I-1d

“It's just a quick visit,” Miki said as she signed the visitor book. “I don’t intend to be here for long.”

“You have a good day,” the Security Officer, Gang Men, said as he handed over a visitor pass.

Miki merely nodded. There was nothing wrong with his behavior. Officer Men was following the normal script, getting a signature on the form and reminding her to return the pass upon leaving. Polite and concise. Even so, Miki felt agitated.

Miki walked past the rolling collapsible gate that Officer Men opened from his station, then shut it behind her. She paused to check out the circular park situated between her and the main school building, filled with ivory-silk lilac trees planted in a circle. She then looked over to the large pool her company had built off to the left. With a light burned out at the bottom and mud and leaves from last year’s storms still covering the ground around it, it was easy to see just how much care the top faculty had for the school.

“I see this place hasn’t changed one bit,” Miki muttered to herself. “Father’s contribution there is still holding up, for now. But the bugs I planted in the offices have shown that they haven’t done anything to uphold their end of the bargain. Now, I need to wait for the East Wind.”

Miki clenched her fists, fingernails digging into her palm.

‘Just wait until you’re older, Miki,’ She thought bitterly. Age is just a number! My family’s history...no, the history of this island proves it: every Justice. It shouldn’t be age, let alone nepotism, that decides who gets in. It should be ambition, conviction, and ability!

The surge of memories, thoughts, and emotions overwhelmed her mind. She had to take a few deep breaths to regain her composure.

“Well, Aya should be out of school now,” Miki muttered as she walked towards the right end of the school complex, towards the track and field section and their facilities. Nearly all the students had left for the day, with Miki spotting only a few in the distance, departing through the northern gates at the other end of the complex and taking the bridges across the canal. “I just hope I’m not too late.”

She didn’t have a chance to stew in her thoughts for long. As she passed between the basketball court and the restrooms, something struck her hard in the back, knocking the wind out of her. By the time she regained her senses, she was on the ground, and her arms were seized, holding her firmly in place.

————

Aya put the broom away in the corner, having just finished sweeping the floor. The final bell rang a while ago. The classroom was empty, save for herself and the teacher.

Aya drooped. She probably could have been done by now if she hadn’t been so distracted.

In the wake of her impromptu morning demonstration, she had been on edge for her next two classes. Finally, the moment of truth arrived, and she was called to Headmaster Shinogi’s office during recess. Ashley was probably the one who had reported her. Aya spent most of recess and all of her gym class sitting in his office, being lectured in his incensed voice.

“The grand purpose of our school is to teach everyone about the harmonious cooperation of the UNA and Arahi. Which is why I was so vexed when I heard about your little outburst this morning, full of lies and slander. As soon as that was brought to my attention, I decided to review your files, and what did I happen to find but the thesis for your history report on the very same topic. I have never been so revolted in my life. To think one of my students was planning to write something so atrocious? You will rewrite your report into something that does not slander or insult the pride of our nation, nor that of its long-time partners! I can’t believe Fumito didn’t say anything about this earlier. I’ll have to talk to him as well when I’m done with you.”

“Those history books—” Aya’s attempted retort was cut off with a smack to the face. The blow knocked her off her seat, and she was struck two more times while on the ground.

“It is my job as Headmaster to discipline children until they learn. You’ve always been a problem child, but you’ve taken things too far this time. I refuse to allow a single one of my students to fall victim to propaganda propagated by hostile foreign nations. Your actions put yourself and your peers at risk. Your petulant behavior ends today, understood?. If you cannot accept that, we’ll throw you out of here and have Public Security teach you a lesson!”

While she remained stoic the entire time, even as Headmaster Shinogi struck her in the head for it, his cruelty struck deep into her mind.

“I see you’re finished now.” Fumito’s voice took Aya by surprise. She saw him sitting at his desk, working on the desk screen. “It seemed like your mind was somewhere else. But considering what happened this morning, I’m not surprised.

“I still have a couple more things to do,” Aya replied. She looked at the almost full trash can. “Let me do the hallway next before finishing with the trash.”

“No, you’ve done more than enough cleaning for the classroom today. And it looks like they’ve already done the hallway out there. I really just needed it to look like I was punishing you with something to calm down the Headmaster.” Fumito closed the screen. “So, about this morning. It seems you’ve been reading up about the Great Waves. I recall you mentioned some ‘old texts’ you found. Do you happen to have them with you right now?”

“What? How did you—no, I mean…" Aya paled.

“Just a lucky guess.” Fumito chuckled. “Please give them here.”

Aya hesitated for a moment before reaching into her bag and handing over a book. “It was mostly just this one. And, I’m so sorry, Teacher.”

“What for?” Fumito asked as he started paging through the book.

“You got in trouble, too, didn’t you? The Headmaster—”

“It’s okay, Aya. Honestly, it was only a matter of time before he found some reason to blow up on me. We’ve both seen how…unstable that man is. In fact, you could say I was intentionally pushing his buttons by letting you choose that topic for your report and inviting you to discuss it in front of the class. It seems I had underestimated how severe his reaction would be. On that note, I had intended to take full responsibility for it all. It was never my intention to get you into so much trouble as well. For that reason, I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.”

“T-Thank you, sir. And it’s fine, really. That wasn’t the first time I’ve been yelled at in his office.”

“I—What? Aya, I really must urge you to be more careful from now on. You’re in a much more vulnerable position than I am.” Fumito sighed. “We’ve talked about your reading habits before. You know I’m not against you reading everything you can in search of the truth. Quite the opposite—it’s unusual for anyone in Arahi, especially someone your age, to have such a vested interest in history. It’s something even many adults nowadays try to stay a mile away from. That being said, Arahi Public Security is becoming increasingly prevalent these days, thanks in no small part to the rats in their intelligence agency and the rabid dogs within the Volunteer Corps. So if you really want to continue down this path, you’ll need to be smart and careful. For example, make sure you don’t get caught with stuff like this in your bag, on or off school grounds.” He waved the book through the air. “And you should be careful who you talk about these things with. No more bringing it up in class, for both our sakes. You can always talk to me after hours if there’s some burning topic you need to discuss.”

Aya bowed her head. “R-Right. I promise I’ll be careful. And I’d better find Chou and apologize to her, too.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t worry about that. It doesn’t seem like she’s actually in trouble, even though it was a group project. It appears the headmaster has it out for you in particular—another reason to be careful going forward.”

Aya sighed in relief. “I’m glad she’ll be okay.”

He tapped the cover of the book. “So, regarding this. It’s quite lengthy, and the topics appear to be quite sophisticated, from what little I've seen. Most of the kids in this class might take a full school year to go through this. Did you really read it all? That’s quite the achievement.”

A faint blush colored her cheeks. “T-Thanks, it’s just a habit I picked up from my father. He used to read to me all the time when I was a kid, and encouraged me to read anything I wanted from his collection when I was older.”

“Well then, your father must be a very great man, teaching you to pick up this skill.”

Aya glanced out the window. “Yes, he was.”

“In any case, were there any points you wanted to discuss in more detail? Perhaps you'd like to share some other inaccuracies from previous courses? It'll be much better to do it now so the Headmaster doesn't blow up on us later.”

“Actually, there was a different book I wanted to talk about.” Aya rummaged through her backpack. “One I thought was very…interesting, if only I could just…”

“What’s wrong, Aya?”

“I—” Aya stopped searching and ran a hand through her hair. “I forgot the other book I was planning to bring. I wanted to give it back to Miki today.”

“Another history book?”

“No, a…historical fiction, they called it? It discussed what could have happened to Earth if magic and anti-magic didn’t exist as natural forces. Or at least if they were never discovered.”

“Why not just make magic not exist?”

“Because it says that magic is the only reason why anti-magic exists. As a natural counter. Without magic, anti-magic has no purpose.” Aya received silence from Fumito. “Do you not agree?”

“Hm? Oh, I was collecting my thoughts. In a world without magic or Justices, it's clear that human society as a whole could become unrecognizable. Then again, certain changes might also be more subtle. There may be parts that wouldn’t change at all.”

“What do you mean? What parts do you think wouldn’t change?”

“Conflict, for one thing,” Fumito mused. “At least the concept of it. People would find other reasons to target each other, even if neither side possessed magical abilities. It wouldn’t stop America from becoming an economic and military superpower. The PAA, or what we now call Indochina? Perhaps it wouldn’t grow as powerful without the aid of magic. At least China and India would have more than enough land and resources to make up for it if they had followed the same technological path as the UNA. I also have reason to believe Japan would still become a pacifist police state under these conditions. Even if we all spoke the same language, there would still be tensions between nations. People, or I should say, peoples, will always fight each other for whatever reason. Greed, ideological conflicts, or even slight perceived differences. When it comes down to it, even if the alliances were different, the Great War would almost surely still have occurred, and I have no doubt there will always be another war eventually.”

“Perhaps … but I still believe there's something that can bring peace between the factions. I think it may have even happened once before.”

“Oh?” Fumito raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“There are things that don’t add up about the Great War. The turning point of the war was said to be when the first three atomic bombs fell, in Japan, California, and Ukraine. With the attack in California killing the former UNA president, Roosevelt was able to win unanimously during the subsequent election. However, he was able to push for a ceasefire by contacting one of Japan's primary factions before he was inaugurated, indicating he had the military's support. The UNA’s military, especially back then, was composed of fanatic members of the anti-magic faction. It's hard to believe they would ever be willing to side with any Japanese forces. Yet they did, including later launching joint military operations to tackle the extremist groups in both countries that were trying to keep the war going.”

“Though their alliance was unprecedented, it could be explained by the fear of mutually assured destruction that bloomed once the first nukes fell. And even with that threat looming overhead, the peace they fostered hardly lasted.”

Aya shook her head. “There’s more. Around a week after the ceasefire, the UNA issued a total travel ban along the West Coast of the US, with the claim that the other, radical faction of Japan had bombarded it with nuclear weapons. However, the ban was then lifted shortly after the end of the war for all of these later zones. I asked our science teacher, Professor Kleinman, about that after school one day, and he said there should still have been a significant amount of radiation in those areas. However, scientific surveys found no signs of heightened radiation anywhere, except for the first strike zone in California, where the travel ban was still in place. Furthermore, while these cities along the coast were in ruins, most of the damage didn’t match what would be expected from a blast. It was unlike anything anyone had seen before. And there were other cities with similar patterns of devastation elsewhere in the world, even in places where there were no reports of nuclear strikes. It seems self-evident that the story of nuclear weapons being dropped across the West Coast was just a cover-up.”

“While I agree that the government was most likely hiding something, is there a reason you’ve brought this up?”

“Because there are those who say it wasn’t nuclear warfare that drove the UNA’s push for peace … but aliens.”

“Blakieter, is it?”

Aya’s eyes widened. “You know of them?”

“There aren’t many people who haven't at least heard of the name. I’ve heard countless conspiracy theories about what truly happened, and some say aliens were involved. However, it's challenging to get a clear picture amid so many conflicting narratives, both official and unofficial. All I know for sure is that the Great War was indeed something they had to stop before humanity destroyed itself.”

“That’s why I was asking you, Teacher. You know a lot, and you’ve heard so many theories. What do you think really happened?”

“Even I cannot answer that. I’m a history teacher, not a nuclear scientist. Or a xenobiologist in that regard. But why do you bring them up?”

“Because maybe that’s the true reason Roosevelt pushed for peace? Not because of atomic bombs, but because he realized it was better to join forces against an alien race to stop them from wiping us out? If that’s the case, do you think that humans would unite as long as there’s a common enemy?”

“Even in this example you’re citing, there were major factions in the UNA and Japan that were still fighting each other. In this scenario, surely Roosevelt would have informed them of the imminent threat, and evidently, that was not enough. Humanity has been and always will be at war with itself. Whether there are aliens or Justices around, it doesn’t matter. It’s not just a sad part of human nature, it’s something that makes us human in the first place.” Fumito grabbed a half-cigarette. “That’s why I shudder to think what would happen if one were to rob away humanity’s ability to fight. If you do that, you may as well give up being human.”

“I-I apologize for speaking about such theories.”

“Why are you apologizing? Do you know how rare it is for a student to take such a vested interest in history? I haven't had the chance to discuss speculative history at all in ages. Warms my old teacher’s heart.” Fumito complimented.

*IIII-OOOO-IIII-OOOO-AA…IIII-OOOO-IIII-OOOO-AA…IIII-OOOO-IIII-OOOO-AA…DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU…*

Aya and Fumito covered their ears as the high-pitched sound blared over the intercom. They rushed to the windows and stuck their heads outside, where the noise was at least a bit more tolerable.

“The following message is transmitted at the request of local authorities. At 3:13 PM today, a fire and explosion disaster of unknown origin was reported at the Victor Oil Storage and Transportation facility on Shoal Street and Kuro Road of the Arahi City Prefecture, with the potential to cause significant damage to nearby buildings and properties. A fire and explosion hazard warning has been issued within a 1-mile radius of the facility. All citizens within the warning area are advised to evacuate the area or take shelter immediately. On-site emergency services have been dispatched to provide assistance. Make sure you have a battery-powered radio or smartphone and essential supplies with you. Nobody is permitted to enter the area until the ‘all clear’ has been given. If you are within the warning area and have no transportation or housing, seek assistance from local authorities and emergency services immediately. If you have burns of any severity, seek medical attention immediately. Stay tuned to local media outlets for further details on this situation.”

The same emergency alert sound played again as the message ended. Fumito brought his head back inside.

“I appreciate your Tenjou friend for providing the Emergency Alert System to our school. But, seriously, they should do something about that volume.” Fumito let out an annoyed sigh. “Sorry, Miss Masayoshi, I know how much she means to you. She’s truly a revolutionary, in most regards, especially compared to most people in Arahi. In other ways, she’s quite the traditionalist, having a penchant for the old cultures and styles of Arahi’s ancient history.” He shook his head. “Sorry, where were we?”

“Actually, that reminds me of something else that I read about in that historical fiction book, regarding Arahi’s history,” Aya said. “According to science, it states that Arahi wouldn’t exist at all.”

“How so?”

“Arahi and the outer islands were volcanically formed. However, while the surrounding Shatsky Rise consists of natural massifs, research suggests that our island's formation was entirely unnatural. Considering the status of human technology over 1,000 years ago when the island was first discovered, the most accepted theory is that a Justice created it.”

“Legends say that a giant bird goddess created this land. Do you honestly believe that’s what happened?” Fumito noticed Aya’s silence and awkward shuffling. “I apologize, Miss Masayoshi. It’s a habit of mine to question religious beliefs. But I suppose, given the scenario of that book, both of us would no doubt have ended up living in Japan. That is, if we were still born somehow.” Fumito returned to his desk and gestured at the book. “And before I take up too much of your time, Miss Masayoshi, could you tell me again what you shared earlier during class? That’s a part of history I hadn’t heard before, and since you’re no longer writing a report on it, I want to make sure I have the details down.”

Aya stuttered for a moment. She walked to the door and peeked outside to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing no one, she returned to Fumito.

“First, several restoration projects have been conducted by the Pro-Magic states since the two Great Waves. Most of these projects were ‘Special Economic Zones’ established by the People’s Alliance of Asia, designed for economic and humanitarian purposes. However, the UNA’s media never reported on these projects due to the hostility between the two superstates.”

Aya opened the book to a page showing the photos they had seen in class, this time with their real descriptions.

“L-Like I said this morning, the pictures that they make you show in class, described as being from the UNA’s reconstruction efforts, were actually taken at those projects that the Pro-Magic states created. The images of the ruined cities from 40 years ago that they claim were from Asian cities were actually ruins in the American homeland. The UNA made promises of reconstruction efforts back then, promises that went unfulfilled for decades, obstructed by political debate between the military party, which rejected the proposals, and the non-militant parties, which favored them. Since the military had already become a dominant force in government, only military projects were approved at the time, including the development of the UNA Embassy here in Arahi. It wasn’t until 20 years ago that the UNA government lived up to its promises, and that was only in response to the growing need for improved logistics along western coastlines and in the Pacific due to the Indie War. Furthermore—”

She flipped further through the book, showing Fumito several articles with headings such as “Reports state Justice activity is unlikely” and “Cause of cataclysmic disaster still unknown.”

“The UNA blamed Justices for the Great Waves without any physical proof. Their accusations were spread by numerous mainstream media outlets, most of which are explicitly aligned with the Anti-Magic Faction or known for their far-right views. There are multiple theories, but even today, no one knows the true cause of either cataclysm.”

It took Fumito a while to finish reading the articles. When he was done, he put the book down and sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Aya's shoulders shook, and she quickly bowed, worried her teacher might call her out. Instead, she got a pat on the head.

“There’s no need to bow like that. In fact, I’d rather say that you did a good job.” Aya looked up in surprise. “What you need is more self-assurance. I understand how a school like ours can erode your confidence by constantly rubbing such nonsense in your face, making you deal with the sternness or gleeful cruelty from the higher-ups at the same time.”

“How do you—”

“When I first started teaching, I had high ambitions. I wanted to ensure that my students received the best education possible. I wanted to encourage them to think for themselves. I wanted to be promoted to the upper faculty. But then the government began cracking down on education. It started small at first, a few banned topics here and there—annoying but manageable. However, their demands kept growing, and before I knew it, I no longer believed in anything I was teaching. I’m sick of it. The lies, the propaganda, the censorship, the fact that our government and supporting Oligarchy believe in that stuff—I’m…I’m sick of it all. I don’t care if I lose my job anymore.”

Aya contemplated. “Is that why you had me talk in front of the class this morning? Because you wanted to start rebelling against the administration?”

“Yes. Or at least, to take a more active stance. Even as the restrictions were put in place, I’ve done my best to protect my students over the years. I allowed them to express themselves and turned a blind eye when their questions conflicted with the state's demands. I made sure to lend an ear to anyone who wanted to talk, much like I’ve done with you tonight. You’re hardly the first student to come to me with concerns about the syllabus. I had always told myself that this was enough, that I was making a difference, but I’ve started to question how much it really helps.”

“It can’t be easy dealing with the upper administration,” Aya said. “Thank you for your support nonetheless. It helps.”

“Things weren’t as bad when I first moved here, but ever since Arahi Public Security was formed, things have been going downhill. This country doesn’t have that many places for honest teachers like me. They don’t pay us to argue facts.”

“Would you have chosen to stay in Japan, knowing what you know now?”

“No.” Fumito flicked his cigarette. “Despite all of Arahi’s flaws, I am at least safe as long as I follow the rules. But Japan, with its leadership’s policy of imposing neutrality and pacifism not just on its own country, but on other nations, too? Their ideology that no Justice should ever hurt a human? Such extremism all but falls apart in the real world, and they will be woefully unprepared once the UNA makes a move against them, which is only a matter of time. And may the Bird Goddess help them after how much they’ve angered every other Pro-Magic nation, all of whom are either prepping for all-out war or actively fighting now. No, I’d much rather live here, out of the way of it all. Even if I had to sacrifice my convictions along the way.”

“I…can see why that’s a dilemma for you.”

“And I would like to apologize again for this morning. I had assumed I would take the full brunt of the headmaster’s anger for ‘failing to keep my students in line’. But if he might be going after my students, too, I’ll need to rethink my approach. I don’t intend to get anyone else involved.”

“Nobody? Won’t you need any help? Surely some of the other teachers are like you. What if you could team up with them to take a collective stand? I mean, Professor Kleinman was more than willing to give me real answers when I talked to him. Doesn’t that mean he’s like you?”

“I’ve carefully broached the subject in the past. Most of my coworkers were too afraid of being fired, or worse, to question their orders. The rest are people who take pride in pushing whatever bollocks the administration demands, whether it's because they fell for the propaganda themselves or like the power it gives them. I can’t count on any of them. And while Kleinman shares many of my sensibilities, I don’t trust him. That man is far too forgetful and clumsy, and my work is going to require a certain level of discretion that he would not be able to muster.”

“But what will you do if—”

“You should worry about yourself more than me, Aya.” Fumito cut her off. He returned to the window to light another cigarette. “Besides, I know a few ways to keep myself safe. Their technology is impressive, but they can’t keep track of every citizen, even with those fortresses floating in the sky. There are always cracks within the foundation. You just need to find them. As we saw today, ideals alone are not enough—you need the right approach, the right tools.”

“The historical fiction book stated that Justices were responsible for the rapid development of technology and theorized on how losing them could affect things.” Aya followed Fumito to the windows and looked up at the Moon, visible through the clouds. Her gaze sharpened on the barely visible artificial ring that went around the Moon’s circumference, following along its equator. “There are certain technologies that only work because of the magic of the Justices, and conversely, there are technologies that were only developed by the AMF as a means to counter them. If it weren’t for the ‘eternal and perpetual arms race,’ as the author called it, machines like Airships wouldn’t have been made practical. There wouldn’t be over 500 million people living in space. Applications of quantum mechanics wouldn't be made available, or at least not so publicly.”

“That’s because they were forced to develop. Justices used to be the most powerful beings in the world. The gap between them and the AMF was vast in ancient history. Just imagine how the outcome of historical battles would change if it weren’t for them. The cultural influence of Justices…no, of all magical beings, cannot be denied either. When it comes to it, intentionally or not, the issues of today’s world are simply the result of how they used their power.”

As Fumito talked, Aya glanced down and caught a glimpse of someone she didn’t want to see. Ashley appeared from around the corner of the building to her right, walking towards the track and field. Aya was about to crouch out of sight, but she noticed Ashley calling out to her cohorts near the front of the restrooms.

“Miki?” Aya exclaimed, pushing herself away from the windows. Kayla and Elaina held her by the arms as Ashley guided them inside the equipment storage rooms next door.

“Is something wrong?” Fumito asked.

“Miki!” Aya stumbled towards her desk, hurriedly placing the book back in her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. “Forgive me, Teacher; I need to go.”

“M-Miss Masayoshi, hold on a minute, where are you—” Fumito called out as Aya rushed out the door. He grumbled as he flicked his cigarette outside. “Sheesh, I hope you don’t get into more trouble than you have already.”

————

Political clashes between upper-class families were always a pain for Miki, whether they involved children trying to bully those of a lower class or adults trying to take advantage of her young age. However, Ashley was the first to get so physical with her. Ashley’s cohorts continued to restrain her, holding her in a spot where no one could see them. Not even Officer Men seemed to know what was happening.

“You know, for someone so high and mighty, you get beaten up just fine,” Ashley ridiculed.

“I could say the same thing, coward.” Miki glared back. “You think that using underhanded methods like this makes you better? Do you think this means you win?”

“Why would I care about ‘winning’ as long as I get to beat up some stuck-up hermy?”

Ashley took another swing at Miki’s face. However, her verbal blows were stinging more than the physical ones.

“Unlike you, I have been working to prove myself as an heir,” Miki retorted. “What have you been doing, besides pushing people around and bullying others however you want? You’re not even your family’s heir, and you act like you're the ruler of this island? What a waste of space you are.”

Ashley struck her face a few more times. “You need to know your place around here. Your father isn’t around anymore to protect you, is he? What about your mother? Oh, wait. I’m sure she’s gone, too. Chances are she wasn’t there the day you were born.”

“What about your mother?” Miki retaliated, her words immediately getting a rise out of Ashley. “Where is she whenever your father’s not there for you?”

“Like you know anything about me!” Ashley threw more punches at Miki. The blows grew stronger, and Miki felt the blood coming out of her nose as her vision started getting blurry.

“A-Ashley, hold on,” Elaina called to her. “You really might—”

“Shut up!” Ashley shouted. “She doesn’t know a thing about what I go through. You think I’m going to forgive her?”

“Miki!” Someone called out her name, shaking her out of her stupor. There was only one person who sounded like that. Only one person who was seriously concerned about her whenever she was in trouble.

“Aya!”

————

Aya had come down here to confirm that her friend was being held captive. And yet now she froze as Ashley spotted her.

“Heh, you think you stand a chance just because your friend is here now?” Ashley mocked Miki before smacking her in the face again. “Did you come here today just to visit this lowborn? Pathetic.”

“I wouldn’t have that smug look if I were you,” Miki spat, her eyes shooting daggers at her bully. “You'd better run away before she starts getting rough on you.”

“PFFT,” Ashley burst out laughing. “Her!? This wimp of a childhood friend? She’s got a lot to answer for, and so do you. Ah, this is great! I get to put both of you in your place at once—two birds with one stone.”

“She’s a lot more courageous than she looks. Ferocious even. She won’t give up her loyalty that easily. That much, I know for a fact, with everything we’ve been through together.”

“Well then.” Ashley walked towards Aya. “We’ll just have to see for ourselves.”

Aya tried to mask her fear, though the fact that she had stopped breathing may have given that away. Miki was right in one aspect—Aya had stood up for her friend before, and she wanted to do so again. If she was going to stand there, what was the point of coming here in the first place? She urged herself to push past her fear and do something. It didn’t matter what, as long as it worked. She managed to clench her fists, but couldn’t raise them.

“Kyaaak!” A loud screech came. The violent call was enough to smash the terror out of Aya. Among all things in this world, that call gave her the conviction to move.

“What the!? AAHHH!” Kayla screamed as Athena swooped down from above, going straight for her. She closed her eyes and raised her arms to defend herself, and the falcon’s talons lacerated one arm and the right side of her face. Covering her face with her wounded arm, she swiped in a blind frenzy with a knife, though Athena had already gotten out of her range by the time she grabbed it.

“Athena!” Aya gaped as her falcon friend directed her attention towards Ashley.

“How did you—daahh!” Ashley faltered as she fell on her butt while backing up. She put her arms over her face as Athena continued assaulting her with her talons. “GET AWAY, YOU STUPID BIRD!”

“Ashley!” Elaina cried out to her boss.

Feeling Elaina’s grip slipping, Miki grappled her captor and threw her down. She dodged Kayla’s knife, grabbed the offending arm, and rammed her forehead into her face, breaking the girl’s nose, before shoving her to the ground as well.

All of Miki’s assailants were down. Aya would have to thank Athena someday. Maybe I can get one of those more expensive flavors of Salmon, the ones that—Ah, no time to think about this right now!

“M-Miki, come on!” Aya hurried over to her friend and offered her hand. “This way!”

“Right! Let’s go, Aya,” Miki said as she grabbed her friend’s hand and started running.

“Hey, don’t leave us here, you brats!” Ashley whined as she tripped while trying to chase after them. Athena was doing what she could to slow her down, swooping in from behind every time Ashley tried to give chase. “Get back here!”

Aya turned the corner, the gate entrance in sight. Miki continued to rush forward despite her injuries, and Athena’s shadow flew above them.

“Miss Masayoshi, Miss Tenjou, there you are.” Gang Men raised his arm to wave at them, but stopped, eyes growing wide as he saw the state Miki was in. “What’s happened to you two?”

“No time to talk,” Miki cried in a panic. “Just open the gate, quickly!”

“I said, get back here!” Aya heard Ashley shouting. “I’m not through with you!”

Miki ended up surpassing Aya. She reached the gate, slipping through as soon as it was open enough. “Get ready to close it as soon as she’s through. Please, it’s an emergency.”

Aya glanced to the side. Thankfully, no cars were entering or exiting the underground parking lot to the left of the main entrance. Most of the bike and scooter racks behind it looked empty, too.

The running put a lot of stress on Aya’s legs, and she could feel herself panting, especially winded after running down from the classroom. Aya ignored the strain on her legs and continued running as fast as she could. As she reached the gate, Miki grabbed her hand and yanked her through. They both nearly lost their balance, coming to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk to catch their breath.

“That was a close one there,” Miki lamented as they drew deep breaths. “Thanks for that, Aya.”

“No need…to thank me,” Aya said as she panted.

“What are you talking about?” Miki gently patted Aya’s head. “You went out of your way to help me, right? That’s the Aya Masayoshi I know of.”

The comment left Aya speechless, but a part of her felt unworthy of the praise. She had done nothing for Miki to make her the proud and strong girl—well, someone who currently designated herself as a girl—that she had become. Aya didn’t think she had ever done anything worthy of praise, but Miki seemed confident in her assertion.

“Now then, let’s go,” Miki said.

Miki started walking across the crosswalk away from school. Aya followed for a bit before stopping and glancing over her shoulder, seeing that the gate had been shut behind them. She needed to thank Officer Men for helping them. However, as Aya met his gaze, the words died in her throat as she saw the shocked look on his face.

“You two, watch out!” Officer Men called out.

It started with a blaring horn in her ears. Immediately, everything started moving more slowly, including her body, like time had slowed down—yet she could still think normally. She also felt an immense power emanating from where Miki was standing. Magical Energy? While Aya had no frame of reference for how much was being released, it certainly felt immense.

Aya’s thoughts were interrupted by the drawn-out sound of a second honk and screeching tires. She immediately started turning her head—at an agonizing snail’s pace—and set her eyes on Miki. Her friend was glowing a vivid pink, the flows and pulses matching the energy she sensed.

She turned her head further left and saw a truck barreling towards her. For some reason, Aya’s vision suddenly went immensely sharp and zoomed in on the two men in the cabin. The driver was honking and jerking the wheel, while the passenger braced for a collision. However, their facial expressions were completely blank, emotionless.

The truck slowly changed course, aiming for the school gate instead. Out of the corner of her eye, Aya saw Officer Men running out of his station, bursting through the security door leading into the school. But that was the least of her concerns right now. Although the truck itself was no longer about to run them over, it was still carrying two trailers—a shipping container and a fuel tank. As the truck swerved, the shipping container began skidding toward them.

“Miiiikkkkkiiiiii,” Aya’s voice screamed in the same slow motion. Miki stared at the incoming container, eyes wide. As Miki started to crouch, Aya leaped forward with her arms extended. The two fell on top of each other and rolled together on the road. The container cast a shadow over them as it skidded past them. The smell of the exhaust and the seemingly light touch on Aya’s hair unnerved her as she shut her eyes.

The slowed time flow continued even when a crunching sound came from the gate beside them. Another ear-splitting metal twist came from the other side of the street, likely from the truck's rear fuel container. The truck's engine slowed to a stop, the trailer's momentum creating a light breeze that blew over them.

Abruptly, the flow of time returned to normal. With it, Aya felt a wave of exhaustion like nothing she had ever felt wash over her, and the world faded to black.

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