Bird Fountain

The woman clad in black, Uda Wrobel, charged forward. Her feet, which looked just like a bird's talons, shoot toward the two girls.

“Hk!”

“Nalls!”

The talons reached their mark as they gripped onto the two. Uda then flew backwards, dragging the two further up the path. The raven-esque woman continued rising, as if to drop the two to the ground below.

“Gah! Slash!” Eris calls out, attempting to use magic.

“Hah!” A small blade of air slashes around where Uda’s knee would be, causing her to release her grip. Eris quickly grabs onto Nerissa, attempting to fire another air slash. Uda releases her grip on Nerissa, causing the two to plummet.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Cusion!” The two water spirits gather below, forming a pillow-like cushion, catching them before they fall.

“...Tch!” The raven clicks her tongue from above.

“I’m not sure why, but magic is working again!”

“It’s most likely that dragon… It didn’t work before it was around…” Nerissa explains.

“I see- Watch out!”

In an instant, the black bird appears in front of the two girls, kicking Nerissa backwards, into the wall made of sandstone.

“Sla- Guh!” Eris is grabbed by the throat and thrown into the wall just after Nerissa.

“... I don’t want to hurt you… Come quietly.”

“Geh! Like hell!”

“I concur, cough!”

The two girls answer as they stand back up.

“... Then understand that I do not enjoy this…”

“Then why do it?” Eris asks, staring at the woman in front of her. “If you don’t like something, why do you have to do it?”

“Fool. One must do many things they dislike to achieve what they seek.” Nerissa answers.

“Hey! Are you supporting her?”

“No, I simply find your view repulsive.”

“Oh? And what does a noble have to do, huh? Go to a ball, play dress up? Screw you, it's better to be yourself than sacrifice that for some purpose!”

“Then we shall agree to disagree. One must do many things for that which they seek, like hide who they truly are.”

“Hk! What are you-”

“My ears…”

“Ears?!”

“It was a gene passed down from a distant ancestor… The beastman trait didn’t affect my abilities, but did give me these ears.” Two black cat ears pop up from beneath Nerissa’s head. “ I must hide these for the sake of my family and my dream.”

“Why… What's your dream?”

“It’s…”

“Yeah..?”

“To make friends!” Nerissa lets out, throwing her arms downward.

“Wha?!”

“...Huh?”

“Is that so surprising? I do not have those I talk to at the manor… And all nobles are sneaky, conniving fools who play games with lives… I wish to have real friends.”

“Hk, BWAHAHAHAAHA!”

“What is it, peasant? I’ll have you hanged!”

“It's that! HAhahahah! Your… How did Hiiro put it… A Tsundere!”

“I do not know what that means, peasant!”

“Hahahaha, It’s alright, it’s alright.” Eris looks to Nerissa. “I get it now, everything makes sense…”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“...Are you two done?” Uda Wrobel returned from her trance.

“Yeah…” Eris says as she sticks out her hand to Nerissa. “Let's do it again!”

“Are you certain? You failed last time.”

“No! That was your fault! No, no, no… Look, let's try it!”

“Fine.”

The two girls lock hands and look to the hesitant Uda.

“Hear mine call, oh sirens song! I call upon a cyclone to wash away my enemies!”

“ “Tornado!””

The two water spirits rush forth, dancing in a spiral. The air quickly churns, forming a tornado perpendicular to the ground.

The two combine into a drill, both of their feelings forming a double helix, pushing forward with each spin.

“...****!”

The storm drill makes contact with Uda, causing her to release an unintelligible cry.

–

Uda Wrobel’s childhood could not be called good.

At the age of 5, her family sold her into slavery to afford food during the Century War.

She was then shipped, stacked on top of and below others under a ship's deck. Thrown back and forth between the waves.

That was when she first started to hate water.

Later, she was sold to a household in Rajlina. In a small town in the middle of the country.

At first, things seemed fine. She did her work, filled buckets from the well, and cleaned the paths and floors.

But then, the ma’am of the house accused her of giving glances at her husband. A 7-year-old child at the time, not only did she not understand, but she also found the old, greasy man disgusting.

After that, the ma’am would beat her, or have her husband do so.

Even that became normal.

Yes, it would become normal. She would become used to it, then it would be fine.

But things changed again when the flood came.

The entirety of Rajlina sunken in a week, Uda remembers it well.

She had been the only one to see the water coming, flying into the sky to escape.

However, to make sure their property didn’t escape, her owners had placed her in chains, one that extended the length of the property.

She didn’t call to warn the sleeping family. She just desperately flew upwards, as far as the chain would let her.

She flew, closed her eyes, and flew.

-

She wasn't sure how long it had been when she opened her eyes.

“Hey! Bird girl!”

A voice called from below, so she looked down. A merman sat on the house.

Uda’s first thought was ‘how did a merman get here’, but she immediately saw why. The entire town… no, region had been flooded.

“Come on down, I’ve come to help!” The man explained.

“...Ah!”

How long had she been flying? How long had the constant force from the chain been pulling her down?

Relief flooded her heart as she descended, happy to be able to land.

But that was betrayed by the merman pointing his trident upwards.

“Hahaahah! Gotcha!”

“EEP!” She immediately flew upwards, feeling the chain trying to pull her down.

It lasted for days, with no food, she flew as high as possible to avoid the tridents.

“Hahah, you know what I call this?” The merman said to his friends who had appeared at some point. “A bird fountain!”

“Hahahaahahh!”

“Hk..! …Help!”

“Gaaah!”

The mermen scream in pain, forming a lullaby as Uda fell asleep.

In the moments before her eyes shut, she caught a glimpse of a young man.

—

“...You two asked why I do this?” Uda asked, appearing from the dust. “...I do this because I love him, and it’s what he wants!”

Despite the spell, despite the several attacks, Uda Wrobel simply had her hair disheveled.

“Crap!”

“Nalls!”

The two girls scream in disbelief, unable to understand the threat in front of them.

“I do it for him!”
Uda shoots toward the two, seeming to combine with the wind and speed forward.

ZZZT!

From above, a purple streak appears.

It quickly intercepts the black blur rushing towards the girls.

“If you're only doing it for him, what’s the point?” A purple-haired, warm-skinned woman appears before the two girls.
“Anael-!”

“Amethyst-!”

“Hello, it's nice to meet you two.” The woman says, standing atop Uda Wrobel. “Oh, and it’s Miss Anael to you two!”

Uda Wrobel, the raven, has been defeated by the Amethyst hero.