This chapter was really fun to write, so I hope you'll have fun reading it! And, without further ado, Happy New Years, everyone!☆
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You raced up the stairs, sprinting through the different divisions to get to your destination. 'Fuck the elevators! They were taking too long!' Running like the wind, the sound of your sneakers skidding against the marble floor had echoed in the air. You paid no mind to the curious eyes, and continued to race through time.
Finally, you were now in front of her personal laboratory. You snuck a peek from behind the windows, and luckily she was inside working on an arsenal of CHARMS and its spells. You set foot in the science room, and the [H/C]-haired Lily greeted you with a smile. "Oh, hey, [Y/N]! I'm glad you're awake! I actually wanted to-"
[F/N] began, but you couldn't wait any longer and interrupted her. "How long?" She was silenced by your grim expression. The flicker of a frown passed across her face. "What do you mean? [Y/N], what are you-" Again, you intervened and said brusquely, "Cut to the chase — how long have you been working for G.E.H.E.N.A? How long were you going to hide this from me, and then betray me to the likes of them? Huh!?"
"Wait what? No! You got it all wrong; I would never let them get to you! Just please listen to me!" She crossed the lab in a couple of strides, wending her way towards you. "I should've been honest with you, I know that. But, please let me explain."
You growled at her, "I trusted you! I loved you like family! And, you're fucking lucky that I still harbor those feelings or you would've been dead already!" You thrust a finger at her direction, snarling. "Our government is corrupted by G.E.H.E.N.A, confirming the part that we have traitors amongst us! This includes you, and who else!?"
A flicker of flames caught your eyes, and you let them drift towards the burners. [F/N] followed your line of sight, and ushered you inside. At first, you glared with defiance, but reluctantly agreed to come inside. You sat near the working burners, putting some distance between the two of you. She took note of the hint and remained standing in front of you, reclining herself against the regular, monotonous walls.
Not wasting any more time, [F/N] starts to tell, "I'm not sure how you found out, but it doesn't matter anymore... I should've told you everything from the very beginning. You deserved to know it all; everything revolving you, your parents, G.E.H.E.N.A, and corruption in our government... I'm really sorry,"
She let out a long sigh of disheartenment, hinting at her own deep despondency. "Yes, I did work for G.E.H.E.N.A, but not anymore. I completely shut them down once I transferred to Yurigaoka. No one, not even G.E.H.E.N.A, can target anyone here at Yurigaoka, but we still need to keep an eye out for them. They've done horrific things to every single Lily they could get their hands on..." [F/N] rolls up her sleeve, revealing an array of scars and burn marks that had been inflicted on her. "That girl and her goons did so many things to us that were beyond the pale..."
"They fucking killed my parents, and you're now recognizing it!? On top of that, you still worked with and for them?!" She didn't dare meet your eye, not wanting to add more fuel to the fire. "I'm truly sorry, but I didn't know what else to do... If I didn't obey their orders, then they would've killed my family at the time! Please understand that..!"
This was the very first time you're hearing [F/N] speak of her family. Throughout the years of becoming friends and being together, she'd never mention or bring about her family — you know nothing of her background, but she knew all about yours.
The thought of your first friend working side by side with G.E.H.E.N.A filled you with abhorrence, but this new retrieval of information brought your feelings to a standstill. You wanted to know what had happened and decided to take the risk of asking her, "What... happened to your family?"
The question was enough to emphasize her frightful eyes and doleful countenance. In a quavering voice, she spoke hesitantly, "They're all... gone. Do you perhaps know what the word 'Gehenna' means?" You shook your head, and the latter began to explain, "In Hebrew, it's translated as 'the Valley of Hinnom'. In that valley, children and people were burned as sacrifices to the Gods... And, that's exactly what she did to my family because I wasn't following her rules."
You lift an eyebrow, noticing the great emphasis on she and her. Who was [F/N] talking about? "[F/N], I'm really sorry, I had no idea that G.E.H.E.N.A did that to your family..." She shook her head in a frantic manner. "It was just her... Not G.E.H.E.N.A, but their daughter! Pl-Please, I don't want to talk about her..!" She begged urgently, her eyes were wide with dread and horror.
You've never seen this ghastly spectacle of hers — it was unnerving and heartbreaking for you to see her like this. And, you made the choice to put an end to her haunting past, apologizing once more, "I'm sorry for bringing them up... That was rude and careless of me; I promise to not do that ever again. But, that doesn't mean this conversation ends here, [F/N]. I still want some answers. What did you do to me during that day we faced that Dornröschen?"
The [E/C]-eyed analyst nodded her head in agreement. "I understand and I will tell you. It's a long story, so better grab yourself a drink or two before we start." You glanced through the glass-front fridge doors, spotting a variety of carbonated beverages. You leapt to your feet and sauntered towards the mini fridge, opening it to retrieve two cans of cola.
As you popped open the cool cans, [F/N] kicked off her story over the effervescence of cola. "I'm not sure where to begin, but I'll disclose what happened during my time with G.E.H.E.N.A... At the time, my family had been too poor to afford anything — telephones, shoes, not even one t-shirt, we couldn't afford any of those. All these years, we lived in abandoned apartment buildings and had to make do with whatever we had on us; we only had clothes and ourselves... We had nowhere and no one to turn to until we met this man that owned the research organization."
"This happened before you came to Japan, right? You were living in the states?" You opened the cabinets, exposing a line of drinking receptacles. You reached for two old-fashioned glasses and poured ice into them. "Y-Yeah... He was on a business trip and found us next to a supermarket. I'm not sure what he saw in us, but he offered us food and a place to stay in Japan. We were stupid and desperate, and we went along with him. My family and I were very grateful for his help; and all of us suggested we pay him back for everything. But," Tilting the two cans at certain angles, its sweet, rich, and fizzy substance cascaded down the glass. You could see its effervescent quality faintly shine in the light of the fire.
"I wish we hadn't proffered that... He said we could pay him back by participating in his organization, and we did. However, none of us knew of its infamous reputation for stooping to human experimentation to achieve its goals... And, onto your previous question about that day: as you can tell they resorted to unethical experimentation and inflicted serious injuries on me, but it somehow and somewhat boosted my abilities. But... my Rare Skill and capabilities are very... unusual for any Lily." You came back with the soft drinks — its beautifully pearled effervescence appeared to be long lasting in the glass. Handing [F/N] a glass, she lightly sipped at the brown sweetener.
You sat back down and took a mouthful of cola. You downed the brown carbonated drink and gently pushed on, "What happened after G.E.H.E.N.A took you in..?" She clasped her glass and chuckled gravely, lightly scratching her nails against the hard, translucent container. "The same thing that happens to everyone that encounters or gets involved with the organization. You get experimented on every single day — from multiple drug injections to burning you alive..."
You afforded a downward view of your ice-cold glass. The corners of your mouth inverted into a down-facing "u" shape, forming a pensive frown on your lips. "We won't talk about that girl, but... what sort of rules did you break that caused her to do that to your family?"
[F/N] turns to you with inscrutable eyes and an impenetrable expression. And the next thing you knew, her words sent a sharp chill down your spine. "From the very first day we became friends, I had to pay the ultimate price and that was my family..."
You dug your nails into the palm of your hands, forming small but bright red crescents on your skin. Yet, that didn't stop you from impaling more force into the first layer of skin. Your voice quavered with gloom and regret as you could only apologize. "I didn't know... I'm so sorry..." You didn't know how to react or what to do in the battleground of morality.
You were confused, dejected, and obviously enraged for your own reasons, and the same goes for your best friend. You couldn't imagine the years of her having to reminisce about their deaths and worse... still being your friend in spite of what occurred in the past.
"No, it's fine. It isn't your fault, but my own..." She averts her gaze from you to the burners. The flames seemed to scintillate with a blue light, allowing its luminous form to enter your eyes and hers. "Back to the whole gist, G.E.H.E.N.A managed to corrupt the central government of Japan. And as of now, you and that new girl are forcing them out into the open."
"What you're saying is: the agency that we once called home is no longer safe for any of us... Yurigaoka is our only source of protection against G.E.H.E.N.A, and... Wait. New girl? Are you talking about Yuri? How is she involved with them!?" The mention of your new friend alerted you to the upcoming dangers. What else did the world have against you..?
"I still keep tabs on G.E.H.E.N.A and their daily reports on everything. Thanks to my hacking skills, I've managed to look into their files! And... you aren't going to like this," With a scowl on your face, you nodded for her to continue. [F/N] sighed, taking a brief look at her desktop. "G.E.H.E.N.A is planning on capturing you and taking Yuri back. They'll demand the government to hand you over, which will force the acting chairman to give you and Yuri up by claiming that you two are related to the Huge. If other government agencies see it that way then-"
"No, I won't let them take Yuri or me! I'll make sure that she stays safe! There is no way she's going back to them, and I'm not going anywhere without a damn fight! They've already taken my parents away from me, and I won't let them take anyone else from my life!" You growled, finding yourself on both feet instinctively. To hell with them all for doing this!
"When I find the location of their organization, I'll rip them to shreds..." You continued to snap, unaware of your glowing blue eyes. The glass in one of your hands began to slightly crack under the applied pressure. Sharing a similar vehement passion, [F/N] gritted her teeth. "As much as I would love to do that to G.E.H.E.N.A, we can't just rush in. We have to control ourselves in the meantime,"
She turned her head towards you, a penitent face now replaced the seething resentment. "I'm really sorry for not telling you any of this... At first, I intended to just leave you alone, but after getting to know you on our first day at the agency; I couldn't possibly let G.E.H.E.N.A or anyone cause any more crippling affliction towards the innocent. I... I knew of your parents; I spoke to them before and they'd always bring you up. They were really nice and caring, yet, I couldn't do anything for them... And, I just want to say I'm truly sorry for what's happened to you and them."
You shook your head and also apologized, "I should be the one that's sorry. I was angry and acted irrationally without the consideration of your feelings and your side of the story," You avoided her [E/C] eyes. "I also want to apologize for what's happened to your family... If you no longer want to be friends with me, then I completely understand..."
Absolute stillness greeted your ears and gaze. You clenched your fists, fighting back tears and accepting the inevitable. A few seconds have passed, and you stood there confusedly. What's taking her so long? Just answer already!
"I won't lie; I hated you at first. Cause of you, my family perished under searing flames. But, I realized that it wasn't your fault. You didn't know what was happening or who pulled the strings. During those times, you were in the same exact position as me. You and I are particularly similar in ways that we wouldn't believe..." [F/N] embraced and spoke to you tenderly. Warmth of an entirely new emotion greeted you both. "Of course I'll stay as your friend..! No... We're always family, right? You're the only family I have left in this world. I'm not afraid of anything if I have you by my side."
You turn to face her, gently smiling at the sight of her crying like the child she was. "Hey, it's okay.. We'll be alright," You brought her closer to you. Lightly combing her [H/C] hair with your fingertips, you whispered, "Cause of you and everyone else, my whole world is so shiny. And, I intend to keep it that way with everyone here at Yurigaoka. That way we can live peacefully amongst ourselves..."
Surrounded with sweetness and sparkling stardust, the two of you remained inside the lab for the rest of the day, yearning for one another to have the feeling of joy like the instant transmission of paradise.
[~A Few Days Later~]
"O-Ow... My back..." You groaned, slumping back into your chair. Who knew sleeping on the damn couch was somewhat unpleasant..? And as much as you love eating lunch, the physical discomfort occurring on your back distracted you from enjoying your meal.
Yuri, who sat beside you during lunch, stared at you with curious eyes. "Are you okay, [Y/N]?" The rest of the Hitotsuyanagi Squad were discussing the arrival date of the upcoming Battle Competition. Not batting an eye at you, they seemed to be engrossed in their conversation.
"Uh, yeah... It's just that my back hurts from sleeping on the couch last night. [F/N] could've at least ordered another futon just in case I slept over!" You muttered weakly, resting an elbow on the table and supporting your face on the palm of your hand.
Not noticing a light bulb going off on top of her head, the lavender-haired Lily stood behind you and gently placed her hands on your shoulders. You spin your head around, alarmed at the slightest touch. "W-What are you doing, Yuri?"
"Is this what they call a massage? Riri told me this would help anyone that's dealing with back pain. Do you... not like it?" She asked you with wide-eyed innocence. No, not the puppy eyes..! A faint blush rose to your cheeks and you slowly bobbed your head. "N-No, I like it... I was just taken aback that's all. Y-You can continue.."
Yuri flashed you her most charming smile and began to rub and knead at your sore muscles. Exerting medium pressure onto your shoulders, you felt highly relaxed and stimulated. With closed eyes, you leaned your head against her chest, letting the shorter Lily have her way with you.
'I could just fall asleep like this... Maybe I shou-'
"Oh, [Y/N]-sama! Where are you?~ We have something to ask of you!~" A sultry voice sent a thrill through you, ultimately disregarding the fatigue and sleepiness. You, Yuri, and the Hitotsuyanagi Squad caught a glimpse of nine figures standing by the doorway.
Once they spotted you, the whole legion made their way towards your direction. "Oh, [Y/N]-sama!~ How do you do?~" Araya purred, smiling flirtatiously at you. Before you could greet Alfheim, Kaede stormed out of her seat and positioned herself in front of the Asterion wielder. "What are you doing here, Araya-san? If you're thinking about snatching [Y/N]-sama away from me, then I wouldn't suggest that if I were you."
Soraha, Kusumi, and Ichi waved to you, whereas their remaining members saluted you with smiles. "Hey, [Y/N]. Sorry if we're intruding on something, but are you free tomorrow afternoon by any chance?" Soraha asked you.
Without a given thought, you replied to the blond-haired Lily. "Yeah, I should be free. Why?" Your brows lifted with curiosity, confusion surfaced over your face. The first to answer you was Kusumi. Color bloomed in her cheeks as she proposed, "W-Would you... like to eat lunch with us tomorrow..?"
Again, before you could even respond, Kusumi was met with rebuffs from the one and only... "Oh, no you don't! [Y/N]-sama is eating lunch with us tomorrow!" Kaede shouts, her tone distinguishing a sharp pang of jealousy. The hazel-eyed Lily casted a glare of contempt and bit back, "She's able to make her own choices, so don't treat her as if she were an object, Kaede-san!"
"You- Let me go, Riri-san, Fumi-san! I'll show them who they're messing with!" Kaede roared with rage, struggling to break free from their grip. While Araya and Tanaka provoked the Eurasian with smirks, you glanced over at the other members.
"We wouldn't mind you having lunch with Alfheim tomorrow." Yujia responded, and Shenlin nodded. "Though, you'll have to make it up to us when you return from your lunch date with them." They beamed at you. Well, at least they were understanding unlike Kaede...
"Yo, [Y/N]! After your lunch date with Alfheim, wanna come hang out with Tazusa and me?" Mai pops up in front of you with Tazusa at her side. "You have two choices: yes or yes?" The blondette says in a toneless voice, staring blankly at you. Miriam whistled cheerfully. "Hey, if you're going to that cat meeting spot that's outside of school grounds, then count me in!" A solitary sweat-drop has suddenly emerged atop of your head. These three sure do love their feline friends. Actually, what's up with almost every single Lily you encounter loving cats anyway??
You take a quick look at Yuyu, who was watching and observing from the sidelines. Your [F/C] eyes met with her light purple pair across the crowded table. A rich, vivid cherry color seared through her pale cheeks, causing the ravenette to redirect her eyes to the ground and avoiding further eye contact with you. You sighed. 'Yuyu is still as cold as ever... She's like an Ice Princess...'
"[Y/N]-sama and I are in love, so it's none of your business!" The Joyeuse user yelled, dragging you from your thoughts. You aimed your head towards the troublesome trio. "You, with [Y/N]-sama? I don't think that's the case." Araya scoffed with disbelief. Ichi inclined her head in accord. "You're talking absolute nonsense, Kaede."
"Alright, you three! Just calm down! Let's settle down with a nice cup of black tea..? Y-Yeah?" You approached them, moving forward slowly. Everything happened in the bat of an eye, and now you found yourself in a game of tug war. With you being the rope, Kaede held onto your left arm, whereas Ichi and Araya had your right arm. "Get your hands off of her! She's ours!" The trio barked in a voice like thunder.
"OW! Hey that's- Ow! S-Stop!" You whined and attempted to struggle, but it was three Lilies against one... "God, please help me! Anyone!?" You cried out for help, but the two legions watched with amusement. Yet, the new student hadn't been paying attention to what was going on. Yuri was busy contemplating on what Kaede had meant by...
"What is love?" She tilts her head to the side, and a question mark clouds over her.
[~A Week Later~]
"Are you ready for today's athletic competition?" [F/N] enters your room, her [E/C] eyes surveying the cool walls. You were reclining on the couch and gazing at your golden artillery that was across from you. "I guess. What time does it start?"
She glanced down at her watch, reading the time out loud, "Well, it's 9:15, and the competition starts in five more minutes. And, hey... are you alright? You don't seem to be in a happy mood." You jumped to your feet and strolled across the room for your CHARM.
"Just a gut feeling that something bad is bound to happen sooner or later..." You murmured and later shook your head. "Nevermind that. Let's get going before Mr. Takamatsu notices."
[~~]
Fortunately, you and [F/N] were able to make it on time. With everyone arranged into pairs, you and your friend partnered for the class competition. The task was fairly simple and easy — seize the banner before the other teams did. And, the two of you secured a facile victory, beating out your main competition: Shenlin and Tazusa.
"Great job, Yuri-chan!" Riri ran towards the pouting lavender-haired Lily, embracing the girl in her arms. "I couldn't do it, Riri!" Yuri sulked on not being able to seize the banner. Looking over at their purple-haired opponent, you recognize her to be in one of Yurigaoka's most well-known legions, Lohengrin.
"Hey, isn't that Sejima Hiromu?" You prodded your friend's shoulder. She followed your line of sight and nodded. "Yeah, why? Don't tell me you have a crush on her or something.~" [F/N] breaks out into laughter. Your cheeks burned with embarrassment, and you slapped her arm. "That isn't the case! Forget about that, and let's head on over to the exhibitions."
You nor [F/N] were participating in the exhibitions, but the two of you stuck around to watch your first-year camellia classmate, Rokkaku Shiori. The brunette uses two CHARMs at once with her Rare Skill, Circlet Bless. And, without further ado, the Reginleif member showcases her skills on dual wielding two weapons by unloading a round of bullets at the target silhouettes above your heads. A tremendous cheer from the audience told her she'd scored a bullseye.
Next up was a second-year in the Arsenal Division, Hasebe Toka. You paid heed to the long and broad anchor-shaped CHARM. That was certainly new.. "Is this the highly anticipated and newly generated CHARM that the Arsenal Division is working on?" You whispered in your friend's ear. As the forest green-haired Lily demonstrates the new weapon to the entire school, [F/N] begins to explain,
"Moyu-senpai and her pals are working hard to create a whole new arsenal of CHARMs, and Toka offered to give a demonstration of the mental-coupling activation test unit, Vampyr. It's pretty cool if you ask me! Toka-senpai shoots the plane out and drives it around. At the same time, the use of electrical power is converted into that device and it'll shock anything or anyone deemed harmful."
You only nod, and the exhibition carries on with Luise Ingels wielding a prototype of the specialized close-combat CHARM, Járngreipr. A round of ammunition was released, and the dual-laminated paper targets immediately went up with flames.
"Well, that was nice. The main event of the afternoon isn't until another ten minutes, so why don't we grab some drinks?" [F/N] considered, stabbing a finger in the direction of Yurigaoka's convenience store. You automatically agreed, however, a couple of steps in and an announcement was made.
"First-years [Y/N] [L/N] and [F/N] [F/L/N], please report to the chairman's tent!"
The two of you exchanged looks before making way towards the lemon-yellow canvas. Inside was the acting chairman, Takamatsu Kogetsu, and the student council members — Izue Shinobu, Mayuri Uchida, and Hata Matsuri.
"How do you do, Izue-senpai, Mayuri-senpai, and Matsuri-senpai? What's going on?" [F/N] acknowledged the members with a broad smile, whereas you nodded to them. "My apologies for suddenly calling you two here. I've actually arranged an afternoon exhibition match for the two of you." Takamatsu states bluntly and calmly.
"Why all of a sudden, Mr. Takamatsu?" You posed a question to the pale man. His blue eyes drifted from you to [F/N]. With an enigmatic frown, he answered clearly and unambiguously, "I merely want to see the fruits of your hard work. That is all."
Her [E/C] eyes stared back at him. Neither were prepared to back down, but another announcement has been issued, putting an end to their staring confrontation.
"The mixed-legion 'target pole-topple' match is about to begin in five minutes! If you are participating in this event, then please check in at the chairman's tent!"
"[Y/N], I'll get the drinks. You want cola, right? I'll get it, so stay here and watch the match." Before you could say anything, she dashed out of the tent and headed towards the convenience store. "[F/N]! Wait up!" The [H/C]-haired analyst hadn't turned nor made any signs to your call, continuing to run at an abnormal speed.
"What's wrong with her..? Well, uh... Good day to you, Mr. Takamatsu! You three as well!" You bowed to them and ran out of the portable shelter. Turning left and right, your best friend was nowhere to be found. 'She did say she was going to the convenience store, and she'll come back with the drinks... So, I might as well take her word for it.'
Finding an empty seat on the risers, you settled down and examined your view. The selected members of each legion were randomly merged into groups of five. Whoever hits or knocks down their target or pole is declared the winner.
You slumped back into your seat and sighed. 'This event looks interesting, but I have to be in a legion in order to be qualified... Tch, nevermind that. I'm worried about [F/N].. Why did she run off like that? I hope she's okay...'
"You won't lose to a 'shrimp'?! I'll show you, Ichi!" You stared down at Miriam, giggling at how fired up she was. And, just like that, the ringing bells signaled the start of the match. Already, three members of Alfheim: Misora Kanebako, Tsukushi Takasuga, and Tatsuki Mori, charged at Yuyu with their CHARMs.
'Well, they're goners... If I were them, I'd literally go for anyone else besides Yuyu.' Unsurprisingly, the Alfheim members were no match for the experienced ravenette; it was a one-hit knockout!
'So much for that... Anyways, how's Miriam holding up?' You turned and looked at German extrovert, only to see her and Ichi battling it out with one another. Honestly, what did Ichi do to make the German so fired up? "Oh, yeah? Take this! Phase Transcendence!" Miriam activates her Rare Skill, compressing all of her Magie into one final attack. The powerful beam nearly hits the green-haired student, but Ichi was able to dodge the bullet. She pursed her lips into a smirk of triumph. "It's all the same if I dodge! You lost, Gropius-san!"
"Heh, thanks for evading that! You're the one that's lost, Ichi!" Miriam simpered, looking pleased with herself as the purple hyper beam struck the target with infinite energy.
"A reckless girlfriend you have there, [Y/N]," The familiarity of this voice made you turn your head. [F/N] had cropped up beside you with a bagful of cold beverages. She smiled and handed you a can of cola. "Sorry it took so long, I met some of my feline friends, and I couldn't help myself."
You fought a facepalm. "For the last time, I don't have a girlfriend or a crush! Secondly, I can't argue with you over that, but what's the deal with everyone loving cats? Don't get me wrong, I like cats, but what about dogs? I haven't seen a single puppy throughout any chapters or episodes!"
[F/N] shrugs. "Beats me. Anyhow, it looks like Miriam's Phase Transcendence takes the win." You hummed, and both of you witnessed the curious prankster fainting at the cost of her entire stamina. "Yeah, but it's a risky Rare Skill that releases all of her Magie at once... Wait, doesn't she have an exhibition match before us?"
Your friend nods. "Yep, but since she's through for today. No worries though! Mai-senpai registered Yuri to fill in for Miriam." Her explanation made you spat out your drink. "W-What!? Yuri?! I-I have no doubt that she'll do just fine, but that Huge-roid Mashima made for her research! You know how she is when it comes to that!"
Your [E/C]-eyed friend extends a finger, pointing at Yuri and the autonomous robot. After the rescue squad admits Miriam to the infirmary; the first afternoon exhibition match presses on with Yuri as her substitute. "I wouldn't worry. I'm pretty sure your cute little girlfriend is able to hold her own in any battle."
The thought of her had brought a faint blush to your cheeks. "For the last... fucking time! She isn't my girlfriend! Say anything else, and I'll spoon your eyes out!"
[~~]
With two mighty slashes of her Gungnir, the robotic creature was no more. Putting it into ignition, a violent mixture of orange flames and blue charged particles of electricity is released into the atmosphere. On both sides of the field, everyone gave Yuri a loud hurrah for her overall success, including you and [F/N].
"Riri, everybody, did you see?! I did it!" Yuri hopped towards the Hitotsuyanagi Squad, only to be engulfed into a hug by Riri. Animated tears sprang from her eyes as she bleated, "Great job, Yuri! But, don't scare me like that ever again!"
"There, there. Don't cry, Riri." The lavender-eyed beauty inclines her head, stroking Riri's pink hair in a loving, affectionate manner. The sight of them and the rest of the squad formed a tender smile on your cheeks. This, indeed, was a sight to behold.
"Up next is the final afternoon exhibition match! [Y/N] [L/N] and [F/N] [F/L/N], please make your way down to the field!"
Everyone, including Yuri and the Hitotsuyanagi Squad, spun around to stare and gape at you and [F/N]. No one had expected this, and neither did the two of you! At the very last minute, the acting chairman and the student council notified you both of the dynamic match. How cruel of them to do so…
"Well, shit," [F/N] faces you, flashing her most winning smile. "May the best Lily win?"
You grinned back at her. "Oh, you're on! May the best Lily win!"
[~°This Is Where The Fun Begins°~]
"Ready to lose?" [F/N] smiled smugly, twirling her CHARM around her fingertips. Red inscriptions were seen all over the buster sword — blade, quillon, and ricasso. This was the first time you've seen her CHARM up-close. She rarely goes down to the training rooms due to her work in the Science Division, but that didn't hinder her abilities one bit.
( The picture below is [F/N]'s CHARM!)
Back at the agency when the two of you would train together, she was an excellent fighter. Whether it was the involvement with close combat or long range shooting, she was capable of doing it all. [F/N] was your equal and her skills matched your own, but that's all about to change!
"I should be asking you that. You better give it your all because I won't hold back!" You said with a self-satisfied smirk. "It's been a while since we sparred, so let's give everyone here a good show." Altering your stance and brandishing your CHARM, you quickly sprang into action. Your blades clanged together, creating an eerie purple glow within the weapons.
She chuckled. "You should've given me a warning, but no! Oh, you're getting it now, [Y/N]!" The burning sun casts a cryptic, lambent light over her eyes. Gazing up at you with blazing eyes, your [H/C]-haired friend gave you a sly leer. "I'm counting on you, Uriel! Light this place on fire!" In response to their user, the entire blade begins to immerse itself in crimson flames.
"Shit, it's hot!" You growled and drove your CHARM upward with one powerful thrust, but she avoided the attack. She swiped her blade, aiming a fierce sheet of fire at you. Her ring of fire licked your blade from top to bottom; and in addition to that incursion, [F/N] launched another fiery blitz. However, this time it seemed to emit a much greater force than the first attack.
"Say hello to my little dragon!" You heard her yell, and soon enough there it was — its body made of only one scorching element. The long, snake-like creature rushed forward and dove in on you. Taking a quick breather, you felt its power surge through your veins. This was really getting your adrenaline going.
'Eh, what's wrong with having a little fun?' Squeezing your eyes shut and opening them back up once more, they were now shining in the light of the blue sky. You held out your free hand, discharging an infinite amount of electrical currents at the flaming serpentine.
As you and [F/N] proceeded to brawl, everyone showed their whispers of interest towards the two of you. "Hey, girls. Who do you think will win?" Mai asked with a grin. "Don't get me wrong; as much as I love [Y/N], I think [F/N] has a chance of beating her." Kaede gave a snort of disgust. "As if! My [Y/N]-sama is obviously going to come out as victorious! What do you think, Riri-san, Fumi-san?"
"Eh? Me? Well… I think [Y/N]-sama will win." Riri answered, staring at you in utter amazement. Fumi begins to reason out her choices, "While I do think [Y/N]-sama has the upper hand, if [F/N]-san is able secure her defenses then I'd say otherwise."
Miriam wandered back to her legion, fascination clouded her face as she responded, "A tie could happen, you know? But, I'm more interested in their CHARMs and Rare Skills. I don't think we have a Lily that's able to control and command flames or static electricity. Actually… I don't think any of the Gardens have come across anything like this!"
The Taiwanese Lily alternates her multicolored eyes from [F/N] to you. "You're exactly right, Miriam-san," A series of deafening detonations occurred in a mid-air collision. "No one has ever discovered this phenomenon."
With wide eyes, Yujia turns to look at Tazusa. "Do you think these two were from G.E.H.E.N.A, Tazusa?" The blondette stared back at her, shaking her head. "That's a possibility for [F/N], but I'm not so sure about [Y/N]-sama. It almost seems like she…"
"She has physical control over Magie. But, that's impossible because we use CHARMs in order to bring out the full potential of Magie. So the question is… where did [Y/N] and [F/N] get their source of magic and how?" Yuyu finishes the first-year's sentence. Simultaneously, you and [F/N] came back down through the air and alighted on the ground. The mid-air warfare left you both gasping for air.
"You know…! You've gotten a… whole lot better… since the last time… we fought!" [F/N] panted, her flames still burning brightly underneath the red-hot sun. A chuckle escaped past your lips as you wiped your brow. "Heh, thanks! Wait, are you saying that I wasn't good before?!"
Your response caused her to titter. "You could say that! But, I think it's time to end this match once and for all!" The intensity of the atmosphere has completely changed. Strong currents of air glided past you and everyone here. It took you a second to figure out what she was doing. 'So, she's going to use Emmaus, huh?'
No thanks to G.E.H.E.N.A, [F/N]'s Rare Skill, Emmaus, allows her to produce and command forth flames. At first, she wasn't particularly fond of this skill as it reminded her of the tragedy of her family, but she has already come to embrace the hot bright streams flowing through her.
Air-streams were drawn into the intense and destructive blaze, allowing the fire to burn more ferociously. Shortly after the major transition, it's own wild wind system ignited a firestorm around the [E/C]-eyed Lily. With a gleam of her glowing eye, the atmospheric phenomenon metamorphosed into the shape of a rising phoenix.
There were no longer scattered cheers or noises coming from both sides of the field. Everyone, including the acting chairman and student council, were too busy gawking at the new mystical life before them. Grinning from ear to ear, you firmly held onto your CHARM out of excitement. Now this was a real battle!
"Come at me, [Y/N]! Give me your best shot! If you can that is!~" [F/N] wagged a taunting finger, her lips pursed into a sarcastic smirk. Utilizing more of their Magie, an imbalance of blue flames appears around you and draws in the electrical currents from your forearms. "Oh, yeah? Then let's fight fire with fire!"
You jumped across the raging phoenix, and wheeled your body around to direct the sharp point of your CHARM at [F/N] and her familiar. The multitudinous array of blue flames and static electricity has constructed an almost otherworldly beast of your own.
(Has anyone seen Demon Slayer? Is it good?? I kind of want to watch it-)
"Hasta la vista, [F/N]! Because this battle is mine!" You called at the top of your voice, and your transcendent familiar plunged ahead. There is a vivid gradation of warm blue to a passionate crimson as you and your mythical creature dives down toward [F/N] and her phoenix.
Not waiting any longer, the flaming duo met in the middle, bringing about the vicious, savage blow. Beastly cries were heard in the aerosphere, and a large gradient of strong winds pressured the student body. Everyone was able to maintain their position, and as the winds died down, they caught a glimpse of a standing figure through the smoldering fumes of dry fire.
"I win… And, you better… get me… my bubble tea!" You said in-between pants, still standing on both feet. Still having a firm grip on your CHARM, you point the blackened blade underneath your friend's chin. Sitting in a ring of black powder, [F/N] groans and looks up at you with a small smile. "Alright… you win, [Y/N]. I guess I should get my wallet ready.."
"Speaking of which, I DEFINITELY do not owe anyone twenty bucks for betting that [F/N] was going to win…" Mai whistled and ran off while the audience began to cheer at you and [F/N].
Kaede beamed with satisfaction. "That's right, Mai-sama! You better hand me- Eh? Where are you going, Mai-sama!? I want my twenty dollars! MAI-SAMA!!" The Eurasian chases after the Vietnamese girl.
What a way to end the afternoon exhibitions...
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