Please read the AN at the bottom of the chapter.
—————
...
I returned to the annex later that night, my mind feeling a bit calmer after talking to Hina. Maybe I just needed to vent.
Or maybe Hina's voice is just that calming.
"Oh, y'all are still awake?" I ask the four girl upon finding them still up.
"Ah, Sensei." Hanako greets.
"We just got back." Hifumi explains. "Still, we've had quite a long day today."
"It sure was. I never expected our innocent little stroll to become such an adventure." Hanako agrees.
"It was enjoyable, however." Azusa agrees.
Koharu lets out a happy giggle.
"You're looking much happier, Koharu." The busty girl observes. "Are you proud that you were able to fight next to Hasumi?"
"O-Of course I am! It was my first time." Koharu says. "It was like a dream come true!"
I would tease her on her phrasing, but seeing how happy she is... I really don't want to ruin it.
"Aw, that's wonderful." Hanako coos. "Now you just have to pass your exam like Hasumi told you to."
"I know that! I'm gonna ace the next one for sure. Just like an elite would!" Koharu declares.
"I know ya will." I nod.
"I had better study harder so you don't leave me behind." The busty girl says.
"It's getting pretty late, everyone." Hifumi interjects. "We should get to sleep soon or else studying will be hard tomorrow." The other girls nod in agreement. "Then, good night, everyone. You too, Sensei."
"Back at ya. You all did a great job today, you've earned a nice rest." I say with a smile as I walk back down the hall.
I plopped in bed soon after, instantly falling asleep.
—————
"You're late!" Azusa accuses as Hifumi enters the dining room.
"Y-You're the one who's early." Hifumi points out.
"I began studying before sunrise and then quizzed myself on what I studied." The silverette explains.
"Wow, you're really motivated, huh?" Hanako says.
"Naturally. Today will be another mock exam, isn't that right?" Azusa asks.
"Yeah, that's true." Hifumi nods. "So that's what you've been preparing for?"
"Yes. Our next official exam is two days away and I don't want to hold us back." Azusa declares. "I WILL pass today!"
"Geez. You almost never get this fired up." Koharu says, rubbing her eyes a bit.
"I repeatedly covered material expected to be in the test. I left no stone unturned." The silverette says.
"W-Well, you're not going to do better than me!" The tiny girl declares. "I'll show you the elite power of the Justice Task Force!"
"That's the spirit. I'll show you what I've got this time too." Hanako adds.
"Looks like you're all ready." Their Sensei muses, stepping out of the kitchen.
"In that case, let's jump right into the next mock exam!" Hifumi suggests.
"After breakfast." The man chides.
"Y-Yes. After breakfast." Hifumi corrects herself, earning a smile from everyone.
—————
After eating, the girls went to the classroom and got right on the mock exam.
Hanako seemed as calm as ever. Makes sense.
Azusa focuses on her paper intently.
Koharu's still struggling, but she seems calmer than last time.
Hifumi, too, looks more confident.
All of the girls are moving at a much faster pace than they had before. I won't hesitate to admit that it brought a smile to my face seeing them working so hard. Their effort is paying off.
And that was proven once I finished grading their exams.
"Whenever you're ready, Sensei." Hifumi says.
I nod. "Hifumi, seventy-five." The blonde smiles.
"Azusa, seventy-three." Azusa perks up.
"Koharu." I pause, smiling at the tiny girl. "Sixty-one" She gasps at her grade.
"Hanako." I look at the busty girl, who's smiling innocently at me. "I know you did this on purpose."
"What ever so you mean, Sensei?" The taller pinkette asks, feigning ignorance
"You got a sixty-nine." I deadpan. Koharu's face turns a bit red, but Hifumi realizes something more important.
"Wait! Then that means... W-We did it?! Everyone passed?!" Hifumi exclaims.
I nod and smile. "Everyone passed."
"This isn't a joke, right?!" Koharu cries, a big smile on her face.
"No jokes here." I say.
"Success!" Azusa declares, smiling.
"Well, well!" Hanako adds, happy.
I hand the girls back their papers.
"Way to go, Azusa! You didn't just get a D- you jumped all the way up to earning a C!" The blonde praises.
"Th-Thank you." Azusa says, stuttering under Hifumi's bright smile.
"You did good too, Koharu. It was just barely above the line, but you still got a passing score!" Hifumi continues.
"I-I'm not dreaming, am I? That's really my score...?" The former JTF member asks, dumbly staring at her paper, before a big smile breaks out on her face. "See? I told you I've been holding back! This is what I can really do!"
"Way to show us what it means to be a member of the Justice Task Force!" Hifumi cheers. "You passed this time too, Hanako."
"I must have gotten lucky. What a nice score~" Hanako says, teasingly.
"Pfft." I let out a small sound that's the mix of a guffaw and a scoff.
"I'm happy for you, but..." Hifumi begins.
"What's wrong?" The busty girl asks.
"...I still don't understand why you ended up here, but I'm glad you're taking things seriously." The blonde says.
"Hifumi..." Hanako says, a bit ashamed of herself.
"I'm going to keep pushing until you recover the scores you had before. I promise." Hifumi says, resolute.
"I see. I'm sorry I had you so concerned." Hanako apologizes.
"Oh, right." Hifumi says. "I'll be right back!" She says, running off.
"Oh? Where is she going?" Hanako asks.
"Dunno." Koharu says, confused.
Hang on, is she getting...
My theory is confirmed when she returns with a big bag, before opening it and allowing those Momo Friends plushies to fall out as she announces. "Well, now it's time for the promised Momo Friends merchandise giveaway!"
"At last!" Azusa says, happily, Hanako smiling at her awkwardly.
Koharu makes a face of disgust at the plushes again.
"Since everyone passed, you all have a chance to pick!" The blonde announces. "Take whichever one you want!"
As expected, Azusa is the only one excited by this. "Whichever one... I want...?"
"I'll pass, but thanks." Hanako lets her down.
"Same." Koharu mirrors, still glaring.
Hifumi hums sadly at their dismissal.
Azusa, however, seems like she's in the middle of a life or death decision. "Which one should I pick? I... I can't! Picking only one is impossible! The black one with horns looks good, but so does the glasses wearing hippo!"
"I told you, Peroro is a bird, not a hippo..." The blonde girl weakly protests.
"I can't choose just one. What should I do?" Azusa asks, torn. "I-I'm sorry, Hifumi. Could I ask you to pick for me?"
That shows just how serious this is for her. Azusa stuttered. Stuttered. I don't think I've seen her this indecisive.
"M-Me?" Hifumi asks, taken aback. "Hmm. You really said you like Skullman and Professor Peroro... Then..." She picks up... "Let's go with this scholarly Professor Peroro!"
"Fine! I'll go with this one!" Azusa declares, taking it from Hifumi's hands and staring at it for a long while.
"Professor Peroro is known for being knowledgeable and studying hard." The die-hard Peroro fan explains. "I picked this one because it suits how much you've learned and how hard you're hitting the books."
"I see. Like an intelligent professor." The silverette says, not looking away from the plush.
"N-Never mind that the backstory is that Peroro studied so hard that he went a little cuckoo. That part doesn't matter..." Hifumi adds, quietly.
Azusa doesn't respond, she just hugs the plush as tight as she can, a massive, bright, and infectious smile on her face. Even Hanako and Koharu are smiling at the sight.
"You seem to like him, huh, Azusa?" I ask with a knowing smile.
"Yes. I really do!" Azusa says, squeezing it even tighter in joy as she lets out a small giggle. "Thank you, Hifumi. I'll treasure it forever."
"I appreciate it, but you don't have to thank me. You're the one who earned it." Hifumi deflects.
"Maybe so... but this is the first gift I've ever received from a friend." The transfer student admits. "I shall think of you every time I gaze upon this hippo!"
"Bwahahahaha!" I laugh, boisterously, leaning back in my chair as I'm unable to stop myself after that declaration of hers.
"Th-That's a little embarrassing." Hifumi says with a faint blush. "And I told you- He's a bird, not a hippo!"
"Oh, c'mon. Let the girl enjoy the hippo." I joke, ceasing my laughter, earning a pout form the blonde girl.
"Who would have guessed that they have so much in common?" Hanako asks.
"It's a bit creepy..." Koharu admits, glaring half-heartedly, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Afterwards, the quartet continued to study, their morale higher than before. Though Azusa's morale was higher than any thought possible. Even I can't help but admit I was happy for the Arius girl.
The rest of the day passed calmly and quietly. No storms, power outages, or fish stealers today.
—————
"Tomorrow's the big day." Hifumi announced the next morning at breakfast, much to Koharu's chagrin, the pinkette letting out a whine.
"The second exam." Azusa nods.
"Is it that time already? The days are flying by." Hanako realizes.
"Time passes when you're having fun. Even more so with friends." I muse, popping a bite of egg into my mouth.
"I know it's been a short week, but I'm sure all the hard work we've been putting it will pay off." Hifumi says, ever the optimist. "Passing the last mock exam proved it! We're more than ready! So don't let up! Let's study as hard as we can today!"
"Naturally. I won't be satisfied until I score a one-hundred." Azusa declares calmly.
"M-Me too!" Koharu seconds.
"I guess I'll just have to do the same." Hanako says calmly.
"I don't know about getting a perfect score, but I'm sure we can all do this." Hifumi says, confident. "So let's hit the books! One more day to go!"
Unfortunately, the morning's good mood was crushed just as the girls began to study.
I got a text, requesting a meeting.
With Nagisa.
...Joy.
—————
"I've been waiting for you. It's been a while, Sensei." Nagisa greets.
'Not long enough.' I think to myself.
"How have you been? Is boot camp going smoothly? Anything troubling you?" She continues, unabated by my annoyed glare.
"What do you want now?" I groan out.
Nagisa's eye twitches. "...You know, I organized the boot camp to give you an opportunity to observe the students more closely. Was it fruitful? Have you learned anything?"
"Oh, I learned lots." I smile. "Azusa likes Momo Friends stuff as much as Hifumi, Hanako likes to tease people but is a sweetheart deep down, Koharu's much the same way despite her boasting, and Hifumi-"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Nagisa shouts, waving her hands frantically, before sighing. "I meant to ask, do you have a leading suspect?"
"...I seem to remember telling you that I'd handle things my way." I narrow my eyes and cross my arms.
"I recall." She says without missing a beat. "I simply wanted to check in with you now that the second exam is upon us. That's why I asked you here." She pauses to take a sip of tea. "As I understand it, you've had contact with Mika recently as well..."
"What, are you gonna ask me to spy on her next?" I ask, sarcastic.
"Nothing like that. I simply wanted to know what she said." Nagisa denies.
"She confided in me that she was worried about how paranoid her friend was getting." I say, earning a shocked look from the brunette, but only for a short moment.
"I see..." She says, a bit shaken.
I sigh. "Look, I ain't gonna waste my time being paranoid, Nagisa." Said girl looks at me confused. "I just want those four to pass. Your little contract never mentioned a clause about finding a traitor, after all."
"Perhaps I should make clear why I chose each of those girls." She says, furrowing her brow at my words. "Though I'm sure you've already been told some version of this..."
"No, actually. I'm pretty sure I figured it out on my own." I retort.
"Here's the truth, then." Nagisa says. "First, Koharu was selected to monitor Hasumi. Hasumi hates Gehenna more than anyone. She's a ticking time bomb, and no one knows what she might do. Hanako was an outstanding student who began tanking her grades for unknown reasons. Suspicious. Azusa is shady in her own right. She has a growing rap sheet full of armed conflict with other students."
"Oh, don't give me that." I snap. "I've lost count of the sheer number of firefights I've seen here in this city. Armed conflict, so long as there's a reason for it, is no reason to be suspicious."
Nagisa narrows her eyes at me further. "As for Hifumi..."
"Oh? I was under the impression you thought highly of her?" I ask.
"You're right... I did. Compassion like hers is rare." She says, a bit apologetic. "I've always been very fond of Hifumi, that much is true... but, we have intelligence that links her with a terrifying criminal organization."
Okay, seriously, how did they find out about the Swimsuit Gang? Unless... they didn't and it's something else...
"That's what I fear most: being blinded by trusting someone too dearly. It's a fatal flaw." She continues. "Even the most meticulously built tower can collapse from a single fault. How well do I truly know Hifumi? Is there another side to her that I've never seen? I don't know the answer..."
I pause, momentarily unable to refute her, remembering my 'friend'.
"Then you just have to have faith in her."
"What?" She asks, blinking.
"How can you call yourselves friends if you don't have faith in one another? How do you know this isn't just some misunderstanding?" I ask.
"And how do you know that's the case? Are you willing to vouch for her?" She argues. "Can you prove Hifumi's innocence? That she's always been sincere? Your claims mean nothing without concrete proof. It's impossible to prove the sincerity of another person's heart."
Something snaps in me with those words. Without realizing it, I slam both of my hands on the long table, causing Nagisa to jump in fright.
"Hypocrite." I growl out. "Here you are, trying to get me to spy on everyone in this fucking school, thinking they're all out to mess with your plans and you scoff at my faith in Hifumi, claiming I have 'no concrete proof'? Well, where's yours?"
"Wh-What...?" She asks, taken aback.
"Azusa's been getting into fights, have you asked her why? Hifumi's linked with some criminals and you don't even have the stomach to ask your so-called 'friend' if that's the truth, placing more trust in your intelligencers than your own fucking friend." I growl. "Hanako's been tanking her grades intentionally, have you asked her why? Has anyone, or have they just told her to get better and threatened her with explusion or being held back a year? Hasumi hates Gehenna, you said? Have you asked her why? Because I have."
"You... have?" Nagisa blinks, her mind still catching up with my rant.
"Yeah. She's sensitive about her weight and Chair Makoto called her fat." I deadpan, causing Nagisa to widen her eyes and slightly gape her mouth in shock. "But you would've known that if you'd ASKED HER in the first place."
I lean closer to her.
"Now answer me this honestly, Nagisa: Why should I listen to you if you have no concrete proof of anything you've accused others of?"
Her brain has clearly stopped working.
"At this point, I trust those four more than I trust you. Hell, I trust Mika more than I trust you, and I've talked with her less than I have with you!" I shout, exasperated. "All you've done thus far is tell me one crackpot, paranoia-filled theory about your peers and friends after the other without ANY proof. You can't prove the sincerity of their hearts? How can you prove to me the sincerity of yours?"
Nagisa looks down, deep in thought, her mind clearly racing a million miles an hour.
"It's true that you can never see what's in another person's heart, but the only thing you can do is have faith in them." I say, softly but sternly. "We may all be strangers, but we don't have to stay that way." I move away from the table. "So get a grip on your paranoia, and stop being such a cynical skeptic."
"H-Huh...? Me? Cynical...?" She asks, quietly.
"Yes. You've locked yourself and your heart away from others, only seeing and believing what you want to." I chastise. "So stop it with the fucking conspiracies, Nagisa. I'm gonna make those four pass, and in doing so, prove they ain't traitors. But I'm not just going to sit here and listen to your crazed theories while you admonish me."
"...Very well." Nagisa says, recomposing herself, plastering a fake smile on her face. "This... simplifies things. The best of luck to you, Sensei. I'll just have to take matters into my own hands."
My eyes narrow, before I turn around and leave, but not before hearing one more thing from her.
"But... you've certainly given me a lot to think about."
—————
"I think we did exactly what we set out to do today!" Hifumi announces as the sun disappears over the city horizon. "Now we're all ready for the second exam tomorrow. We've been at boot camp for a week now, and I know we have what it takes to pass with flying colors."
Azusa nods in agreement.
"Yup!" Hanako agrees.
"Of course!" As does Koharu.
"I know you four can do it." I agree, serious.
"And once we do, we'll all officially graduate from the Make Up Work Club." Hifumi continues, a twinge of sadness in her voice. "Let's not let all of that studying go to waste! We're going to end our time together on a high note!"
"I hadn't thought about it, but you're right." The silverette says, downcast. "We'll all have to go our separate ways once we pass."
"Wh-Why are you getting so sentimental all of a sudden?!" The tiny pinkette exclaims.
"We've had a lot of fun together. Are you sad to see it end, Azusa?" The busty pinkette asks.
"No. All things come to an end eventually. For every beginning, there is an end." Azusa says, still downcast.
"You don't have to make it sound so definite. It isn't at though any one of us are truly going anywhere even once the club dissolves." Hanako reminds the transfer student. "We'll still be Trinity students, so we can spend time together whenever we want."
"Y-Yeah!" Koharu adds. "You can visit me at the Justice Task Force club room any time."
"Oh." Azusa smiles at their words.
"It's not like we're living the end of a teen drama and we're never going to see each other again." Hifumi reminds them, a slight chuckle in her voice. "And we can worry about hanging out again after we've passed our exams. Anyway, why don't we turn in early tonight so that we're rested for tomorrow?" She suggests.
"Where's the exam going to be held anyway? At the academy's main building?" The tiny girl asks.
"Oh, right. I haven't read the announcement yet." The blonde realizes as she takes out her phone, covered in a Peroro case. "Let's see. It should be on the academy's notice board..." As she scrolls and reads, her face slowly turns to one of shock and horror. "Huh...? Wh-What?!"
"Is something wrong?" Hanako asks, worried.
"Wh-What's going on?!" Hifumi shouts, aghast.
"Hifumi. What's going on?" I ask, sternly, getting up from my desk and walking over to the girls.
"Let me see..." Hanako says, taking the phone from the blonde who's all but trembling. "Notice of changes made to the second Make Up Work Club Evaluation Exam. The scope of the exam will be roughly triple that of the first exam."
"What?! Why?!" Koharu shouts.
But Hanako continues, a grave expression on her face. "Additionally, the minimum score needed to receive a passing grade has been raised from a sixty to a ninety."
My fists clench... Fucking Nagisa...
No. I shouldn't have egged her on like that. It's my fault, ain't it...?
"E-Even I've never scored that high before..." Hifumi says, genuinely afraid.
"What the heck is going on?!" The tiny girl shouts.
"It looks like this was posted late last night." Hifumi explains. Last night? But Nagisa and I talked this morning...
That bitch. She had this planned already.
"Why would they make so many changes the day before the exam?" Hifumi asks, confused.
"You already know who it was." I say, gravely.
"Most likely." The busty girl nods, gravely. "Nagisa must have learned how well we did on our recent mock exam somehow. This is her sending a message. She's going to find grounds to expel us, no matter the cost."
"Expel?" Azusa asks, trying her best to remain calm, but I see fear in her eyes.
"What's this about being expelled?! What are you talking about?!" Koharu cries, tears in her eyes.
I sigh. "I'll explain-"
"We'll have to do that later, Sensei." Hanako interrupts. "There's still more to the notice."
"It also says the test location has been moved. The new location is... 'Gehenna district, Zone fifteen-seventy seven. Abandoned building, first floor.' Gehenna district...?" Hifumi asks. "Why are we taking the exam in GEHENNA?!"
"I thought she was all serious about the Eden Treaty? Has she just forgotten about the damned thing all of a sudden?" I growl, surprising Koharu.
"That can't be right! Why would a Trinity club be sent there?!" Koharu asks.
"And I can only assume we'll be failed automatically if we don't comply." Hanako adds.
"A-And we're going to be expelled if that happens?! This is the first anyone's told me!" The tiny girl cries.
Azusa looks away, guilt in her eyes.
"I TOLD that idiot to get a grip." I say, rubbing my forehead. "She's going totally whacko with paranoia."
"Paranoia...?" Koharu asks, quietly.
"Look, Nagisa set this shit up due to her being super paranoid." I explain. "If anyone fails the third exam, all of you get expelled."
Azusa stiffens.
"We'll be expelled if we fail all three...?" Koharu asks, quietly.
"I won't let that happen." The silverette says, resolute.
"Nor will I." I promise.
"I'm sorry we didn't tell you the truth sooner. I never thought things would become this dire..." The blonde apologizes.
"B-But I'll never be able to return to the Justice Task Force if I'm expelled!" Koharu cries, tearing up at the mere prospect.
"I'm so sorry, Koharu." Hanako apologizes.
"Thank you for clarifying. I think we should get moving." Azusa says.
"Wh-Where? Why now?" Hifumi asks.
"The exam time has been changed. It's taking place at three AM. We'll have to leave now if we hope to make it in time." Azusa explains, eliciting fear in the other three.
"It's at three in the MORNING?! Really?!" Hifumi cries, looking at her phone to be sure.
"There's no time to be shocked or angry. We can save it for after the exam." Azusa responds, calmly. "Complaining about the obstacles they've placed in our way won't accomplish anything. I still intend to fight until I can't fight anymore."
I look up from my phone at Azusa for a moment. "Good answer, Azusa." I say, grinning. Her purple eyes widen a bit from my praise.
"She's right. We can't simply give up." Hanako nods, before smiling. "Think of it as another fun midnight stroll! I've never ventured all the way to Gehenna just to take an exam."
"Have you two lost your minds? This is getting way too weird!" The former JTF member says.
"Let's depart immediately. Make sure to bring your weapons." Azusa orders.
"Are we going there to fight? I thought we were going to take the exam!" Hifumi cries.
"Gehenna's district is known to be much more dangerous than Trinity's, and the Prefect Team undoubtedly has its hands full preparing for the treaty." Hanako reasons.
"You have to be kidding... Why has it come to this?" Hifumi bemoans.
"Please give the order, Sensei." Azusa says, ever the militaristic one.
I smile. "Gear up everyone, we're going on a trip!"
—————
A few minutes later, the girls meet me outside of the annex.
"Hm? Shouldn't we get going?" Hanako asks.
"Yeah, are we going to walk all the way there?" Hifumi asks.
"Nah. Give it a minute." I say.
"Give what a-"
Koharu's question is interrupted by the sound of a car, or rather a truck. Sure enough, my truck comes winding around the corner before stopping in front of us.
"THIS is our ride." I explain.
"Wh-H-How did it get here?!" Koharu cries, afraid. "There's no one inside!"
"Got a friend to remote control it here." I explain, vaguely. I definitely owe Arona one for this. "C'mon, get in."
"Goodness, you really are full of surprises, Sensei." Hanako says, teasingly.
"Haha! You know it!" I laugh. As all four girls get inside and strap in their seatbelts, I grip the wheel and grin. "Now, hold onto somethin'."
The next sounds in the area are the roar of an engine, the peeling of tires on asphalt, and the screams of a few girls from being within a vehicle moving incredibly fast.
—————
We make it to Gehenna in no time. It's late, so there was no traffic.
I asked Arona to give me a heads up on any guards patrolling the district so we can avoid them. Thanks to that, we arrived at the building in record time.
"And we're here." I chirp. "Everyone okay?"
"All fine here!" Hanako says, smiling, Azusa- in the back- nodding in agreement.
Hifumi and Koharu- also in the back- are gripping anything they can for dear life.
"I thought I was done for." Koharu says, shakily.
"Y-Yeah..." Hifumi blankly agrees.
"Oh, please, it wasn't that bad." I tease. "We were only goin' two hundred kilos an hour."
"THAT'S how fast we were going?!" The tiny girl shouts.
"Only some of the time." I smile. "Up and at 'em, now! We still have a bit before three AM, so lets all calm down and get ready."
"Right." Azusa nods.
Everyone steps out of the truck and looks at the building. It's run down and covered in graffiti, much like most of this area.
"This is the testing site?" Koharu asks.
"Yeah. First floor of an abandoned building in Gehenna district, Zone fifteen-seventy seven." Hanako confirms.
"How are we supposed to take an exam in a place like this? And who's going to administer it?" Hifumi asks.
Azusa and I open the door, peering inside.
"I don't hear anyone in here." I say.
"Nor do I. They must have left something for us." The silverette says, moving inside cautiously.
The four of us move inside and come across what looks like a horrid excuse for a classroom. On the table is an artillery shell. "What's this doing here?" I ask.
Azusa picks it up and observes every angle. "It's the warhead of an L118 towed artillery- typically used for demonstration and propaganda. The detonator has been removed."
"The L118 belongs to the Tea Party. Which means this was sent by Nagisa." The busty girl realizes.
"Check inside." I suggest.
Carefully opening the shell, a few papers come out and fall onto the desk. I pick them up. "Yup. Exams. Still perfectly intact."
But something else falls out. "There's also a small portable communicator here." Azusa says, pressing a button.
Everyone jolts at seeing a hologram of Nagisa appear from the device. "So you've managed to arrive in one piece."
"N-Nagisa?!" Hifumi cries.
"That's the girl you've been talking about?" Koharu asks as Hanako narrows her eyes.
"My, my. I can hear such resentment in your voices... Just kidding. This is a recording, so shouting at me will get you nowhere." The holo-Nagisa says.
"What a fucking jokester." I groan.
"You have until the deadline to complete your exams, and then you can return." The recording explains. "Don't forget: I'll have my eye on you in the meantime. Best of luck to you, Make Up Work Club. Do be careful"
With a beep, the recording ends.
"U-Ugh..." Hifumi groans.
"What was that last comment supposed to mean?" Hanako asks.
"Nothing good." I say, dropping the device onto the floor and smashing it under my foot.
"We don't have much time. Let's begin." The silverette says.
"Y-You're right! The second evaluation exam begins NOW!" The blonde declares.
"Then sit down and get ready." I announce.
"Understood." The taller pinkette says.
"R-Roger!" The shorter pinkette adds.
After a moment, I hand them their papers. "Then, good luck, everyone. Begin!"
As they get to work, I sit down and whisper to Arona. "Keep that shield you mentioned activated."
"Got it!" The tiny AI chirps, quietly.
Arona mentioned that the Shittim Chest can protect me with a sort-of 'force field', though I never needed it much, if at all. Nagisa's last comment worried me, though, so I'm making sure that shit is ON. When this mess started, I told Arona to only let it block more damaging things, seeing as how I can handle small arms fire and the like with ease.
My ears perk up a minute later, hearing someone outside speaking. Probably just some-
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
An explosion stops all train of thought.
—————
As the dust settles, the four girls pop out from the rubble of the building.
"Everyone okay?" Hifumi asks.
"I live." I groan, the air having been knocked out of my lungs.
"Roger." Azusa reports.
"I'm fine." Hanako says, serious.
"Our exam papers!" Koharu cries.
"They're gone. Without a trace..." Azusa says, sadly.
"So this was her insurance policy. She really will stop at nothing!" Hanako, of all people, growls.
"Huh? There were people inside?" A voice asks.
"Wasn't this place supposed to be abandoned?" Another asks.
As the dust continues to settle, we all see a few girls wearing red and white construction gear.
"And what, exactly, is the Hot Springs Development Department doing here?" I ask, calmly.
"H-Huh?" One asks, taken aback. "W-Well, we got an anonymous tip that there was a hot springs here, and-"
"And you decided the best way to go about finding one was blowing up the building?" I narrow my eyes.
"Yup!" One chirps.
"Without checking if anyone was inside?" I ask, dangerously.
"Y-Yup!" The same one chirps, less sure of herself.
I let out a long sigh. "I see. I think it's time." I say, calmly.
"T-Time for what?" Hifumi asks, nervously.
"Time to vent. This whole situation has been one stressful piece of shit after the other, and I need to vent." I say, eerily calm. I quickly pull out the Shittim Chest and hold it out to Hanako. "Keep this safe for me."
"Okay, Sensei." Hanako blinks, taking the tablet from me.
"Wait, Sensei? Does that mean you're-?"
But the Gehenna girl's question is interrupted by me grabbing a broken pipe and springing up from the rubble. "GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!"
"""AAAH!""" The Hot Springs girls scream, scrambling to their feet.
—————
The four girls can only blink as both their Sensei and the Gehenna students run away down the street in front of them..
"Did he seriously just...?" Koharu asks, dumbfounded.
"Looks like it." Hifumi says with a sigh.
"I've never seen Sensei like this." The four girls jolt from Arona appearing on the screen and speaking. "Then again, he reeealy hates politics, so this has probably been really exhausting for him."
"Ara? Who are you?" Hanako asks.
"She's cute." Koharu mutters.
"I'm Arona, the OS of Sensei's tablet. It's nice to meet all of you in person." The tiny girl greets.
"The OS? Does that mean that you're an AI?" Hifumi asks.
"Yup!" Arona chirps. "You can think of me as Sensei's trusty secretary!"
"You were the one who drove the truck here." Azusa realizes.
"Correct." Arona nods. "I also protected Sensei from that explosion."
"Protected? This little tablet can do that?" The tiny pinkette asks.
"Nope, but I can do that." Arona says, pridefully. "And it's a good thing, too. It would've been bad if I couldn't."
"Why would that be?" Azusa asks.
"Did you forget that Sensei doesn't have a halo?" Arona's question stops the four girls in their tracks. "Sensei is really strong and tough, but he's still a normal, halo-less human. The explosion just now, plus the rubble falling down? It would've put him in a bad state if it wasn't for me." She says, a bit sadly.
"Sensei was right, Nagisa really is blinded by paranoia." Hanako growls at that harrowing realization. "She definitely doesn't know of Arona's abilities, so she almost got Sensei killed here."
"K-Killed?!" Koharu shouts, wide eyed in fright- same as Hifumi, who gasps. Azusa narrows her eyes.
Suddenly, the Hot Springs girls run back in front of the building. "Oh, crap! We're back here already!"
The roar of a motorcycle is heard down the street in front of the rubble. Sure enough, there's the aforementioned human male on a motorcycle, driving it with one hand, dragging that same metal pipe against the asphalt.
"RUN!" "HE'S COMING!" The Gehenna girls shout, scrambling to run away.
As their Sensei turns to the left in front of them, he leans the motorcycle low, almost touching the ground as he shouts, "I'M GONNA CRUCIFY YOU FAILED ABORTIONS!", sparks flying on the ground from the metal pipe in his hands scraping against the asphalt.
The four girls can only blink owlishly at the sight.
Arona just sighs and shakes her head. "Honestly, Sensei..." But she isn't able to hide the smile on her face.
—————
Afterwards, the four girls got into the truck, along with the motorcycle I pilfered from someone. That's right, it's mine now. I'm too tired to care whose it is. Thankfully, I feel much better after giving those girls a stern punishment (read: after venting my frustrations caused by this whole fucking mess with Nagisa).
The Make Up Work girls continued to chat with Arona, until I got them to hand me the Shittim Chest back and reminded Arona of her body, which she happily materialized in the truck.
We returned to Trinity as the sky began to brighten up just barely, the four girls having stayed awake the whole time chatting with Arona, which brought a smile to my face.
However, once we returned to the classroom...
"I can't take this anymore!" Koharu shouts, as Arona sits at one of the desks, her arms under her head on the desk as she watches us. "What are we supposed to do?!"
"The whole reason we're here is to avoid being expelled." Hifumi says. "And if we don't put our heads together and figure something out, then we'll all be expelled by this time next week."
"I think this needs something more than a cliche like 'put our heads together' to solve. What if we thought outside of the box instead?" Hanako suggests. "Like... 'Let's put our bodies together'! How does that sound?"
Azusa blinks in confusion.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, you perv, or I'll blow it off your shoulders!" Koharu cries, red faced.
"I'm not sure what you were imagining just now, but I could always demonstrate it for you instead." Hanako teases, moving closer to Koharu, who takes a fearful step back. "Why don't you come a little closer?"
"H-Hey!" The tiny girl cries as Hanako closes in on her. "P-Personal space! Stranger danger!"
"Here I come!" Hanako says happily before glooming Koharu in a big hug, squishing the tiny girl's face against her large chest.
"No, let me go!" Koharu cries, squirming to get away. "Save me, Sensei! Save meeeeee! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Just let me go already! This isn't how I want my first time to be!"
"You two..." I sigh, shaking my head.
"Lewd..." Arona says, deadpan. "Both of them..."
"Fascinating." Azusa observes. "I've never seen such effective CQC techniques. I'll remember this for later. However, I would suggest targeting and snapping her key joints first. You made too many unnecessary moves with your hands."
"Please never use this technique, Azusa. Please." I plead, groaning.
"Sensei. About Nagisa..." Hifumi pipes up.
I let out a tired sigh. "I'll do what I can."
"Thank you." The blonde says, a sad smile on her face. "We're... We're all going to be expelled at this rate..."
—————
The rest of the day flew by. I couldn't get in contact with either Nagisa or Mika, to my growing suspicion. Arona and the girls spent the rest of the day together, chatting about this and that. I was happy to see Arona so overjoyed at making new friends, and they got along almost immediately.
I'd bet that girl can make friends with anyone.
"Home sweet home." Hanako says, entering their bedroom.
"We thought our time here had come to an end, yet here we are still." Azusa ponders. "Life can be very unpredictable."
"Stop being so wishy-washy! We need to come up with a plan!" Koharu cries. "A top-ranking Tea Party member is gunning for us in case you forgot. We're screwed at this rate!"
"And freaking out about it won't make it any easier. Chill out, Koharu." I chide, lightly.
"Our third and last exam is in a week, so we still have one last chance." Hifumi says, optimistic.
"Yes, but we know how far she's willing to stoop to prevent from even taking it. Our odds aren't looking good." The busty girl says, worried.
"I-I still can't believe she had the testing site blown up..." Hifumi says, still a bit shaken.
Arona looks at the blonde with sadness and pats her on the back. Hifumi smiles at the tiny AI.
"Why is this happening in the first place?!" The tiny pinkette cries. "What made her so hellbent to expel US?!"
"Because she thinks one of you is a traitor." Azusa and Koharu still at my words. "She thinks one of you is out to mess with the Treaty. Her paranoia is taking her over, but... it's worse than I thought it was."
"Betray Trinity?! That doesn't even make any sense!" Koharu shouts, before her loud voice begins to crack and her eyes tear up. "I'll... I'll never be able to return to the Justice Task Force at this rate..."
"Koharu..." Arona says, sadly.
Azusa averts her gaze, guilt clear in those eyes of hers.
"She's going crazy but..." I pause, sighing. "I shouldn't have egged her on when we met yesterday."
"You we're sticking up for us. There's nothing to apologize for." Hanako says, sternly. "Besides, those changes were made before your meeting." She pauses, smiling "I wouldn't have been as nice to that witch if I were in your shoes."
Arona and I let out a small bark of laughter. Azusa still averts her gaze.
"Believe me, my knee-jerk reaction after the building blew up was the be pissed at Nagisa. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind as soon as we got back, but..." I pause. "I realized something. She ain't worried about a traitor messing up the Treaty... She's afraid that whoever attacked Seia is after her now."
Hifumi and Hanako blink in surprise as the guilt in Azusa's eyes becomes ever more apparent.
"Before, I thought about what her thought process was in making this club. Only thing I could think of was that she figured whoever attacked Seia had to take time to plan such an attack- time that could be better spent studying. So, that person's grades dropped because of it." I explain. "I thought that she believed that whoever attacked her friend was after the Treaty next, but... Nagisa's just afraid that she'll be attacked next."
I would've said 'killed', but these four don't need to know that.
"That is very likely." Hanako says, downcast.
"Let's not forget we're going to have to raise our scores to nearly perfect within a week." Hifumi says, downcast as well.
"That's on top of any other underhanded tricks she might pull to stop us." Hanako says, unhopeful.
"If you four were able to bring you me grades up this high in this short of a time, then I know you can get them that high!" Arona chirps, ever the optimist, earning a small smile from the four girls, even the lightly sobbing Koharu.
"Then it's hopeless." Koharu says, tears coming from her eyes. "I worked so hard just to score a sixty-one. How am I supposed to get my grade higher? I worked as hard as I can already. I'm too dumb for this stuff. I can't..."
"Koharu." I say, bending down to the girl to look at her from almost eye level. "You can do it the exact same way you've gotten this far: Together, with all of us. We'll be here for you all the way, Koharu. So don't be so hard on yourself." As I say that, I swiftly pull a handkerchief from the Shittim Chest, using it to wipe her wetted eyes.
"I think we should get some rest for now." Hifumi says, sounding like she's been up for days. "There must be something we can do. I'm sure of it. Sensei, Arona and I will try to think of something."
"Tomorrow." I add, standing up.
"B-But-
"Tomorrow." I repeat, more sternly.
"Tomorrow." The blonde says, relenting.
"I'll help think of a solution too. I can handle it, even while helping Koharu study." Hanako says. "Like you said, we should all get some rest for now though."
"I guess so. Let's head to bed." Hifumi says.
"Okay. Good night, everyone." Hanako chirps.
"Night, y'all." I say. "C'mon, Arona."
"Coming!" The tiny girl chirps, following me as I leave the girls' room and close the door. Arona and I walk back down the hall to my- our room.
"This is a real pickle, huh, Sensei?" The tiny AI asks.
"Yeah." I say, tired, before looking down at Arona and smiling. "But I know we'll pull through."
"Definitely!" Arona says, happily.
"But for now, let's get some rest too."
Six days until exam number three...
—————
Later that night, Azusa gets dressed and leaves the room, not seeing Hanako awake as well, sporting a concerned look.
—————
And so, in spite of everything, the girls continued to study, this time with an extra helper in the form of Arona- who happily cheered them on.
The four girls woke up the next morning, well rested, and then studied hard for the rest of the day. Azusa began bringing that Professor Peroro plushie wherever she went.
The next day, the four girls took another prep exam. Hifumi got a seventy-nine, which she was surprised about at first, but that washed away near-instantly knowing that it was still a failing grade for the third exam. Azusa surprised everyone by getting an eighty-two, beating Hifumi, who had been scoring the highest thus far. Koharu brought her score up to seventy-nine.
Hanako got a one-hundred, much to the shock of the other three. She just waved them off, saying she got lucky. I'm just glad she really is giving her all.
Day turned to night, over and over again, yet the girls did not relent.
They took another prep exam, all four of them passing with Hifumi scoring a ninety-three, Azusa a ninety-four, Koharu a ninety, and Hanako a one-hundred. I went out and got the girls some ice cream as a reward.
Arona ate thrice the amount as anyone else.
Day turned to night again and again.
They took another practice exam, which brought the girls' spirits down, as Azusa and Hanako were the only to pass- scoring a ninety-one and a one-hundred. Hifumi and Koharu scored an eighty-nine and an eighty-three, much to the latter's chagrin- who nearly began to cry, but stopped herself.
And so, it was that there was but one day remaining until the third exam.
But none of us knew that this week, despite being filled with nothing but hard work from the girls...
...was nothing more than a calm before the storm.
—————
AN
That's right, I skipped the chase scene before the second exam. Didn't expect that, didja?
In other news, it's been one year since we posted the first chapter of this story. That's why I didn't post this over the weekend, I wanted to save it for today- August 16, one year after the first chapter was published.
Thank you all for being so supportive of this story. I hope all of you will continue to enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing this, maybe even more so!
For those of you who've been around for a year: thank you. For those of you who've been around less than a year: thank you. To those of you who've so much a given this story a look: thank you. To those of you reading this in the future: thank you.
Here's to another year of this story and another year of the great game that is Blue Archive!
Also, I began a Fate/Kaleid story, so if you like cunny go and check it out.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!