and making them unrecognizable.

Panic started to set in as I realized I couldn't read anything on the page. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but the symbols remained.

I glanced around the room, seeing that the other students were still intently focused on their own exams. No one else seemed to be experiencing what I was.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. It was like something was squeezing my heart, making it hard to breathe. A cold sweat broke out over my skin, and my hands began to shake.

I knew something was wrong - this wasn't just a case of exam anxiety.

My heart began to race, and I felt a sense of panic gripping my chest. What was going on? Was it the Kongs screwing me over again? Was someone casting a spell on me?

I tried to shake off the feeling and refocus on the exam. Still, the numbers and symbols continued to warp and twist, making concentrating impossible. And then, out of nowhere, a man's voice growled in my ear.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Ikazuchi."

I jolted in my seat, looking frantically around the room. But no one seemed to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. I was alone with my thoughts and my fears.

The strange sensation suddenly stopped, leaving me feeling both relieved and confused. Had it all just been in my head?

I let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples.

As I tried to understand what had happened, the room suddenly grew dark. It was like the color had drained out of the world itself. My heart rate quickened as I looked around, wondering if anyone else had noticed.

Then, a figure appeared at the front of the room. It was an imposing man with Mediterranean features and a stern expression. He wore a long black coat, a red scarf wrapped around his face, and blonde hair. Everything around me was frozen in time, and his glasses glinted in the dim light.

He said nothing, but his gaze was intense. He stared directly into my eyes, and I felt he was trying to convey something. A warning, though I couldn't quite understand what it was. I swore I hadn't seen this man before, yet he seemed vaguely familiar.

The man stepped forward, his boots tapping against the tile floor. "Ikazuchi," he said again, his voice low and commanding.

I felt a chill run down my spine. Who was this man? And how did he know my name?

Before I could react, the man disappeared, and the room was bright again. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like I would be sick.

I looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Had anyone else seen the man? Or was it just me?

I forced the strange encounter out of my mind and refocused on the test before me. I worked through each problem carefully, double-checking my answers before moving on to the next one.

As I worked, I couldn't help but wonder about the man who had appeared in the room. Who was he? And what did he want with me?

The thought nagged at me, distracting me from the exam. But I pushed it aside, determined to finish the test and figure out the mystery later.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I finished my exam early.

Just as I stood up to hand in my exam, Carrie also finished and walked up to the front of the room. She gave me a smug grin as she handed in her paper, and I could feel the anger boiling inside me.

I handed in my paper and exited the room, eager to put the strange encounter behind me. I went through the empty hallway, feeling my stomach growl in hunger.

As I turned the corner, I found myself face to face with the Queen mean girl herself, Carrie. She stood there with her arms crossed.

"Well, well, well. Look who finished early," Carrie said, her voice dripping with that smugness I'd gotten to know all too well. "How was it?"

"What's it to you?" I replied, holding myself back from snapping.

Carrie laughed, a sound like nails on a chalkboard. "I'm just curious," she said, though I knew better. She was trying to get a rise out of me.

I shrugged and started walking past her, but she blocked my way.

"One more thing," she said, inhaling deeply as if preparing for a speech. She held out a palm, staring at me intently.

...

I tensed, bracing myself for whatever insult or magic spell she was about to throw my way. But instead of a cutting remark or an illusion of some sort, she surprised me with her following words.

"Imsorry."

...

"Come again?" I muttered in disbelief.

I stared at her, flabbergasted, wondering if I'd hallucinated hearing that.

She sighed, her shoulders drooping as she muttered it again more coherently. "I'm sorry, okay? I know we don't get along. But I just wanted to let you know that... I'm sorry for the way I treated you this semester. We obviously got off to a bad start."

I was taken aback by Carrie's sudden change in attitude. Was this a trick? Or was she being genuine?

"I wanted to have this conversation last time... and I just couldn't swallow my pride. Would you mind if we just sit down and talk for for lunch? Premium menu items on me. Consider it my treat."

I hesitated for a moment, considering her offer. Part of me wanted to refuse, to hold onto my anger and resentment toward her. But another part of me was curious. Carrie had been nothing but cruel to me since the day I'd gotten between her and Natasha. Now she was offering an olive branch? It didn't make sense.

"Okay," I said tentatively. "But no tricks. And no insults. And definitely no magic bullshit."

Carrie smiled, and I swear it was the first time I'd seen a genuine smile on her face bereft of condescension. "No tricks. No insults. No magic. I promise."

We walked together to the school cafeteria. I stayed a good ten feet behind Carrie, and I couldn't help but feel self-conscious. A ton of people in the room seemed to be staring at us, wondering what was happening. But I tried to ignore them, focusing on our tense silence.

As we approached the lunch line, I noticed Carrie was looking at me intently. It was as if she was studying me, trying to figure out who I really was.

Finally, she spoke.

"I know I've been a total bitch to you and Natasha since day one," she said. "And I'm really sorry for that and would like to start over. Consider that my formal apology, first."

I couldn't believe my ears. Was this really happening? She was serious, wasn't she?

"Apology... tentatively accepted," I replied cautiously. I was still unsure what to make of this sudden change in attitude.

Carrie nodded, and we made our way through the line, grabbing our trays and filling them with various foods. She made good on her offer and paid.

As we sat down at a table in the corner of the room, I felt a strange energy between us. It was as if we were both waiting for something to happen. I watched Carrie tap her fingers nervously against the table and wondered what she was thinking.

Carrie took a deep breath, and I watched as she fidgeted with the edge of her napkin.

This was, hands down, the first moment of vulnerability I'd ever seen from the girl.

"I have a confession to make," she said quietly. "I've been... going through some things lately. And I took it out on you. On Natasha. And it isn't fair."

I raised an eyebrow. This was definitely not what I was expecting, and it seemed to come out of the blue.

"What kinds of things?" I asked cautiously.

Carrie hesitated for a moment, biting her lip. It was clear that she was struggling to find the words.

"Personal things," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Things that I don't really want to talk about. But they've been making me act out, and... well, you were an easy target. The broke kid from Earth without an ounce of aristocratic blood in your veins or support system to speak of."

I wasn't sure what to say. On the one hand, I appreciated the honesty. On the other hand, it didn't excuse her behavior.

"I get that you've been going through stuff," I said carefully. "But why have you been such a magnificently vicious bitch towards Natasha? Why take it out on me? Why go so far as to fucking shatter her self-esteem entirely?"

Carrie took another deep breath and looked away from me, her eyes focused on the table.

"It's complicated," she said finally. "Natasha and I used to be best friends. Thick as thieves. It's hard to believe given how we ended up, but I was practically her sidekick and closest confidant. I was the insecure, uncertain one, and she was the one who always seemed to have it together. She was so smart, so talented. Always so damned perfect. I let her lead me around, and I was okay with that. But then something changed."

She paused momentarily as if lost in thought before continuing.

"Something happened, rather," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "Something that tore us apart. And I... I didn't handle it well. I lashed out at her immediately, and I've been doing it ever since. I know it's not right, but I can't seem to stop myself. Then, I took it out on you because you stepped between us."

I nodded slowly, understanding beginning to creep in. It wasn't an excuse for Carrie's behavior, but at least it was an explanation. I knew that whatever had happened back then, Carrie had lost her cousin and mother.

"I see," I said. "And what about now? What's this really about? Do you want to try to repair your friendship with Natasha?"

I could sense her inner turmoil, and a part of me wanted to comfort her. But a significant part of me was still angry about how she treated us.

Carrie shrugged, still not looking at me. "I don't know. Maybe. I... well, I definitely still resent her for what happened. The line between love and hate is thin, you know? But I've been watching the two of you from afar. As twisted as it sounds, seeing that she's doing well without me has been a comfort. That she's moved on. It's been sobering, even. She stopped being a real human in my eyes. Just a punching bag for me to take my grievances out on. Until I saw her smiling again because of you."

She finally met my gaze, and I could see the pain in her eyes. "I know I've hurt you too. And I'm sorry. I want to make it right. I want to start over, if you'll let me."

I sighed, deep in thought. On the one hand, I wanted to take this chance to finally put an end to all the drama surrounding us. On the other hand, I wasn't sure how much trust I should give Carrie.

But then again, isn't that what being a friend is all about? Building bridges and helping each other out when we're at our weakest? We can draw strength from each other and create something beautiful out of something painful.

"Look, Carrie," I said, trying to be gentle. "I appreciate your apology, and I'm willing to start fresh against my better judgment. But I can't speak for Natasha. You hurt her deeply, and if you want to ever repair your friendship, much less get to speaking terms, you'll have to talk to her yourself."

"I know," she replied with a serious expression. "It's just been so long, and I've done and said so many horrible things to her since I saw her come to this city too. When I saw that she was studying in Saint Antonia's, I lost my mind. I was convinced that she was here to ruin my life, to make me feel my world crumbling around me again. To make me feel small. All those pent-up feelings just boiled over, and I couldn't control myself."

I was still suspicious of Carrie's intentions, but I couldn't deny the pain in her voice. It was clear that she was genuinely struggling with this unless she was that good of an actress.

"Well, maybe it's time to face your demons and talk to her," I suggested. "But you have to be honest with yourself and with her. If you're not ready to forgive her, then don't force it. And if you're not willing to change your behavior, then don't bother even trying to be her friend again."

Carrie nodded numbly, her eyes downcast in shame. "You're right," she said softly. "It may not be today or tomorrow, but I promise I'll try."

I could see the pain etched on her face, and it was apparent on a surface level that she meant every word she said. Despite my reservations, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and help her.

I shrugged, unsure of how to respond. It wasn't my forgiveness Carrie needed; it was Natasha's.

"About that..." I started. "I'll be blunt. You've acted like a batshit psychotic bitch, but I noticed that you didn't participate when Eleni and Chelsea roughed us up. Why?"

Carrie took a deep breath, looking away from me again. "I don't want any part of it anymore," she said quietly. "I know that doesn't excuse the way I've been treating you and Natasha, but that was around the point when I saw her smiling again on her own. I had never seen her smile after the incident that buried our friendship. It was like a switch had been flipped, and I finally took a look in a mirror and saw the person I had become. I don't want to be that person anymore. But, I can't take back what's been done. I've made Natasha a target for the entire grade, and there's no way to undo that."

I nodded slowly, beginning to understand the complexity of her situation. It wasn't just about her anger towards Natasha but a deep-rooted insecurity that had been festering for years.

"I see," I said finally, empathy creeping into my voice. "Well, I'm glad you're starting to see the error of your ways. But like I said, you have to talk to Natasha, and you have to be honest with her. You may not get the response you want, but it's the only way to move forward."

Carrie nodded slowly, her eyes focused on some distant point. "I know," she said quietly. "I'll do it. It's time to face the music, I guess."

I snorted at the possibly inadvertent pun and couldn't help but chuckle. Carrie gave a small smile. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

"So, one more thing," I asked hesitantly, curiosity piqued. "Why do you think magical girls are all monsters?"

Carrie's face grew somber once more, and she sighed heavily.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

I narrowed my eyes, gathering my thoughts. "You said something a while ago about how magical girls are monsters. I'm just curious as to why you think that. Is it because of whatever happened between you and Natasha?"

Carrie's eyes widened as she realized what I was getting at. "No, no, no," she said quickly. "It's not because of our conflict. Not exactly, at least. It's just... I've seen things. Things that most people can't even imagine. I've seen what can happen when a magical girl finally snaps, and it's not pretty. They're like ticking time bombs."

I listened to Carrie's words but couldn't help feeling skeptical. "But not all magical girls are like that," I said. "Sure, some of them might go down a dark path, but that doesn't mean they're all monsters. This sounds a lot more personal to me."

Carrie shook her head. "You don't understand," she said. "I've seen the worst of them. The ones who think they're doing the right thing, but in reality, they're just causing more harm than good. I don't want to be anywhere near them. My family... we might be involved in the entire logistics chain, from supplies to cleanup. but we're an old family at the end. We are privy to a lot of information we can't speak of."

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Carrie hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Your initial assumption was correct. This is personal. Very personal. Someone I loved and cherished dearly became a magical girl. She was always so confident and kind, and I thought she was a hero. She was a role model to me, even. A shining, silver knight and a beacon of hope. But something changed after I lost my younger cousin and mother three years ago. She became twisted and cruel, acting like it was her right to rule over everyone else just because she had powers. It was like she had lost her humanity. And then, one day, she just... committed unspeakable atrocities and went on the run."

I shuddered at the thought of what Carrie was describing. It sounded like something out of a horror movie.

"I'm so sorry," I said softly. "That must have been so hard for you."

Carrie nodded, her expression pained. "It was. And ever since then, I've been afraid of magical girls. Afraid of what they're capable of. Even the ones who seem good on the surface. I don't trust them."

I could tell that Carrie's fear was deeply rooted and that it would take more than a simple conversation to change her mind. But for now, I decided to drop the subject.

Instead, I decided to steer the conversation toward a more positive note.

I took a deep breath and stood up from my seat. "Well, it looks like we have a lot to think about," I said, stretching my arms above my head. "I'll leave you to it, Carrie. Thank you for this talk, though. It was enlightening."

Carrie stood up as well, looking grateful. "Thank you," she said. "It means a lot that you're willing to listen to me. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry for everything."

I nodded, feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders. "I won't say it's okay," I stated firmly. "But, just remember what I said about being honest with Natasha. That's the first step towards making things right."

Carrie nodded, determination flickering in her eyes. "I will," she said. "I have to."

As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, things could get better. Maybe Carrie could learn from her past mistakes and become a better person. And maybe, just maybe, Natasha would be willing to forgive her.

But only time will tell. All I could do now was hope for the best and wait for the future to unfold.

A silver knight who fell, huh? Could it be? I mused to myself as I walked away, running over the possibilities.

I couldn't help but wonder what could have happened to make someone lose their way like that.

Frowning, I took out a notebook and jotted down 'Project Raiju' at the top of the page.

Then, I wrote down 'Argent Chevalier' and 'Carrie Kong' below it.

I hesitated for a moment, standing in place.

Then, I jotted down 'Natasha Zamir' off to the side.

It looked like I had some investigating to do.