"Tensei, they are still out there." the blue haired girl says to me after she peeks out of the window and scurries back to the bed, hugging herself. I frown, looking from the window of my room at the small group of heavies that had parked themselves just outside of the student dorm. Ken had really gone too far this time.

"Tensei, its all my fault. I will go out and meet them. Ken would not let them take things too far." Celeste, our class representative, says with a quavering voice, having come to a decision.

I gently put my hand on Celeste's shoulder and shake my head, "You don't know that class rep. Ken and his entire family are angry at you for campaigning in favor of handing the Six Trees District over to the Host for redevelopment. Everyone is saying that the matter was decided when you interrupted the Council in session and handed over the petition."

Celeste blushes shyly and turns away, fiddling with the bow of her school uniform, "Ah. I do not think what I did was all that important. The Council must have already had the idea in their minds. Ken's family are bad people Tensei, you don't know what how they have bullied the other residents of Six Trees. With the Host around, at least we can feel safe."

"You think Ken is a bad person as well?" I ask Celeste.

Celeste hesitates, "I don't know. Ken scares me. I think he hates me in particular because I am half angel. He wanted to hit you today too."

"He did, didn't he?" I respond, "But Celeste, he could have caused a much bigger scene at school today but didn't. Ken held himself back. I don't think Ken is a bad person. I just think he feels obligated to stand up for his family."

Celeste's frown deepens as she puffs her cheeks, emphasizing her baby faced features, "Ken is just scared of Ms Scott. I heard from the student council that Ms Scott is really strong. Like she is supposed to be as strong as Mr Trietel, and Mr Trietel is a Legion veteran."

I raise my eyebrows when I hear this, "Mr Trietel, the music teacher?" Celeste nods. I would never have guessed that Mr Trietel used to be with the Legion as a soldier. He is always talking about music and his love for it. He is also really gentlemanly and cultured. The last person you would guessed to have taken up soldiering in the past.

"Well, if Ken really wanted to hurt us, the goon squad would have rushed in here already. I like to think the best of other people." I reassure Celeste, "So just relax."

Celeste gives me a weak smile and says, "I have caused you trouble Tensei, by hiding in your room and attracting Ken's people here, but you are still so kind to me."

I shake my head and tell her its not a problem before turning back to the window. It looks like the heavies are arguing among themselves now.

"Tensei?" Celeste asks in a nervous voice, "If those guys are not coming in here, then, well, you are a boy and I am a girl right? So shouldn't we take the chance to do boy and girl things together? I wouldn't mind if its with -"

Celeste's gentle, demure voice is drowned out by a loud banging on my door. "I didn't get what you were saying Celeste." I tell her as I my attention is pulled towards the door.

I open the door and see a livid looking girl with long black hair and elegant bearing despite just wearing t-shirt and jeans glaring at me.

"Tensei! What in the world is going on? Someone told me that you had brought a girl into the boy's dorms!" the girl demands as she pushes past me into my room.

"Sera! Wait, let me explain!" I chase after her. Sera is really particular on discipline. She gets it from her father. I have lived with Sera's family for the past few years before we enrolled together at the Academy. I should know.

"Class rep!" Sera exclaims in surprise, a scandalized look on her face as she sees Celeste seated on my bed with the bow of her uniform partially undone. Celeste shrinks back, her face completely red.

Its all a misunderstanding! I have to salvage the situation now!

But before I can get a word out, Sera's hand flies towards my face, delivering a hard slap.

....

"So that's what happened." I finally conclude, as I massage my sore cheek with the ice pack Celeste had prepared for me. At least Sera did not draw her sword on me. Why does she always carry that thing around anyway?

Sera harrumphs with dissatisfaction and glares, "You could have told me that earlier you know. I am an active member of SOPO after all. Dealing with clowns like these is part of my job."

Celeste cuts in with stars in her eyes, "Yes. I heard about that. They called you a prodigy right Sera? That's why you were inducted into SOPO at such a young age."

Sera's grin threatens to split her face in two. I continue massaging my cheek as I watch Sera boasting to Celeste about how amazing she is. After getting to know Celeste, I have realized that she is a very easily impressed person, especially by people who have magic. That is probably because despite her half angel blood, Celeste cannot cast spells at all. She is completely mundane. Combined with Celeste's shy and retiring nature, it allows people with stronger personalities, like Sera, to easily dominate any interaction.

By the time I decide to interrupt, Sera almost has poor Celeste eating out of her hand. I face palm mentally. How did I manage to get such friends? One a prodigy, another so pure as to be completely gullible.

"Well anyway, " I waive my hand to get their attention, "those guys are just loitering outside. No need to pick a fight where none exists right?"

Sera frowns but eventually nods in agreement saying, "With both of us here, Celeste is completely safe. No way a pack of two bit muscle can get through us. I will make a report to HQ tomorrow, ask them to investigate Ken's family for intimidation, though I doubt anything will come out of it. SOPO does not deal with cases like these and ever since Ken's family started approaching the Legion for support, ORPO's attitude towards them has changed completely."

I sigh. Politics. The bane of my life from the day I was born right up to now. Even here with my friends, it rears its ugly head.

My thoughts are interrupted by a commotion coming from the window. I peer out again and see the group of heavies engaged with an argument with a man dressed like a staff member. Crap. Probably someone from the faculty saw these guys loitering about and decided to chase them away. The heavies look like they are not about to back down though. In fact, they appear to be preparing to fight.

"Sera," I call my friend over and point to the argument going on downstairs, "Looks like things are about to get ugly."

Sera nods and immediately heads for the door saying, "Tensei, come with me. Its four on one, that staffer will need our help. Celeste, stay here and lock the door."

"No! I am coming with you as well!" Celeste protests as we all leave my room and rush downstairs.

....

"I feel like shit." I grumble to The Voice as I lumber across the grounds of the campus, taking in the night air. After I told The Voice my decision, I was instructed to lie down on the bed. After that was sheer, unadulterated pain. It felt like both my insides and outsides were being taken apart and put together again. The worst part was that it went on for hours and hours. By the time The Voice told me that it was done, night had already fallen.

When I could move again, the first thing I did was to feel Gallant's body for any of the changes The Voice had made. I couldn't see them, but my hands felt fresh scars crisscrossing the whole of Gallant's body except his face. The Voice was not joking around when it said that Gallant would be marked for life. I felt a twinge of guilt, but at least Gallant would still be able to get by if he just sticks to long sleeves and trousers for the rest of his life.

The Voice admonishes, "You should be back in the apartment resting. Some light study would also be recommended."

"Liar." I reply in the flattest tone I could manage, "You told me after the operation that the body was functioning at full capacity. That means that the discomfort is just in my mind. You want me to start reading those files Alley gave me, isn't it?"

The Voice rumbles, "You will have to read them soon anyway. Why put off something that you can do now?"

"Because I have earned a break after completing my PhD on the wonderful world of torture and pants shitting terror, that's why." I reply lazily as I take another deep breath of cool night air, "Now hush Professor."

The Voice obliges me and I continue my rambling, aimless walk across the campus. I take a look at the clear night sky, with countless stars shining down on me. Is my body still waiting for me out in the void? Will my world's Administrator keep trying to get me back? I didn't have the answers for those questions, and I did not feel comfortable asking The Voice either.

I could only do what I was already doing, walking forward, one step at a time.