"Oh... it's you."

Siobhan flinched at the green-haired magical girl's voice.

Vespera stood across from Forest Willow in her arena, the barrier rising up around them as the terrain began to shift to a city street. Vespera had an elegant and flowing dress that matched the emerald color of her eyes. It resembled a Stola that the ancient Romans might have worn, except for the silver and emerald plates of armor on her arms and legs. A small shield sat on her forearm.

Siobhan stared at the green-clad figure that was Vespera Nightshade.

Supporting her long time childhood best friend had been her motivation for undergoing the grueling exams and getting into Kaleidoscope. She'd been Vespera's biggest cheerleader, and had been by her side when Vespera had become a magical knight as a kid.

They'd been like sisters, growing up. When Vespera's parents were always gone and working, Siobhan's parents had opened their home and hearts to her.

Nowadays Vespera was constantly on the run, fighting crime and never slowing down. Taking apprenticeships with established adult teams, undergoing special training courses. The Vespera Nightshade who was so driven to become the perfect, invulnerable, all-knowing and capable magical knight was nothing like the Kleo she had known.

Kleo had always been a sweet girl. Shy, quiet, and timid. Always a bit anxious, and easily overwhelmed by the world around her.

The person that Vespera Nightshade became was nothing like Kleo.

Now, she was confident and strong, but she never seemed to stop and look around at the world anymore.

And that scared Siobhan. She couldn't bear to lose Kleo to her obsession.

Siobhan had been her sidekick and partner since they were kids, the one person Kleo had trusted and confided in when they were younger. The girl she could cry to, laugh with, and share all her secrets with.

When petty, D-list supervillains moved in on their neighborhoods, she'd been the one who held Kleo's hand when the two young girls swore to protect their hometown, before they knew anything about magic, Guardians or the real threats of the world. They would have been an odd sight if anyone had seen them.

She'd rollerblade after Kleo with a camcorder in hand to record their adventures and broadcast their heroics to the world.

Kleo had wanted to show people that it was okay for them to be heroes too, that they could make a difference, that they could stand up for what was right. Sleeping under the stars and talking about Daniel and Chris. About their cute elementary school crushes.

Kleo had been a girl who wanted to be a beacon of hope, who had wanted to be a hero for heroes, and not for the sake of being famous.

That was why she was the way she was, now. It was ironic, in a way. All the sweat and tears Kleo had shed, and the villains she'd brought in as a child, had made her more famous than she could ever have imagined. All the hours Siobhan had pored over editing their videos, posting them, and managing their online presence, had paid off. All the hours researching the villains who would occasionally set up in the Kaleidoscope Metropolitan Area's suburbs. Of being Kleo's sidekick in all her hijinks, supporting and cheering her on.

It wasn't until recently, when they were 13 that Vespera's name had exploded in the media, after she had started taking apprenticeships. She was a coveted rising star.

But that was also when she started to grow distant, cold, and aloof. Her fame made it easier to push Siobhan away. Siobhan felt as though her friend was becoming more of an acquaintance every passing day.

She had new friends now. Magical girls and heroes who could relate to her in a way that Siobhan just couldn't, not really.

It broke Siobhan's heart.

Siobhan missed her.

And so, she had joined Kaleidoscope, to stay by Kleo's side. She clung to that identity as Vespera Nightshade's trusty sidekick, even if Kleo no longer needed one. Siobhan would not stand to lose her, even as her childhood friend grew more famous, powerful, and successful.

Kleo was fundamentally kind, if easy to rattle and a little bit awkward. But she had a dangerous personality. Siobhan knew that better than anyone. It was too easy for Kleo to look for answers outside. To seek external validation and approval from her peers. To push herself too far. That was what scared her most about Kleo's drive. That one day, Vespera Nightshade might become something she's not.

Siobhan looked at her now, at the stoic and stern look on Vespera's face, and she felt like she barely recognized her.

She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the ache in her chest. She forced herself to smile.

"Uh. Sorry about what happened back in Tesseract's exercise, by the way. Ursa and Neo were being... they're not very welcoming of folks with emergency contracts and I shouldn't have gone with it." Vespera offered with an uncomfortable look. "I guess we were just worried about our performance."

Siobhan looked down at the ground, gritting her teeth, before looking up at Vespera. "I'm fine. Thank you for apologizing, though," Siobhan muttered, her grip tightening on her bow.

She didn't say that the three of them could shove their apology.

"I mean, uh, we just got caught up in our heads, you know? Like, I just, we were really nervous about our grades, you know?" Vespera explained, frowning.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But you've always been like that, haven't you?" Siobhan muttered.

She didn't want to think about it like this, but... "You're Vespera Nightshade. You were destined for great things, while I'm just me."

Vespera blinked and flinched, her expression shifting from apologetic to confused.

"But you're so easily led along, you know? You're always chasing someone or something. Always looking up at someone else, someone bigger and stronger, someone who knows more than you, and it doesn't matter who they are. You act like you're all that, but at the end of the day, Vespera Nightshade is just a spineless crybaby, isn't she? The one who follows whatever the person in front of her says, the one who follows the strongest voice."

Siobhan grit her teeth as she raised her voice, the words spilling out. She hated the words she was saying, the words she was letting out, the venom dripping from her voice.

"What...?" Vespera whispered, staring at Forest Willow, her eyes wide in confusion, as the barrier rose up around them. "What are you saying?"

Forest Willow narrowed her eyes. "You never change, you never really grow. You never do anything to become better than you were the day before. Sure, you're strong. Probably in the upper quartile of our class. But you're not getting any smarter about it, and you're not learning how to be your own person, are you?"

Vespera's expression shifted into a hurt look, and then into anger, her eyes narrowing, and her body tensing up, as her fists clenched at her sides. The greenette's hair started whipping in an unseen wind as a magical pressure started building up around them.

"And who the fuck are you? You don't know anything about me, or my life, or what I've been through." Vespera shot back.

"Oh don't give me that shit," Siobhan snapped back, glaring daggers at her. "Don't pretend you have the high ground here, Vespera Nightshade, because I can see through it all. I know who you really are, what you're like. And I know that if someone comes along, someone who's a bigger name or stronger or more impressive, or maybe even someone with just more confidence in themselves than you have, then you'd just follow their lead, wouldn't you?"

"I am my own person, and I make my own decisions!" she shouted back at Forest Willow. The wind was whipping around the arena now, the magical pressure intensifying as her hair floated.

"You've changed, Vespera. You may not know Forest Willow. I'm just a nobody with an emergency contract, after all. But I've been following you for years. And I don't think you have any clue who you are anymore."

The green-haired magical girl looked away, her face scrunching up into a frustrated expression, her fists clenching even harder, the wind picking up even faster.

"And what do I care about a creepy little nobody like you? Sounds like you're nothing but an obsessed stalker and fangirl."

"Oh? Maybe I had good reason to be a fan. You were someone worth following before. What are you, now?" Siobhan retorted.

Vespera looked away, gritting her teeth.

"You were a good person. You were kind and brave and strong and confident, and I admired that about you. But you've changed so much since then. Now, I see nothing left but a hollow shell. Working with the Okeanos City Matriarchs? Photoshoots with the Golden Circle?" She spat, "It's all so empty and hollow and shallow. And I think you know it, deep down, but you won't admit it to yourself. It's why you're always looking to someone else for approval."

The air crackled as a green and blue glow of magic surrounded her, and Siobhan could practically see her temper boiling to the surface, and her eyes were narrowed.

"I'm going to make you regret talking to me like this, you stupid little reject."

Siobhan didn't care anymore. Her heart ached, and she had to lash out, even if it hurt.

She didn't care that Vespera Nightshade's power was terrifying. She didn't care that the green-haired magical girl was out of her league. She didn't care if she got expelled from the school, or thrown in jail. She just wanted her old best friend back.

She drew an arrow and nocked it.

"Begin!" Strike ordered.

The instant the command rang out, Siobhan loosed an arrow, which split into five separate arrows, all of them aiming at the green haired magical girl.

Vespera raised her magitech shield and deflected it with ease. She then raised her other hand.

"Verdant Art: Storm—"

To her surprise, Siobhan immediately charged at her with a hunting knife dawn, not giving her the chance to complete the incantation as she closed the distance between them.

Vespera aimed her hand at her, stepping to the side to increase distance. But to Vespera's surprise, Siobhan jumped past her in a surging mana burst. She covered her exit by leaving behind a barrage of arrows as a screen, which Vespera blocked as well.

"Survival Art: Camouflage," Siobhan said, letting her green and amber mana rush outwards from her and wrapping her form in green light, turning her translucent. She dove to the side, dashing behind a building.

The rest of the spell Vespera was casting died on her lips, as her eyes scanned the terrain.

Vespera was good.

Siobhan knew that much just from observing the other students in their class and comparing them to what she knew about Vesperra. Vespera would probably kick the crap out of her in a straight up fight.

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She had a much stronger body and better magic, and could beat Siobhan's brains out without breaking a sweat. Both of them were outdoorsy types who could survive and thrive on their own in the wilderness. But Vespera had the backing of years of training with elite teams.

However, Siobhan knew how Vespera thought. All her habits and favored combinations. How she thought. How she approached adversity.

And Vespera had no freaking clue how Forest Willow thought or fought. Siobhan could use that. She'd spent years and years holding the proverbial mitts for Vespera as she learned to control her powers.

Siobhan had a plan, but she had to move fast. She didn't have Vespera's raw power, nor did she have years and years of intense combat training. Siobhan's skills were mostly self-taught over the course of a month. Sure, she did archery for years as a hobby and had taken some basic self defense classes, but it was nowhere near what she needed.

Vespera narrowed her eyes as Siobhan peeked her head through a window of the fake building she was behind, and then ducked back down.

"I don't know how you do your invisibility spell, but it's imperfect." Vespera called. "Your body is still displacing the light around you. I can still tell where you are."

Siobhan smiled.

Kleo always opened a fight with Storm of Verdant Blades when fighting someone who fought at long range or had a projectile advantage. It was one of her favorite moves, a field of green, razor-thin, mana threads she could use to constrain someone and carve projectiles out of the air.

But she was always bad with dealing with having to turn around or repositioning. As Siobhan had predicted, it was her immediate go-to response when faced with an opponent who relied on mobility and range. It'd leave Vespera flat-footed and predictable.

Siobhan stayed low, dashing through the buildings. Vespera kept her gaze trained on the spot where she'd last seen Siobhan, her shield and free arm raised as her magic crackled around her.

"You've got me at a disadvantage, don't you?" Vespera said with a smug smile.

Siobhan raised her bow, her fingers trembling slightly. Vespera's movements were sharp and controlled, and her stance was unyielding. She left very few openings.

The only time she'd be open to a sneak attack was if Siobhan attacked her from behind. She'd be forced to reorient herself and take a moment to find her attacker. A single moment of vulnerability was all she needed.

She drew her bowstring back, feeling the strain against her fingers and the wood creaking slightly under the pressure. Her hands were sweaty, her palms clammy.

Although it was a spar, it was... hard to aim an arrow at Kleo. A flash of a small girl cowering in a thunderstorm. A flash of Kleo sobbing on a swingset. A flash of a small girl who slept with her favorite stuffed animal and refused to let go.

But she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Her eyes locked on Vespera, and she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She'd practiced archery for years and hunted with her father with a compound bow since she was 12. But...

She took a deep breath. "Survival Art: Rain of the Wilds."

She released the bowstring and the arrow flew out. It split into dozens of green glowing mana arrows that filled the sky.

She had to get her to move. A flurry of mana arrows shot out from the sky in a wide area, raining down on the street, and she heard Vespera curse under her breath.

Vespera rarely liked to double-up or use one attack too much. Her personal philosophy was that if an enemy had seen a trick, they'd be ready for it, which meant that a follow-up would be easier to predict and avoid. It was a psychological block. She always wanted to throw enemies off-guard. Ironically, it made her predictable for Siobhan.

And sure enough, Vespera didn't raise her arm to activate Storm of Verdant Blades again, even though it would make sense to deal with Siobhan's attack. She'd likely assumed Siobhan hadn't seen it and would save it as a trump card.

"Shadow Art: Black Rose Overgrowth," Vespera called.

A rose made of pitch black energy formed in front of Vespera and spouted, forming a dome that blocked the mana arrows.

But that was just a distraction, and a chance for Siobhan to move.

The mana arrow barrage ended, and Vespera dismissed the shadow barrier, her eyes wide, before she started turning, raising her arm to summon a shield.

"And your next move is..." Siobhan whispered.

Siobhan leaped up from the corner of her vision, a green arrow nocked to her bow.

"Mana shield to cover your back and... a Verdant Gust!"

The air rushed around her in a vortex of green and dark blue mana that pushed the arrow away.

Then...

Vespera jumped at her, a green blade made of mana extending off her arm as she closed the distance between them.

You'll close the distance and... try to feint getting in close. I bet you'll try to collapse the Verdant Wind's mana into your web... Siobhan thought.

As if reading her mind, Vespera raised her am mid-jump, but Siobhan sprinted forward in a straight line as a net she knew was coming closed in around her.

The verdant wind collapsed, transforming into a net that tried to capture her, but Siobhan dashed through a small gap as it tightened around her. Siobhan's bow was raised at the closing Vespera as she slid across the concrete in a slide. Vespera's blade of green energy passed over Siobhan's head, and Siobhan shot her at close range. The mana arrow hit Vespera's stomach with a thwack, embedding itself into Vespera's abdomen and sending a spasm of pain through Vespera as she grunted in pain.

Siobhan slid through and jumped up, turning and letting three arrows loose in succession. They hit the magical girl's back, making her yelp and stagger forward. She hissed, turning around as she pulled the arrows off, glaring at her.

Vespera's costume was damaged by the arrows, with tears and holes on her back. Her aura was already addressing the wounds — they would shallowly stem, but still bother Vespera in the fight. Her eyes narrowed in a scowl as she stared Siobhan down, her expression one of anger, hurt and frustration. Her eyes flickered from side to side, and she took a few steps backward, raising her shield as Siobhan nocked an arrow.

"Not bad for a reject, huh?" Siobhan taunted.

She wasn't going to fall for this trick again.

Vespera glowered, her eyes flickering from side to side as she raised her shield and her hand.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so skilled." She hissed, gritting her teeth as she winced.

"Guess you don't really know everything," Siobhan snapped back.

"Shadow Art: Forest's Embrace!"

Siobhan's shadow on the floor surged up from behind her, grasping at her arms, but Siobhan had already anticipated it. She jumped backwards and the tendrils grabbed thin air.

"Nice try."

She shot a few arrows that the green-haired girl blocked with her shield, cursing as she backed off.

"Skilled, but still inexperienced. You can't keep running around forever."

Siobhan cursed as she saw Vespera take on a familiar stance.

"Verdant Art: Entangling Vines!"

She summoned a massive net of mana vines, covering the entire area of the street in front of her. She swung her hand and it shot towards Siobhan.

But that wasn't the real threat. Siobhan knew that. Vines that big, fast, and agile couldn't be as accurate as Vespera needed them to be, especially with the cover and the angles. Not a her current skill level.

This was meant to distract her.

Sure enough, Siobhan saw a faint movement as the vines covered her vision.

She's trying to use the vines as a distraction to close the distance between us. Siobhan thought. And I bet she'll try to flank me to the right. It's her preferred side for flanking. I'll shoot at a 45 degree angle, to distract her when she tries to close the gap between us.

"Verdant Bindings," Siobhan whispered.

As she predicted, a figure in a flowing, shimmering dress emerged from the side of the vines. Vespera emerged from her right side.

Got you. Siobhan thought.

Siobhan fired off a shot.

Vespera tried to jump to the side as Siobhan let off another shot, and the arrow split into a flurry of shots. They all missed as Siobhan had expected.

She didn't see the intricate trip wire of mana string she'd placed. The green thread tripped the girl and she yelped, tumbling into the dirt.

"Survival Art: Tripwire Bind," she shouted.

The thread wound up like it had a life of its own, and she watched in satisfaction as it bound Vespera in midair. She flailed and lurched forward, fallen to the ground in her shadow.

"How..."

"I'm not stupid enough to think you didn't notice that," Siobhan deadpanned, her eyes narrowing.

The ground behind Siobhan exploded as she had expected it and rolled to her left, dodging them as she jumped to her feet and dashed for the side of a building.

Winding black flowers had grown and tried to bind her, and her heart beat faster as she sprinted away, feeling the tension building in her legs and her heart racing as she dodged the black flowers that grew from her shadow.

This was the Nightshade family's signature talent. The user could plant seeds in someone's shadow that would grow black flowers and vines that would entangle their enemies.

Vespera had her beat for raw magical talent.

Siobhan was nothing like that.

She was nothing.

She was nobody.

But she had seen this dozens of times before, so it wasn't too surprising that Vespera would have tried something like that ploy to make Siobhan let her guard down. She was a good fighter and skilled tactician. Siobhan wasn't. Siobhan knew that she would only be able to win this by outwitting Vespera and exploiting her weaknesses. Siobhan knew Vespera's tendencies and habits, and that was her only chance.

The world blurred around Siobhan, and she felt the mana threads tighten around her. Vines of black and green energy wrapped around her arms, legs and body.

"I got you!" Vespera said, panting as Siobhan struggled. "You're good, I admit it. You really made me work for this, Forest Willow. I'm impressed."

Vespera smiled at her, her face red and sweaty. Siobhan could tell she was tired and had spent too much mana at once, though. The vines strong and tight. "But you can't win against me."

"Can't I?"

Vespera's eyes widened, and Siobhan grinned as she broke out of the restraints easily.

"How—" Vespera started.

"Survival Art: Wild Hunt," Siobhan whispered immediately.

Dozens of arrows shot at her from all directions. The greenette's barriers were up and she managed to deflect a good deal of them, but some struck her from all directions. They hit her hard, making her grunt and hiss as her aura flickered. She fell to her knees in a huff.

"What... the..." She muttered, panting heavily. "How?"

"Your vines weaken when you expend too much mana in one go," Siobhan said. "Especially without an incantation. You compensate for that by increasing the tension, giving the illusion of strength, but it makes them brittle." Siobhan smiled sadly. "Your signature is the Black Rose... and well, I was ready for that. Because I knew you'd get too overeager and try to finish it with that spell, rather than play the long game."

The girl's green eyes went wide, and her mouth hung open, before she scowled. She panted and stood up shakily. "You seem to have been ready for all my moves."

"Something like that," Siobhan grinned, and her heart skipped a beat as Vespera narrowed her eyes at her. She was still angry. Good. "You've got some serious skill, and I've only been doing the magical girl thing for like a month. If I was going toe-to-toe against you without an edge, you'd wipe the floor with me, and we both know it."

"Ugh..." she grunted, raising her arm again as she glowered. "Just who are you, anyway?!"

"Just an average girl who wants to make the world a better place."

"An average girl? Sure," Vespera snorted, glaring daggers at her. "You're anything but average."

Siobhan chuckled. "Thanks. That's a compliment, from the great and talented Vespera Nightshade." Siobhan paused. "You've changed a lot since I saw you last last in action, but I've been keeping track of your career. You're impressive. I can see why people call you a prodigy."

Vespera tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow at her. She seemed a little more at ease now, and the anger had faded. She even looked curious now. "You said you were a fan?"

Siobhan laughed softly and shrugged.

"The biggest. Just... don't forget your roots. Pun intended."

Vespera's eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips.

"I... what does that mean?"

Siobhan didn't answer for a second.

"Don't let the fame go to your head, Vespera Nightshade. Don't lose sight of your dreams and remember why you started."

She turned around to leave.

"That's all I'm saying."

"Hey, wait a minute..."

"I'm just a fan, but you're better than that, okay?" Siobhan shouted, turning around. "Don't become arrogant, don't become a dick. And don't turn into an elitist bitch. I don't like what I've seen of you these last two years. So stop, and become a better person. I don't want to see my idol become someone who bullies people who didn't get their chance at age eight."

Vespera sighed, and her expression turned serious.

"Is it that noticeable? That bad?" Vespera muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry if I came across like that. This... this life is hard, you know? The responsibilities just keep on growing, and I'm not sure how to deal with it all. It feels like there are a billion expectations on my shoulders. I don't know how I can keep them all up. And you know, sometimes it feels like everyone wants to be a magical girl and have this life, and they just don't get how hard it is. So it feels unfair, you know? When I was eight, I thought this would be an easy job, and that I'd be able to help people without worrying about all of this stuff. But with assessments on top of school? Being one of four knights to cover three large towns? Keeping in everyone's good graces? I can barely manage that, you know?

Vespera sighed. Her expression had changed into something more thoughtful and contemplative. Vespera's entire posture and body language had changed as she stood up, looking at Siobhan with an expression she hadn't seen on her face since they were kids. It made her feel... hopeful.

"And it's... hard to relate to people who are like that, who don't get it. You tell me not to forget about my roots, but what roots? When I was a child I thought being a magical girl meant helping people and that's all I ever did. Now, it feels like everyone is watching, and judging. I would give it up, except I know if I did that, more people would get hurt, and it's just... too much." She shook her head and smiled at Siobhan. "But you're right. I guess it doesn't matter what's going on, does it? I can still do what's important. I'm sorry if I made Kaleidoscope harder on you. I really was just stressed out and taking it out on you. It wasn't personal, I promise."

Siobhan stared at her for a moment. She felt her cheeks burn as the bell rang and her tether was summoned to bring her back. But she stayed in place.

"Good match, Vespera Nightshade." Siobhan finally smiled, putting one hand on her hips.

"Good match... Forest Willow," the other girl responded. Her expression shifted to a serious look, before she stood up. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, her expression turning to something more genuine and warm.

She walked over and extended a hand to Siobhan. "Can we... start over? I don't think I gave off a very good impression. And that's on me."

She smiled, and there was an awkward, but genuine warmth to her smile that Siobhan found familiar, and nostalgic.

"Maybe," Siobhan said with a grin. She offered a hand to Vespera.

The other magical girl hesitated for a moment, before shaking it.

And then, Siobhan pulled her into a tight, bone crushing hug that made the magical girl squeal.

"H-Hey!"

"I missed you," Siobhan said. It was a whisper in her ear. "Always a little crybaby. That's still the same."

Vespera froze in place.

"Wait... what?" Vespera stuttered as Siobhan broke the hug. "You..."

Siobhan smiled and winked. Then she turned around and sprinted for the bleachers.