Evidences

The girls stood in front of the stage where Yuuko and Azuki had faced off in the eastern sector of the academy; close to the pavilion, sports fields, and athletic tracks. Marie carefully and cautiously analysed the scene, furrowing her brow; something was not right there. The place was devastated, resembling a war zone. The trees surrounding the area lay fallen on the ground, their trunks bearing deep notches. A strong smell of burnt wood filled the air, and the ground was fractured. Broken stalagmites covered in Yuuko’s blood and bloodstains on the floor... Shiina raised her voice, horrified.

‘What the hell happened here?!’ Asuka turned to address her sarcastically.

‘It looks like two idiots interrupted someone’s fourth plate of pancakes.’ Shiina seemed angrily.

‘Ha ha... you’re hilarious, Asuka. You should consider a career in comedy. I think the Silksong Circus is looking for new clowns!’ the redhead responded angrily.

‘Sounds like the perfect job. Come and enjoy the Miura sisters’ antics. Join the silly, sillier, and silliest. If you don’t laugh, we’ll refund your money.’ Tsukihime continued mocking her. The wind swirled beneath Shiina’s feet, making their hair and uniforms flutter.

‘Keep it up, and you’ll see what’s coming!’ Shiina menaced. Marie stepped forward, following a path that led to the sports fields. She furrowed her brow and contorted her expression, trying to recreate the violent scene.

‘How should we approach this? It doesn’t seem like a simple student brawl. Whoever the culprits are, it appears they tried to kill each other, if they haven’t succeeded already.’ Marie paused and glanced at her companions without paying them much attention. Shiina was arguing loudly with Asuka, who kept provoking her. ‘Ambushing them as we did with the other three seems like the best option. A surprise attack would catch them off guard... but it’s clear that we’re dealing with someone much more hostile and violent. They could seriously injure us or worse...’

Asuka focused on the blonde girl, ignoring Shiina, as she approached her, leaving the redhead speechless.

‘Have you found something, Takenomiya?’ the black-haired girl looked at her blonde companion. While Shiina chased after Asuka, still upset.

‘Hey, come back, we’re not done yet!’ Asuka realised something was wrong with Takenomiya’s expression. Shiina grabbed Asuka’s right shoulder, but her reaction halted when she also noticed the expression on the blonde girl’s face. ‘Is something wrong, Takenomiya?’

‘It’s an unusual situation.’ Marie swept the stage again with her gaze, and like the other two, her eyes followed the trail that led to a specific point. ‘The ground has bloodstains, and the trail leads to a pavilion. I’m almost certain they’re still inside.’ She stated, her gaze fixed on the building, several dozen meters away from where they stood. Shiina shrugged and spoke.

‘Let’s finish this quickly. We corner them by surprise, capture them, and move on with our lives,’ she reproached Asuka.

‘You were scared a moment ago.’ Shiina raised her voice to Asuka again.

‘Well, enough already, right?! We have the element of surprise, don’t we?’ Asuka dropped her mocking tone and became serious.

‘Please, Shiina, you seem unable to read the situation, don’t you? If it were that easy, Takenomiya would have suggested it already, and we wouldn’t be discussing it.’ The redhead frowned and opened her mouth, but Takenomiya cut off her response.

‘It’s possible; the element of surprise could be crucial...’ Shiina made a mocking face after Marie’s words. ‘However, everything shows that whoever is inside is dangerous, and if we corner them, it could lead to an even more dangerous situation. I would dare to say that we’re facing something much more serious than a fight... it could be the scene of a murder...’ Takenomiya’s statement made Shiina shudder.

‘A mu-murder?! A Murder!?’ the redhead vociferated before letting out a nervous laugh, tapping Marie’s shoulder, earning an annoyed look from the blonde girl. ‘You’re kidding, you’re pulling our leg. You almost got us there, right, Asuka?’ Marie and Asuka exchanged serious looks. The blonde girl tried to think of the next step to minimise the risks; her face showed anguish. The redhead’s chuckle ceased. Her lips trembled, and she accepted that possibility when she inspected her surroundings. Broken spears, cracked ground, burning logs, and debris create a chaotic scene. ‘Y-you’re not kidding, are you?’

‘What do you suggest we do?’ Asuka’s tone showed tension.

‘Are you crazy?! We’re not Sailor Ruby and her friends; we’re just high school students! We should leave this to the authorities.’ Shiina said, fear running through her body. Marie closed her eyes, lost in thought.

‘You’re right. We should leave this to the authorities...’

‘Of course, I’m right!’ Shiina gestured with her hands. ‘We’re not prepared to face murderers!’

‘However...’ Takenomiya cut off her again.

‘What do you mean, however?! You just said I was righ...’ Shiina sounded alarmed. Marie gave her a look that silenced her.

‘However, it’s only a supposition. We have no evidence that a murder has taken place. We have well-founded indications, but no conclusive evidence.’ Shiina glanced at the bloodied stalagmites and trembled with fear.

‘Isn’t that evidence enough for you?!’ She tried to keep her voice steady. Marie and Asuka exchanged a look. Asuka didn’t respond, and Shiina turned away and saw them walking away. ‘Are you kidding me!? You plan to confront a potential murderer!?’ Asuka responded without looking at her.

‘We’re just going to look before deciding on the next step to take. Since you’re so scared, you can stay here whimpering...’

‘No way I’m staying alone. In horror movies, the killer always gets those who go alone.’ Shiina hurried to catch up with them. ‘Scared? Me? You can stop talking nonsense.’ She tried to sound brave, but her trembling voice gave her away. Asuka sighed before turning back to her to continue teasing, but with a less taunting tone.

‘Yes, Shiina, very brave. So brave that maybe you should go first... don’t you think?’ Asuka exhaled, tired of her friend’s constant complaints.

‘Don’t pressure her, okay?’ The redhead got angry. Marie showed a weary expression amidst the back-and-forth between her companions.

‘I should have come alone.’ The three girls advanced a few meters toward the sports pavilion, following the trail. Marie and Asuka walked with determination, while Shiina followed them anxiously.