Nagoya, Japan

Monday, August 15th , 2020

“Oh c’mon, you can be a little late,” said Kiyo.

I had hoped that having a last night with Kiyo would have satisfied her for a while, but she was as clingy as ever. At least she was happier, even if I felt torn every which way.

“No, I really can’t,” I said. Kiyo had hidden herself, so I looked like I was talking to thin air. Rather inconsiderate of her. “And neither can you, and you have to get all the way upstairs.”

“Nah, Mrs. Perera’s easy,” she replied. “Mr. Maki’s just dang scary. That’s the only thing I don’t miss about that class.”

She wouldn’t be so blasé if she knew she was talking about a Holy Sister. “You never know what people are hiding. I wouldn’t test her right before the War Games. She’s liable to stick you with a bad team.”

Kiyo sighed with frustration. I could just barely make out the noise in the bustling hallway, and anybody but a dedicated Kiyo expert would have missed it. “Yeah, I guess. See you at lunch?”

“Of course,” I replied. I wasn’t quite sure where she was, though if I followed the distortions of my Mimic Sight and the faint scent of vanilla…

Our lips met, and she winked back into sight. “How’d you…”

“I’ll always find my lady,” I said. “All the more reason you should get going. They’ll send me after you if you go AWOL again.”

She waved me off. “Psht, like you’d last two seconds if I had Lucile.”

“Do you have Lucile now?”

Her petulant little frown was all the answer I needed. “Later, Magpie.”

“I’ll count the seconds.”

Kiyo glanced down at her watch and her pale face went even paler. Our morning runs with Rose must have paid off; she was out of sight before I could blink twice. It was almost a relief when she left. Keeping up the facade that nothing had changed was a strain.

I had thought we had been overlooked in the chaotic mass of students, but a soft shoulder rammed into mine. “I was wondering who you were talking to!”

“I haven’t gone nuts yet, Rose,” I said. “And I see that little smirk, you can keep your comments to yourself.”

“I didn’t say anything,” she said with a playful lilt in her voice. “Would you have told me if she was still there?”

“I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s our way of getting a little privacy.”

The blonde wizard scowled at me. “She knows she isn’t supposed to be snooping on us. Besides, what if I had something to say about her?”

I shot her a grin. “Oh? Do you have something you don’t want her hearing?”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” she replied. “That was a nice trick with the kiss. Very suave.”

“I do try,” I said.

“Did you see her with your Mimic Sight?”

“That, and I followed my nose. I owe you for that little wrinkle in my magic. If you weren’t bursting with magic potential, I might have never noticed that magic had a scent to it.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, stifling a yawn as we entered Mr. Maki’s homeroom. “I feel like every major leap I’ve made is because of you somehow. I’m glad I could help you for once.”

“Are you doing alright? You’re looking a little pale.”

She wasn’t able to prevent the yawn a second time. “Tell me about it. The Headmaster nearly bled me to Wizard’s Desolation yesterday. It was the strangest thing. I visited him in the workshop and helped him top off some of his batteries, then that same afternoon he called me in to help charge the school’s translation fabricata. The second time, he didn’t even mention that I had seen him that morning. And he was rude the second time!”

“I’m sure he’s under a lot of pressure.” Damnation, Maggie! I’d have to talk with her about abusing her disguise wand. And Rose too, I supposed. “I wouldn’t bring it up. I’m sure it won’t happen again. So, did you have some gossip to spread, or were you just speaking hypothetically?”

“Nothing specific,” she said. “Well, there’s the usual nonsense going on about you and me, or you and Ms. Edwards.”

“What sort of nonsense?” I asked as she followed me to my desk.

She shrugged. “You know how people are. They see a boy and a girl being friendly with each other and they start assuming things.”

Paul. I needed to have words with him, too. I didn’t have much longer at the academy, and I needed them to go as smoothly as possible.

“Gee, it’s like we went for ice cream while you were parading around in your workout clothes. People are going to make some assumptions.”

“Well, the next time I strut my stuff, you aren’t invited.”

“And here I thought we were friends.” We dropped the topic once we arrived in class.

I flopped into my seat. Mariko had been reading, but the commotion shocked her out of her trance.

“Oh my! I didn’t see you there. Good morning, Soren. You too, Rose.”

“What do you have there?” I asked, grateful for the distraction. “I can’t see you being so wrapped up in a textbook.”

She held up the well-worn book. “It’s been too long since I read Pride and Prejudice.”

“Right before the finals?” asked Rose, resting her shapely derriere on my desk. I tried not to notice, but she was right there, so into the historical record it goes. “Where did you find the time? I spent all weekend cramming.”

“I’m not taking any combat exams, and I’m up to date on everything else,” said Mariko.

“Do the teachers know that yet?” I asked.

Mariko bristled at that. “If they’ve paid any attention to me, then yes. If they’re surprised, that’s on them.”

Rose wore a thin-lipped smile. “If you don’t, we’re going to miss you in second year.”

“It’s not like I’m going to be gone.”

“Yes, that’s the whole issue, isn’t it? You’ll still be right here.” I said. I really shouldn’t have cared anymore. Mariko would be out of my hair in a few weeks, after all. Yet, I couldn’t help but worry. “Anyhow, let’s not go into that again. Nobody’s going to change anybody else’s mind.”

“That’s true,” said Rose, straightening up. “And you’re right, Mariko. I’m not going to forget you or stop coming around. Let’s hang out more. How about tonight? I’ll bring dinner.”

Mariko leaned on one hand, her expression laconic. “You want some more help cramming, don’t you?”

Rose snapped into a deep bow. “Just to review the lessons from before Soren and I came here!”

“I’m glad to help,” she replied. “You don’t have to bribe me. Though, I think it is apple pie day at the bakery…”

I rolled my eyes. Our Father Below forbid that Mariko ever ask for anything directly.

“I’ll bring two!” The first warning bell rang. “Three, if you want an extra!”

“One will be fine,” said Mariko. “We don’t all run every day. Will you be joining us, Soren?”

“I’ll have to pass,” I said. “I have some other business to attend to.” Paul and Maggie, in no particular order.

Rose’s green eyes widened. “Exams start next week, Magpie! You need to study! I want you with me in the upper class.”

That stung, but I kept my worry out of my voice. “No worries there. I have a tutoring session with Ms. Edwards already.” Never mind it was I that was tutoring her in the dark arts. That was the least of what Rose didn’t know.

Rose visibly relaxed. “As long as you’re doing something. I need to run; I’ll see you both later.” She strode back to her desk. I avoided ogling her; knowing that she was truly worried about my future took the fun out of it, somehow.

Mariko leaned over and cupped my ear. “I see Kiyo tried out that new lipstick.”

I jolted up and cleaned off my mouth with a handkerchief. “How do you know it was Kiyo? Perhaps it’s mine.”

Mariko giggled. “I think if you wore makeup, you’d apply a full coat. How is Kiyo? She seemed a little more relaxed when I saw her yesterday. She hasn’t looked that calm since…” Her face fell. “Oh, no. You didn’t sneak her into your bedroom again, did you?”

“I assure you, Kiyo hasn’t been in my room in ages.” As always, lying with the technical truth was the most satisfying. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“That’s true, aside from me wanting the best for you both.” She reached over and rubbed my shoulder in a motherly way. “I can tell something is bothering you, and I know that holding it in can’t help. You know my secrets. I’m happy to share yours.”

Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? You little busybody. “It’s just nerves about the exams and the War Games. It’s going to be a trying time.”

The final bell rang. She shook her head wistfully, sliding her braid behind her back so it would not interfere with her notetaking. “Keep your secrets for now, until you’re ready.”

I had been saved by the bell. Mr. Maki rose from his seat, and his magically enhanced clap sounded like a rifle’s report in the enclosed space.

“Good morning, everyone!” the muscle-bound teacher barked.

“Good morning, Mr. Maki,” we replied in unison as my ears rang. That was one aspect of school life I wouldn’t miss.

“Is that how you greet your teacher? Try again!”

“Good morning, Mr. Maki,” we said again, forcing as much energy and cheer as we could manage.

“That’s more like it,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Today’s an exciting day. This is the beginning of the end of your first year as cadets. Can’t you just feel the anticipation in the air?”

“Yes, sir!” shouted Hiro as he leapt to his feet.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but dial it back a bit.” That was a surprise; I had expected the Divine Blade to chastise Hiro for the interruption. He truly was in high spirits. “I hope you enjoyed Friday’s lesson about curving Magic Bolt. That is the last new topic we will cover as part of Class 3-B. This week, we will be focusing our classroom time on review and study hall. Club time will also be suspended to give you all more time to study or practice with your War Game teams. In fact, I say study with your War Game partners, and kill two birds with one stone.”

Yukiko raised her hand. “We don’t have our War Games assignments yet.”

“I’m getting there, Ms. Sato, don’t you worry.”

Mr. Maki letting back talk slide twice in one morning? I focused my Mimic Sight for a moment to make sure it wasn’t somebody else with a disguise fabricata. Nope, it was him in an oddly charitable mood. That put me on my guard, wondering when the other shoe would drop.

“You are all welcome to leave your seats and make the final selection. Remember, the rules are that you have to be in teams of three, and it cannot anybody you have ever teamed up with before in a War Game. Now, hop to it! You have fifteen minutes.”

That presented me with a bit of a conundrum. I knew that, one way or another, I was going to leave my team high and dry. I had an idea to sync up the Holy Brotherhood’s attack on the tower with the War Game, but I had not approached Maggie just yet. She thought of herself as the boss of our little terror cell, and long experience with Girdan had taught me it was better to let a prideful superior think they were the author of your brilliant plan. I wasn’t quite sure how I would arrange that just yet, but I was sure I could think of something.

Regardless, I was not really choosing a team based on who I thought could win the contest. I wanted people who were either in on the scheme, or who I could disable easily. I was glad I couldn’t team up with Rose again, since she had been on my first War Game team. If she got a whiff that I was up to anything, I was sunk.

“Mr. Marlowe? Earth to Mr. Marlowe?” Yukiko waved her hand before my eyes, and I nearly fell out of my chair. “Are you in there?”

“Ms. Sato, to what do I owe the honor?”

“Geeze, Magpie, you were in another world,” said Hiro.

“He does like to drift off sometimes,” Mariko said, without looking up from Pride and Prejudice.

“I was deep in thought,” I said. “This is an important choice.”

“I am glad you are taking this seriously,” said Yukiko. The diminutive class representative leaned on my desk and brushed her glossy black hair out of her eyes. “I have an offer for you.”

My pulsed quickened. Oh no, she wasn’t going to ask me to be on her team, was she? Her Gravity Shift affinity was even more dangerous in close quarters than Rose’s Stormbringer. My only consistent defense was distance, and I wasn’t about to rely on that.

“Hiro and I both want you on our teams,” said Yukiko.

“That won’t work,” I said. “You always teamed up before I came here.”

“I am aware of that,” she said, “which is why we decided we would let you choose.”

“I’m flattered, but there have to be better candidates than little old me.”

“Yeah, right,” said Hiro. “You beat Yukiko-”

“On a technicality,” she added, gesturing with her finger.

Hiro brushed past Yukiko’s attempt at spin. “And you have the most real-world combat experience of anyone here besides Mr. Maki.”

“You should ask him, then,” I said. “Why settle for second best?”

“Very funny,” said Yukiko. “Do you already have a better offer?”

I didn’t see a way out of choosing one of them, but I knew who the lesser of two evils was. “I think I’ll take Hiro.”

Yukiko frowned. “If you’re sure,” she said, disappointment plain in her voice. “Why did you choose him?”

“Have you seen the way he punches? If we keep Immortal Form in reserve until the right moment, he could win all by himself. I can play Caster, and we just need a good long-range fighter and we’re covered.”

“I suppose,” she said.

“You’ll be fine, Yukiko,” said Hiro.

“Absolutely,” I said. “Frankly, they could pair you up with two sacks of rice and you would probably make the semifinals.”

Yukiko chuckled, puffing up her chest proudly. “You aren’t wrong. Mariko, you are sitting out the War Games, right?”

“You know it,” she said, placidly turning another page.

Yukiko gave a shallow bow. “Then I need to do some recruitment. I will leave you two to choose your third. Take care of my Hiro.”

“Oh, I’ll take care of him,” I said.

“See you later, Yukiekins,” said Hiro.

Yukiko’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson. “Not in front of them, please.” She left without further comment, walking over to Leo’s desk.

“I think she took my sack of rice comment too literally,” I said.

Hiro tried to fight off a smirk, but he couldn’t hide it altogether. “You said it, not me. She’s really cute sometimes.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

He leaned over to whisper in my ear. “She thinks you’re going to win again, or at least place. Between you and me, she’s so worried about us all getting promoted. If you had picked her, I’d bet you a pile of yen she would find a way to make you choose me instead.”

“Did she say that to you?”

He shook his head. “Nah, I just know how she thinks.”

So, I wasn’t the only one with experience guiding prideful people to the desired outcome. “Leave it to the daughter of a CEO to think three moves ahead.”

“Makes it a pain in the butt to play chess with her,” said Hiro. “So, who do we want as our third?”

“Rei Yamaguchi,” I replied without hesitation.

Confusion was written all over Hiro’s face. “Really? She’s more of a short-range fighter, isn’t she?”

“She has some tricks with her magnetic powers you haven’t seen,” I said.

He shrugged. “If you think she can hack it. She’s kinda weird, but she’s a good duelist.”

I turned to look at Rei’s lonely perch in the top row, and nearly fell out of my seat again when I realized she was staring right at me.

“How long has she been watching me?” I asked.

“Ever since Yukikins and I came over,” Hiro said. “Like I said, she’s kinda weird.”

“That isn’t nice to say,” said Mariko.

“You defended her, but not Leo?” I asked.

“Rei never called me a demonkin to my face,” she said. I saw a fresh tremor run through her hand at the memory.

“Fair enough.”

When Hiro and I arrived at her desk (after leaving our phones with Mariko, naturally), the stout girl blurted out, “It’s about time!”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said.

Hiro’s brow rose. “Why did you assume Magpie would invite you to his team?”

I wasn’t saved by the bell that time, but Maki’s magically enhanced clap was even louder.

I stuck my fingers in my ears, hoping to make them pop. Kiyo was right to not miss Mr. Maki’s homeroom.