When Reina entered the orphanage all drenched, Nun Sistine pounced. “Where have you been?”

“Ah!” Reina dropped the umbrella and glared at Sis. “I was just putting this away, thank you very much. And seriously? Sitting in a chair in the dark? Cliche much?”

Sis groaned. “I’m not even in a chair. And the lights are on.”

Reina furrowed her brow. “They are?” She surveyed the room. She could have sworn they were off! “Oh, they are. Weird."

Sis rubbed her face. “Anyway, answer my question. Where have you been?”

Reina shrugged nonchalantly as she headed over to the dinner table where everybody was. “Oh, you know. The usual. Running. Push up. Pull up. That sort of thing.”

“Yeah, that’s what you always do now!” Marie pouted. “I want to play with you!”

Reina’s face softened. “Me too! Unfortunately,” she coughed her throat and shot a sideways look at Sis. “Somebody made me join.”

Marie glared. “Who? I’ll punch their butt for doing that!”

Reina couldn’t help but laugh. It was so adorable seeing her do that, especially with her red puffed-up cheeks and small fists clenching. The fact it was Sis she was talking about only made it better. The older kids who also knew it was Sis were chuckling and having a field day. Sis merely raised an eyebrow before looking at Reina accusingly.

“She’s been spending too much time with you,” she stated matter of factly.

“What can I say? You’re the one who told me to do it.”

Sis bit her tongue. “Another thing I regret. Now there are two of you,” she whispered. Marie and Reina exchanged secret partners in the crime fist bump. “Back to my question. Are you sure you did absolutely nothing else besides your usual warm-up? No fiddling, no diddling, no punching people in the face."

Reina frowned. "Geez, what's the deal? I'm not a psycho, I don't go around punching people randomly. You're acting real strange, you know th-!"

Immediately, Reina was smothered into Sis’s chest. Reina choked in surprise, fully planning on knocking Sis aside before realizing something wet was dripping onto her head. Tears. Sis was. . .crying? Reina hesitated, before wrapping her arms around Sis. This was really going to be the last day they had together, wasn't it?

“Reina? Sis? Are you okay?” Marie asked hesitantly. The two of them parted, Sis squeezing Reina's arm as she did so. Reina smiled gently at Sis before crouching down to hug Marie.

“All thanks to you!”

Marie beamed and scrambled away to finish her peas. Reina stood back up to face Sis. There was a bit of an awkward tension between them now. Reina opened her mouth, whether to say she understood or apologizing, Sis got to it first.

“Anyway, where’s your letter?”

Reina looked at her. “What letter?” What the - Sis looked fine all of a sudden! No tears, no visible sadness. Talk about whiplash.

“Your acceptance letter from the Academy!” Sis retorted as if it should be obvious.

Reina shrugged. “How would I know?”

Sis groaned. “Well, find it quick or else we’re going to be in a bit of a bind.”

Gary snorted. “She probably didn’t even get a letter! I mean, the Academy is the most prestigious school ever! All of the best heroes graduated from there! There’s no way anybody would want somebody like Reina-!”

Reina smushed his head into the spaghetti. "Shush, Gary. Mind your elders." Then her eyes widened as she caught sight of something on his plate. “Oh, meatballs!” She plopped one off and put it into her mouth.

Sis sighed. “Well, it should have come by now. And I highly doubt they won’t let you in, considering. . . . .” Sis trailed off. This was a sensitive topic they were both on.

Reina nodded. “Who checked the mailbox today?”

Marie raised her hand. “It was Avery!” She smiled, showing a gap in her teeth.

Reina narrowed her eyes. She wouldn’t, right? There was no way Avery would do anything to the letter. This was Avery! Sweet, lovable, bit of a grump recently. . .oh no.

Sis shook her head. “Well, at least we know where the letters are at least.”

Reina’s eyes bulged out. “Wait, you don’t actually think it’s Avery!”

“I don’t think you quite understand how scared she is right now.”

Reina growled. “Scared of what? I’ll punch anything that scares her away!” She gave a few quick jabs at imaginary monsters.

“Go!” Marie cheered, waving pasta around.

Sis gently started to clean Marie up. “She’s scared of losing you, Reina.”

“Oh.” Reina lowered her hands.

“For the first time since you two met, you’re going to be separated. And it’s not somewhere you can just travel to by bus. We both know how far away it is, and she’s worried that during that time, you’ll forget about her.”

Reina scoffed. “That’s ridiculous! Like I would ever choose the Academy over her!”

“I know that, and you know that. Avery knows that too deep down, but she’s just too scared right now to think. Besides, am I right on assuming you still have buried feelings for the Academy?”

Reina crossed her arms. “Don’t be delusional, Sis. It’s not a good look.”

Sis gave an unconvinced look before cradling Marie. “I’m going to give Marie a bath. You go upstairs and help Avery.” She turned around and went, with Marie squealing and flailing. “No bath! No bath!”

Reina rolled her eyes. “Somebody wake up Gary and tell him to clean up.” Everybody nodded, none wanting to incur the wrath of Reina.

Reina stomped upstairs, deep in thought. Did Avery really take it? Should she be angry if she did? Flattered, maybe even? Or worried. If a normally responsible person did take something, that was very out of character.

Reina reached her best friend’s door and took a deep breath. She knocked, once, twice. There was rustling before the door creaked open. Avery poked her head out. Immediately, Reina knew something was up.

Avery’s eyes were bloodshot like she hadn’t been sleeping. Her hair was an absolute bird nest, and she was wearing her shirt the wrong way. Reina cleared her throat and leaned casually against the doorway. Doing this both made her look epically cool and also did the bonus of keeping Avery from closing the door again.

“So, I was wondering, do you know where my letter is? I heard you went to get the mail today.” Reina tried her best to not let any suspicion leak into her voice.

Avery’s eyes darted around nervously. “Uh, nope! Sorry, bye!”

Avery made to close the door but forget Reina was in the way and instead just pushed her into the room. Reina stumbled but quickly righted herself. “Aw, I’ll come in too!” Reina chirped and took a look around.

Books were stacked up neatly, the clothes were all in a pile, the bed was made, the floor was spotless. Reina’s eyes narrowed. It was clean. Too clean. Like no room should ever be this clean. Reina was well aware of Avery behind her watching her every move, clutching her skirt nervously. Suddenly, Reina dropped to the ground and Avery shrieked.

“What are you doing!?”

Reina shrugged, grinning delightfully. “Weren’t you inviting me in?” she asked innocently. She checked under the bed. Another couple of books (how many did she have? No way she read it all), but no letter. She got back to her feet.

Avery bit her lips. “I would like it if you leave.”

Reina nodded. “Sure, sure,” she answered, not paying attention. Her gaze scoured the room as she was searching for the letter.

When Reina didn’t move, Avery asked again. “Can you please leave?” This time, her voice was desperate and cracked.

Reina shook her head. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were hiding something!”

Instantly, Avery panicked. “Hiding something? O-of course not! Why would you even think that?”

Reina shrugged. “No reason.” Her eyes fell upon a small pile of envelopes, obscured behind a stack of books. “Oooh, are these love letters?”

Reina started walking over to the bookshelf and Avery shrieked. She dashed on ahead and pushed Reina away. “Hey!” she barked, catching herself on the bed. “Geez, no need to be so rough!”

Avery winced. “Sorry!”

Reina narrowed her eyes. “You know, you’re acting a bit suspicious right now.”

Avery gulped. “What are you talking about?”

“Show me the letters,” Reina demanded.

Avery growled. “No!”

Reina recoiled. Avery was never this temperamental. “Give it!”

“I said no!” Avery shrieked.

Reina growled and reached inside a barely visible pocket in her cloak. She rested her hand on the item inside, making sure it was still there. “This is your last chance, Avery,” Reina warned, making sure Avery could see her massaging her bracelets.

Avery’s face paled but she didn’t move. Instead, she formed her hands into fists. "F-fine. Come at me!"

Reina sighed before moving. In a blur, she was gone, heading straight for the letters behind her best friend. Avery knew this was coming and swung her arm, hoping to catch Reina across the face. Reina was forced to divert from her current path and landed on the wall. She pushed off with minimum effort, still creating a small crater in the wall. Desperately, Avery started to turn around but it was too late as Reina grasped the bundles of paper and landed on her bed.

“Let’s see!” Reina cackled as she tore through the first one. She blinked. It was an ad for apples. Reina looked at Avery incredulously. “Seriously?” Avery blushed.

Reina shook her mind and continued rifling through the papers. Finally, she found it. The insignia of the Academy on a pearly white envelope: two R's, one slightly smaller and tucked underneath the other, with crescent moons on either side. Reina gasped and the envelope slipped through her fingers and landed on the bedsheet. She had done it. Avery was really the one who took her letter.

Avery bit her lips as she stared at Reina’s still body. When Reina didn't move, she clenched her fists. “I’m not letting them,” she whispered. Reina jolted and tilted her head.

“Say what?” she asked, still reeling from the fact that Avery had really stolen the letter.

“I’M NOT LETTING THEM!!” she roared and Reina tumbled backward.

“Whoa, what are you-? Avery, are you crying?” Reina asked softly.

Avery lifted her head to show tears streaming down her face. Reina panicked, reaching for Avery. The other girl flinched and Reina recoiled, hurt. “What’s wrong?”

“You!” Avery growled. Reina winced. Had she done something wrong?

“Okay, I’m super sorry! For everything I did! How about we talk this out?” Reina begged.

Avery laughed, a bitter sound. Not a sound fit for Avery. “You don’t even know, do you?”

Reina twiddled her fingers nervously, wracking her brains. What was it Sis said? Argh, why couldn't her dumb memory work?! “Um, no?”

Avery hissed. “The Academy!”

Now Reina was confused. She was mad at her, or the Academy? Maybe she could throw the Academy under the bus? “So, it’s the Academy’s fault or mine?” Reina prompted hopefully.

“Both of yours! The Academy is taking you away! And you should be furious, but now you’re being happy about it!” she cried.

Reina formed an ‘O’ with her mouth. So that was what this is about.

“Avery. . .” Reina started but Avery interrupted.

“You told me yourself! You said that the Academy betrayed you and you never wanted to trust anybody because of them! I saw your heartbreak! I comforted you! And now you’re just throwing it away because the Academy wants you back! You’re leaving, just like my parents-hmph!”

Reina grabbed Avery and brought her into a suffocating hug. “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not joining the Academy, I’m going there because of my dreams. Believe me, I would love it if I didn't have to go, but I have to, And I will never leave you behind. Ever. Even if you can’t come with me, I will write you so many letters that the orphanage will become so overrun you guys have to find another place to live in.” Reina tried to relieve some of the tension in the air.

“You sure?” Avery whimpered. Reina tightened her grip.

“Absolutely, Av. I’m never letting you. The world can do anything they want, and I'll still come back to you."

Avery still wasn't completely convinced. She pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Then what's so important that you have to go to Neverstien? Why can't you stay with us?"

Reina exhaled. For a brief moment, she considered lying but then she saw the apprehension in Avery's eyes. Her friend expected her to lie, and that pained Reina more than anything else today. "Okay. It started with Neverstien on fire. . ."