My alarm clock buzzed and beeped incessantly. I groaned, rolling over in bed and trying to ignore the noise. If I was sore yesterday, that was nothing compared to today. My entire body felt heavy and sluggish. I was exhausted, and my muscles were tight and achy. But, I still had to get up.

With a grunt, I rolled out of bed and slowly sat up.

"Ughhh..." I groaned, stretching my arms out above my head, only to wince as the pain shot through my body.

I rubbed at the muscles in my thighs, trying to ease the soreness. My arms and back were equally as bad, but they weren't as noticeable. My stomach felt like it was cramping up, too, probably from all the extra protein I tried to eat yesterday.

"Stupid gym. Stupid weights. Stupid muscles," I grumbled. I stood up, walking to the bathroom.

My pigtails were somehow still intact. How did Stella make them so well?

She was too good at making pigtails. The ribbon bows made me look like a little doll.

I reached up to take them out, only to wince at how tightly they were tied. It was going to be impossible to untie them.

I sighed. I couldn't keep them in forever. Eventually I would have to let my hair down.

I'd just have to wait until after school when I had more time to deal with them. Maybe I'd ask Stella for help. It would take forever to get them out on my own.

Unless she was dead set on keeping them in me. I could just imagine the smug grin she would have on her face if she saw me trying to take them out.

I sighed again, shaking my head.

Whatever.

I washed my face in the sink, brushing my teeth. I quickly got dressed and put my shoes on. It wasn't a training day, so I could take it easy today. Just the sparse classes we had to attend at the Academy, along with lunch, and then I'd go find Al to hang out.

It was kind of a shame. I had wanted to train more, but I wasn't going to be able to do anything more than a walk in the park right now. My body hurt too much.

I opened my closet, frowning at the large number of new clothes Stella had bought for me. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had too many options. Too many choices. I didn't know what to wear. It was all so... girly. There were so many skirts, blouses, and frilly tops. What was I supposed to do with them?

I sighed, settling for something less... unfamiliar. A pair of jeans and a new cute t-shirt with a cute cartoon animal on it, with some anime character on the back. I could live with that.

I winced as I pulled my jeans up, my thighs hurting from the exertion. I was going to need to take it easy today, that was for sure.

I threw the shirt on and pulled up a belt around my waist, tightening it to keep the pants from falling down. Then I slipped on my sneakers, tying the laces tightly and slinging my backpack over my shoulder before heading out the door and closing it behind me.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the halls as I locked the door and stepped out of the dorm room. I looked up to see a familiar blonde-haired girl walking up the hall.

"Oh. Sienna..." Madison said. She wore a blue and black casual dress and had a white ribbon in her hair.

She looked away awkwardly.

"Hi," I replied. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said, putting on a quick perky smile. "Just going to class."

I nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

There was an awkward pause.

"About yesterday..." she began.

"Hm?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing. Nevermind. I'll see you later."

She turned and walked away, her shoes clacking against the tiled floors.

"Wait." I called out after her. "What were you going to say?"

She paused mid-step, looking back at me.

"It's just..." she trailed off.

"Just what?"

She bit her lip. "I just... I'm sorry, okay? For everything. For the way I came off. For how Sammie and Stella acted. I'm not a bully. I'm not that type of person. I just... I'm sorry."

She turned around, walking away from me without another word.

"Hey! Wait!" I called out after her.

She paused, turning back around.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

She bit her lip, looking away. "I know you don't like me. And that's fine. But, I just wanted you to know that I'm not that type of person. I'm not a bully. And I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like I was."

"Alright..." I said. "Well, I accept your apology."

I wasn't sure how else to respond to that.

She nodded, turning around and walking away again.

I watched her go, unsure of what to think. Then I followed after her, catching up to her. She stopped, turning back to face me again.

I smiled. "Look. It was all a misunderstanding between them. I'm not gonna hold a grudge against you for that. So, don't worry about it, alright?"

She stared at me blankly for a moment before nodding slowly Then she blinked, her eyes scrutinizing me.

"Pigtails?" Madison asked, staring blankly.

I groaned. "Stella's handiwork, and I can't undo them. Or at least, without a pair of scissors and some product right now."

She giggled. "You're too cute, Sienna."

The tension in the air dissipated almost immediately.

We weren't friends. Far from it. But, I'd promised before my training exercise that I'd give her the benefit of the doubt. She seemed to ultimately be a nice person, if a bit tone-deaf and out of touch with regular people. That was my read on her. So, maybe I could start fresh with her too.

She smiled. "You want me to take a crack at it? I've done a lot of styling before, and if they're not coming out, it's probably because they're a little twisted up."

I sighed. "Unfortunately I'm running late, so maybe later? But yeah, if I can't get Stella to, that'd be great. Thanks."

She grinned. "Sure. Later, then."

I nodded. "Okay."

She pulled out her phone and opened it up, typing something in.

"What's your number?" she asked. "We live right across the hall from each other. You can just come over when you need help and we can hang out. You know, if you want to. I mean, I know you don't like me very much, so I get it if you don't."

I gave her a curious look. "I don't dislike you. I just thought you were a little rude and entitled, but I'm willing to look past that."

She frowned. "You don't pull any punches, do you, Sienna?"

"Unlike your crazy redhead friend, no," I retorted.

She laughed. "That's fair. Well, here. Let me get your number and I'll send you a message. Then you can text me later."

"Cool," I said with a smile. I rattled off my number and she punched it into her phone.

A few moments later, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw the message she had sent me.

It was just a simple smiley face emoji.

"Well, there you go," she said.

I smiled, nodding. "Alrighty, Madison, I'll talk to you later then?"

She nodded back at me. "Sure thing. Have a nice day, Sienna. And sorry once again, about everything. I'll make sure Sammie gets her head on straight, too."

"Thanks," I replied. "I appreciate that."

"See you soon, girlie."

And with that, she spun around and left, heading toward her dorm room.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I looked at my phone, seeing the time and realizing I was already running late. I groaned, dashing down the hall. I had to hurry or I was going to miss my first class of the day.

I arrived at the lecture a few minutes after the bell rang. Everyone was already in their seats, and the teacher was standing in front of the room, reading something off of a sheet of paper. The students looked over at me as I walked into the room.

Great.

"Uh, sorry I'm late," I apologized. "It won't happen again. Promise."

The teacher raised an eyebrow at me, before shrugging and waving me in. He was an older gentleman, with salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His suit was pressed and he wore a pair of glasses on his face. He was probably in his late fifties or early sixties, judging by the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. He had an air of authority about him, but he didn't seem like the type to yell at students for being tardy. And he didn't have to worry about me. It was a fluke and wouldn't happen again.

"We're pretty lax about policy in that regard, Miss..."

"Russo," I supplied. "Sienna Russo."

"Miss Russo. That's right. Well, Miss Russo, you can take a seat next to Siobhan over there."

He pointed at an empty seat next to a redheaded girl with freckles.

"Thank you, sir," I replied as I walked over to the redhead. "Sorry to interrupt."

He smiled. "No worries. Now, as I was saying, my name is Mr. Tillman, and I'll be teaching you social studies this semester. Let us take a moment to settle in."

Siobhan smiled at me as I approached the desk beside her. She was wearing a bright yellow dress and had her neck-length red hair tied up into a French braid with side bangs on top of her head. Her deep green eyes twinkled with excitement. She looked like a girl next door type. Probably a bit of a wallflower with how she held herself.

I slid into my seat and set my backpack down on the floor. Siobhan gave me a nervous grin and a half-hearted wave.

"Hey there," she whispered cheerfully. "I like your hair."

I blushed slightly. "Oh, thanks," I said as I took my seat.

She gave me a quick once-over. "I'm Siobhan. Nice to meet you..."

"Sienna," I replied. "Nice to meet you, too, Siobhan."

"Sienna, huh? That's a pretty name."

"Thanks," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed. I hadn't been expecting such a warm reception in this class. I wasn't really sure how to react to it.

"Yours is pretty cool, too," I replied, trying to return the compliment. "I've never met a Siobhan before."

Her smile widened. "Really? Well, glad I could be the one to introduce you to the name. It's Irish."

I smiled back, feeling a bit more comfortable. Siobhan seemed like a nice person.

Mr. Tillman coughed up front, and we fell quiet turning our attention to him.

"Now, as we know. We had a truly... horrific incident in recent weeks. Some have taken to calling it a cataclysm. Not just a cataclysm, but The Cataclysm. But, the world has suffered similar tragedies before. The Great Floods caused by the supervillain Leviathan at the turn of the previous century that destroyed coastal cities and triggered massive migrations, shaping the world we know today. The collapse of the European Economic Community, and the subsequent wars between member nations. Professor Lunatrix's heinous experiments with Unit 672, and the fallout that resulted in the Scourge and formation of the Sovereign Coalition. And, of course, the most recent of these tragedies was caused by the supervillainess known as the Dark Empress, or Nox, which resulted in the death of millions upon millions across the western hemisphere. The Scourge. The Black Plague. The list goes on." He paced the room, walking back and forth as he talked.

"But that's all in the past. The crisis we faced two weeks ago will have profound impacts on the world to come. It's the same thing we saw with the other tragedies I mentioned. We're still recovering from the Nightmare of Nox, and we're still recovering from the Scourge. But, we have to move forward. We can't dwell on the past. We need to look forward, to the future. And that's what this class is all about. Moving forward, and understanding how the past has shaped the present, and how we can shape the future for the better. To that end, we're going to start this class by looking at some of the most recent events in the world. And, of course, there's only one place to begin."

He turned to face the class and gave a wry smile. "The Cataclysm. A tragedy that will be etched into the minds of our children and our grandchildren for generations to come. A tragedy that will never be forgotten, no matter how much time passes. A tragedy that will forever be remembered as the day the world almost ended."

I swallowed hard. It was strange to hear my own experience discussed in a history class.

"Now, the details surrounding the Cataclysm are still coming to light. We know it was a dimensional event of some sort. The first of its kind, but beyond that, we're not quite sure what happened. Whether it was cause by a supervillain or not, it was a world-spanning event that has led to countless deaths. It has already changed the geopolitical landscape and the balance of power in the world. It will continue to do so for years to come. And, of course, it's the biggest story in the world right now."

He paused, taking a sip of water from the glass on his desk, before fidgeting with a projector. As he did so, Siobhan leaned over and whispered to me. "Were you in the city when it happened?"

I nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Were you scared?" I sure as hell was, she whispered, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Terrified," I replied quietly. "I was actually at the first orientation. My best friend dragged me off to run when the breach in the auditorium manifested. It was a nightmare and we almost didn't make it."

Siobhan nodded, a solemn expression crossing her face.

"That's horrible... but I'm glad you're okay. I was caught out in the city when everything was going to hell."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was... awful. The monsters that came out of the portals. The chaos and the destruction. People were being killed left and right. I saw some horrible things happen."

My eyes widened.

"Woah... How did you escape?"

Siobhan gave a nervous laugh.

"Luck, I suppose? I'm from a family that runs a boutique plant shop downtown. So I was making a delivery to a cafe when the breach started to happen."

She paused.

"I had to miss orientation because we were understaffed and the cafe was a big customer of ours. My dad is the owner of the shop and was out on another delivery himself. Mom wasn't home either and my little brother was in school."

"So what happened?"

She swallowed. "Somehow I wound up taking care of a bunch of kids. I grew up in a large town by the woods, you see, and so I'm really familiar with being outside and raised to deal with shitty situations. My family loves hiking and stuff, and so when the breach started happening I rounded up a couple of the kids who'd been separated from their parents and booked it. Did my best to avoid getting detected by the monsters and all."

I nodded, my eyes wide with surprise. "And you made it through okay?"

Siobhan nodded. "Yeah... We made it through. Somehow. We made our way to an abandoned sporting store and barricaded ourselves in there until everything died down. I had some water and snacks on me for the kids, and I managed to scavenge for more food while they were resting. We hid there for three days before we got rescued by a rescue team."

I stared at her for a long moment before shaking my head in disbelief. "Wow... that's amazing."

Siobhan laughed. "No, it isn't. It was terrifying and I'm not even sure I want to be here at all, to be honest."

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a questioning look. "Why's that?"

"You said you came here with a best friend, yeah?" she asked.

I nodded. "Albert. He and I have been best friends since grade school. He's a good dude, and we've always watched out for each other. I've had a bit of a rough home life."

She smiled sadly. "Well, I came here with the intention of studying biology and botany because one of my close friends is actually enrolled as a knight with bio based powers. I was hoping we'd get to see each other at orientation."

Her expression darkened.

"But, well, we've kinda drifted apart in the last few years. She's been so busy training, and she didn't even check in to see if I was alive until the third day. It was a little upsetting."

"Oh..." I said.

"It was like... I don't know. Like, I didn't matter anymore, you know? It felt like I wasn't her priority. It's stupid, but..."

"I can get that," I replied.

"I guess, it just hurts, you know?" Siobhan sighed, her shoulders slumping. "We were so close when we were kids. I always protected her from bullies, but I feel like she just kind of forgot about me."

She shook her head.

"I mean, she's my friend, and she's trying to save people. That's really amazing and noble. I just... wish she cared about me as much as I cared about her."

"I can understand that," I replied, patting her shoulder. "It's not stupid. I think it's perfectly natural for you to feel that way."

"Really?" she asked.

"Definitely."

She smiled softly.

"Thanks, Sienna. But anyway, looks like Mr. Tillman's done messing around with that thing and wants to talk again."

"Oh, right," I said, turning my attention back to the teacher.

"Now, as you can all see," the professor began. "This is a map of the world at the time of the Cataclysm..."

The teacher began to detail the history of American diplomacy leading up to the event. I turned my attention away from the screen, focusing on what he had to say. The rest of the lecture passed by without incident.

As class came to a close, Mr. Tillman wrapped up his lecture and dismissed us. "Now, that concludes the lesson. If there are no further questions, you may go."

Siobhan and I both stood up.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Sienna," she said with a smile. "I'll see you next week?"

"Yeah, of course!" I replied, smiling back at her.

"And also, do you want to hang out some time?" she asked.

"Sure," I said, pulling out my phone to give her my number. "What's your schedule like?"

We exchanged numbers, and then parted ways. I looked down at my phone and furrowed my brows.

It was weird to be making friends at the rate I was, even after I became a magical girl. I was practically a loner in middle school, and then suddenly, I had a small but growing group of friends and acquaintances.

Maybe being a magical girl wasn't so bad, after all?

I checked the time on my phone and realized that I had a couple hours to kill before my next class. It was nice to have a break, but I didn't want to sit around and do nothing.

I scrolled down through my contacts, smiling as it landed on Al.

My thoughts went back to the short, terse exchange we had when I snapped at him.

I'd barely spent any time with him through the month leading up to the start of school, and we'd quickly gotten swept up in our separate concentrations.

I'd never even think about cutting him out unless something seriously terrible happened, of course, but I had been spending a ton of time with Stella since learning about our connection, and then Ichigo had joined that circle.

It didn't help that I was keeping him at arm's length, either. I trusted him unconditionally of course, but I had a strange gut feeling that this business with my parents was more dangerous and more important than it seemed, and I couldn't help but feel like I didn't want him caught up in my family's mess.

As much as he'd looked after me when I was a little girl, he didn't have any superpowers, and he didn't have any real defenses. If Stella and I dug into the past and unearthed something terrible and it put him at risk, I'd never forgive myself.

But, he was my best friend in the world. The person who was the first to accept me, and who I'd grown up with. I could at least try and spend more time with him. He wasn't a stranger. He was Albert.

My fingers lingered over his contact information, and then pressed call.

"Hey, Al?" I asked, waiting for an answer.

"Sienna? Is something up?" he replied, and I couldn't help but notice a hint of nervousness in his voice. Had he been worried about how things would go the last time I'd seen him?

Maybe I was just imagining things.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my sudden nerves. "Hey, are you busy?"

"Nah," he said, his tone shifting. He was probably smiling, which made me smile.

"Awesome," I said, and my smile widened as I continued to speak. "Do you want to come with me to lunch?"

"Of course!" he said. "I'll be right over, Sienna. Just wait a minute!"

I chuckled to myself, imagining him hopping off the bed to throw on clothes before running out of his room.

"Okay, see you soon!" I replied, and then hung up.

I turned, humming softly as I headed to the dining hall.

It was a sunny day outside, the clouds were white and fluffy, the air was cool, and the campus was buzzing with activity. My muscles were still killing me, but the day was perfect.

Perfect.