Stella:

♫When evil threatens you with its raging might!♫

♫When virtue seems to no longer be shining bright!♫

♫There's a hero ready to give you a helping hand.♫

♫Truth and justice fuel his fists until his final stand!♫

♫His light burns bright as the stars in the sky.♫

♫Keep on the righteous side, or face THE. SILVER. KNIGHT!♫

Her peaceful slumber was disturbed by THIS!

...

......

"Goddamnit, Knight..."

A tiny alarm clock shaped like a hero's helmet rang with this catchy song. Stella wasn't a music specialist, but judging by the heavy use of guitars and drums, it was some rock sub-genre. On its visor, it marked 6:00 a.m.

The girl awkwardly shuffled to silence it, only for someone to do that for her.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, sidekick!" The Silver Knight was already clad in his armor and goofy helmet. But the alarm had just started blaring.

"When did you wake up?" When Stella went to her sleeping bag, the hero was on his "nightly patrols." She assumed she'd be the first to wake up, at least.

"Simple! I didn't!" He claimed with a cartoonishly chipper emote.

Stella's eyes widened. "Is this healthy?"

The Knight laughed for about twenty seconds before an out-of-character, monotone "No." Then back to his regular self. "But that's only an occupational hazard of a life of devoted heroism!" His emote changed to a preoccupied one. "But seriously, you're too young for all-nighters. A healthy sleep schedule is important!"

This guy was a walking contradiction.

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "I'm so sorry, but I peeked through your bag without your permission. Only to see what I should buy for you, I swear!"

Stella cocked an eyebrow. "Rude. But sure."

He picked a piece of cloth near his sleeping bag. It was wrapped around something. "I've bought you a comb, soap, and a toothbrush! You'll have to use my toothpaste, however."

Yep, all he had cited was on the bundle. The girl had to admit this act of kindness took her off-guard. Acts of charity were too few and far between for her.

Asra knelt in front of her. "Are you okay? Did you dislike the comb?" He grunted. "I knew I should've picked anything but paddle?! In my defense, they didn't have the wide-tooth type!"

Stella chuckled. "Nah, it's a great gift! I'm just not used to being gifted, that's all."

His "eyelids" closed. "I'm sorry. It must not be easy."

She scoffed. "Yeah, well... I don't want to bother you with my sob story. Poor orphan is poor. Nothing else to it."

Asra sat down with crossed legs and then took off his helmet. He looked even worse than before, which was to be expected.

"If you want to vent about it, never hesitate to confide in me, alright?" His genuine smile, carved on his exhausted features, struck a chord in Stella.

"S-Sure." She averted her gaze. She immediately wanted out of this excessive sentimentality. "So, first day in school. What should I expect?"

The hero gasped. "Right! How could I've forgotten?!" He facepalmed. "The first stage of Saniya training is very tranquil. Expect a lot of meditating and eating pego fruit!"

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The girl rubbed her hands together, fighting the urge to cartoonishly lick her lips. "What does it taste like?"

Pain.

Her teeth threatened to shatter with the excruciating effort of penetrating the fruit's purple shell. It turned out that the tiny dots on the tree's bark were these freaky figs that seemed to have made an unholy union with a banana.

After ten whole minutes of a potential dental issue, Stella threw the damn thing on the tree trunk in frustration. "How am I supposed to bite that shit open?!"

As always, Hōkō mockingly cackled at her. "You don't! Call it a harmless prank for the initiates."

She huffed. "You motherf-" A small vine burst from the ground. It invaded her nostril, tickling it. "Fuck! STOP IT!" Tears formed on the corners of her eyes.

The white Wolf shook his head. "No swearing near the sacred pego tree!" He raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Unless you gift me my favorite treat. Each time means I'll tolerate one swear word from you."

The girl swatted the vine away. "And that is...?"

He snickered. "Don't you know? I love leaving my students guessing! It's what feeds the drive for knowledge!"

She sighed. "Whatever. How do I open this freakin- OUCH!" A pego fruit fell straight on her head. "What is WRONG with you?!"

"No trying to find a loophole, either. I can still sense the profanity coming from your lips!" The elder's grin remained unshaken through the lecture.

The Human displayed the patience and mental fortitude of a Shaolin monk. With deep breaths, she quelled her anger for now.

"How do I open the fruit?"

Hōkō hummed. "Only someone with their Saniya awakened can tear the fruit's shell apart. You fit the criteria, but your control is poor. So, I'll help you this once."

Stella's expression brightened. "Cool! How will you-"

A loud, crackling lightning came from the sky, making her jump a few feet. The pego fruit was split apart, with its gooey insides bubbling.

A sickeningly sweet smell assaulted her nose. "Am I supposed to eat that? This shit's smoking."

The elder shrugged. "It's only a little burnt. Nothing to worry about."

She was about to brave the strange food until another vine caught her arm.

"Nuh uh uh! Don't be so hasty! I prepared this whole speech about Saniya just for you!" He fake pouted.

Stella stared at him with a seeping frustration but decided to let it be. "Make it quick." She sat on the grass.

The elder cleared his throat.

"Saniya is the energy that flows through every living being. Humans, Monoke, animals, plants. It glues together our three components: body, mind, and soul."

Stella had heard that explanation in a less fancy way when the Knight explained Grýla's self-destruct spell. What else was there to it?

"It is a common belief that Saniya is the key to the origin of life in this world. No matter how different I am from a mushroom, this ethereal energy binds us together somehow."

That provoked Stella's curiosity to resurface. "Is it related to Tizohi?"

Hōkō's ears perked up. He actually ceased invading her mind, did he? "Although many stopped believing the existence of a higher being watching over us, Saniya is seen as an alternative answer to the mysteries of this world. However, I suppose these two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive."

The girl's gaze shifted to the bubbling fruit while processing the information. "And by training this Saniya inside me, I get stronger. How?"

"After awakening it, we can amplify our power beyond its regular limits by training each component while in tune with it. Luckily or not, you have already awakened your Saniya recklessly."

The chastising way he said the last word made Stella blush with embarrassment. "Read my mind, or someone told you?"

"The latter." He sighed. "Regardless, the pego fruit shall guide you through the process. You are fortunate since only the Monoke possesses this sacred fruit."

"Seriously?" Stella asked. "How are you so sure there's not more outside Sayama?"

The elder Wolf shook his head. "Child, I've wandered through each corner of the world. I have contributed to destroying every pego tree in war times so Humans wouldn't get their hands on such valuable assets. I'm sure it bought us a few years, at least."

Every mention of the war made the girl more apprehensive. Even though the Monoke seemed fine and thriving, it felt like an eternal scar marked their past and present.

Will it mark their future? For Stella's sake, she hoped not.

Hōkō snuffed out her worries with a whistle. "Alright! Enough talking, start practicing!"

Stella took a bite out of the fruit's gooey interior, weary to not break her teeth by the hard exterior. While chewing, the slickness of a grape was the first thing that came to mind, combined with the sweetness of a strawberry and a sour tint at the end.

Each bite was charged with more hunger than the last, scraping the shell clean after a mere minute.

"Delicious, isn't it?" Hōkō displayed an amused smile. "Give it a few seconds. You should feel your body flare with energy by now."

He was correct. Stella could feel every inch of her curly hair, her heart beat significantly faster, and heat radiated through her pores. Faint golden wisps started circling around her. It was less intense than the jam incident but still exhilarating.

Hōkō nodded. "Good. Now, close your eyes, clear your mind, and guide your Saniya through your body like a river. This is both mental and spiritual training."

Right. Just like the Knight had instructed her when she almost foolishly drank her way to become a living bomb. If she could handle it back then, this would be a breeze!

After crossing her legs, joining her palms, and closing her eyes, the energy flow started to pulse at the same rhythm as her breathing, gentle and steady. Stella's sharp mind easily tamed the metaphorical stream.

The elder was impressed. "I see! Your risky first experience made your Saniya control exceed my expectations."

Before Stella could beam in pride, he added. "However, I still don't condone eating pego jam with unawakened Saniya. You understand the risks, correct?"

Stella nodded. "I felt like I was bursting from within. Never again!" After taking a while to relish the energy surging through her, she asked. "Did I pass?"

This provoked a hearty laugh from the elder. "Oh, girl! Didn't the Knight tell you? You'll cycle through your Saniya until it becomes automatic!"

She gulped. "How long will that take?"

"A decade if you're exceptionally talented."

She groaned. "Fuck. Me."

She was immediately struck by a whipping vine on her back.

"No cussing!"