Divine Visionary: Vanilla (A Mashle Fanfiction) - Kyusakku (2024)

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

"You're worthless. How many times do I have to tell you this?" Those were the words my father uttered in the small dark room of my house. The wood on the ground is unpolished from years of not being maintained. There were three chairs at the dining table despite only having two residents, with the old green paint chipping off of it, revealing the wood's true colors underneath. My hands slide against the ground, shoving wooden splinters into my flesh and they dig into my skin painfully. But I can't find myself reacting to any of it. The ground is cold, the world seems so monochrome and the window's light is the only thing illuminating the house, painting the room in what seems to be a menacing red color.
"You're worthless if you think that way. That's just the way the world is." My father told me, but I can't bring myself to agree with it. It feels wrong. It feels contradictory. And I feel like I'd hate myself if I let myself believe that. Despite my best interests to block out his hurtful words, I find myself nodding. In fear? In remorse? In content? I couldn't tell you. But that's all I remember being at the place I used to call 'home.' A home is a place where you're supposed to feel safe, where you can let your guard down and just exist without remorse. Without feeling guilty for taking up space in this cursed world.
My father walks out of the room with a gruff grunt and I feel my shoulders slump, a stinging pain on my cheek, pulsating from the previous altercation. I can feel everything, I can feel the side of my face start to swell, I can feel the wood digging its splinters into my fingers and the palm of my hand, I can feel the coldness that hangs heavily in the air. And at the same time, I feel nothing. Like a word about to be spoken, I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes but they don't fall, I don't feel the emotional pain in my chest, I don't feel the way my head spins at the thoughts running through my head at a blistering pace. What is happening? I couldn't tell you that either. In a moment of my resolve to live wavering, I can recall how my hand slaps my face, shoving my fingers into my hair and almost ripping it out of the roots. The urge to scream and cry out loud settles in my throat, but it never comes. It leaves a burning sensation in my mouth and I can only grit my teeth and bear it. It's as if I had no control over my own body, it won't do what I want it to do. I feel like a puppet, like an observer in my own body and everything is surreal.
After what feels like several hours (which was actually about thirty minutes, probably), I find the energy to stand up carefully. Fearing that if I made the slightest noise, I'd set off my father's temper once again.
"Every life is precious." That's what my mother told me because obviously, that's the right thing to believe. Where is she now? I couldn't tell you that right now. It hurts too much to bear the thought of since the wound, the void, is still so fresh. It wasn't always like this. When she was still with us, my family was normal. We were happy.

***

"Easton magical school? Me?" I inquire incredulously. I stare at my magical instructor in shock as she tells me about the prestigious school. I slide my hands over the magical parchment paper, trying to gauge if this was real. Mrs. Redder fumbles around her desk with excitement, smiling brightly and surely feeling proud of herself.
"Yes yes! I pulled a few strings and called in a few favors and I was able to talk to an official in the school!" She announces proudly. Mrs. Redder, my personal instructor (that my father hired) and my current caretaker, was always the clumsy type, always tripping over air and her small and stumpy stature didn't help whatsoever with her (lack of) grace. Her round glasses did nothing to hide her bulbous face, magnifying the freckles sprinkled along her cheeks that spread to her nose. Her short curly hair fell around her face, shaping it finely and I couldn't help but smile and admire her excitement. Sitting at my desk and placing the paper on the table in front of me I shake my head in disapproval,
"I can't accept this." I say, slumping back in my chair and crossing my arms. I can feel my brows knitting together with a troubled expression on my face. Mrs. Redder stumbles and nearly falls over in shock,
"Wha-?! Why?!" She exclaims loudly, causing me to flinch and cover my ears in fear of my eardrums popping from the sudden stimulus. She slams her hands on my desk and leans over, rubbing against my personal bubble, but not enough to disgruntle me. "I thought you'd be elated to attend this school! It's what your father-!" I quickly stand up, startling the staunched woman as I look at her with my eyes narrowed in contempt at the mere mention,
"That's right! It's what my father wanted. Not me." I say sternly, pointing my finger at my teacher. She scoffs and slaps my hand away from her face with a smirk, "Won't you go so that my efforts to get you an invitation don't go to waste?" She pleads as I simply narrow my eyes. "Now you're gaslighting me?" I huff, turning away with a scowl and crossing my arms.
"...Is it working?" Mrs. Redder asks after a moment of silence. The air in the room is heavy with a sort of tension I wasn't unfamiliar with.
"...Perhaps." I say hesitantly, lest I give her a reason to insist further.
"Oh! I just remembered..!" She says with a sudden inquiry tone of voice that is undoubtedly faux, "I remember that the library has many magical books! I heard many of them are primary sources…" The potential to read new textbooks that are well preserved within the library of the prestigious school has me reeling before I could comprehend what I've done. Gone are the rational thoughts from my mind and all I can think about are the secrets those sacred texts hold.
It was as if I blinked and the next moment I was signing my life away to this school and now here I am. I stare at the gaudy gates of the school's outer perimeter and suddenly break into a cold sweat, realizing I'm way in over my head. I look around at all the other students and realize I don't have my uniform yet. I hear the whispers of their voices, their eyes are on me and I can feel my face heat up, my ears are probably beat red. I grip the front of my shirt to prevent anyone from hearing my heart that makes me feel like my mother can hear it all the way in the afterlife. I take a few moments to catch my breath and stiffly move through the gates of the school, much to the entertainment of the security guard of the gate. As it happens, he closes the gate behind me and I can't help but feel trapped now. It was as if I was suddenly stripped naked of my clothes and I'm left vulnerable to the gazes of everyone in the vicinity. Keeping my gaze lowered to the ground I can feel my heartrate pick back up and my breath quicken in response. 'I don't belong here. I don't belong here. I don't belong here. I don't belong…Here?' I question myself and the next moments are a blur. I feel like I'm blind, everything I look at looks off slightly to the point where I can't be sure to identify it. Every sound sounds like consonants that I can't make out. Every sensation feels like I'm tingling, so sensitive to where the light breeze of the spring air feels like pins and needles. It almost feels as if I'm dying as my life plays out before my very eyes, all the events that led me up to this point.
"Hey." A stern voice and a firm hand lands on top of my head. The sudden stimulus snaps me out of my self induced stupor and I nearly scream. With a sharp gasp I look over towards the voice and see a boy around my age looking at me with cold eyes. He has a very peculiar color palette with one half of his hair being a golden yellow and the other half a raven black, complemented by his beautiful golden eyes that hold no light in them. I find myself mesmerized by this beautiful man and I can't help but stare. "Hey!" He says more aggressively and pushes my head down lightly with a click of his tongue.
I'm quickly brought back to reality and take a hurried step back in fear, "Y-Y-Yes?!" I say, much louder than I intended to. Feeling my face heat up in embarrassment.
"What are you doing? You've been standing there for fifteen minutes." He says with a stern tone, which leads me to believe he's annoyed at my presence. He glances down at my attire and hums, "You must be a transfer. The headmaster's office is in the building, you know." The man states with a rhetorical attitude.
"O-Oh, r-right…" My mouth moves on its own before I could think and I internally slap myself for sounding so stupid, peeling my gaze away. He co*cks a brow and narrows his eyes for a moment before sighing.
"Once you walk in, it's the door all the way down the hallway. Can't miss it." He states before brushing past me. I feel the breeze he makes with his movements and I shiver in his presence. I stand, frozen in shock for a few moments before sighing and slapping my face lightly to get myself ready to head in. Taking a deep breath before relaxing my shoulders, not realizing just how tense I was, "I get the feeling this is going to be a long year…" I mutter to myself before finally moving my feet and heading towards the giant school building.

Chapter 2: Margarette Macaron & The Forest

Chapter Text

I'm sweating. I'm on the verge of tears at this point. School is so brutal.
'Why is this guy sitting right next to me?! There are plenty of empty seats, aren't there?!' I frantically think to myself as I practically quake in my seat. All of the tables are connected in rows, just what you'd expect from a prestigious school. The hallways are strikingly clean and the furniture of the classrooms are in pristine condition. It makes me wonder if the entire school is self-cleaning with magic. I can barely focus on what the instructor is saying as my mind is reeling at the fact that the man that saw me fumble so hard yesterday is now sitting next to me. My handwriting is horrendous with the amount of anxiety induced shaking wrecks my entire body and I pray that my robe hides it. 'Ah god~! He smells good! Holy sh*t Vanilla, get a hold of yourself! Stop being creepy! Oh lord, he's going to notice! I wonder what it would be like to date him-! Argh! Snap out of it! Don't be weird. Don't be weird. Don't be weird!'
By the time I'm done with bullying myself into submission, class has already ended and I barely have half of the material written down, if even that considering my lack of focus. I have half the mind to yell at him for being too distracting by being so beautiful, but alas, I push those thoughts away and cope by nearly snapping my quill in half.
"School is brutal…" I mumble in self deprecation, slowly gathering my things with despair positively written all over my face. I'm nearly the last one out of the classroom is the first thing I take notice of once I stand up and look around at my future. The second thing I notice is that once you're out in the hallway, you must look both ways because there are unruly teenagers that can and will ride their brooms through the small corridors as if they were immortal.
Opening the door to the classroom, I'm startled by the haste winds of students that are quick to zoom down the corridor. So fast in fact, I thought it was a dream and the wind was just particularly harsh today. But that thought was quickly thrown out the window as fast as those broom riders once I heard the screams of unfortunate passers by and a loud commotion to what I can only assume is a crash between the poor girl's head and this guy's broom stick. I carefully glance both ways, ensuring my own safety before making my way towards the commotion and standing on my tippy toes to get a good view of the scene over the heads of various students. The commotion has already attracted quite the crowd and I find it difficult to see the actual problem. Shuffling around the students to find an opening I spot the poor girl on the ground, seemingly unconscious with an unsightly red nose that's undoubtedly broken now, laying next to who I presume crashed into her. He seems to be older than me, probably a third year with a rather bland appearance. So bland that I actually can't describe him without describing half of the magical populace. With a sigh, not wanting to draw attention to myself, I unveil my wand from under my sleeve.
"Energy, positive." I whisper ever so quietly. My magic comes forth and springs to life in the form of a talisman, seemingly made of light. My magical energy carries the talisman through the wind before splitting into two and lands on the pair of injured students. With the grace of the spring breeze, they emit a lighter glow and are seemingly absorbed into the student's bodies, their injuries disappear and they are left unconscious on the floor.
Satisfied with my work, a phantom of a smile works its way onto my face as I turn away, heading to my next class before anyone could suspect. With my good deed for the day fulfilled, I find myself feeling giddy about the next class which was, ironically, advanced broom riding. I pull out my broom, it's old and cheap. The wood is unmaintained and splintering, such is to be expected for standard old brooms. Glancing around at my fellow classmates, I'm quick to notice that most of them have their own distinguished brooms, most likely from a shop at the nearby town. As a second year transfer student, it doesn't surprise me to see that I'm the odd one out that didn't get a new one for the school year, one that is more adept at handling the conditions of this class. Once the instructor starts to begin his lesson, I'm quick to snap out of my stupor and pay attention. Most of what he says is introductory at the beginning. Figures, it's only the first day of school.
"Look, it's the transfer student!"
"Look at her hair!"
"Do you think she has a boyfriend?"
"You think she's poor? Her broom is so…"

It's only…the first day of school…

***

"Ughh!" I groan, flopping rather ungracefully onto my bed safely within the confines of my dorm room. From my understanding of what I heard from other students, the dormitories are split into three faction-like settings, Orca, Lang, and Adler. Lang, which stood for ambition and ability. Adler, which stood for conviction and courage. And Orca, where I was placed, which stood for wisdom and willingness. Not sure if willingness was referring to me being a doormat or otherwise. But regardless, I was placed in the most docile of the three. Something I found myself very pleased about. The exact location of each dorm is hidden to encourage a friendly rivalry between all three, which was something I thought was interesting but didn't pay much attention to.
A shut in like me probably won't be making any friends anyways. Turning my head and glancing over at the other side of the room, I'm surprised to find that my dorm mate hasn't arrived yet. Lights out was already declared in the dorms just a moment ago and it was already dark outside. I found it peculiar but who am I to judge? I just hope it's not some delinquent that stays out late and brings random people in here without any courtesy. Upon further inspection, I see that my boxes from the house have arrived at the dorm. Finding no energy left in my body, I sluggishly get up from my position on the bed and rip my bedroom box open with such vigor I'm sure I woke up my aunt on the other side of the country. Forcing out my blankets from the opening in the half opened box, I throw them haphazardly onto the bed before taking one big step and falling onto the mattress myself.

***

"This training exercise will take place outside and we will be gathering all of the dorms to participate." The instructor announces before I hear the incoming steps of other students. I turn around and watch as various colored robes approach us. I don't know what any of those robes signify but I assume they're representing each student's dorm affiliation. I don't have my dorm robe just yet as a transfer so most people know I'm a transfer…
Lovely.
Once the students were gathered towards the entrance of the woods near the school, the three instructors quieted down our chatter and gained our astute attention with a clap of their hands.
"This training exercise will require a partner." With those words I feel something inside me break. Oh wait, it was my will to live. "These woods behind us are filled with magical creatures. Seeing as you are second years, this exercise will be a bit different from what you experienced last year. Each magical beast will have a material you are required to obtain to take credit for this class just like last year. But this time," The professor raises her wand and reveals a projection displaying what resides deep within the forest. "This particular magical creature you see here will be worth two gold coins. If you manage to subjugate it and bring what resides in its heart back here, only then will you receive credit for that hunt." The magical creature is strong. A cerberus wolf without a master is dangerous if untamed and has the ability to manipulate whatever element it was born in. Judging from the colors of its fur, its affinity is likely fire. Great.
"We will be deciding your partners at random. Be prepared with your magic as we assign numbers." The instructor says as everyone starts to take out their wands. I do the same and point it upwards towards the sky as the other students do. The lead instructor chants a spell I don't recognize and wisps of her magic spring forth from her wand. The light catches everybody's wands and there appears a number made of magical energy. The instructor claps her hands, "We'll give you five minutes to find your partner and then the exercise will begin. Now, get to it!" The magical energy wavers and a line is made from each person to their respective partners.
I sigh as I hold my wand, looking down at it with contempt. I point it in the direction it leads me to and begin the trek to find my mystery partner. I look ahead of me and only see a sea of students moving around in a blur, trying to find their partners as I stand there at a loss. It feels like everyone is moving around me and I can't help but tremble slightly, unsure of how I should proceed through the blockade of students. I stand there in a cold sweat for what seems like forever before I spot an opening and take the chance and leap through the seemingly impenetrable wall. With a small sigh of relief, my shoulders slump over as I find myself behind the crowd along with a few other introverted students sporadically scattered a short distance away. Only then do I realize that I've found my partner. They're quite tall for a second year, with a shaved head and adorning purple makeup with various piercings on their ear. They're a double liner with a line that goes over their eye in the shape of a treble clef, a feature that I can't help but admire. They're wearing a green and white robe, which means he's in the same dormitory as me, Orca. I slowly walk over, finding myself at a crossroads. They're intimidating and there's an air of arrogance surrounding them as they look down on all the other students. But I'm also comforted by the fact that they're in Orca dorm, which probably means they're probably a pacifist right-? Wrong.
"Hm? Little girl, it seems like you're my partner for this little getaway." They declare as I nod, unable to muster the courage to say something in response. I feel uncomfortable under their gaze, it feels like they're undressing me with their eyes in a way but I quickly find that I'm (thankfully) wrong. "Hmm. You seem like a Fa. But you have the potential to be a Ti." They say, placing a hand on their chin in thought, analyzing me. My ears perk up and I meet their gaze for the first time, up close they actually seem like a pretty warm person.
"Fa and Ti? Y-You mean like the musical scale?" I ask curiously as they seem to brighten up at my inquiry. A little bit too much for me to be comfortable, "Ah! You're also an intellectual?! You understand me!"
I gasp as they suddenly take my hands into theirs and kiss my knuckles and I'm too astonished to speak, only able to squeak in response and pull my hands away hastily. "Oh goodness me! Where are my manners?" Only then do I hear the students around us whispering about us.
"She's rather unlucky…"
"I feel so bad for her."
"She's so small. What if she gets killed in there?"
"Dang, such a waste."

. . . . .

THE HELL DO THEY MEAN BY THAT?! As I'm distracted, the person before me gives me their hand to shake. "Nice to meet you little lady, my name is Magarette Macaron." Just who is this guy?!

Chapter 3: I Just Want the Simple life

Chapter Text

"Nice to meet you little lady, my name is Margarette Macaron." The person, now known as Margarette, introduces themself politely. I'm hesitant to reach out but I do it anyway out of courtesy. "O-Oh right, I'm Vanilla. Vanilla Bean." I attempted to shake their hand, "N-Nice to meet you…" I say quietly. I feel them forcefully lift my hand to their lips again and I'm quick to react, throwing both of my hands behind my back out of pure instinct.

"N-Nope! No more of t-that! Please." I say louder than I intended to and shut my mouth quickly. Margarette seems bemused by my reaction and opens their mouth to say something but the instructors beat them to it by beginning the countdown to enter the heavily wooded forest.

"Begin!" The teacher claps and the students are quick to rush in, practically trampling over each other to get first dibs on any magical beast they encounter. I'm not surprised to find that Margarette hasn't moved from their spot, following their lead I stand next to them and watch the chaos unfold. They hum before turning their attention towards me with a small eerie smile decorating their face. I gulp, preparing myself for anything. "What kind of magic is your personal magic?" They ask suddenly and I'm caught off guard. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't that.

Before I can answer, I find that my throat is closed up and I find it suddenly difficult to speak. Why? I didn't understand what was happening. It's as if my throat was closed off and I wasn't allowed to breathe anymore. My mouth merely gapes open and closed as I try to speak but my voice doesn't want to work and I can only scoff at myself in disappointment. After a moment I just give up and my gaze lowers to the ground, disappointed in myself. 'Great, they probably think I'm-'

"Are you perhaps, ashamed of your magic?" Margarette halts my train of thought and I gasp quietly, my head looking up at them in shock. "Looks like my woman's intuition is correct." Margarette says, seemingly proud of themself. They chuckle to themself before pointing a finger at me and poking my chest rather firmly, "This is why you're a Fa darling." I stare at them perplexed before politely moving their hand away from me,

'Darling..?' I question in my head as they move away and place a hand on their head like a disappointed parent would. "You have the potential to be a Ti. Like me. But you're just a Fa." They say with the disappointment of a parent of an elementary school dropout. I'm astonished and I'm not quite sure what to say but there's no need to as Magarette starts to walk into the woods after the students have cleared out the entrance. Once we're in the woods, Margarette starts talking and I gain more insight on their way of thinking. "I'm not someone who compares people to other people. See, I say you're a Fa based off of the magical power I see in you." They state as if it were gospel and it clicks in my head and I pause for a moment. "W-What? So you're a Ti? Like you're one of the strongest?" I ask curiously as Margarette snaps their fingers, "Bingo! I strive for power and only power. I don't want to seek out a meaningless position like the Divine Visionaries." They say as I nod my head in response. "So like a megalomaniac." I point out but they're quick to correct me.

"Tch! I prefer the term melodicmaniac!" I hold my hands up in defense on instinct and tense up, "Right! Right! Of course you do, Maestro!" I say in a panic. Margarette seems pleased with that response and smiles to themself, turning back to face forward. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and relaxed slightly.

I can see why people fear this person. They're probably someone that's earned an infamous reputation like that. But to me, it feels different. They're more…pure, for lack of a better term. They don't seem like a bad person. "You must be very passionate Margarette-san." I say quietly as they chuckle in response, "You're pretty insightful. You have the capabilities to become a Ti. I can see it." They say and I actually find myself smiling, feeling quite hopeful. "You think so?" I ask before Margarette stops and quickly turns to look at me properly, perhaps to reevaluate me. I nearly bump into them from the sudden halt but I quickly freeze in place, nearly losing my balance. I regain my footing and look up at them to meet their gaze and they nod with approval. "Yes, I can definitely see it in you. But first!" They say before quickly raising their wand and firing off a magic spell that sounded like a musical note. I turn around just in time to see a small explosion hitting a magical creature behind me. 'Wow…' I think to myself in awe. I turn around to face Margarette once again only to find that they're already walking forward once more. "You must overcome your fear. Your shame if you want to become a Ti." They state, "And this will be your first step." They pull back some bushes to reveal the sleeping monster in the middle of the woods. I inhale sharply and cover my mouth in shock, preventing myself from waking the slumbering cerberus. Margarette places a finger to their mouth, motioning me to be quiet as I nod my head frantically with wide eyes.

"Even if you're a double liner, mastering your secondths spell can be quite difficult without sufficient training. This will be your trial." Margarette states as I grit my teeth. "What on this earth would suggest that I would do that?!" I hiss incredulously. Margarette only chuckles at my reaction, "You want to pass this class do you not? I will not participate until you master your secondths spell." They declare as I purse my lips together, gritting my teeth and glancing between the magical beast and Margarette.

The secondths spell. A potent magic spell that applies to one's personal magic that only double liners are capable of wielding. The ability to cast one's secondths spell is equivalent to the confirmation of mastering one's personal magic as a double liner.

"You're a double liner, yet you're ashamed of your magic. My intuition tells me that you're not very capable of offensive magic right?" Margarette states confidently, their smirk only growing as my face reacts to the suggestion.

I furrow my brows and exhale through my nose, shutting my eyes tightly. Sure, that's one reason, a pretty big one but not the main reason. I start to feel my anxiety bubble within me and it feels like the world has come to a complete stop. My hands start to feel cold and clam up. My body feels numb and it's hard to move. It feels like I'm in trouble, like when you get sent to the principal's office in grade school. I'm just sitting here, observing. Thoughts of regret start to fill my head, 'I never should've come here. I don't belong here. What is wrong with me?! I'm way in over my head! Do I even deserve to be here?' I don't realize it but my hands make their way to my head and I start to pull on my hair, nearly ripping it from my scalp. Gripping it in a way as if my sanity would slip away if I don't. And at this rate, it will.

"Someone! Anyone! Please help!" Suddenly, a voice calls out from in front of us and we both look over to see a pair of Orca students running away from the now awakened Cerberus monster. One is bloodied and battered and he's trying to carry his unconscious partner away from the magical beast. The girl is like a ragdoll, slumped over his shoulder as he struggles to run away with an obvious limp. Before I could even think, my body moves on its own and I wield my wand, "Energy positive!" Talismans shoot out from my wand at a swift pace, granting the student speed and healing. He quickly uses the opportunity to get away, disappearing into the thick of the woods. My sudden actions bring cerberus' attention towards me and I feel myself shrinking under its intense gaze.

I flinch as I make eye contact with the creature and realize that Margarette is nowhere to be seen. My body succumbs to the fear and I feel my legs give out underneath me. I feel tears start to prick at my eyes as I recall every moment that led up to now, feeling nothing but regret and anguish at my current disposition. And for a moment, I think I should just let this creature kill me. I mean, why not? I have no value, no family, nothing. I have nothing. What's even the point anymore?

'Am I gonna die…?' I think to myself right before cerberus lunges at me. My body moves instinctively and I manage to move just in time before it could crush me underneath its weight. The same couldn't be said for my leg however as I realized too late that its paw had caught my leg, snapping it like a twig. I scream out in agony at the pain and use my elbows to try and crawl away from the giant monster, even if it meant nearly tearing my own leg off. Its claws sink into my flesh and I can feel my blood draining from my body at a rapid rate.

My arms scramble behind me, reaching for anything that might help with my current situation and my hand lands on something familiar. It's my wand. I can't help but feel frustration as I grit my teeth and curse the world, curse my fate, curse everything and everyone. Grasping it in my right hand I glare at the magical beast with a newfound vigor, founded in anger. What happens next is a blur. The left head cranes its neck and manages to get my arm and I take the opportunity to unleash my vengeance, swinging my wand downwards with such force that it doesn't feel like myself. Like a woman possessed I feel my magical energy increase, my emotions rage out of control and my hand shoves my own wand into the magical beast repeatedly.

"Energy Negative! Energy Negative! Energy Negative! Die! Die! Die! Die! DIE YOU STUPID BEAST! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!! I HATE ALL OF YOU!!" Cerberus is quick to react to my impulse and it swings its head to throw me out of its maw. I land on the ground a few meters away and I can still feel the vigor of my anger. I growl and groan, feeling myself growing more and more frustrated.

'Why why why why why why why WHY?!!' Like a broken record, the mantra repeats in my head an innumerable amount of times. I feel no fear as I allow my body to move without my mind's consent. I force myself upright, sitting on the ground as Cerberus recovers from the sudden pain of my magical abilities, the paralysis setting in much quicker with the direct contact of my wand. Cerberus wastes no time to lunge at me at an incredible speed. My arm raises with my wand, pointing at the powerful magical creature and I finally feel capable of casting this spell, it feels intuitive, instinctive. Like I was born with it, "Energy positive. Secondths!" A powerful shockwave shoots out from my body upon casting and I find myself safely enclosed in a familiar barrier. Cerberus has no time to react and it collides with my new shield. I feel all my fatigue, all my wounds instantly close up and my leg and arm snaps back into place and my magic starts to repair the bone. I grunt at the pain this causes but I slowly start to stand up, limping towards the creature with my wand still pointing directly at it.

I can't seem to move my eyes to look at the creature clearly so I crane my head upwards, as if to look down on it, "Energy Negative." I chant as the magic begins to accumulate in my wand, "Die." I spit before lunging at the beast, finding myself reinvigorated through my magic. My physical prowess has been enhanced and I deliver a solid punch to its head, causing it to whimper and cry out. It earns no sympathy from me as I clasp my hands together, holding my wand and slamming it down onto the middle head. The force is enough to crack the ground and rock beneath us and the shockwave disturbs the birds in the nearby trees and shakes the bushes. Cerberus falls limp and flops onto the ground, its lifeless body hits the earth with a solid thunk. I pant, out of breath and exhausted in every way. I try to catch my breath as I stare down at my trophy. I can feel my magic continuing to work its way through my body as I start to calm down, healing my wounds in a more calm manner.

My body gives into the exhaustion and I fall to the ground, landing on my butt but the pain is nothing compared to what I just went through. My heart feels as if it was going to jump right out of my ribcage, my lungs feel like they're about to explode, my body feels like an 80 year old's after a session in the gym, my magical power feels as if it's all but sucked out of me.

Suddenly, I hear someone clapping slowly and footsteps approaching me. I turn to look and I'm both relieved and disappointed to see Margarette applauding my victory. I fall onto my back, not wanting to face them at the moment, covering my eyes with my arm as I continue to try and catch my breath. "What a fantastic display. I'd say you've reached the level of So." They state as I can't help but sigh, exasperated. In the next moment I hear squelching and cracking sounds, but I don't dare look to see the gruesome sight. "Here, your gold star." Margarette says before I hear something land next to me. I glance down from under my arm and…

"Wow…It really is a gold star." I say, out of breath. Margarette chuckles at my comment before I sit up slowly and look up at them. "Why are you doing this?" I ask, I'm sure I look absolutely awful right now. "How do you mean?" Margarette teases as I scoff, but I can't help but smile. I wave my arms in the air, motioning towards the dead magical creature in front of me. "This…All of this." I say, motioning towards my body. My clothes are all torn up and bloody, my hair is a mess and there's a giant carcass in front of me. It's all so…

Gross. Margarette crouches down next to me and smiles, leaning their head on their hand. "Because you thought you couldn't do it. And you did it." They say ominously as I furrow my brows,

"Barely."

"But you did it. And there's not even a scratch on you." They're quick to respond, as if anticipating my answer. At this point I don't know how to feel or how to even begin expressing how I feel. This frustrates me, being unable to comprehend my own emotions. And my body starts to express my frustration by tearing up which causes the tears to come faster. This vicious process is too much for me to handle and I give up on hiding it, letting the tears fall freely as I stare wide-eyed at the carcass in front of me.

I nod my head not really understanding, but I kinda get it? No, actually I don't. What the hell is even going on? I raise my arms to express something but I find myself at a loss for words and they just fall back down, slapping my thighs as if to say, 'Aight then.'

Margarette finally breaks the silence, "You want the honest truth?" "Yes." My response comes swift as the wind. They chuckle before standing up properly and offering me a hand. I take a deep breath and gratefully take their hand and they pull me up with ease.

"I'm doing this so that you can become stronger." They state simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I purse my lips together, taking a moment to register.

"Why?!" Margarette tuts their finger before thinking to themself for a moment, picking out the right words and eloquence of delivery I'm sure.

"Because it kills me to see your potential and have you waste it because of your shame." They explain and I furrow my brows, troubled by their keen insight on me. "You're anxious, demure, not one for confrontation, a true pacifist. You're truly the human embodiment of the Orca dorm." They reach down and snatch up the golden star that was from cerberus. "But you can be so much more. So much more powerful, influential. You have the capabilities to become a divine visionary. It's just a matter of if you have the ambition to strive for it. " They declare as I can't help but laugh at the sentiment. They stare at my reaction and I double over, nearly wheezing at the thought.

"Me? A visionary? Please…I wouldn't dare dream that big. But I appreciate the sentiment, Maestro." Margarette only huffs with their hands on their hips, "You already know that I don't care for such meaningless positions. But if it were up to me, you'd be the one most suited for the position. But it's only if you have the ambition to achieve it." Margarette hands me the golden star and I take it, hesitantly.

'I mean, might as well take it right? What's two gold coins anyway? At least I'll get a good grade.' I think to myself as I stare at my reflection in the star. Me? A divine visionary? What a joke…

Chapter 4: Rayne Ames & Vanilla Bean

Chapter Text

The students were filled with chatter as we all stood at attention towards the instructors, talking about their struggles in the woods and many of them have taken down a good amount of magical creatures that left me impressed with my class. The lead instructor clapped her hands and we were quickly silenced out of our conversations. The golden star nearly slips out of my death grip as I start to sweat profusely.

"This year, we actually have someone who was able to take down the ancient cerberus of the forest, and that is Vanilla Bean!" The instructor stated proudly as I tried to hide in among the crowd. The students begin to chatter once more,

"Who is that?"

"I don't recognize the name."

"Must be a transfer." Hey, do you think it's her? She doesn't have her dorm robe yet."

"Look, her clothes are all torn, it's gotta be her." Curious whispers tickle my ears as I try to imitate air or cease to exist on the spot. 'I wanna go back to the house.'

"Oh don't be shy! Vanilla. Please come forward." The instructor calls and I bite my tongue tearing up at the mere thought of standing in front of the entire student body. 'That damn Maestro!'

**

"As you know I'm not interested in the position of divine visionary, so you can keep the gold coins. Ta ta~!" Margarette bids me a farewell before quickly speeding off into the woods at such an incredible speed it sparks a gust of wind to blow past me. And they're gone before I can so much as utter a word, golden star in hand.

**

The students around me realize my position and part like the red sea around me, prompting the instructor to clap her hands and point me out in the crowd. "Vanilla Bean, for your amazing skill in magic and outstanding courage you are hereby awarded two golden coins." The instructor waves her wand and there in front of me appears two golden coins with the crest of a crown on each of them. They're shiny, pretty, almost elegant in the way the sun's setting rays beam down at them. I subconsciously hold out my hand underneath them and they fall into my palm. They're heavier than they look and I nearly drop them from relaxing too much. The golden star disappears from my other hand in a wisp of magic before the instructor clears her throat, gathering our attention, "With that, I will now announce the failures of this assignment. These students shall be punished with remedial classes starting tomorrow." She begins to list off a good sizable chunk of names. Many of the students groan or blame their partners, complaining about the situation they've found themselves in.

I clench my teeth and grip onto the coins tightly, thinking about all that's happened in the woods, about the words Margarette said to me, about my reason for being here at this damn school. As the instructors finish up their lecture, one I can't bring myself to listen in on, they end on a semi positive note before wisping away in a flash of light using their teleportation magic. Students begin to make their way out of the area as I find myself frozen by some intangible force, keeping me in place until it feels like I'm the last one standing in that open area at the entrance of the woods. My neck hurts from staring at the ground too much and I crane my head to look up towards the sky, finally relaxing my shoulders and closing my eyes to feel the spring breeze brush past me in a way I'm actually able to appreciate.

"Hey." I hear a familiar voice call out to me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turn my body to look at the person and it's the man I met at the entrance gate on the first day and my desk partner. I take in his expression and realize he's pissed off, livid even. I flinch at his intense gaze and cower under his oppressive presence.

"Y-Y-Yes…?!" I reply, cursing myself for my voice cracking. He seems to notice my fear and relaxes his gaze slightly before sighing and holding out his hand, "Give me your coins." He orders simply, his tone of voice seemingly gentler.

"Oh. Okay…" I say before tossing him one of my coins. He catches it with one hand over his head and I can't help but internally swoon. If this were a story book, he'd definitely be the main character. Not only for his attractive figure but also his unique appearance. 'I wonder if his hair is naturally like that.' I think to myself, wondering about the legistics of heterochromia of the scalp (spoiler; it's not, and if it is, it's usually not as extreme). "Now the other one." The man says, gripping the coin in one hand and holding out the other expectantly. I run my thumb across the surface of the coin and look at it for a moment, bringing it up for me to observe.

Why can't I just hand it over? I don't want to be a visionary so it should be easy, right? I just want to live in peace. I only came here to learn new things. I just wanted the opportunity to learn. I'm way out of my league if I think I'm just gonna walk into this prestigious school and think I'm going to be anything more than just an ordinary student with good grades. So handing over the coins to someone more capable would be a better use for them. I just…just…

'You have the potential to become a Divine Visionary. It's just a matter of if you have the ambition to strive for it.'

Me? A divine visionary? For what? Why would I need that? Why would I work harder than I already am for a title I don't even want? A title that would be much more suited for the man standing before me.

The man clicks his tongue and lowers his hand, pulling out his wand threateningly, "Hand it over."

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" I snap. The man scoffs before I start to feel his magical presence accumulating, "Then I'll just take it." He lifts his wand and points it at me, he's glaring daggers at me now, his face contorted into a tight scowl. I furrow my brows and prepare to defend myself, taking out my wand in response.

It's all so…so…

Stupid. This wouldn't have happened if I'd just rejected Mrs. Redder's offer, if I'd just run away from cerberus, if I'd just handed over the gold coin. What is wrong with me?

I lift my head to look at the man in front of me, his angered face snaps me out of my thoughts as I feel the immense power of his double lined magic. I find my face flushing and the heat reaches the tips of my ears as I can hear my own heartbeat echoing loudly. He's so…

Handsome! He's so handsome it makes me angry! It makes me angry that he's still so handsome when he's obviously livid!

"Partisan!"

"Energy neutral!" Golden swords are manifested into reality before they launch themselves at me at an impressive speed. I hold up my wand and a barrier is erected around it. It blocks the swords with a loud clang before clashing to the ground, taking notice of the swords' movements I realize they only have the capacity to make contact with a target only once before being tapped out of commission. They disappear once they fall to the ground and the magic spell ends. The man before me clicks his tongue in displeasure and lowers his wand slightly.

"Please, I don't want to fight!" He doesn't listen to my plea and he raises his arms, "Ten percent, Partisan!"

"Energy positive!" I move to dodge the blades, using my magic to enhance my physical strength. The swords hit the ground where I once was and I keep my focus on the man. He turns his body to face me, prepared for an attack that will never come from me. "J-Just listen to me! Please! I don't want to fight!"

Ignoring my words once more he chants another spell, "Fifteen percent, Partisan!" More blades, more in number than the last, bigger and faster. I gasp as I attempt to dodge once more but the swords quickly change their trajectory, catching onto my feint.

"Energy neutral!" I quickly attempt to cast a weak barrier but the swords easily overpower it. One sword jabs itself into my stomach, knocking the air out of me while the others slam me into the ground, cracking the earth beneath my body. It's enough to make me dizzy, out of breath, and barely holding onto my consciousness. I quickly focus my magic to alleviate my weakened state, regaining a focused mind. I feel the urge to vomit but I manage to hold it in, panting to catch my breath, my lungs burn, and my body aches all over from the repeated assault. I hear light footsteps approaching me and I see the man looking down on me with a glare.

"Words are useless without action. Remember that." He says simply before crouching down and reaching into my robe pocket to take my coin.

I grab his wrist before he could touch my body, "W-Wait…Please…" I say, slowly sitting up. He's taken aback by my quick recovery but doesn't struggle out of my grip, settling to observe me instead.

"Healing magic?" He inquires as I nod, "I can do other things, but yeah…It's supportive magic…" I say quietly before breaking out into a coughing fit, causing me to let go of his wrist and cough into my elbow out of habit.

"Hmph." He huffs, standing up properly and glowering down at me as if I were some insignificant bug.

"Just hand me the coin, and I'll leave you alone." He says as I regain my breath. I shake my head slowly, barely moving for fear of offending him. "Why?" He inquires, I struggle to answer him and attempt to recollect my thoughts.

"I…" My voice is weak and I can't seem to find the words to express myself. It's been like this the whole day, it feels like some higher power is in control of my body, and it won't respond to my mind when I tell it to. It's scary. I don't know why I did half the things I did today. If I'd just had a bit more control of my body, then I wouldn't be in this situation, at this school, getting beat up by some guy that really wants my coin.

I hear him sigh and I look up to see him scratch at his head as he looks down at me curiously, "Well, I'm at a loss." He admits, offering me a hand to help me from off the ground. I stare at him for a moment in shock before gratefully taking his hand gently. He's stronger than he looks and he pulls me up with such ease that I stumble a little.

"T-Thanks…" I mumble, he doesn't respond, only looking away into the distance. The breeze brings with it the fresh smell of the water bordering us from the school and it sweeps past us, blowing our robes behind us. I glance over at him and I'm struck with awe, staring at him with what can only be described as admiration. The breeze blows away the lower layers of his dormitory robe, revealing his dress shirt and tie of the school uniform and showing off his slim figure. He has long legs for a man and the sun's setting rays cast an orange, almost golden glow that compliments his eyes and his hair. It was as if he'd walked straight out of a painting, carved from stone in God's image. There's almost a sorrowful look in his eyes and it makes me want to comfort him from whatever he might be struggling with.

He suddenly turns his head to look at me and I feel my heart skip a beat, realizing I'd been caught staring. I avert my gaze, opening my mouth, ready to apologize for my rudeness but he beats me to it, "Let's go on a date." My head snaps back towards him in shock, my jaw drops open and my eyes are blown wide with astonishment. My brain is making up fallacies that are trying to rationalize the current bizarre situation I've found myself in. I feel the urge to scream, to ask him why? What the hell is wrong with him?! What the hell is wrong with me ?! But none of those come to fruition.

"Eh..?"

Chapter 5: Dates? I Don't Think They're For Me...

Chapter Text

I stand at the front gates of the school, dressed casually yet nicely for an outing through the nearby town. My outfit only consists of a simple white blouse, tucked into a red plaid skirt, accessorized by a black belt and a brown beret, completed by a pair of knee high brown boots with a one inch heel to them. My face is pale and I'm sure my soul has left this body and left my mind behind as I recount the events that led up to this moment.

**

"Let's go on a date." After a few moments of recollecting my thoughts and quickly snapping out of my shocked state I find myself rambling, "W-W-What's this all of a sudden?! W-What are you even saying?! You were just attacking me a moment ago!" I exclaim, my face heating up at the implications, "I-I don't even know your name!" My face is probably beat red by now and I stare at him, dumbfounded.

"Oh, that's right." He says before turning his body to face me, holding out his hand to shake. "I'm Rayne Ames, nice to meet you."

. . . .

'NO ACTUALLY WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!' Is what I'd like to say but my dumbass simply takes his hand in mine and I give it a weak shake, "Vanilla Bean…" I croak out, unable to comprehend what is happening. "Good. I'll see you this weekend, Saturday at noon. Northern school gates." The man, now known as Rayne declares simply before walking away and I'm too shocked to move from my spot to inquire more.

**

I didn't get back to my dorm until nearly lights out that night, too shaken by the recent events. Well, the days had come and gone and I never mustered up the courage to ask him in class why on this Earth he would suddenly ask me out on a date. Those painfully awkward moments in class are sure to appear in my grades due to my lackluster notes. 'Goodbye academics, I'm a rebel now.' I think to myself as an imaginary tear crawls down my face.

"Oh, you're actually here." I hear a familiar voice and look over to see Rayne. He's dressed in a simple dress shirt and a casual brown vest with dress pants that were likely from his school uniform. "U-Um…I mean yeah, it'd rude to not show up." I say, even though I kinda didn't want to get out of bed this morning. He stares at me for a moment before looking away, looking annoyed,

"Tch."

"Why..?!" A moment of poignant silence ensues before he turns back to face me, "Have you eaten yet?" He asks, taking me by surprise and I relax slightly.

"O-Oh no, n-not yet." I reply truthfully, I was stressing too much about what to wear today to eat breakfast. Rayne hums in response and shoves his hands into his pockets,

"Then let's go." He walks out of the gates and I quickly follow behind him, watching him for any moves he might pull. Handsome as he is, I don't even know the first thing about this guy. First he tries to take my coin by force and now we're on a date. I don't even know why but I feel like it has to do something with the coin. I have no idea how that connection works but I want to find out. It might give me some insight on who this guy really is.

As a pair of double liners, we're treated with an amusing amount of respect once we walk into the restaurant Rayne has led me to. The host greets us warmly, which leads me to believe he's been here before. I've never been on this side of town before so I didn't know anyone but I greet anyone who talks to me out of courtesy.

We're led to our seats and we sit down, face-to-face with one another. I struggle to read the menu as I can feel Rayne's intense presence from the other side of the booth.

'I wanna go back to my dorm…' I think to myself before something on the menu catches my eye. This is a coastal region and I've heard great things about the seafood here. I get curious and read into it a bit more with intrigue, squinting my eyes to see the fine print more clearly.

After some time, the waiter comes around and asks us for our orders. Rayne orders first, speaking eloquently and efficiently and handing the waiter his menu. I go next and inquire about some of the dishes before making a final decision and placing my order. The waiter takes the menu from my hands and offers a kind smile before walking to the back and placing our orders in with the cooks.

Now with nothing to distract me from Rayne's presence, I find myself staring intently at the table, practically burning holes through it as I count the stitches in the table cloth.

'Ah. Hmm. Yes, this table is certainly a table. Fascinating.' I think to myself, what am I doing here?

The ice in my water melts and collides with the glass and I flinch at the sudden noise, causing Rayne to co*ck a brow at me.

"Relax. I'm not going to attack you or anything." He says as I find the courage to sit up properly and face him. He holds his glass of water by the rim and takes a sip. I see the bob of his Adam's apple and his sharp jawline defined more clearly in the light coming from the window. I catch myself staring before he realizes and I avert my gaze. I have an iron grip on my thighs as I start to feel myself sweating from the imaginary intensity of the situation, a delusion conjured up by my anxiety no doubt as Rayne is seemingly unaffected by the thick air. My gaze lands on the ceiling as I start to shake in my seat, a nervous smile pandering onto my face.

"W-Wow…S-Such great w-weather we're having h-huh?" I say in a pathetic attempt to create something of a decent dialogue exchange between us.

"Yeah." Rayne replies and we're right back where we started in terms of a conversation.

'If I get out of this alive, mother, I hope you're ready for me to join you…' I think to myself as I feel my will to live waver. I reach for my glass but my hands are trembling so much I end up knocking it over, much to my embarrassment. I squeak out at the commotion it causes as the water spills over the edge and onto the floor. I can hear Rayne sigh in disappointment as I quickly jump out of my seat and onto the floor to clean up the mess I made. Pulling out my handkerchief and wiping the floor, using the table to hide my body from the man sitting across from me.

He drags a hand down his face in astonishment and raises his eyebrows, most likely in awe of my massive fumble. Once I finish cleaning the floor and dispel the ice with some magic, I sit back down on my seat with all the blood in my body practically rushing to my face. I place my handkerchief down on the table to let it dry in the sun and my gaze is fixated on my legs in shame. But there is light at the end of the tunnel,

'Maybe if it's too embarrassing for him to be around me, maybe he'll cut the date short-!'

"Your handkerchief." He points out as I flinch and slowly bring my gaze to look at his expression. He seems amused and intrigued, I'll take this much better than the annoyance he displayed earlier.

"O-Oh…What about it?" I ask, trying to recover from this life threatening event that made me reevaluate all my life decisions. "I like it. Rabbits." He says as my eyes widen. I glance over at the pink handkerchief, it is indeed decorated with a simplistic white rabbit pattern.

I feel the tenseness of my shoulders evaporate as I smile softly, "Thank you. My mother got it for me when I was young." I say sincerely, keeping my gaze on the table, recalling the warmth the memories brought me. I can feel Rayne's eyes digging into me, peeling behind the layers of my emotions with his gaze.

What he says next surprises me and causes me to meet his gaze, "Don't worry, you can speak freely." I stare into his golden irises, trying to find some kind of insight on him. There's ambition behind that stoic facade, that much is obvious. But whenever I look at him, no matter what he might be putting on display, he always seems so…

Sad. There's always a melancholic air around him that reminds me of…

Myself.

I open my mouth to speak but the words die in my throat as the waiter comes around with our food. The waiter is using his magic to carry the dishes out with elegance as they float around his body. The plates land in front of us gently and we're presented with silverware for our meals. He quickly asks us if we need anything else before taking his leave once we shake our heads, I offer him a polite smile.

The both of us enjoy our meals in a semi-comfortable silence, which I'm grateful for, feeling much more relaxed as I take in the delicious food. I've never tried such coastal delicacies before and it's quite the treat. The textures of the food sends shivers down my spine and I can't help but internally gush about the flavors dancing on my tongue. It seems like my date takes notice of this as a ghost of a smile settles on his lips before he digs into his dish as well. He finishes his meal before I finish mine and he leans back in his chair with a sigh, satisfied with the service and checking his pocket watch. I only have a few bites left before the waiter comes around with the bill. He hands it to Rayne and the man is quick with his movements, flashing his wallet and slapping the coins into the receipt folder before the waiter could even set it onto the table.

The waiter seems perplexed by this before Rayne speaks up, "Keep the change." He gets up from his chair and pulls me by the wrist to follow him. His hold is tight and I nearly choke on my food in surprise, my mouth still full of food. Quickly grabbing my handkerchief from off of the table I use my free hand to cover my mouth as I hastily try to protest, "Wha-?! Wait!" He ignores me and carries on, dragging me out of the restaurant. Once we're out on the streets of town again, I manage to choke down the food in my mouth and rip my hand away from Rayne. He turns back to glare at me, almost offended by my actions. He sighs, "Come on, we have a schedule to maintain." He states as my face contorts in disbelief.

"We do?"

"We do, so come on." Rayne says, tilting his head as a motion to follow him with his hands buried in his pockets once again. He starts to walk away and I shove my handkerchief into my pocket before speed walking to catch up to him. I wonder to myself what he has in mind for the rest of the day as he takes me to the street market. The street is lined with stalls offering various goods and trinkets of all manner. For a weekend in the big city near the school, it's surprisingly sparse. There's still a good crowd that would require some weaving to get through but it's not enough to make one feel uncomfortable.

'Was this what he was talking about? The schedule refers to the business of the marketplace?' I think to myself, cursing the betrayal of my body when my heart skips a beat at the thought of Rayne putting in the effort on this spontaneous 'date.' The half-blonde takes my hand in his and leads the way into the crowd, my cheeks flare up as I feel the warmth of his hand in mine. He doesn't turn around as he makes headway through the crowd with me in tow. I admire his profile as he looks around at the vendors, seemingly in search of something before finding it and pulling me along. I gasp in surprise at the sudden change of speed and my hand tightens around his, fearing to lose him in the crowd. He leads me to a small vendor, run by an old woman that's likely too old to be still working.

"Welcome." She croaks out with a sweet smile. Rayne pulls me ahead of him and shoves his hand into his pocket. "Go on, pick out something you like. I'll pay for it." He says, sounding more like a threat than an offer, further intensified by the glare he gives me. I deadpanned,

'Is this guy serious?' Standing in front of him like a kitten caught in the jaws of a tiger I sigh and slump over. "Don't worry about it. You paid for lunch, I'll just get something for myself okay?" I say, glancing up at his expression. He only seems more pissed off and I can feel the heat radiating off of him. I put my hands up in defense and try to back away in mild fear, "I-It's okay..! I-I'll pay for my own things a-alright?!" I say in a panic. Seemingly noticing my fear he sighs and relaxes his shoulders slightly, bringing his hand over to pinch the bridge of his nose,

"Do what you want." He grumbles out before turning around and waiting outside the little stall. 'So scary…' I think to myself before looking around at the vendor. This lady seems to sell trinkets of all manner. Some are made of glass, some are cheap handmade wands, others are samples of various fabrics.

'No books…' I think to myself, slightly dejected as I slump over. Something familiar catches my eye and I look over in shock. I pick up the object and inspect it as a thought occurs to me and I smile to myself. Walking over to the old lady with the object in hand I quickly purchase it before heading out of the stall.

I hold the object in a small paper bag and greet Rayne with a nervous smile, "What'd you get?" Is the first thing he asks as I hold the bag behind my back,

"It's a secret." I say, prompting him to click his tongue and look away.

"Come on." He orders simply as I feel a vein pop in my head,

'Give me a break man!' It takes much less time to reach our next destination and I'm pleasantly surprised to be walking out of the marketplace and down the block. Turning the corner, we stand in front of a wand shop.

"This time I will pay for it." Rayne threatens as I shy away from the oppressive heat radiating off of his body, but at this point I'm starting to get used to it.

"Y-Yes yes, right right…" I say, completely succumbing to his wishes this time around. We enter the shop the next moment and the old man greets us warmly. Noticing our double lines he strokes his beard, intrigued. I step up to the magic circle and hold my hand out to channel my magical energy. It's potent and I can sense the old man straighten out his glasses to gain a better look at it. A wand responds to my magic and I grab it gently, smiling at the feel of the wood that makes up the fine wand. It's engraved with vine-like patterns that continue from the handle all the way to the tip. I smile brightly at the new feeling, my old wand is all battered and splintering, now especially because I used it like a knife a few days ago and since then it hasn't been cooperating with me.

"Outstanding! Even for wands made for double liners, I haven't seen anyone manage to pull this one from its place." The old man states as I blush slightly at the flattery, though I'm not sure if he's just saying that to get me to buy it. I don't respond but I offer him a kind and sincere smile. "Tell you what, since the both of you are double liners and you're the only one able to take this one off my shelf, I'll let you have it."

I look at the man in shock and right as I'm about to protest Rayne beats me to it, taking a menacing step forward, "I said, I'll pay for it…" He says with such a deep tone of voice that it vibrates my ribcage. I shiver at the timbre and strength in his tone and the old man cowers slightly at Rayne's stance. The old man shrinks back at Rayne's intimidation and nods slowly,

"R-Right…That'll be f-four silver coins…" The old man says, unsure of himself. I'm sure he low balled the price for us due to Rayne's threatening demeanor. Rayne huffs and drops the coins into the old man's hands before swiftly turning around and dragging me out of the store. I turn around and give him an apologetic look before the door closes behind us. "T-Thank you for coming…" I hear him say.

I want to say something to Rayne but he seems adamant on our next destination. I open my mouth to speak but I just settle for a small sigh as Rayne drags me through the streets by my arm. His grip is firm but it's not enough to hurt me in any way. I keep my thoughts to myself as I walk alongside him, taking my arm out of his grasp gently. I put my new wand into the paper bag and continue walking, trying to keep up with Rayne's long strides. I'm panting, out of breath and sweating by the time we reach our destination. I rest my hands on my knees, hunched over as Rayne looks down on me.

"W-Wait…Please…I just…I need a moment." I say haggardly. Rayne only waits patiently with a monotonous look on his face, his arms resting at his sides as he observes my struggles.

"Did I…Walk too fast?" He asks and I'm surprised by his sudden concern. I crane my head to look up from my hunched over position and nod hesitantly.

"Y-Yeah…A bit…" I murmur so quietly I'm not even sure he heard it from his height. He turns his head to look away and shifts his weight from one foot to the other, placing a hand on the back of his neck, rubbing it uncomfortably.

"...Sorry." He apologizes and I nearly chuckle. He apologizes for that but not for attacking me? Is the male ego really that delicate? I catch my breath and shake my head with a smile, standing up properly to meet his gaze,

"Don't be. It's fine." I say before turning my attention towards the shop we find ourselves at. My eyes brighten up once I realize where we're at and I start to get excited. Rayne must've noticed my excitement as I hear him chuckle to himself. I turn towards him with sparkles in my eyes, "The book store?!" I exclaim before jumping around in my spot.

"Hmph. You really do belong in Orca dorm." He states as my hands balled up into tight fists, practically shaking in excitement.

"It looks old too! Oh! If only I had Mrs. Redder's magic! The shelves, the walls! Oh the stories they could tell…" I squeal, gushing about the possibilities. Rayne shoves his hands into his pockets, his lips tug upwards into a smile as he uses a hand to cover it up.

"Well." He says before clearing his throat, his expression returning to his usual stoic nature. "We aren't going to get anywhere if we don't step inside. So let's go." He says before opening the door, letting me in first.

"R-Right!" I say, turning to him before I enter the shop, "Thanks Rayne!" I say with a sincere smile and step into the world of wonders. I look around at the various shelves holding various magical books. Books filled with fantasy, adventure, history, and even books on the boring complex world of global economics. "Welcome! Welcome!" The shopkeeper greets warmly. I look at her and recognize her familiar face.

"W-Woah! Aunty Worth! You run this place?!" I say, my face brightening up as she recognizes me and runs up to me, enveloping me into a warm embrace. Rayne steps into the shop and witnesses the scene.

"I sure do! Oh look at you Nilla! All grown up! I heard you're attending Easton now!" She says before spotting Rayne coming up behind me. She slaps a hand over her mouth dramatically, tearing up, " And you have a boyfriend?! They truly grow up so fast…" She says, wiping a stray tear from her eye. I gasp and my face heats up,

"N-No! You misunderstand! W-We're not dating!" I'm quick to dispel any confusion in the room as I try to comfort and explain to the woman. "We are dating though, aren't we? We're on a date." Rayne says and my face flushes even more, I feel the room heat up as I look at him.

"IYA!!! YOU'RE SO TACTLESS!!"

After calming down the situation and clearing up the air, we're all seated on the upper floor of the shop, having tea and treats as the three of us sit at the table. "I understand now." Aunty says with a smile, placing her teacup back onto the saucer, a tear escaping from her eye.

'No, you definitely don't!' I thought to myself upon witnessing the dramatic display. I sigh, giving up on convincing her before glancing over at Rayne, he seems to be enjoying the sweets laid out in front of us, taking one after another at an alarming rate. Aunty Worth sniffles and wipes away her tears with a napkin, I draw my attention back towards her. Aunty Worth is Mrs. Redder's twin sister. I've met her on numerous occasions as I've grown up with my private tutor. She'd always come by and visit, dropping off different sweets from around the country and giving me souvenirs from various locations. It always made me wonder what her husband does to be able to afford such extravagant trips for his wife's whims.

She leans on the table, resting her head on her hands as she looks at me with intrigue. "You've really grown, Nilla. I was shocked to see you. I almost thought it was a dream." She states, looking me in the eyes as I tilt my head in confusion before turning my attention towards the cup of tea in my hands as they rest on the table.

"Why haven't you visited your father? It's been nearly five years." Rayne stops his munching abruptly and glances between aunty and myself. I furrow my brows and I can't help but feel hurt by the mere mention of him.

Sighing through my nose, I purse my lips together as my thoughts start to wander.

"I…" I hesitate to say much in the presence of these two.

The words are on the tip of my tongue and it feels like a confession booth. The air turns heavy at the implications,

"He worries about you, you know? Every time I stop by it's routine that you'd come up in conversation." I only grimace at this information, my lips push together tightly and I clench my teeth, my brows knitting together. I never told aunty the reason I moved in with Mrs. Redder, it just happened one day and that was it. That was all she knew. I couldn't help but feel resentment towards my father, how hypocritical of him. I can't help but feel nothing but resentment at the pain he's caused me, emotionally, magically, mentally, and physically. It was one of the two big reasons I was so ashamed of my personal magic. Why did I have to get it from him ? It disgusts me to know that the same blood runs through my veins. I wish I had my mother's magic. I wish I wasn't born to a hypocritical self pitying old bag of bones like him. That's right, it was always about him. He's 'had it harder' so I don't deserve to feel this way, I don't deserve his 'benevolence.' And that hypocrisy was something that disgusted me so much it made me want to vomit for every day I lived under the same roof as him. It truly made me sick to my stomach knowing I had to rely on him to live .

My hands that were gently curled around the teacup were now clenched tightly beside it before I even realized. With a shaky breath, I mustered the will to speak, "I-It wasn't healthy for me…to be around him…" I say quietly, cursing myself for letting my voice falter.

"But…" I hear Aunty Worth say and I can already anticipate her next words. Tears start to fill my eyes as flashes of the pain and trauma he's caused me overflow into my head. I inhale sharply and Rayne stands up from his chair in a flash. His legs dragging the legs of the chair back. "He's you're-"

"I've heard enough. Let's go, Vanilla." Rayne interrupts, slamming his hands down onto the table before she could say those cursed words I've heard countless times. I gasp as he takes me by the arm, not bothering to say goodbye as we march down the steps and out the door in a flash, ignoring her calls to wait.

Rayne pulls me to a secluded area a good distance away from the bookstore as the tears start to fall freely. It's hard to breathe. I'm gasping, covering my face with my hands in shame at the sudden episode spurred on by those words. I hiccup, trying to keep my crying to a minimum.

"I-I'm s-so sorry R-Rayne! I-I just-!" I fumble with my words and it's difficult to keep my voice steady as I frantically wipe away my tears, trying to regain my composure as quickly as possible.

"R-Rayne, I-I just-! I'm sorry-! I didn't mean to-! I'm sorry…!" I sniffle, and my sleeves start to fail to wipe my tears away but they don't stop coming! Just stop crying! You're over this! Why are you getting triggered so easily?! Just stop! Stop crying! Stop-!

A large warm hand is placed onto my head and I inhale sharply. Looking at Rayne wide-eyed as he avoids my gaze for once. "R-Rayne..?" I croak out before he moves his hand stiffly. It's pretty clear he's uncomfortable but he's doing his best.

"...It's okay to cry, you know…" He says and I can't help but admire his embarrassed expression. So he can make faces like that too?

I don't know why, or how. But the tears seem to slow, and they eventually stop with his warm comfort.

After a while, he takes his hand off my head and shoves it back into his pocket, "You feelin' better now?" He asks and for the first time, I heard those words out of genuine concern. Not out of annoyance, not out of irritation, not out of begrudging indifference. But genuine concern. It sparks a foreign feeling in my chest that I can't seem to ignore despite my best efforts. I know I shouldn't let this feeling prosper. It'll only hurt me more in the end, but…

It wouldn't hurt to indulge in this feeling for a little bit right? I mean, we're on a date . It's okay to be a little selfish for once, right ?

I sigh and take a deep breath, finally calming myself down with Rayne's help. I smile softly, "Yes, I am…" I say gently as Rayne looks at me directly, "Thank you, Rayne." I say gratefully with a sincere smile.

Rayne nods approvingly before offering me a napkin, I take it gratefully before inspecting it. 'Ah, he stole Aunty's napkins…' I think to myself, smiling. I quickly use it to clean myself up and make myself presentable once more before Rayne heads out. The sun is setting, painting the clouds a golden yellow with bright hues of sunset, its light raining down on us as we make our way back towards the school.

"Oh wait, Rayne." I say before stopping and digging into my paper bag. Rayne turns his head and looks at me before facing his body towards me. I pulled out a handkerchief from the bag I'd gotten from the marketplace earlier today. It's nearly identical to the one my mother gave me. I hand it to him bashfully, avoiding meeting his eyes. "Y-You said you liked my handkerchief…S-So I got another one for you. I imbued it with my magic throughout the day, so it'll heal any wound." I say before I feel that he takes the handkerchief from me.

I peel my attention away from the ground and look up at him, he seems perplexed. It doesn't show much but his lips are drawn into a straight line and his eyes are slightly wider than normal. "Thanks…" He says, clearly not expecting a gift. After a moment of awkward silence he turns around and puts the handkerchief into his pocket gently. I smile, unsure if I should even be allowing myself to indulge this much but I leave that up to fate and the future for now.

Once we arrive back at the school we stand at the giant gates for a moment, just observing the gaudiness of it all. "It's pretty ludicrous isn't it…" I mumble absentmindedly. From the corner of my eye I can see Rayne nod his head slightly.

I turn to face him and gather the courage needed to ask him the one thing I've been wanting to ask him all day. "Hey, Rayne." I say, catching his attention as he turns his body to face me properly.

"What?" He replies stoically as I shuffle slightly in my spot.

"W-Why did you ask me out today?" I finally ask the one question I've been dying to know the answer to. My heart feels like it's about to beat right out of my chest and it's hard to keep my expectations at zero.

I don't want to assume but after today, I realize it's just so damn difficult to read this guy. But maybe, just maybe…

We got off on the wrong foot? Maybe…

He's different from what I'd imagined…

Maybe for once in my damned life…

I'll have something worth going through all that for…

Maybe…

"Isn't it obvious? I wanted your coin." His response leaves me agape in shock. The light leaves my eyes and my shoulders slump, and my head falls to gaze at the ground, ashamed of myself for falling for such a thing. Rayne doesn't stop there, he keeps going but I can't find it in myself to be angry at him.

So there's nobody left to blame but myself. It's not his fault he's so painfully blunt. He's so unreadable and just when I thought I was beginning to understand him he shifts back to his normal self.

'That's right. That is his normal self. He has no use for me if it wasn't for my coin. God! I'm so stupid!' I internally scold myself as I subconsciously grit my teeth and clench my hands into tight fists.

"I thought girls liked things like this." He says as I can't even get angry at him. The exhaustion finally catches up to me and I channel my magic.

Now I really don't know what I'm doing here at this point.

I knew from the beginning that this 'date' had something to do with my coin, and yet I let myself fall for some dense jerk's antics. I'm pretty sure he didn't even realize what he was doing to me. Of course he doesn't because he doesn't care.

The horror sets in, it creeps through my nerves and my body becomes numb to the sensation, like I'm a hair's width away from death, there's an ominous pressure that builds up inside of me, it makes me want to throw up.

The horror when I realize that I'm genuinely hurt by his response (even though I fully deserve this).

For forgetting what he originally came to me to do (or did he make me forget?).

The golden coin I staked my life to get is summoned into my hand out of thin air with magic and I hand it to him, with a pathetic attempt of a smile on my face. I'm sure it's just ghastly and awkward based on his reaction.

His eyebrows are raised and his lips part slightly in shock, he stands there, seemingly frozen in place as I hand him the gold coin. I don't realize it yet but as my vision blurs, I realize I'm crying again. "H-Here you go…You've earned it…" I say with a quivering voice.

He doesn't move from his spot but I don't care, I just don't care anymore. I drop the coin at his feet and it rings as it hits the ground before I quickly run away.

I don't care, I don't care anymore. If he wants to become a divine visionary, then he can take the damn coin. I don't care how many people I bump into. I don't care how people mutter about my appearance. I just don't care anymore. Everything flashes by me in a blur and I find myself sobbing into my pillow in the safety of my dorm room in my next moment of clarity. All these feelings, these emotions that have been swirling and bubbling inside me overflow.

The feeling is foreign. I don't even know what to call it. Heartbreak? Probably. But I couldn't know that for sure, this is the first time I've felt something so intense in such a short amount of time. It's different from the anxieties that riddle my body on the daily, it's different from the anguish of my father's abuse, it's different from the depression my mother's passing caused.

'I really am…just a worthless idiot…'

Chapter 6: What it Means to be a Ti

Chapter Text

This is the first time I've ever felt this way, but school is absolutely insufferable. I think to myself as I stare down at the nasty words written on my desk. None of them strike a chord with me but it's pretty annoying and a waste of my restoration magic having to clean it up everyday. I look down at the desk, my disgust apparent on my face as I hear snickers from the other side of the room.

'What is the reason? Literally, what I do? What do these guys gain from this?' It's actually driving me mental to even begin to fathom their reasoning for something like this.

It's been two weeks since my date with Rayne and we've fallen into a weird dichotomy where he'd acknowledge my presence now with a simple emotionless greeting and I'd greet him back, maybe ask him what he ate that morning and that's it. That's been the extent of our interactions since our date. Last week I actually went out to get a different wand since my old one is basically in shambles and the one Rayne (forcefully) got me makes me uncomfortable.

Adorning my new Orca dorm robe, my wand slides out from under my sleeve and I easily dispel the markings and restore my desk to its former glory. I sigh and take a seat next to Rayne. Reaching into my bag and pulling out my book for this class my eyes fall flat as a dead fish as I reveal the book. It's all torn up with numerous pages missing from the spine and the cover itself is all burnt up and crusted with ashes that's undoubtedly gotten all over the innards of my bag. I don't pity myself for the situation I find myself in, but man…

What the heck. I hear their snickers from across the room grow louder, they're not even trying to hide it. That's crazyyyy.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear Rayne click his tongue loudly, "That's some nasty sounding laughter over there. Better cut it out before I make you." He says, glaring at those poor people. They're quick to heed his words and they shut their mouths quickly. I'm almost impressed at how quickly he wipes the smirks off their faces.

Once they turn their backs towards me I understand their fear upon seeing their robes. They're from Adler's dorm, same as Rayne, the current prefect. A position granted to the strongest wielder of magic of that dorm, a piece of information that I learned just yesterday actually. He scoffs before leaning on his hand as he hunches over the desk, impatiently waiting for class to start.

Once the instructor walks in, I hear everyone take their seats quickly, the skirk of chairs rings around the room before silence. The instructor seems to nod in approval before starting the lesson, asking us to pull out our books. I don't have the energy today to restore my textbook and I just sigh to myself, settling for just writing notes today.

'I'll read the book later, for now I'll just listen to what the teacher has to say…' I think to myself before something touches my elbow. I look over and see Rayne sliding his book towards me, his gaze is fixated on the instructor.

"Thanks…" I mumble, mildly confused. He's never stepped in before, so I find this behavior suspicious. I quickly brush those thoughts to the side with a shrug, 'I don't have any coins, so it's not like he's doing it to gain something from me.' I think to myself, before helping myself to sharing the textbook.

Class is uneventful and I find myself a lot more productive these days as I've adjusted to my new school life. Scary as it is being around so many my age, it's pretty peaceful. I found out that I don't have a roommate, to which I'll always be eternally grateful to the gods for.

I quickly gathered my things, shoving them haphazardly into my bag before those bullies could catch me in the hallway. I've already memorized their schedule and their classroom is too far away from this one to catch up to me if I rush. It's easier to just avoid them completely than to risk using teleportation magic to disappear and anger them even more. So I've found that this is the best and most efficient solution. They made me late to class a few times and I couldn't be more livid to find that my grade took a considerable amount of damage because of it.

As I rush to get through the hallway, I gasp in absolute shock when someone grabs my wrist, stopping me from fulfilling my objective. I have half the mind to turn around and cuss them out but I knew deep down in my heart that I'd never do that.

So instead I force myself to turn around and confront the person. It's surprisingly Rayne. I was shocked to see this from him.

"Wait." He says as I give him a dumbfounded look. 'No, it's not like I can even escape anyways.' I think to myself. I see something moving behind him and squint to see it more clearly. There's a boy leaning from around the corner at the end of the hallway, holding up what seems to be queue cards with words on them. Rayne looks behind him, reads the queue card and then RECITES WHAT WAS ON THEM RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME?!!

"I'm sorry I…" He looks behind him again and starts speaking without even turning to look at me, reading it out loud like a script. "Played with your feelings…I'm sorry I…and then took your coin…and for you…took out on a date…and your feelings…took it for granted." Rayne says with a straight face and turns back to look at me and I can't help but wheeze, the air being knocked out of my system at the absurdity of it all.

'NO SHOT HE JUST DID THAT!! NO SHOT HE GOT SOMEONE TO DO THAT FOR HIM!!' I internally scream.

"Do you forgive me?" He asks and my body can't handle it anymore and I bite my tongue in shock, the blood spurts out of my mouth almost comically as I shake from choking on my own blood.

'THEY WEREN'T EVEN IN THE RIGHT ORDER!!'

"Are you okay? Do you need a napkin?" He asks before HANDING ME THE HANDKERCHIEF I GOT FOR HIM?!

'Ah. Mom, I'm going to join you now. I've lived my life, I've truly seen it all now.' I think. I can't even tell if he's just audacious or truly that oblivious. Same thing goes for his friend helping out over there and only then do I realize that he is capable of making friends. I don't know why that came as such a surprise for me but he has at least one friend.

Rayne suddenly grasps me by the shoulders, shaking me violently to try and wake me up but I'm too dumbfounded by the situation to wake up from my stupor.

"Hey, wake up." He orders, god he's so tactless!

'Wha? Mom? Is that you?' I see someone approaching us from behind Rayne and I finally wake up from my daze, forcing my soul back into my body. The man keeping his hands on me stops shaking me as my expression turns into one of annoyance, looking past his shoulder to the people approaching from behind him.

These guys…these NPCs have been bullying me since the dating incident after a rumor was started that I offered to give him my coins in exchange for a date with him for publicity (obviously not true), but it may as well be that way. He got what he wanted from me and that's on me for accepting it in the first place.

"Well well well, if it isn't Adler's prefect and Orca's Harlot fraternizing in the hallway!" He shouts arrogantly. Rayne takes his hands off my shoulders and they rest at his sides, his body becoming rigid and tense as he glares at the boy.

"Huh?" Rayne inquires with his voice full of venom. I can see Rayne's friend down the hall start to panic in his spot once he sees Rayne's anger start to flourish.

I place a hand on my hip with a bored expression, 'Doesn't he have anything better to do? Well, this should end quickly with Rayne here-'

"I'm so sorry for my friend! Excuse us!" Rayne's friend quickly interjects and my plan to use Rayne to get these guys off my back flies out the window as his friend easily hoists Rayne over his shoulder and runs away. The fluidity in which he does this leads me to believe that this isn't the first time he's pulled Rayne out of a potentially violent situation.

'Ah. Abandoned.' I think to myself with a depressed smile.

"Hmm? Seems like your little f*ckbuddy left you." The bully states as I find myself cringing at the vulgarity. Who even is this guy? Judging by the way the other students talk about him, he's probably some big shot that nobody wants to defy. How typical. Whether it be through political means or magical prowess, I seriously doubt he has any insight.

He steps to move in closer as I don't respond to his agitating words, clearly intending to pin me against the wall. But luckily for me, I have an entire catalog of surefire escape methods I've strategized ever since I entered Easton, suspecting that this would happen. I hold up my finger and angle my head towards my arm.

"H-Hold on…I think I need to sneeze." I say before accumulating my magical energy. Unbeknownst to them, I hold my wand in my other hand as I scrunch up my face to sneeze into my arm. My magical energy explodes and I'm quickly teleported to the fields of the courtyard, where my next class is to take place. I look around at the other students before getting my broom and waiting patiently for the instructor to start class, seems like I made it just in time.

'Mission success, yay.' I think to myself with about as much enthusiasm as a dead horse.

*

While Vanilla was attending her class, her bullies, known as Rymond Grantz of Lang dorm, self-proclaimed relative of the Divine Visionary, Cane of Light Ryoh Grantz, was festering in his anger at Vanilla's trick, slipping right out from under his nose. His lackeys, scared of his retribution, slinked back in fear as they witnessed his magical powers flare and his expression becoming increasingly contorted from his usual, what you would call, a sh*t-eating grin.

"So she thinks she can just ignore my presence is that it?" He growls under his breath as he gathers his bearings, his anger now swelling down as he composes himself.

"Fine then." He says before snapping his head towards his lackeys. "Find her dorm and pay her visit tonight! Make sure she knows who she's messing with!" Rymond orders sharply with a venomous tone. His lackeys are quick to surrender their rights and scamper off after one another to find where the main character is.

Unbeknownst to them, from around the corner of the halls of the school lies a certain prefect, clicking their tongue in disappointment with a smirk adorning their lips.

"Tut tut~ No can do…I can't allow them to strip me of my only source of stimulation in this dreaded school. Someone should teach those boys some manners~"

***

Vanilla sits in her room, becoming consumed in her textbook in the late hours of the night when all other students have already turned in for the night.

Two intruders make their way into Orca's dormitory, their cloaks obviously implying they are from Lang. Hushed whispers and they hiss at each other as they try to clumsily come up with a plan of attack onto the studying girl, too wrapped ino he text book to notice their magical energy approaching the outside of her door. One sighs before raising a hand to knock, but right before his hand could touch the wood he's flung to the side with a loud thud, alerting the girl with a jolt.

"They probably just fell off the bed again…" Vanilla sighs, wondering about her neighbor's sleeping habits. Completely oblivious to the battle that was about to ensue outside her door.

"Well this is an issue. I won't be able to take you down completely without alerting the poor girl. Oh well, I'm sure she'll forgive me." Margarette, the current prefect of Orca states confidently as they scratch an itch on their head with the tip of their wand. They take their stance as if to start the performance, their guile akin to a pristine conductor, ready to lead their symphony to victory.

"Sounds!" They chant and before Rymond's lackeys could even comprehend what was happening, musical notes fly their way at whistling speeds. They explode upon contact and the Lang pair are flung out of the window, falling off the side of the dormitory building.

The sound of breaking glass startles Vanilla and this time she's genuinely concerned. Slowly getting up from her chair she approaches the door. She slowly unlatches the lock and nearly screams in a panic and takes a few steps back, seeing Margarette's face mere inches away from hers. The candle they hold to illuminate their path lights their face in a way that intensifies the shadows, making their face seem almost morphed.

Vanilla slaps a hand to her mouth, breathing heavily from the shock. "M-Maestro? W-What's happening out there?" Vanilla asks before slowly approaching the door once more to look out. Vanilla attempts to open her door and look past the taller person only to find that Margarette holds it tightly, it doesn't budge in their grip and Vanilla doesn't push, giving Margarette an inquisitive look.

After the training exercise in the woods, it became apparent to the Orca students that Margarette had taken a liking to Vanilla. Sparking intrigue but nobody in Orca cared enough for school drama, too busy studying to care. Vanilla's reputation within Orca remains unchanged.

"Maestro. What's happening out there? Is everyone okay?" Vanilla inquired, knowing she could trust them not only as the current prefect of her dorm but also as a friend, whose company she enjoyed more than she thought she would for a megalomaniac.

"Oh it's nothing to worry your pretty little head about darling. I was just…exterminating some rats that snuck in." Margarette insisted as Vanilla couldn't help but be suspicious. But with the trust they'd earned with her, she let it go without pushing further.

"A-Alright…W-Well let me know if you need anything…" Vanilla states, unsure. "And you, dear, should get some sleep. I can't have you overworking yourself." The person states with a kind smile. Vanilla returns the gesture with a smile of her own, grateful for their concern. At least someone cared. "Hehe! I will. Good night Maestro." "Good night Vanilla darling~"

***

The next day comes and Vanilla finds herself at a loss. Once again, she was stopped by the current prefect of Alder's dorm in the hallway, complete with poorly timed queue cards that were not only out of order but also poorly written, this time with red crayon, much to Vanilla's amusem*nt. While she appreciated the sentiment and thought behind them, she couldn't help but feel as if it were just for show.

So, her obvious solution?

Was just to forgive the boy and things would just go back to the way they were.

She feels her heart drop at the sight of Rymond approaching the pair, this time with a certain vengeance to his eyes, stomping along the halls like a toddler throwing a tantrum. He doesn't seem to take notice of Vanilla or Rayne's presence as he marches past them.

"Stupid fools. I'll just do it myself." Vanilla hears him growl and she tenses up, hearing such a venomous tone, she gets the shivers as he walks past, craning her head to get a better look at Rymond right before he rounds the corner. Rayne stands up properly from his original position of shaking Vanilla by her shoulders. The prefect of Adler also finds himself concerned by the way he speaks.

"Careful." Rayne warns as Vanilla turns back to face him curiously. "I heard about what happened last night. You should watch yourself out there." Rayne states as Vanilla is dumbfounded by this new revelation.

"W-Wha-? What do you mean?" She inquires as Rayne glares down at her, his face scrunching up in an expression of scrutiny.

"You seriously don't know?"

***

The rest of the day is uneventful for our main character as she ponders Rayne's vague statements of warning, finding herself unable to fall asleep after battling her body's capabilities of doing gymnastics in her bed. She sighs despairingly and looks out the window, seeing the moon so high in the sky only further amplifying her dread of another sleepless night.

*

'Sure! I could use my magic and force myself to fall asleep and get a responsible amount of sleep… Or I could get up and find out what the f*ck is going on in the dorm at night.' I think to myself, waging a war inside my head as I debate my two options. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to come to a consensus and at this rate, I may as well be pulling another all-nighter.

A knock at my door calls to me and I flinch, feeling something ominous, something heavy, it makes me hesitant to move. Slowly, I carefully crawl out of my bed, doing my best not to make a single noise and practically crouching lowly on the ground as I reach for my wand on my desk, keeping my eyes pinned on my door. I snatch my wand and point it towards the door as I call out to them,

"Who is it?" I try to make it seem like I don't suspect anything but my voice betrays me in a quiver. I clench my teeth and steel my resolve before I channel my magical energy, being prepared for anything. I stand up properly, holding my wand behind me as I carefully walk towards the door, my hands clammy with anxiety. Clenching my wand behind my back I slowly unclasp the locks and decide to open the door.

It's as if time slowed to a halt right then and there, I feel everything happening in slow motion. The door opens to reveal my bully, whose name I never remembered. He's standing there with a powerful aura to him, glaring daggers into my soul and I nearly falter, my legs feeling weak.

I was wrong to underestimate him. He's strong, he's powerful. The aura he's emitting isn't just some guy who likes to talk big. He's much more menacing than cerberus, and judging from his magical energy output, he's nearly twice as strong.

Time suddenly reverts back to normal just as he's blown away by an unknown force and the door slams shut on me, causing me to flinch, losing my balance and falling onto my butt.

"W-Wha-?!"

"Don't open the door, Vanilla!" I hear Margarett's voice shouting at me. They sound serious, their voice a deeper pitch than the playfully affectionate one I'm used to.

I quickly regain my bearings and I scramble to the door, attempting to open it. I pull on the handle but it's no use, they probably used a sealing spell.

"M-Maestro! Don't do this! H-He's dangerous!!" I shout, my voice full of worry as I pound on the door. Nobody answers and my anxiety skyrockets, filling my body with a sense of urgency. I take the handle into my hands and firmly grip it, putting my foot on the wall and using all of my strength to try and pry it open. My fingers fail me and the door handle slips from my grasp, causing me to lose my balance and I flop onto the floor ungracefully. I groan in frustration at being locked in my own room before looking out the window, and I suddenly have a moment of brilliance.

*

"You're pretty protective of that girl, Maestro." Rymond states as he recovers from Margarette's earlier attack, wiping the blood away from his lips. Margarette cringes with a huff,

"The only one that can call me that is Vanilla darling." They declare as if it were gospel. Rymond chuckles sinisterly as he accumulates his magical energy,

"Is that so?!" He yells before he pulls out his wand. Margarette is prepared for his attack and takes on his conductor's stance.

"Bloody Phantom!"

"Sounds!" They each chant their own spells, the explosive musical notes clash with the bloody blades of Rymond's personal magic. The explosions of the notes cause the dust to waft the air, making it difficult to see, with only the moonlight illuminating their paths. Margarette keeps their wand up, prepared for anything as they peer into the vague darkness of the corridor.

"Bloody Phantom, Kai!" The Maestro hears Rymond chant and is quick to counter it,

"Sounds! Howling sounds!" The first set of musical notes attack the incoming blade made of blood. It's larger than anticipated and it emerges from the smoke so suddenly Margarette is caught off guard, barely able to dodge the blade. They pause for a brief moment, when the smoke clears and their howling sounds surround nothing, Rymond is gone from their sights. Margarette exploits their eyes before realizing Rymond's true objective and turns to look for Vanilla's dorm, creating a blindspot.

"Bloody spades!"

"Energy positive! Secondths!" It all happens so quickly. The window behind Rymond breaks in, revealing Vanilla crashing into the building, her wand already pointed in the pair's direction. The bloody magical blade is easily repelled by Vanilla's secondths spell and it rings out, echoing across the entire dorm, no doubt waking the slumbering students.

Margarette turns around in time to see Vanilla in the air, as if an angel had descended upon this earth, the moonlight glimmers in a way that casts the illusion of angelic wings on her back with shards of glass making it seem like the dazzling image of a glimmer along her aerobatic stride. Time seems to resume and Vanilla lands on the ground, using her arms to roll herself over and waste the momentum before using her legs to stop herself from crashing into the wall. She quickly recovers and scrambles to her feet, albeit clumsily.

"Somebody tell me WHAT THE HELL is happening!!!"

*

"ARGHHH!!! OPEN YOU DAMNED DOOR!!!" I scream, but pulling on the handle with all my might doesn't do a thing. I give up on the door and slam my fist into it in frustration as I hear the fighting happening outside.

"Damn it!" I scream before glancing at the window and gasping, frantically looking around the room for anything I can use to break it. My eyes land on my chair and I quickly accumulate my magic,

"Energy positive!" I say before putting the wand in my mouth, holding it with my teeth, feeling my physical prowess grow and it gets my blood pumping in anticipation for what I'm about to do. Feeling reinvigorated by my strength, I quickly take a deep breath before picking up my chair, spinning it around to gain momentum and throwing it out the window with all my might before chasing after it.

The chair breaks through the window and the metal reinforcements with ease, clearing my path as I jump out. My hand digs itself into the stone walls of the exterior dormitory and eventually my fall comes to a stop as I grip onto the wall for dear life, staring down at the distance between me and the ground dauntingly.

I don't let the height distract me as I'm quick to pull myself up and stabilize my balance. My fingers dig into the rock of the building and I start to climb back up to where Margarette and that guy are fighting. I hear various notes ring out as their fight continues. Once I reach the window pull myself up, jumping above it before finding a good grip and swinging my body down to slam my feet into the glass, using my momentum to break in through the window and with the grace of the gods, I'm able to swiftly bring my wand to my hands as I watch time seemingly slow. Margarette's attention is focused on my dorm room as the guy sneaks up behind them.

These next moments are pure instinct and my mouth moves on its own in haste,

"Bloody spades!"

"Energy Positive! Secondths!" A blood red staff materializes into the guy's hand and he threatens to swing at Margarette from behind, but my barrier is slightly faster and the spear is broken by my shield. A shockwave from the impact hits me as the spear breaks, causing the barrier to ring out and echo endlessly down the corridors of the dormitory.

I quickly maneuver my body to land on my arms, rolling to a stop and using my legs to cushion the impact. I quickly stand up to face the pair and they look at me, astonished by my sudden entrance. I can't help but feel frustrated with their dumbfounded expressions,

"Somebody tell me WHAT THE HELL is happening!!!" I yell out angrily. I don't know why I'm so angry but I am. It feels like I'm at the center of this conflict and yet I'm the only one that doesn't know about it. Why am I being protected when I'm their target? Why is this happening? Who even IS this guy?! And why is he hunting me down?! For WHAT?! Nevermind, I know why I'm angry now.

"Hmph, harlot of Orca." He greets me with a sneer.

'Lunatic of Lang…' I think to myself, but I remain silent. My eyes narrow on the guy and I straighten out my legs to stand properly.

"So…" I say after a moment of poignant silence. The air is so thick you could cut it with a knife. "Who is this guy?" I ask and I can hear the nerve I hit as he clenches his fists.

"Now you little-!"

"Hahahahahaha!! HAHAHAHA!" Margarette's obnoxious laughter fills the corridor, interrupting the man before he could say anything else.

"What? I never heard his name, never introduced himself, how was I supposed to know?" I say with my arms out, making a questioning gesture and tilting my head downwards, motioning for this guy to introduce himself.

Margarette's laughter dies down after a few moments as the man in front of me seethes, marinating in his frustration I'm sure. I don't see what happens next.

It was as if I blinked and I'm suddenly thrown out the window and I see the man from Lang dorm lunging at me in mid air as we fall towards the ground, his blood spear in hand with his eyes absolutely glowing a prominent crimson. He angles his body and soon reaches me. I try to evade or parry his attacks but his pure strength is too much for me to handle and his hand makes its way around my neck.

"Vanilla!!" I hear Margarette scream from above us. My secondths spell is still active around them and they use their magic to catch up to us.

"I won't stand for such disrespect!!" The man states before reeling his arm back, preparing to strike with the intent to kill.

"Shiver sounds!" Margarette's ability stuns the both of us and we freeze in place, stunned by the spell.

"Energy positive!" I shout, casting my magic to free myself from Margarette's magic first, using the opportunity to slip out of the man's grip right before we land on the ground, shattering the earth beneath us. I cough and gasp for air as I struggle to breathe from the impact. The guy doesn't give me any time to recover however and lunges at me, emerging from the dusty cloud we created upon landing.

I try to move out of the way but I'm horrified to find that my body doesn't respond. I instead channel my energy towards preemptively healing my body and preparing myself for the pain. I shut my eyes tightly in anticipation, but it never comes. Instead, I hear a familiar clang and it rings out, echoing off the surrounding area. To one side of the area is just woods and the other is the dormitory, which leaves us in a clearing between the two structures. I open my eyes and gasp, seeing Margarette's form sitting between myself and the assailant.

My secondths spell's barrier has a rough crack on the front of it and I can tell that it won't be able to take another hit.

"Are you okay, Vanilla darling?!" Margarette asks, their voice frantic. I can't seem to make my mouth move so I settle for a weak nod of my head as I heal the injuries I'd sustained from the fall. It's only then I realized that I'd been impaled. I scrunch up my face in pain, bringing my head up to look at the severity of my wounds.

My mind flashes back to the moment in the corridor, spears of blood on the walls must've been the ones to fling me out of the building and I just didn't have time to register, distracted by my confusion.

I lie back down, my head hitting the ground rather painfully as I close my eyes, my brows knitted together in pain. My wounds start to heal at a rapid rate as I slow my breathing and concentrate, entrusting my safety to Margarette.

The two have a standoff, both recovering from the fall, glaring each other down and sizing each other up. "To answer your question, Vanilla. This man is the current prefect of Lang's dorm. Currently the holder of five gold coins." Margarette states as I open my eyes, slowly getting up and gripping my side where I'd been impaled. "Rymond Grantz. Supposedly, he's related to the Light Cane, divine visionary Ryoh Grantz. But that's never been confirmed so it's just self-proclaimed." Margarette adds with a smirk. I groan quietly in pain with a sigh,

"But blood manipulation..? That's pretty metal…" I mutter, looking at the current prefect of Lang's dorm, now known as Rymond.

"W-Why is he after me ? What'd I do?" I ask, not taking my eyes off of Rymond as he glares at the both of us, seemingly waiting in anticipation for us to make the first move.

"I'd like to know that too." Margarette says, looking at Rymond expectantly for an answer. The time finally runs out on my secondths spell and the barrier around Margarette dissipates, disappearing with a fading of light. I suddenly let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and pant, feeling the exhaustion finally set in for me. My efficiency with my secondths spell needs some work. At this point, my wounds have finished healing and I can feel my magical energy take a dive, I keep my hand over my wounds as a feint and watch for Rymond's movements.

The prefect of Lang only shifts his weight from one foot to another and glares,

"The reason I targeted you? It pissed me off to see you gain two gold coins on the second day of classes right off the bat. You're so weak-"

"I know." I say, interrupting him with a deadpan expression on my face before it slowly morphs into one of disgust, "I know. I am pretty weak." I say as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, taking all the built up tension in the air and vaporizing it in an instant. Margarette turns their head back to look at me,

"Hey. Now. Vanilla dear…That's a little harsh…" They say, almost perplexed. I give up my feint and place a hand on my hip with a sigh,

"Yeah, I mean. I didn't come here to get strong, I came here to learn. It's a school after all." I say, confused. I don't see why this Rymond guy feels the need to kill me over it.

I hear him click his tongue, "You weaklings piss me off. Power is the only thing that matters, don't you understand? And yet you gained two gold coins and you just gave it away?! Is this a joke to you?! You don't belong here!! " Rymond says and I freeze, finding myself feeling a certain way about the way he said that. I don't like it.

'I…don't belong here..?' I start to question myself and I realize my mistake. I came here on a whim . I got in because I was lucky . All these other students have drives, ambitions, goals, and what am I doing? I guess my cardinal sin is that I've been having too much fun.

"You're wrong." Margarette's voice makes me snap out of my overthinking. "She does belong here. She's strong, and she has the potential to defeat even me." Margarette says before smiling sinisterly, "I won't stand for anyone that opposes her until she finds out who she truly is. What she's truly meant to be." They declare boldly as Rymond laughs mockingly.

"Then I'll just have to prove that she doesn't belong here, by defeating you and then doing away with her." Rymond says with a smirk, "Bloodivore, secondths!"

"Sounds Orchestra!" Rymond's magic accumulates and a scythe made of his blood appears in his hands before he lunges at us. Margarette's attack is effective at slowing him down but none of the attacks land and the blood scythe slashes through the musical lines. "Shiver sounds!" The harrowing noise is enough to stun Rymond for a moment, allowing Margarette to cast another spell. "Surround sounds Orchestra!" Giant speakers are manifested and surround Rymond on all sides and blast the music, hitting him directly and his innards are shaken by the absolute volume of sounds attacking his body. I watch, covering my ears as the sounds reverberate around, students of Orca are now watching the entire ordeal from the building, woken up by the commotion.

I take a deep breath, clenching my teeth and gripping my wand in my hand. I'm barely hanging onto the last bit of my magical energy left, and I'm frustrated at myself for letting Rymond's words get to me. Rymond seems to be gaining the upper hand and inching closer to Margarette, but they remain calm and confident, fighting off Rymond with ease even in close quarters, fighting with a smile adorning their face.

"Witness Vanilla Dear! This-!" Margarette calls to me and I find my gaze settled on them, "Is the level you must attain!" They declare before landing a solid kick on Rymond, sending the man flying back quite a ways away.

"Sounds Metamorphose!!" Margarette chants proudly before a large shockwave blasts emit from them upon casting. I gasp and put up a barrier to prevent myself from flying away. Margarette's form changes and I watch in awe as they become like a younger version of themself but their magical power is only growing more and more. I watch in awe, like a beautiful symphony of sounds as Rymond recovers from the attack and spits out blood from his mouth, wiping his lips with the back of his hand as he glares at the Maestro. Rymond prepares himself for another attack with the intention of ending the battle at last.

"Don't underestimate me Orca scum!!" He yells before dashing at Margarette. He's fast, almost too fast for my eyes to keep up but Margarette disappears from their position, a blast emitting from their position as they move at the speed of sound, easily dodging Rymond's attack and reappearing right behind him.

It's only then I hear a specific pitch call out to me. It's in an all natural scale, a particular note that rings to me, "Ti." I gasp. Margarette casts a spell at point blank range, the blast nearly shatters my barrier even from all the way back here and I'm astounded. 'I…have the potential to become strong like that …?!' I think to myself as the dust settles and I see Margarette standing over Rymond's body, smirking at their victory.

***

"We're gathered here today as we discuss the recent events revolving around second year, Miss Vanilla Bean." Mr. Wahlberg stated from his very high seat in this giant room as professors from all manners gathered around in booths as if it were a spectacle. I stand on a podium with magical restraints before them with a deadpan expression on my face as I think about the life choices that led me up to this point.

'I wanna go to my room…'

Chapter 7: From Me, To You

Chapter Text

I sit in my dorm, staring at the five golden coins on my desk with my forehead resting on the back of my clasped hands, hunched over the table with my elbows. A shadow cast over my eyes as I contemplated what to do after today's trial in headmaster Wahlberg's office.

**

"Vanilla has always been a well-behaved student! I cannot just believe that she started this altercation of her own accord!" One of my professors stands up for me at the trial and I can't help but feel nothing but gratitude towards her.

"That's right. She's the top of her class in academics, I can't imagine someone like that pursuing violence." Mr. Wahlberg hushes the other instructors with a wave of his hand, commanding respect, the room silences itself before Mr. Wahlberg begins to speak once again.

"According to Rymond Grantz's statement, Miss Bean was overcome with jealousy and lashed out at his friends. Finding this unforgivable, Mr. Grantz sought to avenge his comrades." Mr. Wahlberg reads out the statement submitted by the guy and I can't help but stare incredulously.

'For real? That's all he could come up with?'

"From his statements along with the testimonies from other students, regardless of how she seems, I cannot just disregard their statements. And seeing as this was an unsanctioned fight involving magic without the wager of coins, these statements must be taken seriously." Mr. Wahlberg states, adjusting his glasses and my face pales as I realize the implications.

'That bastard got his lackeys and other students to speak for him?!' I think to myself, lowering my gaze to the ground, distraught. It's his word against mine, he's been here longer, has more social status, more credibility than me. A town girl that transferred in not too long ago. I clench my fists as my instructors protest against the allegations, but they're soon overshadowed by unbiased instructors that I've never met.

The doors to the giant pearly room suddenly burst open and I gasp, looking behind me to see Margarette and surprisingly, Rayne walk into the room. Following behind them are a few students from Orca dorm. I watch as Margarette takes a stand and gives their statement on their side of the incident.

"Please forgive my sudden entrance Mr. Wahlberg, but I'd like to make a few statements regarding Miss Bean." Margarette states.

"I'll allow it." Mr. Wahlberg declares before Margarette begins to recount the events of this past week. I stand there in shock, listening in as I finally gain some insight into what's been happening behind my back.

With both Rayne and Margarette's statements, as current prefects of their respective dormitories, the trial soon turns a full 180 and ends swiftly. With the new revelations coming to light and the backing of both Rayne and Margarette and the other Orca students that saw the whole thing, Rymond Grantz was expelled and his five gold coins were relinquished to Margarette, who defeated him. I didn't receive any punishment, obviously since I was the victim in this whole thing, I was given temporary leave from classes for the following three days to recuperate from the incident. Which leads me to where I am now…

**

"Anyways, I'm not interested in coins so here you go Vanilla darling! Ta ta~" I remember hearing Margarette's words ring in my head as I glared holes into the coins before me.

'...Now what…?' I question myself. I have these three days to myself and now I'm apparently a prominent figure in the Orca dorm, not only for befriending the infamous Margarette, but also the fight with Rymond and the trial that led to his expulsion. And because of that…

A knock comes at my door and I stand up from my desk to answer it. Upon opening the door, I look and see a boy there, he seems to be a year below me judging by his youth.

"Yo! Senpai!" He greets energetically.

I nod my head, "Uhuh…Hello there." I reply simply as he hands me a single orange tulip. I take the flower into my hand as he bows his head, but at this point I'm getting used to it.

"Thank you! For saving me from Rymond! I know it's not much but I wanted to show my gratitude!" He states, smiling brightly at me. "Yeah, right…Thank you." I nod my head,

'I LITERALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!'The boy stands up properly with a smile,

"Senpai!" He shouts, a bit too loudly for my liking, it makes my ears ring.

"Yes?"

"I heard you're on temporary leave, so would you have time today to come with me?" He asks suddenly as I raise a brow.

"Wha-?" He doesn't give me time to inquire and takes my hand, quickly pulling me out of my room and forcing me to come along. "Wha-?! Wai-! Where are you taking me?!" I protest but he doesn't listen and laughs boisterously.

Only then do I realize that the hallways of Orca are shockingly empty without a student in sight. He pulls me along until we reach a door in the lower level of the dorm before pushing me in front of him and covering my eyes.

I hear the grand doors open with a creak and he unhands me. The bright lights of the room cause me to squint before my eyes adjust. Only then do I see a majority of the Orca students from all years having a banquet and they're all looking at me. I feel my face flush from the sudden public attention as they seemingly cheer at my arrival.

"Cheers to our new Prefect!" They all yell in unison and I'm at a loss for words.

"...What." I say and they seem to laugh,

"Didn't you hear? Margarette-senpai relinquished his-"

" Their. "

"Right, their title of prefect to you!" The boy that brought me here says as I stand bewildered, and for a moment I don't say anything before it suddenly registers in my mind.

"W-W-When did this happen?! A-And why are we celebrating? I-I-I thought i-it was m-more of a s-small occasion…" I say, trailing off towards the end as I start to get anxious, being the center of attention in this banquet.

Another student comes up to me with a warm smile and she takes my hand in hers, "It's a celebration of liberation from Rymond's oppression and a celebration for you becoming the new prefect. So it's a two-in-one." She says, "You're like the Big Sister of Orca!"

'Wow…That's quite the leap…' I'm astonished. I hadn't realized just how much his presence affected the atmosphere of the Orca dorm. With Margarette's apathetic nature and their general disinterest in school activities, it starts to make sense that the people of Orca dorm would want a new prefect that would prevent oppressive bullies from other dorms. Since Orca was viewed as the weakest of the three for being more studious than anything else, they made for easy targets. And now, I'm expected to uphold that mantle, even if it's only in name.

'AND I'M SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THESE GUYS?! So scary!' I think to myself before noticing my anxiety melting away. For some reason, it doesn't feel oppressive here. The atmosphere here is warm and welcoming, like nothing I've ever experienced before.

The girl suddenly pulls on my hand and leads me towards a table, "Come on! Us second years gotta stick together!" She says with a giggle,

"A-Ah…" I'm barely able to utter out.

As the evening progresses, I find that I'm genuinely enjoying myself and I can feel myself changing. Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, it feels new, it's refreshing.

By the end of it all, I'm helping a few students clean up the room as we smile and laugh with each other. This sense of comradery makes me feel light and I start to view this school in a new lens. I learned many new things in the past hour. A shut-in like me never knew the extent of the school's facilities, and I make a mental note to visit those areas later and check them out for myself. Before this, I was just someone that went from class, to the library, to my dorm and that was it. It was so bland, monotonous, and dull. But now, the world seems so much brighter, livelier, and colorful. It's so colorful it's almost blinding. And for a moment, it feels like all my worries have just melted away.

I'm the last one out of the banquet hall as Alice, my newfound friend, bids a farewell and a good night as she leaves. She's a kind girl with aspirations to graduate school and get a job at the Bureau of magic as an assistant. Anything that pays well really. She was only interested in the pay. And it's not like her family is poor and can't afford anything, or that her parents can't afford life sustaining medicine. She just wants money, and I respect the grind.

As I'm wiping down the last of the tables and ensuring the room is spotless, I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand and sigh. With such a big room suddenly so quiet, the silence rings in my ears as I look around, feeling a little melancholic at my new position. With my new social status, and surely new challenges to face going forward, it feels ominous.

"So much for the simple school life…" I mutter to myself before chuckling humorlessly, thinking about my new title, unsure of how to feel.

***

As I'm pressing and drying flowers from the students that gave me flowers out of gratitude, a knock comes to my door, prompting me to raise a brow. Classes are still in session so I found it odd that someone was at my door. I'm hesitant but I sigh and get up from my spot, pushing my chair back in the process before answering the door. I'm surprised to see Margarette standing there with a warm smile.

"Hello, little miss prefect." They greet as I chuckle,

"And you, Maestro Ex-prefect. What are you doing here? Classes are still in session." I point out crossing my arms with a huff.

"I'm skipping, obviously." They reply as I scoff,

"Obviously." They let themselves into my dorm room and look around curiously.

"I didn't know you had a hobby like this." Margarette points towards my desk, littered with pressed flowers. I shake my head,

"I don't, but I want to preserve their feelings." I respond simply as Margarette chuckles,

"You're more sentimental than I anticipated." They say before taking a seat on the unoccupied bed of the dorm. Crossing their legs as I close my door, I sigh and turn to face them,

"So, why are you here?" I ask. Margarette merely sighs,

"So cold Vanilla dear~ Straight to business I see." They complain as I chuckle in response.

"You're never here 'just to see me' so something's up." I say, leaning back on my desk with my arms crossed expectantly, smiling. Margarette chuckles and leans forward, leaning on their legs,

"I'm here to take you out. You're going to need more power if you're going to sustain your position as a prefect, and soon, the divine visionary exam." Margarette states as I scoff, placing a hand on my hip,

"And what makes you think I'm going to participate in something like that?" I ask, rolling my eyes at the notion.

"I suppose we'll both find out. But regardless, you need to get stronger. So, I'll be more direct in cultivating that inner strength of yours." They state as I furrow my brows, my tone turning serious,

"...I'll take you up on your offer to train me, but I'm not participating in that divine visionary exam." I say, making my intentions very clear. Margarette chuckles,

"Hmph, we'll see about that." They say as they stand to leave.

"I'm serious Maestro." I reiterate, being adamant on my position. They open the door, clearly ignoring me,

"We'll start immediately. I'll see you at the training grounds in an hour." Margarette says as they step out the door, "Prepare yourself. I won't be going easy on you." They state ominously, "I'm eager to see what heights you'll attain." They close the door and I furrow my brows as they leave me alone in my room. I turn my head to look down at the floor, sighing.

I arrive at the school's training grounds where I see Margarette standing there, waiting for me with a hand on their hip. "Well, aren't you punctual?" They say, amused. I lift my wand, not bothering to respond and tensing up, "Then, let's get started."

***

"Hey, Vanilla. Can you help me with this problem?" Alice asks me as I turn my head to look over at her work,

"Hm? Oh this?" I ask for confirmation before taking the paper into my hands. Of course, as fellow Orca students, we're hanging out in the library and studying for our upcoming midterms.

It's been a few weeks since the trial and the hype around it had died down. Lang has a new prefect and his name is Abel, but I don't know much about him nor have I seen him around. Apparently he's a second year like us.

The library was more populated than normal with students from other dorms scrambling to get their work done and cramming information from class. Usually it's just filled sparsely by Orca students but with a large chunk of our grade on the line, many of them weren't going to risk failing and flunking out of Easton.

I don't have a problem with it, not at all. I get it, students want to study.

What I have a problem with, is Rayne and his friend (who I now know as Max Land) sitting right across from us!!

'There are plenty of empty seats aren't there?! Go away!!' I want to shout, but I keep my open hostility to a minimum. While I wouldn't normally mind too much about their presence, what I do mind is Max getting constantly distracted and making noise.

"When it comes to magical mathematics, there's a set of laws regarding the stability, fluctuation point, potency, and consistency of each set. So, if we were to break those down, what would those laws be?" I say, explaining the problem in a simpler manner in a way that Alice would understand. She was the average student with average grades, occasionally storming into my dorm for help on a paper she was procrastinating on. The normal stuff. I hand her back her paper and she seems to brighten up, figuring out the problem herself.

"Oh! I get it now! Thanks Vanilla!" She exclaims before excitedly writing down the answer. I smile to myself before going back to my own notes.

And for a moment, we're back to silence, only the sound of papers shifting and the shuffling of other students filling the silence of the library. I'm currently working on my advanced magical index's class work in deep concentration as I try to figure out the arithmetics in my head. My eyes sting from staring at the whiteness of the paper after being here for so long as classes were cut short to give the students time to study.

"Hey." I hear Rayne's voice call out to me. I don't move my head to look at him but I hum in response,

"Hm?" I hear him shuffling papers in front of me,

"Do you have notes from Magical History?" He asks as I nod,

"Hand 'em over." He orders bluntly as Max is quick to interject.

"R-Rayne…!" Max stops himself once I reach behind me, still not taking my eyes off of my work and pulling out my notebook nonchalantly, thinking nothing of it as it had become something of a routine.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." Max seems to be flabbergasted by the simple interaction but doesn't say anything. But the same cannot be said for Alice,

"The least you can do is say please. So audacious!" She complains. I place a hand on her shoulder to calm her down and she groans before going back to her work. Rayne doesn't respond but he glances at her with a brow raised. There's a moment of silence before Rayne speaks up,

"Please." He says. Our attention snaps towards the half-blonde incredulously before Alice is quick to exclaim,

"It's too late for that now! Gods! Boys are so tactless!" "Calm down Alice. That's just how he is." I say shrugging, already used to his aloof yet bizarre behavior. She only huffs and grumbles to herself. Despite the sudden outburst, it warms my heart to see her get frustrated on my behalf.

A thought suddenly comes to mind and I look at Rayne, "Now that I think about it, why do you always take my notes Rayne?" I ask curiously. Max and Alice perk up, wondering what he might say,

"Because you take better notes. It's efficient." He answers as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The rest of us deadpanned at his bluntness,

"Why don't you take your own notes then?" Alice asks,

"Because her's are better."

"Then take better notes!" Alice exclaims, I can feel her getting increasingly frustrated. I chuckle nervously, trying to lighten the mood and use my hands to calm her down. Max sighs and elbows Rayne,

"You can't just have her do all the work bro." He criticizes. Rayne gives him a look, raising a brow,

"Isn't that what couples do?" Silence ensues.

. . . .

"WHAT?! You guys are a couple?!!" Our friends yell at us before someone in the library shushes us. I sigh and put my pen down.

"No, we're not dating."

"Yes, we're dating."

Rayne and I say at the same time. My head whips around to look at Rayne and he's glaring at me.

"We went on a date. Doesn't that mean we're dating ?" He states, completely oblivious. I sigh, leaning back in my chair and bringing my fingers to pinch the bridge of my nose.

'Is this guy being for real?' I think to myself, preemptively nursing an oncoming headache. After a moment of silence, Max perks up, "So, are you guys dating or not?"

"Yes."

"No."

Aaaand we're back to square one.

***

I wheeze, gasping for air after I'd been flung back by another one of Margarette's attacks. They scratch an itch on their head with their wand and sigh in disappointment,

"Nonon Vanilla darling! You're never going to be able to land a hit on me like that." They scold as I struggle to rise back onto my feet. I feel my magic quickly working on my wounds. It's gotten a lot faster since they decided to train me with me sustaining wounds so often it makes for good practice. I can feel that my magical potency has increased, well above what I've ever been able to achieve on my own before. While I'm happy and grateful for my progress in the things I'm good at…

"Hmm, there's still a lot of work to do for your lack of offensive capabilities. Not everything can just be solved through brute force." Margarette points out, referring to my physical enhancement magic. It's basically useless if I don't have a combat partner to enhance though. "At this rate, you'll just be a really durable sandbag with how fast your healing has gotten." They state as I continue to struggle catching my breath. They seem to notice my fatigue and walk towards me, "Let's stop for today dear." They say as I look up at them in shock.

My stunned expression soon morphs into one of disappointment and my gaze lowers back to the ground. I feel their large hand land on top of my head as a gesture of comfort. "It's okay to be frustrated with yourself. That just means you strive for more. I know you can do it." Their words do little to comfort me but I nod anyways, grateful for their mentorship and patience with me.

"Thank you, Maestro…" I say dejectedly and slumping over, turning around to head back towards the dorm.

One month, until the Divine Visionary Exam.

Chapter 8: What I'm Struggling For

Chapter Text

"I cannot believe you only have three pairs of shoes! We're going out, got it?!"

I sigh at the vast amount of shoes in front of me. This store smells like nothing but leather, rubber, and alcohol. Alice is running around the store, looking at the vast amount of shoes as I stand at the door with my arms crossed.

"H-Hey Vanilla…Y-You don't seem to be enjoying yourself…" Max hesitantly speaks up from behind me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I can only sigh in disappointment,

"Apparently it's a cardinal sin to have three pairs of shoes." I complain with a shrug before Alice abruptly takes my hands, seemingly appearing out of thin air as if to deliver my swift punishment for my original sin.

"Come on! I can't believe you aren't excited about this!" Alice complains before dragging me over to where a vast amount of women's shoes lay. They're all pristine, made of faux leather that reeks of glossy haze. I cringe, none of these seem like something I would willingly wear. Alice seems to take notice of my reaction and groans.

"What are you? A man?" She asks as I sigh,

"If it'll get me outta here then yes, I'm secretly a man." I say bluntly, "I'm sorry for deceiving you." Alice only drags a hand down her face, appalled. She rambles on and on about the importance of upholding femininity and how that affects my outlook on life but I can't bring myself to listen to this jargon. I glance over at Max and Rayne on the other side of the shop with a monotonous look on my face, clearly not listening to her ramble on. Max is chatting away at Rayne and he seems to be in a similar boat as me.

The door opens as another customer walks in and the bell rings before we all feel it. The shop has gone completely silent as the air turns dense. It's suddenly so hard to breathe and I break out into a cold sweat. I feel myself shiver as I hear the person's footsteps behind me, it was as if his mere presence drew all of us in, it commanded respect of the highest order. His immense magical energy leaks into the small shop and we find ourselves struck with fear and anticipation.

"A-A Divine V-Visionary?! H-How can I help you?" I hear the store clerk stutter out and I can't help but admire her courage to speak up in this thickened air. It weighs heavily on me and it's hard to breathe.

"I'm here to find a new pair of shoes. Preferably ones that are sealed shut." He speaks. His voice is deep, monotonous, and cold. I shiver at his tone of voice and I find myself petrified. I stiffly turn my head to look at the man, he has brown hair, his eyes are hidden behind the glare of his round glasses, and he's adorning a dark green visionary robe over his shoulders.

'The Dessert Cane, Orter Madl.' I think to myself in shock. I've seen him in the papers a while back, he's powerful for sure, but seeing him in person now makes me feel sick to my stomach as it puts into perspective the difference between us. It almost feels like we're in the presence of…

A demon.

"O-Of course! I-I'll put a c-commission in right away!" The clerk sputters out before running to the back. The Visionary huffs, fixing his glasses into place before turning to observe the different shoes on display.

As he's leaving the counter, I catch a glimpse of his amber eyes and we accidentally make eye contact. I flinch at the oppressive glare, he looks down on me as if I were some insignificant bug. To my surprise and horror, he turns his body and approaches me. He stops just a step away from me and observes me from head to toe. I'm scared, I can't seem to control my body the way I'd like to and I stand petrified.

"What's your name?" He asks suddenly after a moment of silence, my body shivers at the timbre of his deep voice. I hesitate to speak, my mouth opens but no words come.

"V-V-Vanilla B-Bean…" I managed to say it at last, instinctively stepping back and bumping into the wall behind me. His eyes seem to widen slightly. His hand slowly reaches out towards my face and I flinch, he touches my hair and pulls it back. I shut my eyes tightly in fear, not really knowing what's going on. He seems to be looking for something. He slowly moves my bangs back, revealing part of my forehead,

"Aren't you..?" He begins to say but he suddenly stops. I open one of my eyes carefully before staring in shock. Rayne stands behind Orter with a glare fixed onto him,

"What are you doing? Can't you see that she's clearly uncomfortable?" Rayne says with a certain vice in his tone that makes me sick. Orter only glances at him from the corner of his eyes, seemingly uncaring for the man behind him, keeping his gaze on me,

"I've put your order in! I-If you don't mind coming to the back, I-I'll take your measurements sir!" The clerk interrupts him. The intensity of the air seemingly evaporates as Orter leans back with a huff, putting distance between us.

"Hmph. Nevermind, forgive my rudeness. Excuse me." He fixes his glasses before leaving towards the back of the shop swiftly. Once the door closes in behind him everyone seems to relax and breathe out a sigh of relief. I look up at Rayne curiously as he stares at the door Orter left through. The half blonde turns his head back to face me, pointing at the exit,

"Let's get outta here."

After that incident at the shoe shop, we decided to get some ice cream to relax. I come back to see a fairly chaotic sight and I can't help but stare, contemplating my place in the world.

Max has an arm wrapped around Rayne's shoulders with a comic book in his other hand raving about the new edition. Rayne is staring off into space, a bit of drool slipping past his slightly ajar mouth with a blank look on his face. And Alice is…

Alice…

Alice is at another table…

scamming people,

"Aright Aright step right up and try your luck!!" She says clapping her hands obnoxiously, motioning towards the three cups, flipped upside down in front of her.

The chaos of the entire thing makes me reevaluate the people I have chosen to surround myself with, lost in my thoughts I ignore the ice cream slowly melting and dripping down my hands. After taking it all in I sigh despairingly and ignore my desire to go back to the dorm, taking a seat across from Rayne and Max. My actions cause my knee to bump the table and snap Rayne out of his daze as he greets me with a glance. Max doesn't seem to notice my presence, continuing to ramble on and on about the plot of the comic and whatnot.

"Here." I gently hand Rayne his ice cream. He takes it gratefully, muttering a small thank you before digging into it. He inhales the whole thing in a few seconds before shrinking back, holding his head. I stare, mildly impressed at his achievement before sighing with a smile, leaning my elbow on the table and flicking my wrist,

"You should slow down when you eat." I say simply with a small chuckle. My magic accumulates and takes shape as a talisman seemingly made of light swoops over the table and sticks itself to Rayne's face, taking him by surprise. He flinches his head back before the talisman disappears and his face relaxes as the pain of the brain freeze melts away.

"Thanks." He mumbles, keeping his gaze on the table.

"What's up chumps?" I hear Alice's voice and turn to look before spitting. She has both of her hands up, displaying her newly acquired trophies. Her entire upper body is decked out with gaudy golden chains, designer sunglasses, so many rings that it nearly covers both of her hands, hands that are holding more golden bracelets and watches, some of which are probably family heirlooms.

"Pft! Hahahahaha!! W-What the hell?!" I laugh out loud and squirm in my seat as I take in her appearance. She smiles at my amusing reaction and tilts her new sunglasses down to look me in the eyes,

"Always on the grind. And hey, thanks for paying!" She says before snatching my cone from my hand, taking a seat right next to me. I still can't contain my laughter from her previous shenanigans and stare at all the priceless jewels decorating her body like some kind of ludicrous art piece. "Let's stop by the pawn shop before we leave." Alice says, making her intentions obvious as I continue to wheeze, struggling to catch my breath, nodding my head slightly in confirmation. "But, if I'm gonna sell these, I'll need your guys' help." Alice says before taking another lick of my ice cream. The three of us turn our attention towards her curiously as she smirks mischievously.

***

Now fully decked out in gaudy looking attire and standing in front of a pawn shop on the other side of town, Rayne and I stare at the front sign with blank expressions.

"So basically I want you guys to sell these priceless jewels at a pawn shop on the other side of town. They'll find me suspicious if I just walk in by myself so good luck!"

I hear Alice's previous words ring in my head as I sigh, glancing over at Rayne to see his reaction. He's unreadable as usual, staring at the shop lost in thought. He seems to take notice of my gaze and turns to look at me. I wheezed at his straightforward expression with designer sunglasses and designer sun hat that were so uncharacteristic of him I couldn't help but laugh. After a few moments I calm down and take his hand, dragging him with me into the pawn shop.

Once we're in, I immediately take notice of the moist carpet and the old smell that reeked from this place. The pawn shop owner seems to be a crabby old lady with a grumpy expression on her face.

"Whadya want kid?" She greets unpleasantly.

"Now remember. The key is to haggle to get what you want and what you want is money! It's all about selling for the highest price!" Alice's voice rings in my head like a mantra and I gulp nervously.

"We're here to sell these jewels." Rayne suddenly states to my surprise, approaching the glass desk. I follow after him as he takes the time to remove the articles of jewelry and designer accessories as I follow suit. The old crone examines it for less than a second and huffs,

"4 silver. Best I can do." She states, disinterested. Rayne clicks his tongue and slams his hand onto the glass counter, it's a miracle it didn't shatter from the commotion it caused. It came as a surprise to both me and the old lady from his sudden aggression.

"For all of these? Surely you can do better. These are priceless artifacts that you can't find anywhere else in this damn town." I'm surprised to see Rayne following along with Alice's shenanigans and really playing off the act. The old lady glares back at Rayne, inspecting the pieces with a bit more attention to detail before leaning back to look at us, observing our body language.

"8 silver." She states as Rayne huffs, crossing his arms,

"Make it 30." He challenges.

"10 silver."

"26."

"12 and two bronze."

"20 and three bronze."

"19 and six bronze."

"Deal."

Rayne and the old lady go back and forth before reaching a compromise, I'm amazed how it worked out decently. The lady quickly gives us our due and we leave quietly with a rather aggressive air in the room. Once the door closes behind us I look at Rayne in shock.

"I didn't know you knew how to haggle." I say as he looks at me, holding the money in his hand.

"I needed to." He says simply before walking off in a direction. This sparks a thousand thoughts in my brain at the implications of such a statement.

"W-Wha?! R-Rayne, wait up!" I say, quickly chasing after him. The crowds in the street seem to thicken and I lose track of him. My breath hitches in my throat as I look around anxiously. I don't know this side of town and I feel so lost, a burning pit finds its way to my stomach and it makes me nauseous.

Before I get too overwhelmed, a hand darts out from the crowds and pulls me by the wrist, weaving through the swarm of people with ease before hitting a small clearing where the crowd is less dense. I look around at my new surroundings and find that we're at a small grassy park, there's still quite a bit of people there but it's much easier to navigate. I look towards the person that dragged me out and sigh in relief seeing Rayne's familiar face. He lets go of my wrist and tilts his head, motioning me to follow. He turns on his heel and heads straight for a free park bench and takes a seat. I stare at him for a moment before joining him, sitting on the other side of the bench, fiddling with my hands uncomfortably.

"T-Thanks…" I murmured,

"Mhm." He replies simply.

The sun sets over the horizon, making my back feel hot as the rays beam down on me. We watch as the gentle winds comb through the grassy park way in front of us, adjacent to the large lake that seemingly goes on forever, with Easton floating on the water on its own in the distance. I stare at the serenity of it as the exhaustion of today finally catches up to me, causing me to relax and slump in my seat. My thoughts are still fixated on Rayne's previous statement, and it makes me realize that he's probably had it rough growing up…

Just like me…

An air of contentment surrounds the two of us, it's not awkward but it feels a little tense. I contemplate on whether I should ask Rayne about it or not for a few moments. Battling in my head whether or not I would be overstepping.

'I mean, asking a simple question wouldn't hurt right? He could just refuse if he's uncomfortable.' I justify my curiosity in my head before taking a deep breath and steeling myself.

"Hey…" I called out to him, catching the man's attention. He's leaning back on the bench with his arm stretched on the back rest, turning his head slightly to look at me.

"Hm?" I fiddle with my hands anxiously.

"Y-You don't have to answer i-if you don't want to but…" I hesitated before speaking again, "W-What did you mean by that?" I ask finally, my heart pumping in my chest.

"Mean by what?" He asks as I shrug, carefully turning my head to face him,

"Y-You needing to know how to haggle." I say quietly, feeling sweat drip from my neck.

"Oh, that." Rayne says with a sigh and leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees and staring at the ground. There's a small pause before he begins to speak,

"My little brother and I were orphans." He starts and I feel my heart sink in my chest, internally beating myself up for reopening that wound. "To live on the streets, it was an essential skill for survival." Rayne explains, his leg bouncing as he clasps his hands together.

"I-I'm sor-"

"Don't be." Rayne interrupts me with a stern tone that makes me feel guilty. "I don't need your pity." He spits as if he's heard it a million times. I gulped before turning to face back at the school,

"I-I just wanted to say I'm sorry for reopening that wound." I say simply. The ambiance between us gets denser and it's hard to relax suddenly as the breeze carries with it our silence.

I can't help but feel the distance between us get bigger and it hurts for some reason.

It hurts knowing that I've hurt him. Even unintentionally, I should've known that someone with such ambition would have something to fight for. Someone to protect. Someone to sacrifice for. It makes me reminisce about my own life and my own upbringing. Everyone has their own struggles, even someone like Rayne, and I was just reminded of that.

"Haven't you ever struggled for something?" Rayne suddenly asks. My head whips around and I stare at him in shock.

"W-What…?" I say quietly as he sits upright and looks at me directly, meeting my amber gaze with his golden one,

"Haven't you ever struggled for something?"

**

"Mom, no! Mom, don't go please! Please! Don't go!!" I begged, I cried, I sobbed, desperately latching myself onto her dress as guards dragged her away. I look towards my father and scream at him to do something, anything to keep them from taking her away.

She turns towards me with that same smile that always brought me comfort, "It'll be okay sweetie. I'll be back soon." She tries to reassure, unable to crouch down to my level as the guards hold her arms hostage.

"No you won't! No! You're lying! Just don't go please! I-I'll do my chores! I'll eat everything you give me just please don't go!"

"Time's up brat." The guards kick me away harshly, sending me back a few meters. I watch helplessly from the ground as my mother is taken away in an armored carriage, that was the last I ever saw of her. I don't know at the time where she went but deep down I knew. I knew that was going to be the last time I saw her.

**

My vision blurs and I feel numb. A tear runs its course down my face and I'm quick to avert my gaze away from the half blonde.

"Y-Yeah…I have…" I say quietly, cursing the quiver in my tone. "But s-she's gone now…" I say before I could stop it. Hearing my own voice say it out loud causes the tears to come quicker, falling straight onto my hands resting in my lap. My breath hitches as the feeling sinks into my bones. I can't bring myself to move from my spot, my face heats up from the pressure and I can't help but grow frustrated with myself.

The silence rings in my ears almost painfully, wondering what Rayne must think of me now. It's happening again and I can't control it, the thought of it alone makes me frustrated.

"Then…" Rayne's voice snaps me out of my self degradation,

"Would you struggle for me?"

He asks, so quietly I thought it was a hallucination. I slowly bring my head up to face him, scanning his expression for anything that might lead me to believe he was being genuine. I want to deny it but he's looking at me with such intensity it makes me feel small. I don't need any explanation at this point, the meaning behind those words, he views me as his ally.

But why? I'm not strong. I wasn't gifted with a strong personal magic like he was. I'm sensitive and I get anxious easily. So why? I open my mouth to speak, "I-"

"RAYNE YOU BASTARD!!!" Alice suddenly comes charging in, launching herself into the air with the intent to kick the half blonde in the head. He simply leans forward, easily dodging her kick and she lands on the ground ungracefully with the nearby tree to graciously stop her momentum as she plants her face into its trunk.

"Ha…Ha…" Max pants, running towards us. "I'm sorry…I couldn't stop her…She's so fast!" Max pants, trying to catch his breath as I laugh heartily, wiping the tears from my face.

"Hahaha! No-! Haha! It's fine-!" I say in between breaths. Max's worried expression melts into a small smile as he breathes a sigh of relief.

"Rayne! You bastard! What're you doing to my best friend?!" Alice screams, gaining the attention of the surrounding people as she marches towards us. Her face is red and blood is dripping from her nose with grass littered across her attire. She pulls Rayne up by the collar but he doesn't react, simply shifting his head to the side with a blank nonchalant expression as Max tries to hold Alice from the back, telling her to let him go, as if to console her like some rabid dog. I laugh at the sight, taking in the experience.

'So this is what it's like to have friends…' I think to myself as I watch the scene unfold with a smile on my face. It was as if my monotonous world burst into full color, everything just seemed so…vibrant.

Once I see Alice reeling her arm back with the intent to inflict violence I decide to step in and break the two apart.

"Alright alright that's enough." I say with a smile, flicking my wrist towards Alice and making a talisman to heal her wounds. The pressure in her face is relieved and she sets Rayne back down, he only slumps in his seat, still seemingly lost in thought as Max relaxes and turns towards his best friend.

Alice moves her attention towards me and places her hands on my shoulders firmly, taking me by surprise. She reels her head back before slamming it into my head, causing me to wince and cry out in shock. "OW! What the hell-?!"

"You need to have more self-respect!" She screams at me as I hold my head, wincing in pain and crouching on the ground.

"W-Wha-?" I stutter out, utterly confused. "You just let anything happen to you. But you deserve more than that! You need to act on it. Demand it!" She says dramatically as I look up at her in bewilderment, wondering what she meant,

"What are you, an NPC?! If something makes you uncomfortable then leave! If something wrongs you then retaliate ! If there's something you want, then fight for it!!"

I don't know why, but I felt myself getting irritated with her words. "Don't you have any self-respect?! You deserve more than this guy who only seems to make you cry!"

"What do you know?!" I scream, suddenly out of breath as I slump on the ground. We're all silent at the sudden outburst. I'm formulating in my mind, why do her words ring in my ears? Why do I feel so angry? Why am I being so irrational ? It feels like she's speaking to my soul when she obviously isn't and in my moment of weakness I wasn't able to control it finally boiling over.

"Hey now you guys…" Max tries to remedy the situation before Alice jumps up and down with a certain giddiness,

"Yes! Get angry! Get mad! Finally!" She seems to cheer me on. I stand up, my hair casting a shadow over my eyes and I dab her up with a solid clap that echoes across the park. I feel her hand tense and I prepare myself for a spontaneous epic arm wrestling challenge. I feel the intensity of her gaze on me as our magical output seems to radiate from us, pooling over the ground and overwhelming the previously stiff air with our heat and passion.

"Ready?" Rayne says, placing his hand on ours before signaling the start of our battle of wills.

"Start." He says, taking his hand off and I grit my teeth, flipping and slamming my best friend's body onto the park bench with her legs dangling over the backrest, down and out for the count. Rayne squats next to Alice's body and moves his arms out,

"Safe!" He declares as I raise my arm victoriously, relishing in the feeling of winning.

"...what the hell just happened…?" Max utters out.

***

I sit alone in the old abandoned music room, now back at Easton with a dazed look on my face. Lost in thought about the words Rayne said to me. I question myself, why am I here? What do I do now? Should I accept his proposal? Just…What should I do? What would be the correct answer here? I sigh and run a hand through my hair, the sound echoing through the empty music room. Only the light from the hallway from the crack in the doors illuminates the room as I peer into the void-like darkness.

The doors of the music room suddenly creak open, causing me to scream in surprise, ripping me away from my thoughts,

"Ara. Seems like I've found a little mouse in the orchestra room." I hear them say, looking over and breathing a sigh of relief seeing Margarette enter the room. To my surprise they take a seat right next to me on the cold hard floor with a comforting smile on their face.

"What's on your mind Vanilla darling?" They ask softly as I can only sigh from my nose, relaxing my tense shoulders in a slump.

"I just- I don't know…T-There's just a lot going on right now…" I say truthfully, rubbing the back of my head. Margarette hums in acknowledgement, almost amused

"Hm? Has the title of Big Sister finally gotten to you?"

"No. Not that." I reply bluntly, causing Margarette to chuckle. "I just…" I scoff, sighing towards the end, "I don't know what I'm doing here. I feel…fake." I try to explain, but when the words leave my mouth I feel so stupid, I sigh despairingly and bring my knees close to my chest, curling up and cringing at myself.

"Fake? How so?" Margarette asks, seemingly unaffected by how odd it sounds. I glance at them as they shuffle in their spot, watching me attentively.

"I don't know…really…I feel like I don't deserve to be here. Like…" I struggle to find the words but nothing comes to mind and I take a deep breath to calm my nerves speaking about it for the first time. "Like…Everyone here has aspirations, ambitions, goals and I'm just…here for the ride I guess." I say, using my hands to express how helpless I feel. Margarette nods their head,

"I see…" They say simply before ruminating on a response, "Well, you don't have to have any of those things to belong here." They say, catching my attention. "Let me ask you this. What do you want to do?" I find myself speechless, what do I want to do? I originally came here to learn and that's what I told myself everyday, but since coming here, what exactly have I learned? What have I been doing? I try to rationalize my thoughts and organize my memories since coming to Easton and it feels like I suddenly can't remember anything. But…One thing comes to mind when they ask me that. My friends. The students of Orca. The people that welcomed me in so warmly when I was just living a monotonous life of study and rest, rinse and repeat. It was predictable, routine… boring . Ever since coming here, my life has been so vibrant, so fun, unpredictable, I've been happy . Alice wants to graduate with good grades and get a good job with great pay. Max wants to…actually, I don't know what he wants to do. He's just Max. And Rayne wants to become a Divine Visionary to support his little brother. "I want to help my friends." I mumble absentmindedly, coming to this realization. "I want to help my friends!" I say, a bit louder as I come to terms with this new motivation.

"Very good. And how will you do that?" Margarette probes with a smile, leaning on their hand with an amused expression.

"Would you struggle for me?"

Rayne's words ring in my head and I'm suddenly at a crossroads. Would I struggle for him? He's my friend. But would I really be able to contribute much? Would I even be able to help such an ambitious guy? And for what? For what? He isn't doing it for himself. Why should I? Because he's my friend. He played with my feelings. He did it for his goals. It doesn't justify hurting me. You did that to yourself.

My thoughts run rampant in my head without my control. The world feels like it's spinning and my vision starts to blur. W-What's happening? What's going on? Who even am I? Is it even worth fighting in this life? The thought of my mother comes to my mind. Yes, it hurt, and yes I was devastated over her death but what can I do? How could I possibly fight against the whole of society?

Am I truly that shallow?

*One week until the Divine Visionary Exam*

Chapter 9: How Far Can I Go?

Chapter Text

"Hmm. Let's try something different." Margarette says after they knocked me away from them with their Sounds attack for the fifth time.

Even with my secondths, it's basically impossible for me to even get in close to land a hit on them, easily dodging my attacks with ease.

"You're relying too much on your martial arts. That's pretty crazy of you in this world of magic." Margarette points out as I sigh, getting up from my position on the ground, wiping the blood from my lips with my hand. "How about this? Try to escape my attack. Succeed and we can finally end training for today. If you don't…well, let's just say it's going to be a long night." Margarette says ominously. I tense as they point their wand at me,

"Shiver Sounds!" A harrowing noise rings in my ears almost unbearably and it feels like I'm carrying a hundred extra pounds right on my back, straining my legs just to stay standing. The ground around me cracks as its area of effect seems to set in place.

My first instinct is to cover my ears from the grating noise but I find that I can't seem to move, taking the attack head on. It's intense, unbearably so. I feel my legs starting to fail me, my knees buckle. I grit my teeth and grunt at the pain and the weight seems to increase with more magical energy output Margarette puts into the attack. I feel something start to drip from my ears and I cry out in pain. My bones start to feel as if they're breaking, splintering and I fall to the ground, my face is pressed into the dirt as my arms struggle to keep me up with my elbows. I try to put my hand on the ground to push myself up but once I do it feels like all the bones in my arm start to shatter at the sheer weight being pushed down onto me. I manage to lift my head up slightly and I see Margarette's lips move but I can't hear anything over the constant noise in my head. I can barely hear myself think and it all becomes too much.

It's too much. It's too much for me to handle. It's too much for me to take in. It's too much.

It hurts.

It hurts a lot.

It's so painful.

Everything I do is painful.

It nearly drives me to the point of insanity.

Too much pain.

I can't think.

I can't breathe.

It feels like I'm suffocating.

It's too much…

Is it…too much?

**

"Tch. How pathetic." Is it? It was the best I could do at the time.

"It's not clean enough, do it again." Where?

"Keep that sh*t to yourself." What? Me? Keep me to myself?!

"I don't get it." Of course you don't!

"You've had it easy." Have I?!

"Tch, useless." Am I..?

"You think your life is hard?! You think I worked hard everyday just so you could go off and skip your studies?! I sacrificed everything for you! When I came here I had nothing! I had no friends! I had no money! Nothing! And you think your life is hard?!"

Is my life hard? Then why do I feel this way? Why are you yelling at me? What's happening? I just got home. I missed something? Why am I like this? I don't deserve to live. He's right. I don't deserve his gratitude. I should be thankful that I have a place to live. I should be working harder. What?

Wait. None of this would've happened if mom was here. Am I angry at mom? No way. I can't be. Then what am I angry at? Should I be angry at him? But why? He's giving me a place to live and food to eat. But why do I feel so angry? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?! WHY?!! Why me?! Why do I have to feel this way?! Why do I have to be yelled at?! Why couldn't it have been me?! Why didn't she choose me?!

**

I don't know why I remembered those pivotal moments. My throat hurts. It really hurts. I think I hear someone screaming. I hope they stop, it's hurting my ears.

Oh wait.

It's me.

I'm screaming. It hurts. It makes my throat burn and itch. It's all so much. I just want it to end. I don't want to be here anymore.

What's even the point anymore?

"Would you struggle for me?"

I gasp. It feels like his words fill my lungs with air from the thought alone. A goal greater than myself. It's like the gods heard my prayers and some higher power controls my body to take action. I feel my wand nearly slip out of my grasp before I grip it tightly.

Gritting my teeth and forcing myself to move through the pain, constantly regenerating my body to keep it moving to stand up and bracing my knees under the impact. I force my arms to move, holding my wand barely steady, pointing it at Margarette as they stare in a mix of amusem*nt and shock, almost excited.

It's too much. Not compared to what you've already been through.

It hurts. It's not so bad once you get used to it.

I don't want to do this. It's not like you have a choice.

Why are you doing this? Because people believe in you and it'd be such a waste…

To let you stay the way you are.

"ENERGY NEGATIVE! SECONDTHS!!!!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I feel my magical energy overflowing through my veins and accumulating into my wand. A barrier is erected around my target, encapsulating them and rapidly shrinking in size and keeping my target in place. The attack on my body finally ends and I find my body moving on its own. Commanding the barrier with my wand I raise it up as far as it can go with my current magical output before slamming it back down onto the ground, throwing the orb from left to right, tearing up the earth in my blind rage.

By the time it's all over, the ground all around me is strewn about with dirt everywhere, the grass is in a sad state, patchy and I feel drained. So so drained. And so tired. I fall to my knees and stare blankly at the devastation, uncaring for my unsightly appearance as a warm hand lands on my shoulder.

"I knew you could do it, Vanilla darling~" I hear their familiar voice and break down. There are no words to describe what I'm feeling right now. Curling up into a ball, as if to physically symbolize my emotions failing to rise to the surface in astonishing disappointment. Like a stranded traveler wandering the desert without a drop of water, I couldn't force the tears out of me even if I tried. I was just so tired. And sad. And cold. I thought I was over this, so why is it coming back to me? All of those memories resurfacing into my head and all I can do is lie here in exhaustion in a strange dichotomy of drowning from the emotions yet at the same time dying from thirst.

I roll onto my back and lay flatly on the ground as Margarette leans over to look at me. I manage to catch a glimpse of their metamorphose form before they revert back to their normal self. I huff, seeing them basically unharmed, covering my eyes with my arm.

"Well this looks familiar." They say with a chuckle. I can't help but smile at that, letting out a small huff and peering up at them from under my arm.

"So you dodged it?" I ask, feeling absolutely pathetic, feeling like I just wasted so much magical energy that there's nothing left. As if on queue, a small dribble of blood falls from the top of their head and drips down their chin.

"Not quite…" They say. I can't help but smile wider at my accomplishment, even if it is small.

"Barely…" I murmur, taking my arm off of my face and slowly regenerating my wounds.

"You should be honored. Not many have forced me to use this form. Not even that riff raff from Lang a few months ago." They say, taking a seat next to my head and sighing,

"Be proud. Be proud of yourself and give yourself more credit. You've earned it."

*Fourteen hours until the Divine Visionary Exam*

***

"I sense a great magical potential in you. Tell me, why do you want to become a Divine Visionary?" Headmaster Wahlberg asks from his heightened position on his chair.

I stare up at him, at a loss for words. I'm not really sure myself. Why didn't I just give away my coins? Why didn't I just reject this offer? This interview. This school. Everything.

"I…" The hesitation is heavy in this one word. The headmaster strokes his beard, humming in thought as he analyzes me, as if peering into my soul through the glare of his circular glasses.

"You're a curious case. It seems you haven't found what you're looking for." Mr. Wahlberg says as I gasp softly, turning my head down to face the railing in front of me. I grit my teeth, clenching my fists tightly at my sides, wanting to just disappear and cease to exist on the spot.

"I-I…" My voice trails off, not quite knowing what to say, my breath shaking. It feels like I'm almost there but not quite, like the right things to say that never come to mind, like a word about to be spoken, it never comes. I hear him chuckle softly and I snap my head up to observe his expression.

"It's okay." He says with a soft, reassuring smile, "It's okay to not know what you're doing. Nobody ever does. We make decisions. And they're not always the right ones. And all we can do as humans is do the best you can with the outcome. So what do you think your outcome is?" He asks as I stare at him in astonishment.

"I-I want to see how far I can go…" I say, my voice barely above a whisper. Mr. Wahlberg seems intrigued by my answer and responds with a laugh, stamping something on his egregiously tall podium.

"Let's both see the results of that decision then. I grant you permission to enter the Divine Visionary Exam." He says as the parchment paper flies towards me and into my accepting hands, printed with a magic seal stamped onto it.

Chapter 10: Bonus Chapter: Hair

Chapter Text

On this day, Vanilla and crew were relaxing in the courtyard of the school. Still adorning their uniforms and sitting on their dormitory robes, protecting them from the crispy grass blades that threatened to stain their uniforms. The sun beat down on the group of friends as they enjoyed their leisure time in a comfortable silence. Rayne grunted as he scratched at the back of his neck for the umteenth time today during lunch, catching Vanilla's attention as she glanced over at the troubled boy.

"Hm? What's wrong?" She asked curiously, keeping her head down in her research. Max and Alice look up from their lunches and watch as Rayne only sighs in response, "My hair's too long." He complains.

Max looks at the back of Rayne's neck and notices how the fine spindles seem to stab at his skin, red and slightly bruised from how many times his nails dug into the flesh in irritation.

"I can cut it." Vanilla offers, making a scissor motion with her hand.

"Excuse me? You would voluntarily touch a guy? Ew." Alice says, scrunching her face up in disgust as Vanilla merely shrugs,

"Not everyone is a girl kisser like you Alice." She responds.

"I'm a girl kisser." Max says smugly, pointing at himself with smirk as Rayne co*cks a brow,

"You've never even had a girlfriend." He points out with a deadpan expression.

"Bro! You weren't supposed to say that!" Max exclaims, grabbing Rayne by the shoulders and shaking him back and forth violently.

"Ahem, back to the topic at hand…" Vanilla clears her throat and snaps her textbook shut, turning her head to look over at Rayne as Max halts his movements and slumps over with a small sigh.

"Do you even know how to cut hair?" Alice asks, taking another bite from her lunch. Vanilla huffs and crosses her arms with a small smile,

"You'd be surprised." She states confidently as Alice tilts her head,

"Is that why your bangs are so crooked? I just thought you had an…acquired taste…"

"No. Not that." Vanilla deadpans.

Rayne glances between the pair as they quickly start to get off topic, "Oi." He states a bit loudly to catch their attention. "Are you suggesting that you want to cut my hair?" He asks with a firm voice, his brows knitting together sternly.

Vanilla nods, "Y-Yeah. I mean, if you really need it, I don't mind." She says with a small shrug.

As if on queue, Alice and Max quickly pull the pair apart by the back of their collars, snapping their fingers in sync, manifesting a chair with their magic and throwing Rayne into it.

"Hmm. According to Hot Guys, Hot Stuff by the Divine Visionary Ryoh Grantz, the best way to style hair for men is to look at their face shape." Alice says, staring at Rayne and pushing up her glasses, the glare in the lens covering her eyes and making her seem smarter than she actually is.

"Indeed. Rayne is a stoic man with long legs. I'd say a shorter length in the back with sweeping bangs to shape his face would be much better suited." Max points out, flaring up a black cloak and wrapping it around Rayne's neck, suddenly having glasses as well.

"...What the f*ck?" Vanilla says in bewilderment, wondering if the two were somehow telepathically connected.

"Nonon! I'd say shorter bangs to show off his jawline!" Alice protests Max's statement, pulling out a magazine from who knows where for her examples and receipts.

"Are you mental?! That would throw off the whole balance of his head then!" Max exclaims, facing off with Alice as she crosses her arms.

"Hmph! I'd expect nothing more from a man!"

"Don't bring your misandry here!"

"Then don't be a dumbass man !"

"Hah?! What'd I ever do to you?!"

Rayne glances between the two with an unamused expression on his face, simply allowing it to happen as he sits in his chair calmly. Vanilla sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose at their bickering and takes out her wand, "Energy negative." She chants, casting a barrier around the two and trapping them inside and instantly muting their argument.

She manifests a pair of scissors in her hand and walks over to Rayne with a content expression, looking down at him as he looks up at her curiously, "What kind of style do you want?" She asks calmly, resting a hand on her hip. Her lips are pointed up with inquiry as she waits patiently for his answer.

"Something that won't get in the way." He responds simply as Vanilla rolls her eyes, already anticipating such a blunt statement.

She shakes her head with a small sigh, walking around the man, "Alright…" She places her fingers gently on his head, tilting it straight and pumping the chair to raise him to her preferred height. "Don't blame me if you don't like it though." She says before snipping a chunk of hair right behind Rayne's ear. The noise makes his spine tingle and he shivers in his spot slightly but he calms his body down, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes and letting her work.

Alice and Max are still bickering from within the sound proof barrier, completely oblivious to their friends already moving on without them as Alice presents another magazine with a model to prove her point.

Vanilla works meticulously, her fingers grazing Rayne's scalp. Her gentle fingers and the slight scrape of her nails against his head makes Rayne relax in his seat, his breaths becoming long as he nearly falls asleep in the serenity of it all.

Her hands brush against the back of his neck and he suddenly jerks his head back, pinching her finger between the seat and his body. She flinches at the sudden pain and hisses at Rayne, "Agh! What the hell dude!" She exclaims, shaking her hand to alleviate the pain.

Rayne turns and glares at the girl, narrowing his eyes with a small pout,

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That."

"...Is your neck sensitive?"

"...No…"

Vanilla chuckles, bringing a hand to cover her lips in amusem*nt, "How am I supposed to help you out then? By the end of the month your neck will just be bone at that point." She states with a small smirk, glancing at the red irritation of his skin from being scratched at for so long.

Rayne grumbles something under his breath before turning his head back around, facing their oblivious friends.

"Just…be careful." Rayne says quietly as Vanilla nods her head,

"Yes yes…"

She continues her work, becoming very meticulous and careful so as to not touch the sensitive skin before moving around and facing Rayne head on, placing a hand on her chin in thought. "How do you like your bangs?" She inquires.

"Simple, out of the way." Vanilla sighs with a small smile and nods her head. She takes a step closer and gently places her hands on his face as his eyes close in content, allowing her to move him how she likes.

Her fingers delicately slide along his locks before snipping at the edges, occasionally bringing the bangs down to measure the length according to his face. "Hmmh. I'll add some layering to shape your face, as if you need it though. It'll add some flare…" She mumbles quietly, more to herself than to the man in front of her. Rayne doesn't respond and just lets her do whatever as she starts to cut along the other side. He feels the slight tug on his scalp as she snips away at the tips, using her nail to slide along the parting in his hair to even out the dual colored locks, as if to organize them. The fringe of his hair bounces slightly and the gentle breeze carries away the cut locks as Vanilla furrows her brows in concentration. Her lips part as she observes the effects of her work. A few more moments of silence pass as only the sound of the snipping scissors and the distant chatter of students are heard.

"Hmmh…" Vanilla hums as Rayne slowly opens his eyes, he leans his head back slightly in shock upon seeing their close proximity. The only thing encompassing his vision was her face, their closeness allowing him to see even the most minute details of her expression. The wrinkles in her brows as they furrow in concentration, the attention to detail in her amber eyes as she analyzes the style, the bumps on her skin, the redness of her nose from the sun's rays, the discoloration of her complexion from an uneven tan at the beach last week.

Rayne finds his face heating up slightly from the intensity of her stare and gulps slightly, the tips of his ears beginning to turn red as he suppresses his embarrassment. Vanilla takes a step back with a small smile, satisfied with her work. "Check it out." She says, manifesting a mirror in front of him and ripping off his cloak. Rayne slides a hand through his hair gently, looking at the mirror with intrigue and getting accustomed to his new style, rubbing his hand along his neck and brushing off any stray hairs. He moves his head around to test the comfort of his new hair cut, ensuring that it stays out of his eyes and off his neck before nodding in approval.

"I like it…" He says simply as Vanilla's smile grows wider at his confirmation.

"That's all that matters then." She says before snapping her fingers and releasing their friends from their confinement. Max and Alice gasp at the sudden breeze and look around in bewilderment, snapping back to reality and looking over at Rayne and Vanilla, appalled.

"Oh my gosh! You look amazing my guy!" Max praises checking out his best friend's new style. Alice observes the man with a hand on her chin in judgment before huffing with a smirk, giving him a simple thumbs up.

Rayne stands up from the chair slowly as it disappears, shaking his head from side to side to help his hair settle into its new style before running his hand through his hair and tilting his head upwards at a slight angle.

His friends jolt and their eyes are blown wide at the handsome display. Rayne turns his attention back towards them, his brow raised curiously with his hand still holding his bangs back, "What?"

"O-Oh my…"

"Damn…"

"Sheeeesh..!"

They all seem to be entranced by his cold charm and stare at him, basking in the presence of such eye candy.

"Oi. Vanilla. You've got uhh…" Rayne points out. Vanilla flinches and slaps a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop the comical amount of blood flowing from her nose, turning around and crying tears of joy.

'Ah…thank you to the gods for blessing me with such divine beauty…I'm so grateful…'

Alice is quick to grab her best friend by the shoulders and shake her roughly,

"DON'T FALL FOR IT VANILLA!! STAY FOCUSED ON THE MISSION!!"

Chapter 11: The Hunters and The Hunted

Chapter Text

"Welcome to the second stage of the Divine Visionary Exam! In order to get to this stage, one must have obtained five or more gold coins! Magic is the Crux of our society! It is everything!! Those without magic have no rights! Here we have the magic users who are the pinnacle of this society! The examinees are about to enter the arena!!" The announcer lady seems so overzealous about her job and basically screams into the microphone so much it makes my ears ring.

"Rayne Ames, current prefect of Adler!" She announces and he reveals himself in the arena, walking out from the shadowy corridors, hearing the crowd cheer for him makes me nervous. It sounds so dense, full of people, they're practically roaring in excitement. The announcement of names and the cheering goes on, with each call out it makes me anxious as each second passes,

'Abel Walker, Abyss Razor, Silva Iron, Dolb Marx, Wirth Madl, Moore Tomato, Leblanc Russell, Anser Shinri, Rhodes Eamus.' I repeat the names in my head as I hear them announced, not recognizing any of them except for Rayne and Abel, the current prefects of their respective dorms.

"Vanilla Bean, the current prefect of Orca!!" The announcer yells as I'm the final candidate to be called up. I take a deep breath, steeling myself before walking out through the dark corridors of the arena. The roaring of the crowds only gets louder with each and every step before I step out of the chambers and realize just how bright the sun is beaming down on me. Using my arm to cover my eyes I squint as my vision adjusts to the difference.

"Gueh-! Am I the only girl here?!" I murmur looking around at my competition and regretting my life choices. The vast majority of them are from Lang dorm and will likely be working together. There's only one other Orca student with Rayne being the only Adler representative.

Observing the other contestants as they only seem to stare at me with piercing gazes, I can't help but notice that nobody here is messing around. These guys are serious. While I'm just…here for the ride I guess. I try to connect faces to names but I really don't recognize anyone except for the name Abel Walker, the current prefect of Lang. After a moment or two of myself familiarizing myself with the faces of the competition I notice the one other Orca student approaching me.

He has long dirty blonde hair and he walks with a certain heated intensity to him. Judging by his appearance he seems like he's in the same year as me. He stops just a step in front of me and glares down intensely.

"Just because we're from the same dorm, doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you, prefect." He spits and I stand there in shock, 'Bruh.'

"All 12 candidates are here! Let's get right on to it then! Three magically immune gemstones will be granted to three different students! These students are the 'hunters,' their job will be to hunt down their prey! To pass this test as a hunter, each hunter must hunt down and capture at least two prey! To pass this test as prey, the prey must avoid capture until time is up!" Three gemstones seemingly descend from the heavens and are bestowed upon three different students, granting them immunity to all magic and changing their robes to red to easily identify them as hunters. I look over and see where the gemstones are distributed and my face pales. Two are given to Lang's dorm and one is given to Rayne.

'I think I'll just hide-'

"And for this year's stage! We have the bellowing desert!"

'Ah…a completely open field of sand with no blindspots, how lovely…' I think to myself right as a gate appears in front of us in the middle of the arena.

"Alright! Prey enters first with a two minute head start! Ready?! Go!!" Once the announcer starts the competition we're all running towards the giant gate, entering first and observing the area.

The air is so dry here, I inhaled once and it feels like all the moisture in my throat just evaporated. Not to mention it's so hot! And it's hard to move in this soft sand! Argh! I wish I could just take off my robe!

I look around as the other contestants seem to be running off in different directions, they're all scattering and some are even attacking each other to get them captured by the hunters. I look around at the countless dunes and sigh to myself, using my enhancement magic to gain a greater distance between myself and the gate, jumping over the dunes in a direction nobody else seems to be going. With this, I'm able to jump high enough off the ground to get a good angle on the other contestants. Some are using their abilities to get away like me and others are fighting amongst each other or running away.

I assume those that are running don't have any applicable personal magic. It almost makes me feel bad for them, they're basically sitting ducks. I look behind me and see I've gained quite the distance from the entrance, ducking behind a nearby dune right as the hunters enter the desert sands with us. The sand is hot to the touch and I'm hesitant to lay down, using my robe to put between me and the burning sand. I carefully peek over the dune and watch as the hunters start to chase after the contestants that are immediately within line of sight.

They're fast. One of the guys from Lang is wearing a masquerade like mask and disappears from my line of sight within the blink of an eye and Rayne is using a sword like a hoverboard and floating along the sandy terrain. 'Wow…' I think to myself before sighing, crouching on the ground and scratching my head, wondering what my next move should be. I look around the area and I don't see anyone in my immediate radius, nothing but the heat waves crawling along the surface of the sand.

With almost nothing blocking the wide area, it seems to go on endlessly, the horizon just looks like an ocean of sand and it makes me wonder if it actually goes on forever.

"Iron Fist." I hear before the sand around me trembles. My perception of time seems to slow down and I see the sand around my feet start to pool before it's parted by something shiny. I recognize it as an attack, using my legs to cushion the impact, I allow the attack to throw me back, landing on my feet and sliding to stop my momentum, confronting the assailant. He has buzz cut short silver hair, with two magic lines and a piercing on his left eyebrow. He looks at me, licking his lips disgustingly like I'm his last meal. I cringe in my head, weighing my options.

Despite his delinquent appearance he seems young, probably a first year. I stare at the hunter, now on guard with my wand at the ready. "Look how nimble you are! You're like a little bunny!"

'Bunny? Rayne likes bunnies, I think he's mocking me. I don't feel offended though.' Is my immediate thought. I purse my lips together, furrowing my brows and waiting to see what he does next to react. 'I can't fight him because of that gem thing. All I can do is ru-'

"Iron fist!" 'Another one?!' I prepare my legs to take the impact but it never comes. Instead I'm hit directly in the back by an incredible force from behind me. It sends me flying towards the hunter and he catches me on his shoulder with ease, I grunt from the impact hearing him chuckle. "First one down." I hear him say like a villain. I have half the mind to just let myself get disqualified here, but something pushes me forward.

I said I wanted to get as far as I could, didn't I? So get up and fight!

"Tch!" I raise my body, clasping my hands and elbowing the back of his head with everything I had. The physical enhancements on myself are still working as the shockwave blows the sand around us. He falls, dropping me in the process before taking a few steps away from my position. Blood is dripping from his nose as he turns to look at me in shock and confusion. I stand to meet his gaze, glaring at my assailant as he readies his wand once more.

"H-How?! I hit you dead on! You're just a girl!!" He spits in frustration. My eyes narrow at his statement,

'What does being a girl have anything to do with my ability to take a hit?'

"Iron Fist!" He chants once more and I react just in time, leaning back slightly with the steel just barely grazing my chin. Recovering quickly from the unrefined attack I steady my footing before charging up, lunging at him directly before he could chant once again.

'He's immune to magic, not physical attacks. So if I were to use my physical enhancement magic on myself, then the answer becomes simple.' I appear in front of him in the next second and land a square punch on his stomach, leaving him gasping for air. The shockwave from the impact blows the sand around us in a flurry as I continue to press the attack. Repeatedly punching his stomach with each hit mounting him in the air with my fist and gravity repeatedly pulling him back down to meet my hits. I finish with a roundhouse kick to the stomach, throwing him into a nearby dune, shattering its shape with the soft sand pouring down on him.

I stand, looking at my victory, panting in shock of my own achievement, clenching my hands into tight fists as my magic heals my bloody and bruised knuckles.

"Three minute warning!" I hear the announcer say through the magical speakers. As I'm catching my breath, I survey the area around me, ensuring there are no other enemies to look out for. It doesn't seem like there are any more contestants in my immediate radius, or anywhere even.

"Burst!" 'Aaand I stand corrected.' The ground beneath me softens and I start to sink into the earth. I try to move my legs to get out of the magic spell only to find that the suction of the mud keeps me in place. I furrow my brows and look towards the source of the voice. It's someone from Lang dorm running away from Rayne, using one of his swords to pursue his prey.

'Ah…so he's using me as a screen to get away. Well. Two can play that game asshole!' I think to myself, readying my wand. He runs past me as I charge up my magical energy, pointing it at the man, "Energy negative, secondths!" I chant, trapping the guy in my spell.

The barrier shrinks around him before stopping once he's unable to move at all in the confined space. I smirk to myself and with a wave of my wand I move him towards Rayne, who stops right in front of me. He steps off of his hoverboard sword casually and looks at my secondths spell in amusem*nt before turning towards me,

"Thanks. He was getting irritating." He says simply before pointing his wand at the barrier holding his prey, using his personal magic to attack the poor guy, knocking him out instantly. The mud-like spell around my feet disappears and I'm free to move. I sigh in relief before tensing up, realizing Rayne is still a hunter. Noticing my fearful gaze, Rayne merely sighs, "Relax. We're allies, remember? I thought we established this." He says, taking hold of his newly caught prey's hood as his limp body slouches on the ground. "And besides, I only need two to complete this challenge." Rayne states before jabbing a thumb over his shoulder, revealing two other contestants being held up by his swords.

"Uh huh…" I utter out, impressed.

Something catches Rayne's eye from behind me and he tilts his head slightly to get a better angle. I followed his gaze and found the first hunter that attacked me, almost completely buried in the sand, "It's reassuring to see that you can handle yourself but…" Rayne starts to say as I turn my head to look at his reaction, "...isn't that a bit much?" He co*cks a brow,

"It wasn't intentional…"

"Right…" He says, unconvinced.

"And why are you saying something about being excessive?! You have three guys now!"

"...Less competition to worry about." The soft breeze blows past us, only adding insult to injury as the awkward silence eats me up from the inside.

"Time's up! Read the results and weep or rejoice! Contestants please make your way back to the arena!" The announcement signals the end of the current stage and I breathe a sigh of relief. Rayne turns and hangs the guy on one of his swords as I pull up the knocked out hunter from the dune behind me and begin to drag him out of the desert sands, walking alongside my ally.

"So…" I try to start casually, "How'd this stage go for you?"

"Good." Silence ensues…

'This guy I swear…!' I clench my teeth and grip the hunter's hood in my hand tightly, cringing at the situation I've found myself in. An intrusive thought suddenly made its way into my head and before I could fight it off it swept past my lips, "Would you have tried to capture me if you weren't chasing that guy?" There's a pregnant pause between us with only the sounds of the slight breeze and the brushing of sand against our feet as we walk. I start to second guess myself, opening my mouth to say something like an excuse but Rayne stops me,

"No. I wouldn't have." He responds, much to my surprise, "You're my ally and my partner. I wouldn't betray you like that." I feel my heart skip a beat as I stare at him incredulously, taking in how the sun perfectly shines down on his half golden hair. I chuckle nervously, rubbing the back of my head in confusion,

"What the heck..? That isn't like you." I say nervously, averting my gaze to look ahead. There's another pause in our conversation before he speaks,

"You're right. It isn't like me, it's not like me to even cooperate with others in general…" He inhales before continuing, "But I haven't been 'like me' since I met you."

I stop in my tracks, 'What…?' I don't know why but it feels like the world around me starts to crumble at this new revelation. 'The f*ck he mean by that?! What the f*ck is happening right now? Is this guy being for real? Does he still think we're dating? Woah…Calm down there. I'm sure he just means he's not used to working with others…kinda like me.' (All of this happened in 0.1 seconds)

"Hey." Rayne speaks up again, regaining my attention as I snap out of my thoughts.

"O-Oh. Right!" I quickly jog over to his side as we enter through the gate, taking us back to the arena where the roaring spectators cheer at our return.

"Oh! What's this?! It seems like the hunter has become the hunted!" The announcer says excitedly. I suddenly feel all eyes on me as I quickly drop the guy onto the ground, taking a tense step away from his body. I look around at the other contestants for their reactions, careful not to meet their eyes, but I can feel their glares boring into my soul, causing me to clam up and sweat profusely.

"I…I wanna go back to my dorm…" I hear Rayne let out a huff as the gate behind us disappears in a wisp of magic. I look up at him, surprised to see the corners of his lips tug upwards into a rare smile.

"That reaction is to be expected though." He says with a small sigh. The swords carrying his fallen victims disappear and their bodies fall to the ground limply.

"In a surprising turn of events, there have been six contestants eliminated! Which leaves six contestants still in the fight! Making this next stage of the Divine Visionary exam a Team Battle!!" They shout into the microphone. Different colored flags appear in front of us before shooting rays of light down onto the remaining contestants, shifting the colors of our robes.

I look down at my attire and find my robe's colors shifted to a deep crimson color. I glance over at Rayne, noticing that he's wearing the same color as me I sigh in relief, feeling reassured. I look at the other contestants, it seems like we're split into pairs and there are two other teams aside from us with the colors yellow and green decorating their robes. The flags float down towards us and to my surprise the green flag floats in front of us. I look towards the announcer, wondering if there's been a mix up but to my surprise they don't react.

"In this stage, you must seize the colored flag corresponding to your team! Failure to do so will lead to disqualification from the final stage!"

'Of course…' I think to myself before looking towards the green team. They're already glaring at us by the time I look over so I avert my gaze quickly, feeling the anxiety starting to run its course on my body. I look at the glowing green flag in front of me curiously before Rayne seizes it in his palm and hands it to me.

"You should hold onto it."

"Are you crazy?! You hold it!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"I insist."

"This isn't the right context to use that phrase!!"

"Tch."

"Hah?!"

He grabs the little flag by its pole and stabs it into my skull at the top of my head painfully. I wince and crouch on the ground, holding my head in pain.

"Ow!!" I exclaim, offended by this violent behavior.

"And by the way, once mounted it cannot be removed until it is seized! So once placed, don't remove it!"

'Of course it is!!!' I think furiously, rubbing the sore spot on my head before standing up properly and accepting my fate with a sigh of despair. "For the record, I did not consent to this."

"...Noted."

"With the rules explained! Let's get this started!" The announcer snaps their fingers and we're suddenly transported to another location. I look around at my unfamiliar surroundings, observing the new environment I've been placed in.

It seems to be an abandoned castle. I'm in a bedroom of some sort with broken and unused furniture covered in a white cloth littering the immediate vicinity. It's dark, and eerie with cobwebs everywhere and thickened dust on nearly every surface I look at. Looking out the window, I take notice of the starry night sky, making me wonder as to where exactly were we?

Rayne isn't here in the room with me and I feel my heart rate immediately spike, my paranoia getting kicked into high gear. After taking a few minutes to hyperventilate in the illusion of safety within the room I take a deep breath, steeling my nerves before heading towards where I assume is the exit into the hallway. I notice lighting coming from the corridor from underneath the door and it does little to comfort me as my hand reaches for the handle.

"W-What an amazing turn of events!! Team green has seized team red's flag!!"

'Already?! I wanna go back to my dorm!!!' I think to myself frantically, holding my head in disbelief, suppressing the urge to scream. 'No no no!! It's okay! I didn't hear anything, so that means the green team isn't near me! It'll be fineeeee…' I try to reassure myself as my trembling fingers grasp the metal door handle.

Opening the door cautiously, I peer into the hallway, looking both ways before carefully stepping out, keeping my ears on high alert to listen for any noises. I sigh softly to myself, scared to even make a single noise before choosing a direction to walk in.

Upon reaching the end of the hallway, I find myself at what seems to be the entrance of the castle. I stare down at the lower level of the castle, admiring the architecture to distract myself and sliding my hand along the railing as I walk down the stairs. My eyes take notice of something white in my peripheral vision and I move my head to look over.

"AHHHH!!" I scream and immediately slap it, running the rest of the way down the stairs to escape. The masked person seems equally startled by my sudden presence and stumbles a bit as I face back towards them, breathing heavily to slow my accelerated heartbeat.

I can't tell what they're thinking as their mask covers their face, but they recover and seem taken aback upon seeing me. They tense up and I assume they're about to attack me with their magic but to my astonishment, they don't, they freeze in place.

"U-Um…A-Are you okay..? I-I'm sorry I slapped you…" I don't know why I'm apologizing but I felt bad. I take a hesitant step towards them, reaching my hand out in mild concern.

"Aba…Awa-ababwaaaawaababaaa…" I hear them start to sputter out robotically and shake violently, making me panic and rush towards them in concern.

"H-Hey!! Are you okay?! What's wrong?! I'm sorry!?" I say quickly in a panic, flailing my arms around. I think I made it worse because when I got close they ended up biting their tongue too hard, spitting out blood and practically fainted, falling straight to the floor on his back like a stiff board. "Wah!! What'd I do wrong?! What's happening?!" I scream.

'I-I killed him…I killed him by just looking at him…' I think to myself dreadfully. Leaning over his body in my panic I gasp, taking notice of the two flags in his possession. I instinctively flinch, falling back onto my butt as my body starts to tremble. ' H-He's the one that seized our flag so quickly?!' I think to myself, keeping my gaze trained on his unconscious body.

'He's really out…I could just…take it…' I think to myself, contemplating on whether or not this was just a ruse to trap me and take my flag. Once I've calmed myself down from the whole ordeal, I carefully crawl over to his body, reaching my arm over to take the flag from his arm. Once my fingers are close to the flag, his hand suddenly grabs hold of my wrist and I gasp as he moves to stand.

I rip my wrist away from him and jump back, gaining a good distance between us as I frown, furrowing my brows. 'So it was just a ruse.' I curse myself for falling for it. He dusts off his robes before turning to look at me again, his body still tense. He raises a hand to his chest and bows, his demeanor suddenly changing to a more threatening undertone.

"My apologies for that initial…greeting." He starts,

'Is that what that was…?'

"Would you do me the honor of telling me your name, female?"

'Female…? And why is this guy speaking so eloquently all of a sudden?!'

"O-Oh right. Uhm. My name is Vanilla." I curse myself for stuttering as the masked man before stands up to properly face me, his demeanor suddenly turning serious with a hint of bloodlust. It makes me tense up, reminding me that this was an exam with high stakes and everyone's ambitions are on the line here. It makes me feel like it's survival of the fittest.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my name is Abyss Razor. Now…" He draws his sword and points it at me, making it painfully aware of his intentions as I pull out my wand in retaliation, "Do Lord Abel and I a favor and fall quietly…"

Chapter 12: Bonus Chapter: Birthday

Chapter Text

"Stop moving around so much!"

"Shut up he's going to hear!"

"What just touched my butt?!"

"SHHHHHH!!!"

"For the record, this was not my idea..!"

Hushed whispers from the Adler building were heard in the dead of night as two students shuffled uncomfortably in room 1106. Technically speaking, they weren't supposed to even be there as not only is it past curfew, but students from other dorms weren't supposed to be in different dormitory buildings in the first place.

Distant footsteps were heard approaching from the hallway as the pair within the room picked up the familiar voices, exploiting their ears and immediately shutting their mouths as they listened in on the conversation.

"Why are you still following me?" Rayne asks, glaring at the girl next to him as she shrugs nonchalantly, choosing not to answer him.

The pair walk side by side down the halls of the dormitory, finishing up their last rounds of patrol as the current prefects of their respective dorms. Although, one thing that made tonight different was Vanilla's surprising appearance within Adler's. Not only that, but choosing to accompany Rayne during his late night duties (much to his apparent disapproval).

The girl sighs and places her hands behind her head casually as she follows the half blonde to his room, taking note of the room number in her head as he reaches for the handle. He pauses for a moment, glancing behind him before turning his head to look at her over his shoulder,

"You can go now."

"Don't wanna."

"Don't start this sh*t with me Vanilla."

The Orca student scoffs and rolls her eyes, her hands falling to her sides, exasperated. "Just open the door."

Rayne raises a brow in confusion before turning back around and opening the door to his room, not noticing the dim lights emitting from underneath the door.

The moment he shows his face within the room, he's greeted with the sound of popping and ribbons falling around his face. The man instinctively raises his arm in defense before taking in the sight.

What used to be a rather plain dorm room housing two dudes, was now colorfully decorated with warm lighting, streamers hanging from the ceiling and colorful stickers painting the window in a sporadic rabbit print that had no color coordination with anything else in the room.

"Surprise!" Max and Alice say in unison, holding party poppers in their hands as they smile, greeting Rayne cheerfully as he stares in disbelief.

"W-What is this?" He asks, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"A birthday surprise, duh." Alice as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She turns and discards the party popper before reaching onto the nearby desk and holding up a cake slice from the new bakery that just recently opened up in town.

Rayne doesn't even know what to say at this point, never having had anything like this occur in his tragic life, much less expect this from his little friend group.

Vanilla comes up behind him with a soft chuckle, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder encouragingly. "Go on. We'll do the whole shebang with you blowing out the candle and then we'll move onto gifts." She says as Rayne turns to her incredulously, his thoughts reeling as he doesn't know how to react.

Max laughs, approaching Rayne and slinging an arm around his shoulder, ushering him inside as Vanilla closes the door. He pushes Rayne into the chair at his desk as Alice places the cake slice in front of him, snapping her fingers, queuing the lights to dim and the candle is lit.

Rayne feels warm, he doesn't know if it's from the candle being so close or if it's the warm feeling in his chest heating up his face as his closest friends begin to sing him a happy birthday. It feels surreal, something he never would've anticipated in his life. It almost feels undeserving, ridiculous even as he recalls the faint memories of his past birthdays. Seeing himself now…it all feels so long ago…

The three accompanying Rayne all fall silent as the song finishes, watching patiently as he seems to hesitate, staring at the candled cake in front of him in a slight daze. The flame flickers slightly as the birthday boy lets out a shaky breath, revealing a rare grin before closing his eyes, silently making a wish before blowing out the candle in a quick puff.

His friends clap their hands softly and cheer as he turns around, his lips turned up into a miniscule smile.

"Thank you…" He says softly, it nearly goes unheard as they clap.

"Don't worry about it man!" Max exclaims with a chuckle.

"Pay it no mind." Vanilla states politely.

"Forget that! Let's move on to gifts cause I'm buttf*ck tired as sh*t bro!" Alice proclaims before unapologetically shoving a box into Rayne's face. "Here. I spent money on this so be grateful." She huffs as Rayne takes the gift into his hands curiously. It's wrapped in a paper bag and tied together with floss, showcasing her unashamed money grubbing behavior.

"Thanks…" He mutters before Max places his offering onto the desk, it's a small hand sized box tied with a blue bunny print ribbon.

"This one's from me!" Max states proudly as Rayne starts to open Alice's poorly wrapped gift.

He reveals a book that catches his interest, "Raising Bunnies 101?" He inquires before glancing at the girl. She huffs, averting her gaze and crossing her arms, not saying a word.

Rayne turns towards Max's gift and opens it, revealing a small pink collar. His eyes widen at the implications before turning towards Vanilla who presents a larger box with holes punched into the sides. She sighs, averting her gaze with a small smile, "I make the most money out of everyone so…I had to be the one to get her…" She grumbles before gently placing the box on Rayne's lap.

He stares down at it anxiously, almost hesitant to open it before he feels something within the box shuffle slightly. His eyes widen and he flips open the covers and reveals his final gift.

A small baby house bunny with a pink ribbon wrapped gently around its neck is nestled within the box, its nose sniffs the air in the room before curiously peering up at Rayne, who can only stare in astonishment at the revelation.

It only takes a few moments before Rayne carefully scoops the bunny into his arms, scared to hurt it as it nuzzles into his warmth. His hands tremble at the feeling of this creature that fascinated him to no end, now finally here for him to enjoy and observe.

"Awh, how cute. Anyways, I'm outta here. Let's go." Alice says with a yawn before walking towards the door, grabbing Vanilla by the hood of her robe and dragging her out of the room.

As the girls leave, the air in the room quickly turns awkward and stagnant with only the sound of the bunny's curious sniffles fill the silence. Max chuckles softly and takes a step closer, gently rubbing the back of the bunny's ears with a smile, "Vanilla got all the supplies too. So you should be set for a few months." He says, snapping Rayne out of his bunny filled reverie. "She doesn't have a name yet, so we'll leave it to you."

Rayne nods his head and looks around the room, just now taking notice of the supplies Max was talking about with a large bag of soft substrate in the corner, leaning against the wall next to a large bag of rabbit feed, a brush, and a hamper carrying it all.

"Well, it's late, and we have classes tomorrow. I'm gonna try and get some sleep. Have a good night man." Max says gently before turning around and heading to the other side of the room, flopping onto his bed and covering himself with the blankets. The lights dim and before long, Max's light snores fill the silence as Rayne remains at his desk, holding the sleeping bunny in his arms with a soft smile on his face. A single tear makes its way down his face as he reflects on everything that's happened, feeling his heart warm at the thought of his friends, his life, all the things he had to be grateful for…It really did mean the world to him…

*The next day*

"So what'd you end up naming her?" Max inquires as he spots Rayne engraving the collar himself at his desk, hunched over as he works out the details of the lettering. He doesn't respond, his brows furrowed together in concentration.

Max only sighs at the sight before tapping the man's shoulder, wordlessly telling him that classes will be starting soon before walking out of the room with his bag.

A few more moments pass before Rayne sighs, dusting off the metal shavings of the collar and running his thumb across the newly engraved name, nodding in approval. He turns towards his bed where his new pet bunny lies and carefully places the collar onto its neck securely before sitting back and admiring the sight.

'Bunilla.'

Chapter 13: Abyss Razor

Chapter Text

"I…I can't do that…" My voice quivers quietly in response. Abyss huffs, lowering his center of gravity and preparing to attack,

"Then I'll seize it from your body." His form suddenly disappears from my sight for half a second before reappearing right in front of me, his sword threatening to slash down onto my shoulder. I'm barely able to react, shifting my body, using my heel as an axis to turn my body as his blade swings down, grazing the tips of my hair in its wake. I can feel the coldness of the blade just barely missing the tip of my nose and shiver at the sensation. My arm slides over him, the tips of my fingers barely grasping the back of his hood before he pulls back in retreat quickly.

I feel something dripping down my face as my hand reaches to feel it, pulling my fingers away and gasping at the bloodied tips of my fingers, only now feeling the mild burn of the cut.

'W-Why isn't it healing? Why can't I use my magic?' I think to myself but Abyss leaves no room for hesitation and leaves my line of sight once more. My eyes dart around the dimly lit room in search of the assailant as I try to assess what his personal magic is.

'Focus! Focus! Physical enhancement? Maybe speed acceleration? That doesn't explain why I can't use my magic. Find him! Where is he? There has to be a time limit on it. Some kind of trick? Maybe-!'

He appears right next to me in the very next moment, his sword is already so close to my body, I won't be able to dodge it!

"Tch!" I use my wand to take the hit, he slices it in half, the blade cuts through the wood, stopping part way into the handle. Twisting the wand, I manage to loosen his grip on his sword. He seems taken aback and hesitates. Using this moment of distraction from him I bring my other hand to land a solid punch onto his face, bruising my knuckles and shattering his mask before slamming him back onto the ground. He recovers quickly and uses his magic to gain some distance from me, holding his face in his hand and glaring at me through his fingers.

I hear him huff as the pieces of porcelain fall from his face and onto the ground. Glancing at his face I seethe through my teeth, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation.

"T-The Evil Eye…"

*

"You used your wand to defend against the attack? You're crazy." Abyss points out in disbelief.

In this world, where magic rules everything from your social status down to how you're treated, destroying one's wand in a magical fight is akin to a death sentence. And Abyss. The one who was born with The Evil eye, in a world where magic was given by the gods, had the ability to take away one's magic simply by being in his gaze. It was appalling, evil, seen as the devil's trait as one who takes God's given gift, ostracized from society.

Vanilla regains her fighting stance, remaining undaunted by Abyss' words as she steadies her breath. "You know martial arts. That's rare to see from a mage, much less a double liner." Abyss points out, swinging his blade in his hand in mild amusem*nt.

Vanilla chuckles nervously, "You say that as if you're not like me."

Abyss huffs in response, pulling down his hood and revealing his strikingly long silver hair, pulled into a regal ponytail. The fine strands seem to shine in the dim moonlight leaking from the cracks in the castle entrance doors that makes them look almost transparent, the crimson devil eye of his glowing with an ominous presence.

"Like you? What would you know?" Abyss seethes, pointing his sword at the girl threateningly.

"U-Um…" Vanilla stutters, not really knowing what she was actually saying, "I-It's not that deep. I-I was just referencing how l-like we're both double liners who happen to know martial arts hahaha..." She says, rubbing the back of her head nervously, averting her gaze to look at the ceiling awkwardly.

"Tch. Enough of this charade, I'll end this." Abyss says, unimpressed as Vanilla tenses up preparing to block. In an instant, he appears right in front of the girl, his sword already partway down mid slash, preemptively moving to avoid her fast reaction.

'She has no wand, this should be swift.' Abyss thinks to himself as Vanilla reacts to his attacks, she raises her arms in defense right as the male swings his sword down with vigor, cutting through her flesh. Vanilla winces at the burning pain of the lacerations but Abyss doesn't let up, using his magic to accelerate his speed and moves with fluidity. He places calculated excruciating slices into her arms, legs, torso, anywhere that could be slashed was bloody and all Vanilla could do was block against his advanced speed. Her movements made it difficult for Abyss to end the fight instantly with such limited openings. Making micro adjustments to her positioning to avoid any fatal wounds that would leave her incapacitated.

Vanilla quickly uses her legs to gain some distance, jumping through the wooden doors of the castle and landing on the grass outside the entrance, stumbling a bit to remain on her feet.

But it's no use with his magically enhanced speed. Abyss doesn't let her escape as two burning slashes down the length of her back finally break her defense and she gasps, "OW-!" Abyss stands in front of her threateningly a few meters away with a huff.

"Hm. I do all that and all I get is an 'ow?'" Abyss says slowly, glaring at the girl through his silver lashes.

'Damn…I don't want to have to do this…But this is getting so annoying…His attacks are so irritating…!' She thinks to herself, gritting her teeth, holding her bloodied side and taking a deep breath as if to mentally prepare herself.

Abyss tilts his head as she moves her body into a fighting stance. "Hmph." He huffs, narrowing his eyes before readying his sword, saying nothing more before lunging at the girl and finally revealing his personal magic. Blue vector-like arrows seem to sprout from his back, accelerating his speed before he disappears once more, reappearing before the girl, pulling his sword back for a thrust. 'I'll finish up quickly and then-! Huh!?'

Abyss' thoughts are interrupted as he watches Vanilla throw herself at his blade. Her arm reels back before pushing forward. Her hand collides with the tip of his blade, stabbing through the flesh and using her blood as a lubricant, sliding her hand all the way down to the hilt before her fingers grasp onto the handguard tightly. She could feel the coolness of the blade, the agonizing burn of its sharp edge dragging and tearing through her flesh between the bone as blood splattered across the ground.

Abyss could hear the sound of her teeth grinding together at the gruesome affliction as he stared aghast, eyes blown wide in shock. Using this split second opening, Vanilla forcefully pushes his sword downward, closing the distance between them as she brings her other hand, lathered with her own blood and slicks it over his eyes, her nails scratching at the surface of his sensitive pupils. The blood pools his sockets and he flinches back, appalled by her actions as the sting and burn of her attack forces him to shut his eyes tightly in an attempt to alleviate its effects on his eyes.

'S-She sacrificed her hand just for this opening?!! S-She's insane!!' Abyss thinks frantically as he struggles to wipe away the blood with his other hand, choosing to abandon his sword in her grasp to gain distance from Vanilla.

Once Abyss is able to somewhat regain his vision, his vision is dyed red and his eyes struggle to focus on the enemy before him. Vanilla boldly grabs the sword's handle before holding her breath, hissing out various curses before ripping it out of her hand with a pained scream. Abyss stares in shock as Vanilla pulls out a familiar object from her dormitory robe, 'A second wand?! Was she hiding it?!' Abyss thinks in disbelief,

"Energy Positive!" She chants before jumping towards the man with a newfound vigor as her wounds begin to close up. Wielding the sword in her hand, she quickly closes the distance between the two, leaving Abyss unable to react in time. She doesn't leave room for him to escape and quickly swings the sword over her head, forcing the blade downwards and leaving a fatal slice down the front of his body, cutting through the side of his face and leaving a minor cut on his jawline, opening the flesh of his chest and stomach as blood spills from the fresh wound. He gasps, recoiling at the acute sting of pain, falling to the ground limply.

The tip of the sword collides with the ground before mutedly thumping against the grass as Vanilla stands up properly, breathing heavily and looking down at her defeated opponent. Her magic finishes closing up the last of her wounds as she pants, only her heaving and the slight rustle of the trees the gentle breeze brings with it are heard in the serenity of the dark forest she now finds herself in. The girl looks down at her hand, opening and closing her fingers as if to check its functionality and grimacing at the pain she'd just experienced.

'What would you know?'

Vanilla looks down at her opponent with a sympathetic undertone lingering in her gaze. She grimaces to herself, 'I see life hasn't treated you kindly…I'm sorry…' Vanilla crouches down onto the ground, reaching to take the crimson flag attached to Abyss' robe.

"Marioness!" An unfamiliar voice chants and Vanilla instinctively moves out of the way, right before what seems to be a puppet jumps on her. The hardened exoskeleton of the puppet rattles and creaks against itself as its movements shift robotically with every action, landing between Abyss' body and Vanilla. Its eyes are hollow, with the wooden exterior having no human features aside from the magical lines that painted the victim's face. The puppet wields a dull wooden sword in hand as the girl tenses up, recognizing the color of the robe.

'It's someone from the yellow team! Are puppets his personal magic? Creepy!' Vanilla thinks hard as she keeps her gaze focused on the puppeteer. He adorns a green robe as he stands behind his marionette, holding a doll almost lovingly in his arm close to his body as he glances down at Vanilla. He has a purple hue to his milky eyes with accompanying white hair that fades to a deep violet, as if he were the very embodiment of Lang.

"Finally found you. That other red riffraff took too much time." He states. Vanilla narrows her eyes upon hearing this.

'T-That means h-he defeated Rayne?! Rayne of all people?!' She thinks to herself in a panic and wields her wand once more.

Another puppet appears from the castle doors and takes its place protectively beside Abel, the attached strings glisten in the moonlight. He glances down at Abyss' defeated form and clicks his tongue in disappointment after confirming the condition of his partner's wounds.

Raising his arm, he controls his puppet, forcing it to lunge at Vanilla as the girl quickly dodges its clumsy attacks and grabs onto its body. Using her strengthening magic she throws the puppet to the side as an effort to break the strings controlling it. It lands on the ground a few meters away as the strings snap apart, a smoky purple mist is emitted from its body before it transforms back into a human, unconscious.

She quickly turns her gaze back towards Abel as he puppeteers his other marionette to attack the girl. The puppet throws a punch and Vanilla prepares to dodge the attack.

But an unknown force pulls at her wrist and she gasps before taking a direct hit to the face by the wooden puppet, she recoils in pain, sensing her warm blood start to flow from her nostrils as each palpitation of her heart only further contributing to the pulsing pain and pressure in her face. The girl quickly recovers and grits her teeth, maneuvering her body and using her legs to kick the puppet away from her, knocking it off balance before pulling her arm closer to her body, attempting to snap apart the strings. She struggles a bit, using more of her magic to enhance her physical prowess before successfully ripping the strings, disconnecting them from her wrist, wincing slightly as they dig into her skin.

Abel turns his head towards his partner on the ground, "Abyss, get up. We have business to finish." He orders simply. Vanilla watches horrified as the swordsman groans before slowly rising to his feet. She tenses up, her thoughts racing as she moves into a fighting stance. Abyss picks up his blade, holding it in his relaxed grip.

'It's okay! I just need to find an opening and then find Rayne-!' The pair don't give her time to think as Abyss launches himself towards her. 'There's no time!!-' Strings reattach themselves to the other students' bodies, transforming and controlling them, becoming Abel's marionettes once more.

Vanilla blocks Abyss' attack with her wand, holding it backhanded in her grasp as the blade cuts into its wood from the side, but this time it doesn't split against the sword's sharp edge.

'An iron spine?!' Abyss thinks.

'HOLY sh*t THERE'S METAL IN HERE!?' Vanilla thinks in sync.

She moves the blade away from her body, keeping a firm grasp on the handle of her wand. From the corner of her eye, she could barely make out a familiar figure as its stiff movements lunged to attack her side. Reeling her body backwards, she narrowly dodges the puppet's attack with a back bend. Its hand grasps onto the tie of her uniform and pulls her forward and she freezes in response, taken aback as the second puppet and Abyss move in sync to take her down.

'sh*t!' She closes her eyes tightly, preparing to take the hit head on but the pain never comes.

An intense gust of wind takes its place and she feels something big and dense whoosh past her face. Abyss and the puppets are thrown back by its intensity. Vanilla opens her eyes, gasping in shock, immediately recognizing the sword that had seemingly fallen from the sky before it disappeared. Everyone's attention is called above them as Rayne drops down from a castle window, bending his legs to soften the impact, landing between Vanilla and their opponents.

"Rayne!" She exclaims in relief.

"Sorry. It took a while to get your handkerchief to work." He says, glancing back at the girl.

"No way! All you had to do was hold it over the wound!!" She retorts, her relief immediately souring from his comment. 'Man, he really is dense.' She thinks to herself before coming to the sudden realization. "You brought the handkerchief I got you?" She inquires with a questioning gaze.

"I could say the same to you." Rayne replies monotonously, glancing at the familiar wand in her hand. Vanilla can feel the heat rise to her face in embarrassment, quickly parting her lips to make up an excuse, "I-I just figured-! You know! Like-! You never know and-! I just-!" She scoffs in disappointment, slapping a hand over her forehead exasperated.

"Uh huh…." Is all Rayne says, unconvinced before turning his attention back towards Abyss and Abel. Neither side is willing to make the first move, deciding to wait and react. There's a tense moment of silence that seems to stretch on forever with each passing second.

"Hey um…Aren't you going to…you know…Attack them…?" Vanilla whispers after a moment of nothing happening, glancing at Rayne with a questioning look. He doesn't respond for a few seconds, his face hidden as his back faces her.

"...I don't have any magical energy left…" He admits quietly after a moment of painfully awkward silence.

"...I see…" She whispers back, gripping her wand tightly in her hand and crying to herself, 'Of f*cking course…'

"Abyss."

"Understood."

With that simple order, Abyss chants a spell, disappearing before Rayne and Vanilla's sights. "Accelraise!" He reappears in front of Vanilla, barely having time to register the event she raises her arms to defend against his kick. His momentum and power was enough to send her flying back into the woods that surround the castle's entrance, successfully separating her from her partner.

"Vanilla!" Rayne is heard shouting, but he doesn't have time to worry about her as Abel's puppets begin to attack him. He defends himself with what little magical energy he has left, severing the strings that control their movements.

Vanilla stumbles a bit on her feet as she regains her balance, looking at Abyss from behind her arms. "Well that was quite unexpected. Don't you know it's rude to hit a lady?!"

"Don't you know it's rude to use one's own weapon against them?" Abyss is quick to retort, leaving Vanilla with no words to say back, her thoughts occupied by her concern for her partner.

Chapter 14: Fiend

Chapter Text

Abyss Razor, one who was scorned and abhorred since he was a child due to his possession of the Evil Eye. In this world where magical affinity rules supreme as God's gift to mankind, the Evil Eye was seen as the devil's magic with the ability to take away God's divine gift.

Yes. Abyss was indeed what one would consider, a good person. However…

***

The air was tense as the gentle breeze flew past the pair, standing in silence and choosing to observe their opponent's movements before acting. There are sounds of struggle in the distance as their respective partners battle for dominance, a test of wills.

'I need to help Rayne somehow…' Vanilla's thoughts drift as she glares down at her opponent. 'But how am I going to beat this guy…?' She thinks, her hand grasping onto her wand tightly, clenching her teeth as she takes on a fighting stance. 'Should I use my secondths? What if it takes up too much magic? What if I won't be able to help Rayne after? Will he even be caught by it? What if-!'

"Accelraise, Sphere!" Her opponent silences Vanilla's overthinking, blue vector-like arrows surround her like a dome as Abyss disappears from her line of sight. The only thing she can register is the constant barrage of slashes littering her body as she struggles to keep up with his speed. He lands calculated lacerations onto her joints. Vanilla constantly turns her body, using her arms in an attempt to block and mitigate the damage only for another slash to make its way across another part of her body. The searing pain causes her muscles to tense, blood soaking her clothes and splattering onto the ground. She accumulates her magical energy, but Abyss doesn't let up his onslaught, knowing he has the upper hand.

'I have to quickly finish this up. I've failed Lord Abel once, it won't happen again.' Abyss thinks to himself before quickly moving to deliver a fatal blow. Vanilla turns to meet his gaze but she doesn't have time to react.

A glint in the darkness of the woods suddenly catches both of their eyes before a familiar golden sword pierces through the space between them, knocking Abyss' sword from out of his grasp. The golden Partisan lands on the ground within an arm's reach away, stabbing the earth with its handle pointed upright at an angle. Vanilla doesn't hesitate to act, grabbing the sword by its handle and kicking Abyss away from her to recuperate, quickly accumulating her magical energy to enhance her physical prowess. Now wielding Rayne's Partisan she presses the attack, completely taking control of the fight.

Her slashes are brutal and without restraint with her rudimentary swordsmanship as she dashes around her target, preventing him from reuniting with his blade or counterattacking, sending a flurry of cuts and kicks that rattle the man's bones. Abyss is on the defensive, trying to find a way to break out of this stalemate as his mind ponders for an answer.

"Tch! Accelraise!" He chants before speeding towards his sword.
Vanilla gasps, moving quickly to catch up to him and swinging her blade. She's surprised to find that the hit lands with a loud clash against metal as Abyss quickly recovers his weapon and blocks the attack.

Vanilla grunts and moves to step away from him and regain her balance, her hands trembling from the impact of their weapons. Sounds of the other altercation from another part of the wooded area catches her attention, glancing behind her in concern. Quickly noticing his opponent's distraction, Abyss takes the opportunity to lunge at Vanilla. She's quick to block the attack with her sword, her mind reeling for something, anything, to help her partner the way he is helping her. But with Abyss' superior swordsmanship, he easily overpowers her and his sword begins to cut through the flesh of her stomach as he drives his blade through her. She recoils at the sensation, the wound leaving a burning sear of excruciating pain in its' wake that makes her feel the urge to vomit as the edge grates against her rib. She gasps and kicks him away.

"Ack-! Energy Positive!" She chants, her wand slides out from under her sleeve and pointing it towards her partner, sending a talisman. The spell fails and it disappears as she kneels on the ground, holding her wound as it begins to heal quickly. Her hand suddenly grasps air as the Partisan disappears, signaling the end of Rayne's magical limit. Vanilla stares in horror where the sword once was, her head frantically trying to come up with a plan as her body is riddled with uncertainty.

Abyss quickly lunges in, "Accelraise, Sphere!" He chants as the familiar spell recounts once more and Vanilla is forced on the defensive. Holding up her arms and trying to block the attacks. The rapid onslaught litters her body as she clenches her teeth in frustration.

She can feel something coiling in the pit of her stomach as she starts to lose control of her thoughts, anxiety and fear overtaking her rationality and clouding her judgment. Her teeth grind against each other so harshly they almost ring out over the slashes of Abyss' skillful blade. Her hand grips onto her wand so tightly the wooden handle starts to splinter from the pressure. The feeling builds upon itself, it feels like the knot in her stomach is starting to become undone, pulling on all sides of her body like it's about to be ripped apart. She can feel her thoughts becoming messy, unorganized, wishing everything could just stop for a moment and think, beginning to act on pure carnal instinct, bloodlust. It was as if she was becoming…

…a fiend.

Grasping onto the strings of her sanity, the pain of constantly being slashed and healed, slashed and healed, over and over again leaves her remaining rationality on a mere thread, on the verge of an animalistic rage. It was as if it was in her blood as it began to boil over, nearly overstimulating her senses, but it suddenly stopped.

Vanilla falters, looking at her opponent with suspicion, thinking about his next move as he stands before her, glowering down at her defensive form.

"Just give it up. It's not worth it. The difference in our abilities is obvious. By now, Lord Abel has probably already done away with your partner." Abyss suddenly says. Vanilla purses her lips together tightly. She can feel something in herself start to break, like porcelain in the dry air of the arctic continent. It cracks, the lines of the vissure growing steadily as she can feel as if she's on the verge of breaking.

'I need something…Something…Anything that would help him! Anything! My magic isn't enough, I need more…I need to give something more…Something like…' Vanilla inhales sharply in realization. It's as if all the pieces fell into place and she stops healing her wounds, allowing her blood to spill onto the ground beneath her, startling her opponent as he narrows his eyes cautiously.

**

"You can do something like that?" Vanilla asks one day. The pair lies on the grassy ground in relaxation after an exhausting training session.

Margarette nods their head, "Indeed Vanilla dear. In the event that you find yourself at a deficit, something, anything tangible really, can be sacrificed for temporary magical power. Depending on its potency, this power can become immense."

**

The blood around her feet starts to glow dimply, pooling itself together as she commands her magic. She breathes steadily as the crimson liquid accumulates in her hand and unites with her energy, creating a link with her soul as if it were a pact.

Abyss' eyes widened at the display, "You can't possibly be…" He utters out in disbelief. Vanilla's breath is steady, grunting at the pain, sucking the very essence of her life and storing it into her blood with her magical energy. She heaves with a concentrated expression painting her face.

"I won't let you-!"

"Energy Positive!"

Abyss lunges at her a moment too late, two talismans already sent towards her partner. They attach themselves to Rayne and he feels the connection instantly, healing his wounds and linking their magical pools together as if they were one. He gasps and quickly uses the opportunity to go on the offensive, already knowing Abel's attack patterns.

Vanilla can instantly feel the exhilaration of her magical energy being sapped out of her as Rayne battles against Abel. She grimaces, launching herself at Abyss with her arm over her shoulder. Taken aback by her sudden assault, he hesitates before a familiar glint behind the girl catches his eye. Vanilla catches the Partisan by the handle and swings it over her shoulder, leaving Abyss barely any time to react. He blocks the attack just in time, his thoughts reeling in disbelief.

'S-She sacrificed her blood to link their magic together!? She won't have enough magic for herself! Just how much do they trust each other?!'

"You're crazy!" Abyss shouts as he blocks another attack, their swords grinding against one another as they each try to overpower the other.

"It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter anymore!!" Vanilla screams in desperation, as if to reassure herself more than to respond to Abyss.

"Tch!" Abyss grunts before conceding, quickly using his magic to distance himself from the girl. She points the sword at him, her sharp eyes radiating a certain heat and intensity that makes Abyss' hairs stand on end.

"Energy Positive. Secondths!" A barrier is erected, encompassing the girl and healing her wounds in an instant, granting her greater enhanced physical prowess with the power of her secondths. The magical energy accumulates around her and powerful winds blow through the area surrounding her. Forcing leaves to escape from their branches, bushes to rustle, and the grass blades to flourish in waves.

Abyss gasps at the sight, her magical energy is potent. It's so dense it can be seen by the naked eye, it's so clear, so vivid. And for the first time in this fight, Abyss felt uncertain. 'W-Where is this energy coming from?! H-How..?!'

She doesn't give him time to think and sends him flying back with a solid kick to the stomach, slamming his back into a tree and rustling its' leaves, forcing the air out of his lungs. He moves quickly, keeping his gaze trained onto the girl, looking to counterattack but she is nowhere to be found. He feels her intense presence and looks upward, seeing her already plunging her sword downwards. He dodges the attack swiftly and swings his blade in retaliation. The recoil of the impact stops him as he hits the protective barrier. Vanilla inhales sharply and lunges towards the side, slamming the barrier into him before swinging her blade.

Abyss can feel something inside him awaken as the assault doesn't stop. He's hit with a barrage of kicks and cuts, it's enough to nearly break his bones and it makes him feel sick as he attempts to block the consecutive attacks. Vanilla, seemingly uncaring for her magical limit, is no longer rational enough to conserve mer magical energy and burns through her capacity as if she wasn't sharing it. Even as a double liner, there was a limit to how much magical energy she could produce . Abyss feels his emotions becoming affected by her irrationality, his thoughts centering around one person and one person only. His will to live, to fight, to struggle for.

The one person that accepted him.

"Would you use that eye for my sake?"

Abyss feels something arising from within him as his magical energy starts to accumulate at a rapid rate. It all comes to a head when he raises his sword in retaliation to Vanilla's constant attacks, his true potential finally awakening in such a golden opportunity.

"Accelraise! Secondths!"

Vanilla feels its effects immediately, a red arrow appearing on her body as Abyss feels the magic overflowing through his body. A large dome of magic is erected from Abyss' position, encompassing the pair as a blue arrow appears on the man, a red arrow making its home on Vanilla. Red and blue vectors surround them as they feel the effects of Abyss' magic.

He quickly uses his enhanced speed and lunges at Vanilla as she attempts to follow his movements with her eyes, only to find that she suddenly can't keep up. He disappears at a blistering speed and pierces through her protective barrier, landing an attack onto her side. She recoils in pain and moves to cover the wound, only to find her movements have become sluggish, as if time had been slowed.

'He's robbed me of my speed…!' Vanilla thinks with a grimace as her barrier disappears, leaving her open to Abyss' unrelenting attacks. She can feel her magic draining at a rapid rate as Rayne's battle against Abel rages on in the distance. The pain of being sucked dry of her magical energy is enough to paralyze her, as if her very skin had become shriveled, leaving no room to move around in her own flesh.

Vanilla seethes through her teeth, attempting to gather her magical energy as Abyss doesn't relent. "Energy positive, secondths!" She chants in a whispered desperation. The area around her implodes as her potent magical energy is enough to blow Abyss away, temporarily halting his attacks.

"Wha-!? How?! How can you still have so much magic!? Abyss exclaims as another reinforced barrier encloses Vanilla, stirring the grass blades around them in a swirl of energy. The girl only looks down at her hands, relishing in the feeling of her seemingly boundless pool of magic.

"To be honest, I don't know. But it feels…right…" Her voice was nearly inaudible as she mumbles absentmindedly, the cracks in her being continuing to spill what little rationale she had left.

Abyss can feel something in him snap as he speeds towards the girl, sword raised with a certain bloodlust as he swings down onto the barrier, shattering it with surprising ease. He gasps in response as Vanilla uses this opening to shatter his blade in half with her Partisan in turn. The severed tip of the blade falls to the side along with its adjacent shards of metal. He turns to her, wide-eyed, 'H-How?! My secondths spell should still be in effect-!' He thinks frantically. The girl leaves no room for hesitation and swings her leg around, landing a solid hit onto his stomach and sweeping him off his feet, his back colliding with his own spell's dome.

He glances up at his opponent only to see her walking towards him with an intense pressure surrounding her being, a certain heat being emitted from her body. His lips part in shock, 'N-No way…S-She's pouring magic into herself, constantly enhancing her speed to negate the effects of my secondths!' Abyss stands back up, slowly recovering from the attack, gripping his sword handle tightly. 'Doing that must be destroying her body…It's like killing yourself over and over again! S-She's insane! What could possibly be pushing her to such lengths!?'

She raises her sword, pointing at her opponent as he seethes through his teeth, clenching his fists so tightly it breaks the skin of his hands.

"Don't underestimate me!!" Abyss cries out, his magical output increases as does the effects of his secondths, taking Vanilla off guard. She wields her wand in one hand and her sword in the other, preparing to defend herself as Abyss' form disappears from her sight, his speed increasing even more as his emotions overwhelm him, burning through his magical limits.

"Accelraise, sphere!" He casts from within his secondths, further depleting his magic, intending to finally end this fight once and for all. Vanilla's eyes dart around, scanning her surroundings in search of her swift opponent. She turns and blocks an attack, her magical energy ever increasing as Abyss evades any attempt of a counterattack. His attacks are becoming sloppy, desperation showing through his actions as each hit fails to land despite his best efforts.

'Why?'

Another clash of swords.

'Why?!'

Another swipe at an empty space.

"WHY!? Why do you continue fighting!?" Abyss screams as his broken blade crosses with Vanilla's partisan, each one pushing against the other for dominance. The girl clenches her jaw, glaring at her opponent beyond the sparks between their swords.

"I'm not sure I know the answer to that myself…!" She seethes through clenched teeth.

"You…Don't know…?" Abyss utters out before the words register in his head and he finally snaps. "STOP f*ckING PLAYING AROUND!!" He roars furiously, slightly overpowering Vanilla in the process as she takes a step back at his sudden push.

"You would never understand what I'm fighting for!!"

Abyss finally overpowers Vanilla as he pushes her back, her stance faltering as her hind leg begins to shake, feeling unsteady as she struggles to defend herself from his immense magical fury. Putting more pressure onto her other foot as she tries to maintain her balance against his oppressive strength.

"A cause greater than yourself!!"

The man kicks Vanilla away furiously, sending her flying back towards the other side of the forcefield of Abyss' secondths spell. Vanilla coughs and gasps as the air is knocked out of her lungs, her body bounces from the impact before her feet land on the ground, her head pounding from the sudden impact.

"Someone as blessed as you doesn't deserve to be here!!"

"Blessed…?"

Abyss rushes towards the girl, stepping off of a vector to further accelerate his speed, his sword raised with a certain vice-like fury encompassing his body. His handsome face contorted into an expression of disgust and rage.

Vanilla can feel something within her, a coil, unwinding itself and pulling itself apart so tightly the threads are snapping, leaving only a faint string thinner than a spider's web.

"Blessed!?" She screams, barely able to block Abyss' attack as their blades cross once more, sparks flying in every direction and illuminating their surroundings.

"Don't give me that sh*t asshole!!" She seethes, glaring at him from beyond the flickers of light, her eyes shedding a certain vestige from her amber irises that seem to reflect her rage.

Abyss is taken aback by her sudden shift and recoils at the vibrations birthed from the collision of their swords, his hands attempting to remain firm as they tremble from the shock. He can feel his magic finally run itself dry as his secondths spell falters for a moment, flickering slightly in its' vibrancy. This realization makes Abyss hesitate slightly as Vanilla pushes forward, finally overpowering the weakened male, her eyes blazing with ferocity.

She twists her wrist, forcing Abyss' sword from his grasp before landing the final blow, turning her body and digging her knee into the side of his head with a fury, knocking him out as his eyes roll to the back of his head, unconscious.

Their spells fade away as their magic starts to calm down, Vanilla heaves as she tries to regain her breath, looking down at her defeated opponent. Her throat feels dry, her heart pounding rapidly and grating against her ribcage almost painfully, her head pulsates as she can feel the blood in her veins pumping with such fervor it burns. The Partisan falls from her relaxed grip, thumping onto the grass below as she wipes a bead of sweat from her brow, her face contorted into an unsettled expression.

There's a long pause with a silence ringing in the air as she sighs, crouching down to retrieve the flag from the man's shoulder. As her hand lands on the man's shoulder she gasps silently.

'It's…not here!!' She thinks frantically before inspecting the other side in shock. Their flag wasn't there. "W-Where could it be?! It was here! I know it!" She whispers in fear and horror before her eyes widen in realization and she races towards Rayne.

Chapter 15: Rayne Ames vs Abel Walker

Chapter Text

Rayne pants, wiping the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand as he glares at the opponent in front of him. Panting and exhausted from dodging countless attacks from the current prefect of Lang. Despite knowing Abel's attacks and habits, without magic to spare, he couldn't afford to use any large spells that would be able to defeat the grotesque Harm Puppet from his secondths spell.

"Just give up this meaningless struggle and be done with it. You're not going to win against me." Abel says, holding his hand up as he controls the puppet to do his bidding with his fingers. Rayne doesn't say anything in response, keeping his usual poker face as his eyes narrow.

'Damn, I won't be able to keep up that partisan…Vanilla…' He thinks to himself before evading another attack, the puppet's large hand landing onto the ground at Rayne's previous position and erupts the ley as dirt is kicked up from the blow, rustling the bushes and shaking the ground. Once he lands a good distance away from the puppet, he stays just out of range of Abel's magical sphere of influence, keeping both the puppet and Abel within his line of sight.

"Hmph." Abel scoffs before flicking his fingers down, but the harm puppet doesn't move. Rayne's brow twitches before he hears a slight rattle from behind him. He gasps, turning to face the noise but he's too late to react. The puppet of a student grasps onto Rayne, keeping him in place with its inhuman strength, disabling his ability to move as the grotesque harm puppet begins to move, now facing him with a seemingly ominous glare from its' red irises.

"This is the end for you." Abel states confidently and moves his hand. The harm puppet accelerates, slithering towards the trapped half-blonde. Rayne shuts his eyes tightly, bracing himself for impact as he finds himself stuck.

An abrupt jolt of electricity shoots through his body and he can feel his magical energy abruptly returning in a split second. The potency of the magic compels his magical energy to explode around him as he's forced to expel it from his body in the form of a shockwave. Abel grunts in surprise, feeling the harm puppet's movements suddenly halted before its hand could crush his opponent.

"Partisan!" Rayne quickly chants, wielding his wand tightly in his grasp as his muscles constrict and flex. The golden swords appear floating in the air, littering the area, surrounding the pair in all directions. Abel clicks his tongue and pulls his hand back, forcing the harm puppet to shield him as Rayne's partisans rain down on the clearing indiscriminately.

The swords free Rayne from his predicament and he's quick to reposition himself, grunting in pain as the potent magical energy flows throughout his body, gripping onto the roots of his hair with his face contorted into an expression of pain. Like a glass overfilled to the brim, he can feel his body breaking at the immense pressure as he forces himself to keep up the attack to keep an equilibrium of magical flow. He refuses to allow this to overtake him, grasping onto the thin strings of his own self-control.

Hunched over, Rayne looks down at his body, spotting a familiar talisman on his thigh, he can feel his cuts and bruises alleviating themselves and the magical energy suddenly leveling out as he regains his breath. The blood red talisman has attached itself to his back and he can feel the magical energy circulating back and forth from Vanilla to himself, stabilizing itself.

"What did you do?" Abel inquires sternly with a glare from beyond his puppet, sensing the sudden change. Rayne only glares harder, gripping his wand in his hand and pointing it at Abel threateningly.

Rayne seethes, "Partisan!" He forces his wand downwards as more golden swords rain down from the sky, this time more concentrated on Abel, forcing him onto defense as he blocks the attacks from himself using his puppets.

"f*ck-!" Rayne groans, cringing in pain as another surge of magical energy flows through him, he doesn't let up his attack however, his partisans continuing to go on the offensive, only growing more powerful with each wave as the shared magical energy only grows more and more potent with each passing moment. Rayne can feel his body cracking, something within him beginning to reach a precipice as his magic starts to hit a critical peak. It's painful, it builds on itself and continues to exert more and more pressure onto his body, making him feel heavy yet invigorated. His hand twitch and tingle as his face contorts in discomfort. As if his very bones started to crack under the immense pressure.

As his magical energy continues to fluctuate, Abel struggles to keep up his defenses with the velocity of the swords. The harm puppet's hard exterior starts to break, the porcelain chipping and on the verge of shattering.

Rayne's control starts to waver as the flow of magical energy becomes inconsistent. Quickly finding an opening, Abel moves to turn the tables. The student puppets rose from their positions and moved towards Rayne, jumping at the half blonde before he could react. Their strength is unprecedented and they manage to collide their hard wooden fists into his stomach, forcing his back to collide with a tree trunk.

He coughs as the air is knocked out of his lungs, his head recoiling from the shock, recovering quickly and then evading their proceeding attacks. His spell ends and Abel moves the harm puppet towards his opponent. "Partisan!" Rayne chants in an attempt to stop the oncoming attack. The magic behind his attack fluctuates and the golden sword fails to break through the porcelain head of the giant marionette.

"sh*t-!" Rayne curses, raising his arms in defense as the giant hand comes down on him, throwing his body across the wide clearing. He tumbles over the ground, grunting in pain before recovering quickly, feeling Vanilla's magic heal his wounds.

There's a tense moment of silence as both parties observe each other, deciding to observe their opponents' movements.

"Why do you struggle so much?" Abel breaks the silence as he moves his puppets slightly, preparing to attack.

Rayne raises his wand in response, narrowing his eyes into a glare, "That's none of your business." He hissed through clenched teeth, recoiling slightly at the sudden influx of magic flowing through his body, like a battery overflowing with electricity it's about to explode. It forces every muscle in his body to flex, forcing his movements to become stiff and rigid, the excess magical energy starting to emit a powerful aura, surrounding his body with an air of intensity that makes Abel's face scrunch up with caution.

"Marioness, secondths, Harm Puppet!" Abel chants preemptively, sensing the dangerously potent magical energy emitting from Rayne.

'Here it comes!' Rayne thinks to himself, raising his arms in an attempt to block the invisible strings, recognizing the spell from their earlier encounter.

"Parti-!!" Before Rayne could even finish his chant, the coil in his body snaps, reaching a peak from the magical overflow. It blows away the invisible strings with its power and Abel raises his arm to defend himself from the sudden shockwave that permeates through the air. It makes the bushes around them rustle and pull leaves from their branches, sending grass leaning away from the adversary in waves.

Rayne falls to his knees, his fists clenching against the ground as he heaves with a guttural scream scratching the back of his throat. His vision starts to blur as the sensation begins to overwhelm his senses. A constant ringing filling his ears, the taste of iron flooding his mouth, feeling nothing but an exhilarating pain as if pins and needles were constantly stabbing across his entire being that forces his adrenaline into high gear.

"W-What..!?" Abel gasps out as Rayne pants, sweat dripping down his face as he attempts to get used to the feeling. His body heats up as he heaves, every muscle in his body becoming compelled to flex as his mind reels, fighting the urge to cave under the immense pressure.

'W-What the hell is happening!? What is this power?!' Rayne questions himself for a moment, slowly starting to stand up, trembling as his body is wracked with magical overload. He holds onto his wand so firmly, it's a miracle the handle doesn't snap from his tight grip as he feels his blood boiling, his heartbeat accelerating with exhilaration. He stands upright, as Abel gasps in shock, his eyes widening as something starts to spill from Rayne's left eye.

"A-A…third line?!" Abel whispers out breathlessly, a million thoughts going through his head at a blistering pace as he struggles to comprehend.

Rayne gasps sharply, his hand gently feeling his cheek in shock, the faint bump of the extra magical line making its presence known as his eyes widen at the revelation.

His magical limits had been exceeded and he had unlocked a third magical line.

With this new discovery, he doesn't hesitate to follow his instincts and holds his wand in front of him, "Summon, Ares." He chants for the first time. The radiance of the wand illuminates the woods, easily overtaking the darkness of night and producing another powerful shockwave blasting through the area as he calls upon his innate power of the god of war.

Rayne grasps onto the manifested polearm with a sense of familiarity, a scarlet sash cloaking its neck. Dark clouds gather over him as the energy starts to dance around him, the excess magical output leaking from his body. The magic crackles and flickers, becoming manifested with such potency it's visible, vibrant even, to the naked eye.

Rayne looks down at his hands, becoming accustomed to the feeling of a god's power dwelling from within him. It's invigorating, exhilarating even. Such tremendous and seemingly omnipotent power was something he'd never experienced before. It flows through his body smoothly, effortlessly as his new magical capacity has now been firmly set in stone.

"Tch! Harm Puppet!" Abel shouts, sending his three puppets towards Rayne. The half blonde calms himself, taking a deep breath before raising his newfound polearm, narrowing his eyes and allowing his instincts to take over,

"Rapid Partisan." He chants calmly. An innumerable amount of swords are manifested into reality behind him and launch themselves at the puppets, taking them out with ease and overpowering them. With the larger polearm now manifested from his wand, his magical output has been vastly increased with even basic spells having the power of an average secondths spell.

Abel gasps as he feels the strings of his control are snapped, his fingers no longer feeling the resistance of their weight, losing his puppets in the process as the harm puppet disappears and the student marionettes fall limply to the ground, their bodies smoking and turning back into their original human forms.

Abel takes a step forward and stands his ground, his composure starts to waver as he clenches his teeth at this sudden development.

"Marioness secondths, Harm Puppet!" Abel shouts with a hint of desperation, forcing himself to use his spell once more. The invisible strings forcing and weaving their way through Rayne's powerful partisans as another harm puppet is slowly manifested into reality.

Rayne skillfully flares his polearm, slicing up the invisible strings and preventing them from touching his body, his brows furrowed in concentration. He gathers his focus before leaping towards Abel. The puppet moves in retaliation, ripping off and throwing one of its many limbs towards Rayne. The half blonde huffs, easily slicing it open as the two halves fall on either side of him.

A shadow is cast over Rayne and he gasps, looking up with his eyes widening in shock. The harm puppet was already so impossibly close, its arms raised with its hands clasped together, already in motion to slam down onto the newly awakened triple liner. He doesn't have enough time to move or block the attack as his foot slips from under him, his heel sliding along the dirt in an attempt to force his momentum to dodge the oncoming attack.

"sh*t!-" It was as if time had slowed then, as he loses his balance, the harm puppet's hands were already mere inches away from his face as he shuts his eyes tightly, bringing his polearm up to protect himself and bracing himself for the impact.

His body hits the ground, flat on his back as he hears the impact of the puppet's attack…

but the pain never comes.

Instead he feels a warm liquid dripping onto his face and he flinches from the unexpected feeling. He peeks an eye open, peering up before his eyes widen in horror at the sight and he whispers out breathlessly,

"V-Vanilla…"

Chapter 16: Vanilla Bean & Rayne Ames

Chapter Text

"V-Vanilla…" Rayne gasps out in horror as blood drips down from her hair and onto his face, mere inches away from each other. The palm of her hands are placed firmly on both sides of his head keeping her balanced, her body trembles slightly, bearing the weight of the harm puppet's attack, the splintered bone of her arms poking out from her flesh as her lip quivers slightly, her jaw clamped shut tightly. The puppet's joints can be heard creaking above her as she seethes through her teeth at the motion, feeling the searing pain in her joints as her bones tear through her skin and muscle.

Rayne can hear his heart pounding in his chest, an unfamiliar ache starting to make his blood run cold at the sight.

"W-Why…" He whispers aghast, his voice so quiet he thinks she wouldn't hear him despite their close proximity.

Vanilla chuckles dryly seeing his shocked expression, the corners of her lips curling into a small smile,

"W-We're dating, remember? Isn't that what couples do?" She mutters out, her voice trembling slightly. Rayne feels his lips part as his jaw slacks and his mouth is left agape in shock, the burning feeling in his chest begins to intensify, turning the dull ache into a blazing, excruciatingly painful experience that makes him shudder.

The puppet moves, the noise snapping him back to reality and he acts quickly. He wraps a firm arm around the girl's waist and uses his legs to pull them both out from under the puppet's hands as they slam into the empty space into the ground with a heavy impact that kicks up the dirt at their previous position. Rayne retreats to a safe distance and places Vanilla's unconscious body on the ground, their shared mana pool now segregated as her spell ends and her talismans disappear. Rayne slowly stands up, staring down at the girl with an unreadable expression for a moment before slowly turning towards Abel, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes.

His magical energy seems to flare up as he clenches his polearm in his grasp, swinging it skillfully as he slowly walks towards the puppet in a silent fury.

Vanilla's blood trickles down his cheek and mixes in with his sweat. He can feel his stomach twist in disgust, it feels like he wants to throw up. It's foreign to him, this rage, this repulsion, this feeling he couldn't quite describe. It's unpleasant, how uncomfortable he is with it.

He spins his polearm with one hand before reeling his arm back as Abel moves his hand forward purposefully, stepping forward to really send it, forcing the marionette to move towards Rayne. He doesn't react at first, flipping his polearm as his rationality fades from him. Rayne can feel his muscles tense before releasing an explosive energy, javalining his polearm with an incredible amount of strength that pierces through its head. He's quick to follow up with the attack, chasing after the polearm as the marionette's head recoils from the sudden blow. Rayne lunges, digging his polearm deeper into its head until it disappears from being destroyed. Wielding his polearm once more, he seethes through his teeth as he turns to face Abel, who stares at Rayne with shock and dread.

Before Abel could even react, Rayne was already behind him, his arms already moving in tandem. The blunt side of the polearm snaps onto the back of Abel's neck, knocking him out instantly as his eyes roll to the back of his head, unconscious.

"And there you have it folks! The thrilling conclusion to the second round of the Divine Visionary exam!"

***

Due to the severity of the second round, the highly anticipated fight between the last two contestants was delayed by an hour to replenish their magical energy and recover from their sustained wounds. Vanilla sits in the waiting room, covered in magical bandages with an empty potion bottle at her feet, hunched over with her elbows resting on her knees, lost in thought.

"You don't know?!"

"You would never understand what I'm fighting for!"

"Someone as blessed as you doesn't deserve to be here!"

Vanilla's heart feels heavy as she ponders Abyss' words. Her brows furrowed in concentration as her fingers stressfully combed through her hair. She takes a deep breath and lets out a heavy sigh.

"This is…heavy…" She mutters, pursing her lips together with a troubled expression on her face as she debates whether or not she should just drop out of the competition and she's horrified to find that she doesn't want to. The feeling makes her blood run cold, fearing for the near future as her ally, and more importantly, her friend, has now become her opponent.

A sudden knock rips her away from her thoughts and she turns her head towards the door curiously as Rayne enters the room with a stern expression. They don't say anything to each other, simply observing the other, not quite sure of what to say at the moment. The silence rings in their ears and the air starts to stagnate as moments pass.

"So uh…"

"Are you…"

They start at the same time but stop themselves to let the other speak first.

. . . . .

"Sorry, you…"

"No you can…"

. . . .

"No I insist…"

"It's okay you…"

. . .

An uncomfortable silence fills the room and Vanilla cringes internally at the awkward interaction, repressing the sudden urge to jab her thumbs into her eye sockets. Vanilla steels herself and decides to not speak until Rayne speaks first, clenching her jaw firmly in place and pursing her lips together, forming a straight line.

Rayne sighs softly, dragging a hand down his face before speaking, "Are you feeling better?" He asks monotonously. Vanilla perks up slightly at his inquiry, nodding her head slowly,

"Y-Yeah…I'm fine." She says hesitantly. Much to her surprise and horror, Rayne walks over and takes a seat next to her on the bench, causing her body to instinctively tense up.

"That's good." Rayne says, leaning over and resting his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together and bouncing his leg on the ground. "I just came to thank you, for everything you've been doing to help me out." He states simply as Vanilla looks at him in mild shock before slumping over, keeping her gaze firmly on the ground in front of her and shuffling in her seat uncomfortably.

"O-Oh…Don't worry about it…" She replies softly, fiddling with her hands anxiously, attempting to wring out the frigidity of her fingers.

"That being said…" Rayne states in a deeper tone of voice, his demeanor shifting to one more authoritative, "Just make this next part quick. I don't like to waste my time."

Vanilla's eyes widen slightly before she turns away, "I-I…I can't…" She murmurs, feeling conflicted.

Rayne's brow twitches and turns his head to look at her with a glare at the implications of her hesitance, "Why?"

"I don't know…But I can't…" She replies nervously. Rayne clicks his tongue and stands up, moving towards her and looking down on her as his face contorts into a scowl.

"You said that last time. I'm tired of f*cking hearing it." He says with a demanding tone of voice.

Vanilla slowly turns her head carefully to look up at the prefect of Adler, meeting his glare nervously. "I'm sorry, I-I can't explain it but I can't…" She says hesitantly.

Rayne growls, quickly losing his patience with the girl and grabbing her by the collar of her uniform harshly, lifting her up from her seat, his glare boring into her eyes with conviction, "Tell me straight up. Why can't you?"

"Because it feels wrong!" Her sudden outburst surprises both of them, she gasps and slaps her hands over her mouth, staring at Rayne with fearful eyes.

He lets go of her roughly with a huff as she stumbles a bit from the sudden drop, turning his gaze to the side in frustration as Vanilla keeps her eyes on the ground between them, pursuing her lips together tightly, "I've robbed them of their opportunity to fulfill their goals…it's only right that I carry that with me." She says quietly, her voice is unsteady, almost shameful in her response.

Rayne turns his head to look at her expression as she refuses to meet his intense gaze, his face scrunched up in irritation. "And here I thought we were fighting for the same thing…" He says in a low tone, disappointed.

Vanilla sighs through her nose, her brows furrowing together as her lip quivers, "I-It's due to my superficiality that I can't define what I'm fighting for…But it feels right…" She says quietly, clenching her fists tightly as her nails dig into the palms of her hands and leaving their mark. "I-I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." Rayne huffs, turning to leave the room without regard, "That's on me for trusting you."

Vanilla gasps, his words strike her chest painfully as she snaps her head up to look at Rayne, who doesn't spare her another glance. She reaches her arm out, her lips parting to beg him to stay and hear her out, taking a step towards him but the door closes behind him and she's left alone in the room as the words die in her throat. Her mouth is left agape before her body starts to tremble, retracting her arm and clenching her fist, holding the knuckles against her head in frustration. She seethes sharply through her teeth as she feels the familiar stinging sensation well up in her eyes as she attempts to suppress a sob.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!! Please! Forgive me…'

The room suddenly feels chilly, the air is unwelcoming and Vanilla slumps to the ground in despair. She falls to her knees and sits in her legs limply as tears begin to fall from her eyes, landing on her hands resting in her lap. She grasps onto her hair, pulling at her scalp and nearly ripping the locks from their roots as her breathing starts to quicken. Short gasps and wheezes leave her lips as she starts to panic, eyes blown wide and darting around frantically in an attempt to find something in the waiting room to distract herself from completely breaking down.

'Is this the right thing to do? What am I doing? Why am I acting like this? What is happening? I don't know what I'm doing. Do I even deserve to be here? Do I deserve to be in this position? I'm a failure! I'm being a burden!!'

"Vanilla dear-! Oh my…" The door slams open to reveal Margarette, their smile immediately disappearing upon seeing the current state Vanilla was in. The girl slowly glances up at them before averting her gaze to the ground, using her hair to cover her expression, feeling pathetic in their presence.

"M-Maestro…" She murmurs timidly, almost like a call for help as the ex prefect walks over to the girl, crouching down and placing a supportive hand on her back in an attempt to comfort the girl, looking at her with sympathetic eyes.

"My dear, what plagues you so?" They say gently as Vanilla's face scrunches up from embarrassment.

"I…I-I don't know what I'm doing here…I don't…" Vanilla sputters and trails off with a quivering voice, it's so quiet it's nearly inaudible.

"What are you so ashamed of?" Margarette asks softly, it was the one thing they could never figure out about the girl. "Your magic is strong, you have such a high capacity for greatness, you're kind and help others, even when you don't want to." They point out as Vanilla shakes her head,

"No…I'm…not kind…" She says sheepishly, "How many more dreams am I going to crush because of my superficiality? I'm not even fighting for anything…I'm just here…It feels so disrespectful to everyone that I'm even here in the first place…" Vanilla scoffs, slowly shaking her head and taking a deep breath to calm herself down from her sudden outburst, "I feel so inconsequential…"

Margarette lets out a small sigh, taking their hand off of her back and placing it on their lap as they contemplate their next words, looking at the ceiling in thought.

There's a long moment of silence surrounding the pair as the air turns dull, with only the occasional sniffles from Vanilla filling the room. Her face is hot from crying, her head pounds against her skull from the built up pressure, and her whole body seems to ache at the feeling of guilt, drowning in her own despair.

"...Aren't you just fighting for yourself then?"

. . .

"...What…?" The girl responds breathlessly.

Margarette lets out a small smile and shifts their body to face Vanilla properly, repeating their words once more, "Aren't you just fighting for yourself then?"

Vanilla turns her head to face them, eyes wide in realization, her lips quivering as she gulps a knot down her throat nervously, "N-No…I-I'm…"

"But you are. And that's nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, you should be more selfish."

"But I'm already so selfish!"

"Not in that way dear. You're still finding yourself. And that takes time. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for soon enough." Margarette states confidently as they move to stand on their feet, placing their hands on their hips and offering a hand to help the girl stand. Vanilla hesitantly places her frigid hand into theirs and they hoist her up with ease. She looks up to meet their gaze with inquiry before they walk towards the door with a wink, "Good bye for now, Vanilla dear~ I'm sure this next match will be quite…amusing to see." They say ominously before swiftly leaving the room.

"Wai-!" Vanilla cuts herself off as she hears the announcement, nearing the start of the next round.

Margarette strolls down the corridors with a smile on their face, intrigued by the young, lost maiden. As they turn the corner to reach the stands where the audience watches the empty arena in anticipation, they're surprised to see a familiar face.

"Well if it isn't Ortie. To what do I owe the grace of your divine presence?" Margarette says with a smirk, a hand on their chin with intrigue. "It's not like you to get involved with Easton's affairs, unless…"

"Enough with the charade, Macaron." Orter pushes his glasses up by the bridge, his expression cold and calculated with eyes intensely focused on the student. "I was wondering why someone so inept was vying for a seat amongst the Divine Visionaries. But now I see…"

Margarette huffs, "She's got the potential. And you know I can't resist a budding flower~"

"Hmph. Your whims have gone on for long enough. She'll fail, and it'll crush her." Orter responds monotonously, unamused.

"We'll see about that." Margarette challenges.

"She has no ambition, no direction, there's nothing to debate here."

"Hohoh~ Feeling reminiscent I see~"

"..." Orter doesn't respond, his expression darkening as his eyes narrow at the student as they're silent for a moment.

"When she succeeds, raise her well." Margarette breaks the silence with their overbearing confidence.

"And if she doesn't?"

"Well, then I suppose I'd owe you a favor~"

***

The spectators roar as the stage is set. The announcer has commenced the official introduction of the last remaining contestants of the Divine Visionary exam.

"I know you all have been waiting and thank you for your patience! The third and final stage will now begin as we introduce our final contestants!!"

The crowd cheers loudly, shaking the entire arena as if it were a spectacle.

"For our first contestant, the favorite to win, the current prefect of Adler, Rayne Ames!!"

Rayne walks into the arena with an air of confidence around him, his usual cold expression painting his face as he grimaces at the commotion of the audience.

"And his opponent! A surprising dark horse in this competition, our very own Big Sister of Orca, Vanilla Bean!"

It takes a moment for the girl to appear before the crowd, her steps are sluggish and short as she makes her appearance before the crowds. Her head is tilted downwards, her curtain of hair covering her expression as she stops a few meters away from Rayne.

Her opponent glares daggers at the girl, gripping onto his wand from under the sleeve of his dormitory robe and tensing up at her demeanor, differing from the demure, passive Vanilla he knew.

"With both contestants now on the field, I now commence the third and final stage! Ready?! START!!"

Chapter 17: From You, To Me

Chapter Text

"With both contestants now on the field, I now commence the third and final stage! Ready?! START!!"

***

Vanilla, when I first saw you at the school gates, I thought you were a dunce…

Your clueless expression pissed me off but you seemed like the nonverbal type, less annoying to deal with, one of the reasons I decided to sit next to you in Magical History, the one class we have together.

But then you quickly asserted yourself, acquiring two gold coins on the second day of classes, which again, pissed me off.

We fought and you were totally witless, passive, definitely not the combative type.

"J-Just listen to me! Please! I don't want to fight!"

You were the exact opposite of me, directionless, no ambitions to strive for something greater, whether for yourself or otherwise. I always looked down on people like you, someone blessed without struggle. Someone completely incompetent. But then, I realized there was more to you than simply just going with the flow.

"I-It wasn't healthy for me…to be around him…"

I'll be the first to admit, I didn't want to go on that date, but I heard girls liked things like that and just assumed you'd be on board. It wasn't my intention to play with you like that, and it was stupid of me to realize that so late (after Max practically beat it into my head that I had to apologize. I think I did a pretty good job with that by the way). I started to understand where you were coming from, maybe your life wasn't as privileged as I was led to believe.

Even though we're dating, I didn't feel any particular way towards you, until you quickly took the top spot in academics and once again, it pissed me off. It made me frustrated, you were gaining so much recognition despite not doing anything intentional. I learned you wanted a simple life, from the way you went straight from your dorm, to classes, to the library and back to your dorm. A predictable cycle and yet you always found yourself at the center of some kind of trouble. I pitied you for it.

"Vanilla dear seems to be in a bit of a bind, care to help out?"

I was surprised when Margarette asked me for assistance, I barely knew what was happening but Max filled me in on the details on the way there. I think that was when I started to actually respect you. If my opinion on you was on a scale, I'd say it started in the negatives and got bumped up to five then. Even the teachers took notice of your academic prowess, that's probably what compelled me to start taking your notes. It surprised me to see you so nonchalant about it too, you must've been really confident in your studies.

After a while, I noticed a shift in the way you took notes. I didn't understand it at the time but I have a feeling it was because of me. At first I was on guard, wondering if you needed something from me but it never came. And it just became routine, you'd hand me your notes, and I'd get those guys to piss off (they were starting to get irritating anyways).

"Did you hear? Vanilla became the new prefect of Orca! Everyone's calling her Big Sister now haha!"

You started to get busier, helping out your fellow dorm students in their studies and research, ensuring their safety on patrols…you started smiling more. You seemed more content, you started speaking your mind a bit more, it was nice for a change.

And for some reason during midterms, I found myself seeking you out in the library. Your friend Alice wasn't someone I thought you'd get along with, and maybe you don't and you just tolerate her, but I don't think that's the case. I think she's a bad influence but you're smart enough to see that, you acknowledge it even. I thought it was admirable, how accepting you were.

"I-I just wanted to say I'm sorry for reopening that wound…"

It wasn't pity I saw in you that day. It was something genuine, it felt as if I was looking in a mirror. For once in my f*cking life I felt understood, heard, not pitied or looked down upon. You saw yourself in my position…

I don't know what greater force compelled me to say it but I wanted to understand you, I think I felt comfortable…

"Would you struggle for me?"

It's unfortunate Alice had to interject but…I don't think I was ready for your answer quite yet to be honest. It made me feel guilty, how I never once tried to understand you, to know you, to appreciate the things you did, and the next thing I knew, you were all I could think about and it pissed me off.

I started to notice everything about you. I noticed how you changed the way you wrote your notes so that they'd be easier for me to read, how you brought extra pens to class for me to use, how you brushed off the crumbs on my chair, how you made sure I ate in the morning, how you secretly healed my wounds even if it was just a paper cut, I noticed how every time you looked at me, it was like you saw right through me.

I noticed how you cared…

That being said…

Why are you looking at me like that? Why do you look like you're hurting? What's hurting you so much to the point you make a face like that? Why does it hurt me to see you like this? What's hurting you so badly? What plagues your mind to the point that you look at me like that?

Please tell me…

so I can defeat you without holding back…

***

"Partisan Surf!" Rayne chants, immediately riding on his sword to keep his distance from Vanilla as she doesn't move from her spot, not even turning her head to look for the man.

Vanilla couldn't hear anything, as if a thick layer of static rings constant in her ears, not even the roars of the crowd could pierce through the disassociation.

Rayne narrows his eyes, raising his wand in preparation to attack. "Three percent Partisan." He chants, testing her reaction as his swords manifest around the arena, launching themselves towards the girl at an impressive speed. Time seems to slow as the blades reach her, merely inches away from impact before she turns her body, narrowly dodging their trajectory, her hair being pushed by the gust of wind from the attack. Her face seems distant, pained even as the swords whoosh past her face of indifference. They stab the earth behind her as she slowly turns to face about, blinking slowly as Rayne purses his lips together, attempting to get a read on her expression.

"Tch. Fifteen percent, Partisan!" More, he needed more. He needed to pressure her more, to break her out of this dissolution and get her to fight. Fight for whatever it is that prevented her from giving him her coin, for whatever it was that made her refuse to hand him the victory, for whatever it was that was plaguing her mind.

His attempts proved futile however as she simply maneuvers her body, making mere microadjustments with each blade barely missing her flesh by a hair. Vanilla moves on her own as if it were instinct, allowing her body to take control as her mind becomes cloudy, unfocused, in a daze of events.

Rayne pauses, stepping off from his sword and walking towards the girl with tight fists, practically seething through his clenched teeth as his shoulders shift with attitude in every step. Once he's close enough he raises his hand, reeling his arm back before whipping it across the girl's face, the crisp sound of the slap permeating across the suddenly silent arena as the onlookers watch in shock.

The whiplash of the hit forces Vanilla back to reality as a familiar stinging pain pulsates in her cheek, slowly bringing her fingers to touch the sore spot with wide eyes. She slowly turns her head to look at the man, bewildered, "R-Rayn-"

"Stop f*cking around and fight Vanilla." He interrupts with a slight venom to his tone, "Whatever you're thinking about, it doesn't f*cking matter now. You said that it feels right, you decided to tread down this path, so see it through, and give your words meaning. Or was I wrong to trust that too?" The crowd is silent with only the whispered chatter amongst the students, wondering what the pair was exactly doing.

Vanilla stares at Rayne in shock, her mouth slightly agape as she digests his words. "B-But I…"

"So what? It doesn't matter now. Don't let your opponents' defeat go to waste just because you're feeling bad about it."

**

My whole life, the only thing I had control over was my emotions. Was I angry? Just choke it down. Was I sad? I like to cry alone anyways. Was I excited? Keep it to myself. I was always told to smile even when I was uncomfortable just to make others feel comfortable around me.There has always been this sort of system I had to keep myself restrained, to moderate myself, but there was only one person that would rip all that away…

"Nilla! Come here and check out this gnarly book I found!" My mother shouted for me as I entered the living room of my home with a sigh upon hearing her voice. I rub the back of my head, exasperated before looking over her shoulder from behind the couch. My mother was not a subtle person, she was loud, brash, obnoxious, and abrasive.There were times where I absolutely despised her unruly behavior and would go out of my way to avoid her since all she did was distract me from my studies.

"Stop saying gnarly, it's cringe." I responded. She ignores my comment as per f*cking usual and shoves the book into my face. My nostrils are filled with the scent of old paper and dust. I recoil and cough out the offending debris, taking the book carefully into my hand and furrowing my brows in frustration, glancing over the text. This thing was ancient, she must've discovered it during her latest archeological adventure. I feel my face scrunch up as I slowly read the text, not quite as fluent in the ancient magical language as I'd like to be. I feel my grimace drop as my brows knit together upon recognizing the spells,

"Mom, this is dark magic. You have to submit this to the Bureau!" I scold, snapping the book shut with a puff of dust and looking at her with an irritated expression.

"But ain't it neat?! Oh! The stories it could tell!" She sighs dreamily as I shake my head with a scoff, bringing my hand to pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Why would you show this to me?!" I grumble.

"Cause it's cool!"

"That's illegal!! I'm a child!"

"A child that can read ancient magical texts to an advanced degree!~"

"Argh! I hate having to parent you!" I throw the book onto the couch with a huff, turning to walk away in frustration. I can hear her soft chuckles behind me, only fueling my anger even more. She'd made a habit of getting too overzealous when showing me her discoveries, many of which were taboo and to be shown these kinds of things as a child myself it frustrates me to no end how irresponsible she is as a parent.

"Awh! Don't be like that my precious daughter!" My mother whines, pulling me into an unwanted embrace and shoving my head into her chest as I suffocate in her grip. I scramble quickly attempting to push her away but her hold on me is firm and I can't move. I wiggle my head just above her breasts and look over her shoulder at my father,

"Dad! Help! I'm suffocating-!" I scream before she pushes me back down with a hearty laugh. I can barely hear the faint (fake) snores of my dad across the room over the shuffling of clothes over my ears and I feel a vein pop in my head, 'Traitor!!'

"You should just act your age and go back to being a nice child who doesn't know right from wrong."

It doesn't matter anymore because I was never nice to you …mom…

That was probably the last time it felt like family in that house…

And it was the last time I felt seen…

**

Rayne tenses up as the magical energy around Vanilla flares up and he leaps back a few meters away, wielding his wand as he prepares for the actual fight to begin.

Vanilla's wand slides out from under her sleeve and she takes a deep breath, closing her eyes in concentration, channeling her energy as she slowly raises her arms. She opens her eyes as her demeanor changes to one of intense rage. Her amber irises seem to have shifted to a deeper tone, the faint glow emitting as her accumulated magical energy suddenly surges, producing a shockwave of gustal winds in its wake. Her temper had finally reached a boiling point. All this time, holding back her emotions, keeping herself in check and her anger at bay had finally come to a breaking point and all of it was about to overflow as built up frustrations towards herself began to emerge from the depths of her bleeding heart.

SNAP!

Something breaks in her, like a dam overflowing from its overbearing capacity. She can feel something rising, her magical energy flaring up even more, so much so that some members of the audience began to feel somewhat ill from the amount of magical energy radiating from her body. Rayne tenses further, holding his wand in front of him and forcing out his recently awakened third magical line in preparation to defend himself.

"Summon, Ares. God of War!"

. . . .

But his wand doesn't change its form, there is no surge of magical energy he'd felt the first time, his third line shrinks back into his skin and he finds himself perplexed.

"The summons failed…?"

Chapter 18: Soteria

Chapter Text

"The summons failed…?" Rayne mutters to himself before quickly regaining his composure as Vanilla lunges towards him, eyes full of intent. Her movements are rigid and sloppy. It was as if she was forcing her body to move, there is a certain clumsiness to her sluggish movements.

He narrowly dodges a thrust of her wand, the splintered wood leaving a shallow cut that fails to draw blood on his cheek as he evades her attacks, feeling the heat radiating off of her body as her magical output increases more and more as time passes.

"Tch! Partisan!" He chants, throwing his swords towards the girl as she halts her attacks momentarily, choosing to focus on the blades. Her hands slide across the blade, gently redirecting its trajectory with a subtle push and smoothly transitioning and weaving through the downpour of swords.

'Why are you looking at me like that?' Rayne questions in his head as his eyes widen upon setting his gaze upon her expression.

'Stop it…Stop making that face…! Stop looking at me like that!'

Tears fall steadily from the girl's eyes, seething through her teeth as if to suppress a hiccup or a sob, a pathetic attempt at a contorted smile that doesn't reach her eyes sitting uncomfortably on her lips, her brows scrunched together at a peak, completing her tortured expression.

"Control your emotions Vanilla. Nothing good will come from you losing yourself."

"f*ck-!" Vanilla gasps as her body jolts, as if she was struck by lightning, every single muscle in her body flexes, forcing her to freeze up. 'Control it! Control it! Stop! Stop Stop STOP!!!' She thinks frantically, holding her head, her hands slowly moving down to close in on herself, holding her arms as if to keep the immense magical energy within her body. Vanilla has been pushed to the brink, she trembles as her insecurities, her anger, her frustration, her lifetime of negative emotions all swirl around within her in a violent tempest in the form of magical output as it explodes around her. The crowd has long gone silent, watching in awe as they witness the Big Sister of Orca becoming unraveled before their very eyes.

'Stop! Stop it! Don't look at me! Go away! Stop it! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! f*ck! It hurts!! I can't breathe! I can't breathe! Why is it so hard to BREATHE!!?'

A crack in her begins to form, it grows along her forehead, stretching down across her face as she scratches at the skin, uncaring for the pain as if to peel it off her flesh. Drawing blood as her nails scrape against her eyes, nearly gouging them out. The wind of its extraordinary presence flares up her hair, revealing a cross, now expanded in length that was once hidden behind her curtain of bangs and she screams in agony. It's excruciating, overwhelming both her and the audience alike as her voice pierces through the bellowing winds swirling within the arena.

'It hurts! It hurts! It Hurts!! Mom! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so Sorry!!'

"T-The mark of the Ira Kreuz…With this much power…a pureblood?" The Divine Visionary Kaldo Gehenna, the Flame Cane utters out in shock.

As head of the Magical Talent administration, he watches the Divine Visionary Exam with intrigue after Headmaster Wahlberg's high praise of the recent transfer student, catching his attention which brings him here to spectate the fight. While initially here to observe Rayne Ames and his rumored sword magic, Vanilla had stolen the spotlight as her magical potency was immense, enough to force the Divine Visionary to tense up at the potential danger.

"Ohohoho! Well this is certainly quite the development!" Headmaster Wahlberg laughs heartily as he sits comfortably in his chair, watching on and leaning forward in his seat with intrigue.

"Mr. Wahlberg, if this continues it could become dangerous for everyone involved. I suggest-"

"Now now, let's not jump to conclusions." The Headmaster interrupts with a knowing smile, "Let's see where this decision leads…"

"Rapid Partisan!" Rayne chants, riding his sword across the arena to stay just out of Vanilla's range. The girl whips around, holding her bloodied face from her self induced wounds as her body heals itself,

"Energy neutral, barrier!" She chants, easily blocking the attack as the swords clang against the forcefield before disappearing as the spell ends.

'f*ck! I can't control it! It hurts! It hurts! I can barely hear myself think! It hurts! It's too much!'

Rayne narrows his eyes, noticing the amount of magical energy put into her basic spell, what normally would've shattered the barrier and broken through was deflected easily. 'She's gotten stronger…'

'Someone please! Please help me please!! Make it stop! Make it go away! Please make it stop!'

"Large Partisan!" He chants, a great claymore many times larger than himself manifests behind him before he ascends on his sword, watching as it falls onto his opponent. It shatters through Vanilla's basic spell and catches onto her ribs.

'Please stop! Please stop! I don't want to be here! Make it end! It hurts! Just let it end already!!'

"Gah-!" She gasps as the sharp edge threatens to cut her body in half. She gives up on blocking the deadly blade and moves to the side, the edge cutting through the flesh of her arm and breaking through the bone, severing off the limb. The pain sends jolts of static through her body and suddenly all of her thoughts disappear with her arm. Becoming numb, despondent, lifeless. She holds her shoulder and heaves in relief as the great claymore lands beside her, erupting the ground and kicking up a dirt cloud, covering her form as a smokescreen with only her fuzzy silhouette showing through in shadows.

'Ah…It's happening again…I can't feel anything…I just want to give up, what's even the point anymore…Nothing matters…nothing…'

Rayne pauses for a moment as the dust settles, his eyes widening at the gruesome sight. Blood is pouring from the girl's severed limb, dying the ground in her crimson ichor, and with it, her explosive magical energy as it seemingly mutes itself. She's holding her shoulder with her hand as she heaves, her breaths rugged and uneven, her gaze permanently fixed onto the ground in front of her as if to hide her hereditary.

'W-Why…' Rayne thinks to himself, 'Why does she look like that…? Why didn't she just move out of the way?'

"Vanilla…" Her name escapes his lips absentmindedly, looking at her almost sympathetically, his eyes softening in worry. His head still reeling from the sight in front of him as he subconsciously fiddles with his wand, his nail scraping gently against the handle of the wood.

'Now this is serious, even with her exceptional healing capabilities, a severed limb wouldn't be so easy to come back from…' Kaldo thinks to himself as he watches the pair, glancing at Headmaster Wahlberg, curious as to why he's so calm, seemingly unaffected by the recent development. The Flame Cane turns his attention back towards the arena, his gaze fixating on Vanilla as she moves with her wand in her hand. "No way…Is she going to…?!" Kaldo exclaims incredulously.

"Energy positive, Restoire." She chants, pointing her wand towards her amputation. The wand glows brilliantly as the potent magic flows through her veins, her muscles regenerate and take shape, skin crawling along to enclose the exposed tissue as she restores her body to its fullest.

"Inconceivable! She's capable of restorative magic?!" Kaldo exclaims as the audience is filled with chatter, excited whispers filling the once silent arena.

Headmaster Wahlberg lets out a jolly laugh in amusem*nt, stroking his beard in fascination, "I see. Vanilla's personal magic is not simply energy manipulation through magic. She doesn't use magic like you and I…She wields magic."

Vanilla Bean, a purebloodeded descendent of the Ira Kreuz, capable of casting high level restoration spells, wields magic itself as her personal magic. Commandeering her own magical capacity to her will, creating barriers, healing, restoration, magical enhancement, the linking of magical properties (humans), anything she could think of could theoretically be brought to reality as long as she had the capacity to do so. It was not her personal ability to create such things, it was magic itself bending to her will.

Vanilla brings her newly regenerated arm up, clasping and relaxing her hand as if to test her abilities through her robes, which were also restored to their former glory.

Rayne watches in awe, completely shaken by this new revelation, 'T-That…wasn't just some healing spell…It's like, she is the embodiment of magic itself…'

The girl's expression shifts slightly as she turns her head to look at her opponent across the arena, her expression is dangerously calm as if all the light that once shined so brightly in those amber irises had disappeared and what was left behind was a lifeless shell of what she used to be.

Rayne feels compelled to talk to her, to pull her out of this limbo she finds herself in, but he ironically can't seem to find the words. For once, words over action rang in his head as there was nothing he could do, nothing he could've done that would've prevented this from happening. It's as if the last of her being is calling out for help in a silent yet desperate plea to end it all. Something breaks in him as the crowd goes silent at their inaction. It's deathly quiet as nobody dares to move, petrified of disturbing the tense balance of the arena…well…

except for one…

"VANILLAAAAAA!!!"

All eyes land on the epicenter of the sudden scream,

"DON'T BE A f*ckING puss*!! FIGHT FOR IT!!!"

Vanilla's head turns incredulously towards the familiar voice, spotting Alice with a confident hand on her hip and shouting into a cone she no doubt manifested with her magic, it's facing the wrong way but she's got the spirit.

'Alice…My god she's so loud it doesn't even matter…'

Alice's expression shines like a beacon of hope as the light returns to Vanilla's eyes, like the sun shining so brightly to illuminate the moon's radiance in the darkness of night, tears begin to pool in her sockets as she can't help but break into a smile, chuckling softly before breaking out into a stifled laughter. Finally finding the light at the end of the tunnel as years of neglecting her emotions start to fade away into the background.

'Thank you, for being there for me Alice, Max, and…'

She turns back to face Rayne with an uneven smile, almost excited as she raises her wand and points it towards her opponent. Every single muscle in his body simultaneously relaxes in him, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding in relief, practically falling limp with a rare grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Finally…" Rayne says quietly with a small sigh, tilting his head downwards to look up at the girl as a challenge.

"My bad." Vanilla responds with a small chuckle. "I had to pull my head out of my ass."

Rayne takes a deep breath, bringing his legs together to stand up properly, holding his wand in front of him and accumulating his magical energy, forcing out his third magical line.

"Summon, Ares. God of War."

Vanilla smirks, maintaining a certain threshold on her magical output so as to not shatter her wand as she holds it in front of her body,

"Summon, Soteria. Goddess of Protection."

Chapter 19: For Those of You

Chapter Text

The arena is swarmed with magical energy, exploding around the final remaining contestants, stirring up powerful gusts of wind that blow away all the debris surrounding them. The pair wield their wands in their true form, Rayne gasps onto his polearm, keeping its pointed edge facing his opponent with vigor and determination. Vanilla twirls a rapier in her hand, getting used to the light blade before lowering her center of gravity, taking a deep breath in concentration, her eyes narrowed at her opposition as she sloppily puts together her thoughts and her newfound ambition. Not caring how loosely put together they were, and she'll fight to the ends of the world to preserve it.

'For the people that fight tooth and nail just to live…'

They both lunge towards each other, quickly closing the distance as their blades collide, sending out an explosive shockwave erupting the arena and blowing away unprepared students who quickly use their magic to land safely back in their seats. The forest around the arena shakes and shutters as the pair begin to duke it out, the ground around them becoming torn with dirt and debris flying in every direction.

'For the sinners who sacrifice their peace in this realm…'

Abyss watches in awe as he sits in the stands, his eyes cannot seem to close even for a single blink lest he miss something in the intensity of their exhilarating battle as it quickly begins to escalate in intensity. The clashing of metal rings out above the rapid expulsion of magic, flinging sparks with each powerful impact that he could feel the heat in distinct waves all the way from the top of the stands.

'For the older siblings, who sacrifice their dreams just for a meal…'

Rayne blocks another attack with his polearm, holding it above him by the staff as Vanilla swings her sword down onto him, attacking from above to catch him off guard, "Tch! Partisan!"

'For the parents who sacrifice their souls to protect their families…'

Vanilla grasps onto her sword, pushing down onto Rayne's defenses in an effort to force him off balance. He huffs, tilting his polearm at an angle and throwing the girl off of himself. She evades his counterattack, maneuvering her body in the air smoothly as Partisans rain down from the sky, grazing her dormitory robe in the process.

'To end needless sacrifices…'

The pair distance themselves from each other as the crowd watches with eager eyes in anticipation. Dark clouds accumulate above the colosseum as the magical energy around Rayne stirs and fluctuates, the excess starting to crackle in an electrifying sight as his body begins to glow.

"Black Partisan."

The air shifts around him as his black magic manifests in the form of a sword above Vanilla's head, it's ginormous, nearly covering the entirety of the arena, darkening the skies as the magical energy around it crackles and catches the lightning striking from the clouds above.

"Energy positive, Secondths!"

Vanilla casts a shield, her spell becoming greatly enhanced with her wand's true form revealed, larger and with her passion fuelling her great magical output. The spell circle covers the entirety of the arena to block the attack.

Neither side is willing to back down as the Black Partisan, commanded by Rayne, falls from the sky, threatening to destroy the entire arena with only Vanilla's spell preventing that from happening. Right as the Black Partisan makes contact with the barrier, an all encompassing radiant light emits from the point of contact, blinding the audience as well as the two contestants themselves as they use their arms to block it out.

"Spaces!"

It was as if they blinked and it was suddenly sunny again, the rays shine down and flood the arena once more, the two massive secondths spells have disappeared from their sight, now replaced with Headmaster Wahlberg, floating above all with an authoritative demeanor, commanding respect of the highest order. Everyone watches in anticipation as he descends from the sky and lands on the ground between Vanilla and Rayne softly.

His attitude changes as he breaks out into an amused smile, cutting out the space between the pair and forcefully bringing them closer to himself.

Vanilla flinches as she stares at the Headmaster anxiously, grasping onto her wand with both hands as her transformation ends. Her third line shrinking back into the cross hidden behind her hair as her hands clam up, feeling like she was in trouble. Like an elementary schooler being sent to the principal's office.

Rayne sighs, all the built up tension leaving his body in an instant as he reverts his spell and holds his wand in one hand with his other resting on his hip, disappointed with the abrupt interruption.

"Ohohoh! What a thrilling battle! I'm greatly impressed by this year's candidates and I'm struggling to make a decision. So, I'll turn it into an exception this year." Wahlberg states with a soft smile, looking at the pair as they stand next to each other, watching him in anticipation and contemplating the meaning behind his words, "I nominate both of you to proceed onto the final stage of the Divine Visionary exam, the Tri-magicathalon!"

. . . . .

"WHAT?!!?!"

"...Huh?"

***

Headmaster Wahlberg's sudden interruption and statement shocked the realm once it was announced. Two candidates from Easton were elected to become Divine Visionaries within the same year, it was unheard of, appalling even. It sparked outrage among the citizens and became a main point of controversy as many argued with each other, the two opposing sides debating whether either Rayne or Vanilla would be more capable as a Divine Visionary finalist. The other two schools were also torn on the decision as they now had to meet similar requirements, electing two of their best students to compete against Easton for this year's nominees. With the details of each candidate's magical prowess and ages being revealed to the public, Rayne was the favorite to win as he was the youngest mage ever to unlock a third magical line at the ripe age of 17. Although a small minority rooted for Vanilla's position, there was much controversy surrounding the nature of her personal magic. Many rumors were sparked as a result as citizens gossiped of her powers, how infamous the Ira Kreuz marking was, known for being battle fiends, thirsty only for blood and carnage. Not to mention, it was revealed that the recessive gene was dominant in Vanilla particularly as a pure blooded descendent of the ancient clan. Such a reputation would tarnish the prestigious position of the Divine.

With all of this coming to light on their current precarious position, where does that leave our precious Vanilla?

Well…

Skydiving of course (obviously).

"WHAT WAS THAT??? I COULDN'T HEAR YOU!!!" Alice screams in an attempt to hear her companions over the bellowing winds as they fall from the sky, their clothes becoming soaking wet as they pass through clouds and other atmospheric objects alike.

"I SAID!! I WANT TO SEDUCE THE BOSS!!!" Vanilla responds as she cups her hands over her mouth, referring to the board game in front of them.

Alice nods her head in understanding, shifting her body in the air as if she were sitting with her legs crossed.

Max looks around at his skydiving companions, bewildered by their nonchalant and casual interactions, his eyes teary from the amount of air blowing into his sockets as gravity pulls them down to earth.

Rayne was holding Bunilla in his lap as if he wasn't falling thousands of meters from the sky, the one rabbit he was given as a birthday gift, petting her head as she seemed to fall asleep. Again, as if they weren't falling thousands of meters from the sky.

Vanilla was falling belly first, her arms crossed as she stared across the board game towards her best friend.

Alice was sitting with a hand on her chin in thought, debating on whether or not Vanilla's action should even be allowed.

The dungeon master lightly tosses the 100 sided die in her hand, pulling the board up to meet it in the air as if to catch it and look at the number highlighted on top.

"100!!! YOU HAVE INTENSE SEX WITH THE CEO!!!" Alice shouts over the abrasive winds. Vanilla smiles and pumps the air with her fist at her victory.

'W-Why do I even hang out with these people…?' Max thinks to himself, watching everyone kind of do their own thing…

…as if they weren't falling thousands of meters from the sky…

**

That night I returned to my dorm. Absolutely f*cking exhausted, flopping onto my bed ungracefully and yearning for the sweet release of sleep.

You know. Playing NDND (Not Dungeons and No Dragons) while skydiving wasn't my first idea when it came to battling stress…

but it was Alice's and I had no problem with that.

I groan to myself into my pillow as I struggle to fall asleep despite how f*cking tired I am.

Welp, cat's outta the bag now. After the events of yesterday and today…I don't know how to feel about anything. Everything just feels like a big ol mess now, it's messy as all hell. And I'm scared to find that I don't mind it. I'm sure the old me would've just ended it all by now, with all the rocks that were thrown at me during our attempted outing in town (because nobody has the BALLS to throw any at Wahlberg, who made the decision that caused this in the first place. I don't blame Rayne for calling him a geezer anymore). It's pretty crazy how opposed to change this world really is, though, it's still relatively new considering peace was established throughout the realm during the Headmaster's lifetime. Not to mention, their treatment towards those less privileged than themselves…

Whatever. They don't matter. What matters now is the Tri-Magicathalon. The other schools involved are just as prestigious (and pretentious) as Easton and I'll be damned if I prove those assholes right.

I sigh, sitting up in bed as the wooden structure creaks under my weight. Looking around at my dark surroundings with only the moonlight from the window illuminating my room, allowing me to navigate my eyes over the barely visible silhouettes of the furniture in my dorm.

Running a stressful hand through my hair, I turn to get out of bed, my feet land on the cold stone floor and I shiver at the feeling. It takes only two steps before I reach my desk where an old photograph sits on display, showcasing a younger version of myself being held in a chokehold by an old family friend. His white hair glistened in the sunlight, it always made me stop to admire how pretty it was, creating an interesting dichotomy considering his obnoxious personality.

I gently caress his face through the frame, my fingers delicately tracing the outline of his jaw, reminiscing all the adventures we went on as children. My breath hitches and I feel my heartbeat accelerate as a flash of a past memory surfaces…a stolen future…robbed of aspirations.

"Heh…" I chuckle dryly, it feels foreign in my throat now as all the pieces come together at last. "You were always such a stick in the mud…" I whisper out breathlessly, bringing the framed photo close to my chest and hugging it tightly, as if to pretend he was here with me.

"I'm sorry…"

Chapter 20: Bonus Chapter: Origins

Chapter Text

"Oh my gosh Vanilla are you okay?!" Max calls out as Rayne holds the girl's body in his arms, attempting to assess the wound on her head that was bleeding out profusely.

Previously on this warm sunny day, Alice and crew were strolling through the town on another outing, simply enjoying their high school lives with friends cheerfully and full of youthful zeal. The city was lively with people roaming the streets with their families in tow, children screaming and laughing, running around being menaces, vendors eager to showcase their wares and hard selling to potential customers that looked their way, it was peaceful, and quaint. That is until disaster struck, as per usual.

"Go back to your damn country, foreigner!" An obviously intoxicated man screams before throwing a decently sized rock right at Vanilla, who fails to react in time, taking the hit directly to the head. The world around her starts to spin as her eyes struggle to focus, stumbling from the disorienting collision, she holds her head as blood starts to flow freely from the wound, coating her face in a crimson ichor.

"Hey! What the hell was that for, you old geezer?!" Alice exclaims, marching right up to the rugged man with the confidence of a billionaire, uncaring for the obvious size difference between them.

Rayne places a hand on Vanilla's shoulder as she groans in pain, attempting to heal her wounds and becoming a bit nauseous with the amount of blood covering her face, "You alright?" Rayne gently asks, allowing the girl to lean on his body for support.

"Y-Yeah…I'm fine…" Vanilla replies quietly, hissing as her fingers graze over the open tissue. Right after she'd finished her sentence, she loses her balance and falters, her eyes feeling heavy as her vision blurs.

"sh*t-!" Rayne cusses, quickly holding his arms out and catching the girl before she could hit the ground. He crouches, resting the girl's body comfortably on his legs as he gives her a quick glance over, brushing her silky raven hair to the side, revealing her clan mark where the stone had struck her.

"Oh my gosh Vanilla are you okay?!" Max exclaims in worry, pulling out his wand to cast a basic healing spell. Vanilla instantly relaxes, feeling the cooling effects of the spell and breathes out a small sigh in relief. Rayne exhales, feeling the tension leave his body as she recovers quickly with Max's help.

She slowly flutters her eyes open, taking a few moments to let her vision focus as she tilts her head up. Rayne leans back slightly, giving her room to sit up as she recovers from the sudden attack. She holds her head, groaning at the dull ache left behind from the spell before gasping sharply and scrambling up.

"Alice!" She scolds, running over to the girl, who was holding the perpetrator in a leg lock, choke holding him with her thighs constricting his neck as the man foams at the mouth. Vanilla pries her friend off the man swiftly, quickly casting healing magic to avoid a lawsuit on behalf of Alice.

"Sir? Are you okay? Any pain anywhere?" The girl asks gently. The man grunts before slapping Vanilla's hands away from him, standing up to glower down at the student, seemingly unharmed.

"Don't touch me with your grimy hands, damn chink!" He huffs before turning and walking away with a scowl.

Alice scoffs as Vanilla stands up properly, dusting off her hands before facing back towards her friends, who look at her with concern.

"Let's get outta here." Vanilla suggests before leading the way towards the park where the group settles down from the incident, the serenity of the atmosphere allowing them to reflect on what just happened. The four students take their seats next to each other on the grass, enjoying the shade of the tree adjacent to them, finding their tense shoulders relaxing as they breathe in the fresh air as opposed to the densely packed city.

"W-What was that about?" Max inquires, looking at Vanilla with a hint of worry.

The girl merely sighs, resting her elbow on her knee and her head on her palm nonchalantly, "I'm from the eastern continent obviously. Not everyone takes kindly to foreigners." Vanilla grumbles, seemingly used to this kind of treatment from some of the locals, even recalling some of the jeers thrown her way throughout her life.

"Really?" Max asks, having been completely oblivious to Vanilla's origins. He takes a closer look at the prefect of Orca, noticing the subtle differences in her genetic makeup. Her skin is fair with a slightly different undertone compared to everyone else at school, her eyes are slightly sharper too, sleek black hair that falls flat in comparison to his own coarser locks, and her face shape is much rounder, making her appear younger than the rest of the group. Now that he thought about it more, there were multiple instances in which people assumed she was still in middle school, even with her taller than average height, coming up just short of Rayne's eye level.

Vanilla shuffles a bit in her spot, furrowing her brows as Max's staring becomes a bit too obvious for her liking. "You're just now noticing?" She inquires before Rayne takes it upon himself to lightly smack the back of his friend's head, snapping him out of his daze as he recoils at the sudden hit.

"The heck man?" Max complains, holding his head in mild irritation as Rayne merely rolls his eyes,

"I'm only half eastern, so it's barely noticeable." Rayne changes the subject, and points to his head, referring to his half black hair. It's thicker than Vanilla's, likely due to the western blood in him.

'Damn, being an orphan was already bad enough, he's half foreigner…' Vanilla thinks to herself, her thoughts becoming consumed by Rayne's tragic life.

"Dang, does that like…run in the family? Talk about strong genetics." Alice asks, referring to the drastic dichotomy of his hair, casually taking a sip from her juicebox.

Rayne nods his head, closing his eyes as he leans over, becoming a bit more engaged in the conversation, "My parents had it, my brother has it, and my kids will probably have it."

Vanilla chuckles in response, "You? With kids? I didn't think you were the type." She teases as Rayne pouts,

"Two at most." He admits, crossing his arms before Alice lets out an exaggerated cough,

"Foreshadowing! *Cough cough!!*"

Vanilla rolls her eyes before taking notice of the way Alice's curly hair bounces and tilting her head slightly, "Hey Alice."

"Hm?" The girl perks up curiously.

"How do you care for your hair? Isn't it naturally curly?" Vanilla inquires, inspecting her friend's appearance with a little more attention.

Alice was an average girl, short curly brown hair that came out with luxurious curls, poofy even, as it gave some dimension to her rather unassuming figure. Her averageness was only exaggerated with her single line, the only single-lined mage in their little friend group.

"Hohoh! You're curious aren't you? Well actually I have a 23 step process in maintaining the nuances of my bubbly hair that rivals my personality, starting with-!"

"Okay, I've heard enough of that. Rayne, is there anything special you do with your hair?" Vanilla interrupts, turning towards Rayne with intrigue, "That's a no right? You're a guy."

The man feels a mild sting at Vanilla's comment, co*cking a brow as he glares at her, "I think Alice is rubbing off on you too much." He says lowly, observing Vanilla's reaction, "You don't do sh*t with your hair either." He points out, ruffling her hair roughly and messing up the style.

She gently pushes his hand away with pout, "I don't need to, I like it the way it is." She huffs, crossing her arms and turning her head away from him.

"Even though your bangs are crooked?" Alice interjects. Vanilla merely turns her head to gaze at the ground, refusing to answer the inquiry. "You should even it out, you already have a pretty symmetrical face…"Alice states, reaching out towards her friend.

Vanilla hisses, slapping her hand away gently with her eyes blown wide in hostility, "No touch!"

Chapter 21: Bonus Chapter: The Spector Family

Chapter Text

"Let's see…It's discovered that your wife is pregnant, earn 200 lond from family and friends. Nice!" Max exclaims happily.

Currently, our little friend group had suddenly found themselves on the living room floor of the Spector residence after Alice's parents were caught trespassing onto Easton property without going through proper procedure.

"ARGH! Just let me see my little sh*t! She owes me 20 coins!!" Trinh, Alice's mother, exclaims as she's currently being restrained by guards in the courtyard. Her husband, Matt, stands behind her a few meters away, covering his face in embarrassment as Vanilla and crew watch on with varying degrees of amusem*nt painting their expressions.

Alice huffs, shrugging her shoulders with a smug smirk on her face, averting her gaze, "What can I say mother? I'm just a poor high school student with no funds…" She fibs, not bothering to hide her accumulated wealth.

"Alice please visit at least once before the semester is over okay?" Matt pleads, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders in an effort to calm her down as she struggles in the guards' grip.

Which leads us to where we are now…

"Alice dear~! I made snacks!" Trinh calls to the highschoolers happily, as if doing a complete 180 personality wise and appearing before them like a caring and loving mother. She had a charismatic air around her, a silent femininity to her that seemed to radiate a certain warmth with her charm. While rather plain looking, there was a silent beauty in the way she carried herself. Short black hair that barely reached her shoulders with a texture that hardly matched Alice's and fair skin that contrasted her dark eyes.

On the other hand, her husband was obviously foreign. Adorning round glasses that gave the illusion of a more angled face with black hair and an olive complexion. He was fairly short for a man, his eyes rising just above the top of his wife's head. While slim in his build, he proved to be stronger than his appearance let on, being the only one that could quell his wife's overzealous behavior.

Alice rolls the die in front of her as it lands on the board, rolling around a bit before stopping on a number. "Let's see here…Got caught in a pyramid scheme and arrested for false advertising?! WHAT?!!" The girl screams before her board piece is forcefully moved into a jail cell, "SKIP 67 TURNS?! WHAT IS THIS BULLsh*t?!"

"Heh." Vanilla huffs with a sh*t eating grin, taking the die into her hand and rolling it across the board. "34, alright…" She mumbles as her piece moves along the designated spaces and she reads out the prompt, "Hmm. Your trusted bodyguard turns out to be an assassin…And she kills you in your sleep without remorse?! IYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" The ravenette screams, nearly ripping out her hair and slamming her tightly clenched fists onto the floor aggressively, "WAS SHE HOT AT LEAST?!! I NEED TO KNOW!!!" She sobs, tears of blood flowing down her face in a comical show of despair as her game piece gets stabbed repeatedly.

Upon seeing his friends' grim fates in this ominous board game, Rayne becomes hesitant to pick up the die as the numbered ball seemingly glares at him with malicious intent. He pushes down the feeling, breathing out a sigh and picking up the die in his hand. He rolls it across the board nonchalantly, keeping his expectations to a minimum as the number of spaces moved are revealed to him. His piece hops along the board before stopping at a space where he reads out the prompt calmly, "It's discovered that your animal farm was unlicensed and the property was surrendered to the government…" His face immediately drops and the light seems to fade from his eyes, averting his gaze to the side in despair with a small frown.

His friends are quick to comfort the poor boy, jumping at him with their arms flailing around in a panic,

"I-It's okay Rayne! It's just a board game!!"

"Yeah! It's not like that's actually happening!!"

"That's right!!"

"Alright alright! I think that's enough of that for now kiddos." Trinh interrupts with a small chuckle, having witnessed the tragic fates of their game pieces as she leans on the doorframe with her arms crossed, her lips curled up into an amused smirk. "Food's ready."

"Yay!! Dad's cooking! You guys are gonna love it!" Alice exclaims, eagerly scrambling up onto her feet and racing towards the kitchen. Her friends glance at each other before following suit, quickly chasing after her and taking their seats at the dining table.

There were various dishes splayed out before them, ranging from soups, meat, noodles, and other various entrees the highschoolers could take their picks from.

"W-Wow, that's…A lot…" Max murmurs incredulously, prompting Matt to chuckle from behind the counter that led to the kitchen.

"W-Well, I didn't know what you kids liked so I made a little bit of everything. Don't worry about finishing it all though! I'm sure my brother in law would love to take the leftovers."

Trinh huffs at the mention of her sibling, taking a seat on the stool as Matt plates a dish in front of her. "Ugh, don't remind me." She grumbles, picking up her fork and stabbing it into the food.

The highschoolers chuckle before turning back towards the table and helping themselves to their own foods. Rayne grabs a little bit of everything, wanting to try it all at his own pace, finding himself particularly favoring the various fresh vegetable produce offered to him. Vanilla does the same after saying a short gratuity, excluding certain dishes that she already knew she wouldn't particularly like based on the smell, opting for a more protein based diet. Max samples many of the unfamiliar dishes to him, wanting to try something new. Alice eats everything, already familiar with her father's cooking.

"Well, I'm going to step out into town for a bit. Let me know if you need anything!" Matt calls out, wiping his hands clean with a rag before planting a light peck on his wife's cheek and leaving the room.

"Make sure you get the thing…!" She calls out to her husband,

"It's called a wind vane dear!" Trinh sighs at his response before hearing the front door open and close with his departure.

"Now that I think about it. What did you even owe your mom money for anyways?" Max inquires, looking over at Alice who was currently stuffing her face with various food items.

"Ouph, phat." She says with her mouth full, making Vanilla cringe.

"That's gross, stop it."

Alice chokes down the remaining substance and smiles proudly, "We had an agreement that if I maintained my grades I'd get 20 silver coins and if I didn't I'd owe her 20 silver."

"You haven't been maintaining your grades?! The hell you've been doing with all my effort to help you?!" Vanilla exclaims incredulously.

"She probably forgot all of it during midterms." Rayne points out with a small sigh before taking another bite of his food.

Alice gulps, breaking into a cold sweat upon being exposed so easily. Vanilla scoffs, leaning back in her chair and pinching the bridge of her nose, "Alice…Even if you don't go into any particular field, grades are still somewhat important. You don't want to get held back and fail to graduate with us." Vanilla points out with a heavy sigh.

"Ugh! You sound like my mom!" Alice complains, catching Trinh’s attention as she freezes, stopping in the middle of her bite.

"I heard that! And she's right you little sh*t!" She scolds.

The rest of lunch goes by quite peacefully as everyone enjoys their meals until they're satisfied. Alice and Max are the first to finish bringing their plates over to Trinh and setting them down in the sink politely as the woman washes them. The pair come back around the table and quickly take notice of Rayne and Vanilla still only halfway through their dishes.

"Hm? You guys are still eating?" Max inquires with a questioning gaze, catching Alice's attention.

"Hey yeah, you two usually finish before us. Is the food upsetting your stomach or something?" The girl asks in concern.

Vanilla chuckles nervously and shakes her head, "N-No, it's nothing like that…" She answers as Trinh’s head snaps up to look at the table, the gears in her head turning as her motherly instincts begin to kick in.

"Alice, why don't you take Max upstairs. I recently got some new comics, why don't you show him?" The woman suggests gently. Alice quickly takes the hint and nods her head, grabbing Max's wrist and dragging him upstairs as he stumbles behind her clumsily.

Trinh comes around the corner carefully, drying her hands on a rag before taking a seat across the table from the troubled high schoolers. "Hey…Take your time alright…" She says softly, glancing between the two with compassion, giving the pair a soft smile.

They freeze in their spots, unsure of what to think or what to say for a moment before Vanilla speaks up, "A-Ah…Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Spector." She responds politely, offering the woman a small smile of her own.

Trinh sighs through her nose, relaxing in her seat slightly before changing her demeanor, "I see life hasn't treated you kindly…" She murmurs, causing Rayne to tense up, his eyes narrowing at the woman. "If there's anything you two ever need, anything at all. Please, don't hesitate to reach out alright?" Trinh says simply before turning in her chair and walking away, leaving the pair in the dining room in silence.

"...Well that was…something…" Rayne mutters, glancing at Vanilla and gauging her reaction. The girl simply sighs, slumping her shoulders and padding at the food on her plate with her fork,

"I think she was being…considerate…It's nice…" She murmurs, the corners of her lips itching to turn upwards at the show of unconditional kindness, something the pair rarely experienced in their tragic lives.

Rayne hums in response, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, "I suppose…"

Chapter 22: Bang!!

Chapter Text

"Gosh, the bakery has been so busy lately!" Alice complains at Vanilla, stretching her back against her seat with a groan. The pair were waiting on a bench in the courtyard waiting for the rest of their friend group to arrive for their daily luncheon meetup. The ravenette doesn't look up from her book, taking another sip of her cursed meat amalgamation, disinterested in Alice's woes.

"I just want an easy job with good pay~" The greedy woman sighs, glancing over at her best friend and feeling a vein pop in her head at her ignorance. Alice clicks her tongue, lifting her hand and pulling on Vanilla's ear in an attempt to get her to listen.

Vanilla pulls away abruptly, snapping her book shut and turning her head to look at the brunette with a sigh before spotting familiar figures approaching from behind her in the distance. Alice follows her gaze and turns around, her face lighting up upon spotting Rayne and Max walking together, seemingly deeply invested into their conversation until their eyes land on the girls.

"About damn time!" Alice exclaims as Max's expression immediately sours upon hearing her voice.

"What were you guys talking about?" Rayne inquires as Vanilla looks up at him from her seat.

"Jobs and the like." She shrugs, not really knowing what Alice was actually complaining about.

"Speaking of which, what do you guys even do?" Max inquires, glancing over at Vanilla, "You always pay for everything, where does that money come from?"

The Orca prefect tenses up, hesitating to speak on the matter, "Just don't…make a big deal about it alright?" She starts with a small sigh, gaining everyone's attention as she leans back on the bench and crosses her arms, closing her eyes, "I submit files and reports to the Bureau based on my research to find loopholes and issues regarding the state." She explains simply, peeking an eye open to monitor their reactions through her lashes.

Max stares wide-eyed with his mouth agape in shock, barely able to comprehend what she meant by that.

Rayne is indifferent (as usual).

And Alice, the one you've probably been waiting for, seethes with blood tears spewing from her eyes as she grinds her teeth together in envy. "Uh hello?! CHA-CHING!! What a cushy f*cking job! You're basically a law critic!!" She screams accusingly before huffing and crossing her arms, "Whatever! Go get that bag girlboss." She grumbles, averting her gaze, much to Vanilla's amusem*nt.

"What do you even do at the bakery anyways?" The ravenette inquires as Alice turns her head with a smug smile, placing a hand on her chest proudly,

"I manage it part time but I get paid full time haha!" She declares dramatically. It was probably because the bakery was desperate for managers in the first place and knowing Alice, she probably took advantage of it. "And I'm an information broker on the side, but that one's just for funsies."

Vanilla rolls her eyes, knowing just how nosey her best friend is. When there's drama afoot, Alice is sure to be the first to know.

The girls turn their attention towards the boys and tilt their heads in sync, wordlessly inquiring about their livelihoods. Max chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his head, "I-I'm just a busboy at the local seafood place. Nothing special." He states, feeling a little emasculated in the girls' presence.

There's a slight pause in the conversation before Alice speaks up, "That's it?" Vanilla immediately smacks her arm with scoff,

"Be nice. Everyone's gotta start somewhere." She scolds with a scowl before her expression softens, averting her attention towards Rayne, who avoids her gaze, turning his head to the side.

The three look at Adler's prefect curiously, patiently waiting for his answer but he doesn't respond to their piercing stares. An air of awkward silence consumes the friend group as Rayne hesitates to answer but eventually, he clears his throat, his usual poker face painting his expression.

"Ahem…I don't have one." He states bluntly. And right then, it clicks to everyone present. Nobody wants to hire an orphan from the streets…So he's never even had the opportunity to start…

Everyone immediately feels bad, which brings us to the situation that's happening now…

***

Two darkly cloaked figures creep along the hallways of Adler, stalking the corridors until they happen upon another similarly dressed figure, seemingly anticipating their arrival in the dimly lit building.

"Did you bring it?" The lone figure asks quietly, his voice carrying farther than he'd intended.

"Of course we did you-!"

"SHHH!"

The second girl is quick to shut the other up, slapping a hand over her mouth hastily before looking both ways down the hall as if to check for any witnesses. The second girl slips something into the male's hand discreetly, giving him a glance under her hood, "Make sure you do it without him noticing…" She murmurs.

The male nods his head slightly, looking at the object in his hand, "I'll be sure to get it done-"

"Hey. What are you guys doing? It's past curfew."

The three darkly cloaked figures flinch at the oppressive tone of his voice, slowly turning their heads in his direction and fearfully watching the current prefect of Adler from under their hoods. They'd been caught.

There's a slight pause before Rayne takes a step closer, approaching them from down the hall calmly with an air of caution surrounding him.

Once his heel lands on the floor, the three figures make a break towards the other side of the hallway, sprinting away from the man as he clicks his tongue, pulling out his wand without hesitation, "Tch. Partisan!"

The first cloaked girl turns, pulling out her wand and points it at Rayne, "Sights!" She chants quickly. Her magic flares up and Rayne flinches as his vision becomes clouded before it fades to black, his yellow irises turning a misty gray as every sensation in his body heightened. He hears his Partisans hitting the ground, clanging against the brick floors of the building and the faint steps of the perpetrators running away from him.

Rayne grunts, rubbing his eyes to alleviate the mild sting of the girl's personal magic. Sighing exasperatedly, he begins to cover the area with a low amount of magic around himself in short pulses, outlining his surroundings as he begins to navigate the familiar hallways blindly with a quickened pace.

"Holy sh*t I got him…!"

"You're such an idiot! That's just gonna slow him down!"

"Shut up guys, what if he recognizes us!"

"Partisan!"

"EEEK!!"

"Barrier!"

Rayne freezes in place upon hearing the familiar spell, raising a brow and pursing his lips together tightly. He quickly connects the dots in his head and sighs, closing his misty gray irises and bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Vanilla…" He growls lowly as the three stooges tense up, feeling his menacing aura even from that distance.

"sh*t…"

Rayne takes a deep breath before relaxing, calming himself down and shifting his weight onto one foot with a hand on his hip, unimpressed. "That means the other two are Max and Alice right? Give me my f*cking sight back." He glares straight ahead, despite being blind, his cloudy eyes give off an eerie vibe to them that doesn't sit quite right.

Alice gulps before nervously raising her wand, "Y-You won't be pissed right?"

"Idiot! He's already pissed!" Max exclaims.

"Well then I don't wanna!"

"I'm not gonna ask again…" Rayne declares in a deep voice that makes the trio shiver at his aggression.

Alice flinches and undoes the spell hastily. Rayne blinks a few times, getting used to the sight as his friends slowly pull off their hoods, looking down at their feet like children being forced to take accountability for their poor behavior.

Rayne's face scrunches up at the display and slowly walks over towards them with a heated glare, "What's this, some kind of cult meeting? The f*ck were you guys even doing?" He seethes, crossing his arms and looking down on them like a disappointed parent. His pressure is intense and they find it difficult to speak as he turns up his nose, looming largely over them.

Vanilla gulps, taking a shaky breath before finally breaking the silence, "C-C-Couldn't sleep…?" She lies so pathetically it causes Alice and Max to snap their heads towards her incredulously, appalled by her words.

"...I see…" Rayne says, completely unconvinced before raising his arm, wand in hand and slamming the tip of its handle down onto the top of Vanilla's head.

"OW-!"

"Get back to your f*cking rooms. I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans tonight." Rayne says sternly as Vanilla crouches on the ground, holding her head in pain as her skull starts to throb from the hit.

"R-Rayne, that's a little…"

"I don't wanna hear sh*t from you either Max. It's past curfew, you know the rules. I'm already letting you guys off easy by not reporting this sh*t anyways." Rayne snaps with a glare, narrowing his eyes at his best friend. There's no room to object as the trio begin to slowly disperse, slumped over with shame and feeling dejected.

Before Vanilla turns the corner with Alice, she gives Max a knowing glance and he silently nods his head in response from behind Rayne before heading back towards his room.

Once back in Orca dorm, the two girls slump over, sighing in relief. "At least he didn't find out…" Alice grumbles quietly as Vanilla nods her head, brows furrowed together in thought.

"Hey, you alright?" Alice asks, placing a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder.

Vanilla only lets out a dejected sigh and closes her eyes, "I just hope Max doesn't get found out…" She mumbles quietly. Alice perks up and chuckles,

"I'm sure he'll be fineee! His personal magic is handy for things like this!"

"Rayne's a perceptive guy though. I think we gave Max too much…" Vanilla grumbles, crossing her arms.

"He'll be fineee…Probably…"

***

Late into the night, Max lays awake in his bed, listening to his roommate's light snores as Bunilla curls herself into the warmth of his chest, his hands gently caressing the softness of her fur even in his sleep.

Max slowly creeps out of bed, pulling out the object Vanilla and Alice had given him. His movements are slow and deliberate as he avoids creaking his bed as much as possible, practically crawling along the floor and stalking towards the other side of the room, keeping his breaths shallow and consistent, breathing through his mouth to stay absolutely silent.

The boy glances over at the sleeping prefect before spotting Rayne's bag underneath his desk, leaning against the chair. He tiptoes along the floor, slowly crouching down and reaching for the tattered leather briefcase.

He touches its handle and carefully tries to pull it away from the desk but the leather sticks to the wood and it comes apart from the desk with a loud schtick that seems to reverberate in the silent room. Max's blood runs cold immediately and he carefully turns his head to look over at Rayne.

'Oh thank god, he's still sleeping…' He thinks in relief before his eyes widen in horror as he spots two glowing eyes piercing through him. The noise had woken up Bunilla on his chest and Max prays to every god out there that she doesn't squirm, her body raising up and down in tandem with Rayne's steady breaths. He sucks in his lips, biting them to suppress the urge to cry in fear and breathing slowly through his nostrils as he begins to sweat profusely.

Bunilla remains calm, simply shuffling in her spot before curling into Rayne's side and promptly falling back asleep, leaving the man undisturbed as his light snores continue to fill the ringing silence of the room.

Max turns his attention back towards his objective and carefully undoes the clasp of Rayne's bag, slipping in the object Vanilla and Alice had given him before closing it up and sliding it back to its rightful place.

The boy stands up, sighing softly in relief and wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"What're you doing?"

The boy freezes in place, scared absolutely sh*tless as his hairs stand on end, breaking into a cold sweat that makes him want to cease to exist on the spot as Rayne teaches him the true meaning of fear.

***

"So he found out?" Vanilla sighs in disappointment as she heals Max's wounds from the previous night.

"You had one job!" Alice yells, slamming her hand onto her desk in frustration as she clenches her fist. She scoffs, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes with a scowl.

"So? What did he think?" Vanilla inquires as she finishes restoring Max's condition. The boy only sighs and shakes his head with his eyes closed,

"Hard to say…He just went back to sleep after I told him."

"So where is he now?" Alice questions with a raised brow.

Max shrugs and shakes his head once more, "Wouldn't tell me."

Vanilla hums and nods in understanding, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair in thought. She snaps her fingers and points at her best friend smoothly, "Alice."

"Understood!" The girl salutes before pulling out her wand and using her personal magic to seek out the dual haired man. "Voyance." She chants softly as her eyes begin to glow, showcasing her magic as various perspectives are presented to her, using multiple students' eyes to search the school. "We got a hit boys." She states smugly as Vanilla nods her head in approval, clapping her hands softly.

The three of them stand there for a moment before racing out the door of the classroom, scrambling through the halls to find Rayne. Under Alice's direction, they quickly find him at the purchasing department, browsing the wares with his usual stoic demeanor. The trio stalks him, hiding behind corners a safe distance away from the entrance to avoid being spotted as they whisper quietly to each other.

"What do you think he's buying?"

"Probably something for Bunilla."

"Maybe something rabbit printed?"

"I can't see…!"

"Then use your magic Alice!"

"Don't be dumb, he'll know right away."

"Shhh!" Vanilla quickly shushes them as they quiet down after that. Rayne leaves the purchasing department with two paper bags in hand, still maintaining his stoic demeanor as he exits the building. He walks onward, seemingly with purpose as his strides are long and hastened.

In the end, the three stooges couldn't find out what he'd bought, with mild dejection, they all go their separate ways at the end of the day.

Vanilla arrives back at her dorm after bidding Alice a curt farewell, closing the door behind her with a small sigh. The air in her room seems stagnant and cold despite the warm rays of the sun peeking through her window, spotlighting stray dust bunnies and casting shadows that showcase the uneven curvature of the brick floor.

Once within the safe confines of her room, she walks in, dragging her feet before catching a glimpse of something on her desk. With curiosity and a bit of concern she looks at two parcels, left there by the delivery owl no doubt. One is a small box wrapped with white paper, tied off with a pink bow and the other seemed to be an antique wooden jewelry box that rang suspiciously familiar to her. She reaches out apprehensively and picks up the smaller of the two, investigating the tag.

Her eyes widen as her lips pursed together tightly, her heart skips a beat as she reads the card, 'From: Rayne.'

Vanilla can feel her face heat up as she covers her mouth, breathing heavily through her nose in anticipation. She flips the package to the other side to investigate further, wondering if it was just a ruse. After confirming the validity of the gift, she hurriedly sits down at her desk and lets out a small squeal, a red flush painting her complexion. She carefully unwraps the gift and out falls a small envelope holding a thank you card. She opens the card with such fervor it nearly rips with how violently she handles it.

'Dear Vanilla,

Thank you for the financial contribution. It really means a lot.

- Rayne

P.S. Sorry for hitting you.'

Vanilla chokes on air upon reading its contents, suppressing her laughter at his curt letter. Her lips tug upward into a soft smile, rubbing her thumb along the card as her breath hitches. She closes her eyes, holding the card close to her chest as she breathes out a shaky sigh. She takes in his words, feeling the weight behind the more action oriented man and relishing in the bliss of their shared memories.

Vanilla's eyes suddenly snap open as she recalls the actual gift, she looks onto the table and spots the gift itself hiding under the wrapping paper. She lifts up the parchment and reveals a pair of bunny print chopsticks. Chuckling softly to herself, she picks it up and investigates it, resting her head on her hand as her elbow leans on the desk. It's quite small, obviously meant for children but it was cute.

She places the gift at the corner of her desk, feeling giddy as her cheeks start to feel a bit strained with how widely she was smiling. She pushes the letter to the side and pulls the antique box closer to her body, humming to herself as she happily unlatches the brass lock. The box opens with a small creek…

"...W-What is this doing here…?"

Chapter 23: I am...

Chapter Text

"Vanilla." My mother calls to me gently. It was odd of her, it made me feel like something was wrong or something serious had happened. I sit next to the window in the living room of my home as my mother comes up to me eagerly.

I close the book I was reading and turn my attention towards her. I think I was only twelve at the time. The memories are a little fuzzy. It all happened so fast back then…

"What?" I responded curtly. Her expression breaks out into a wide smile and I suppress the urge to roll my eyes, believing it to be a ruse to distract me from my studies, as per usual. She chuckles softly as she stands in front of me, holding something behind her back.

"I brought you something…" She says excitedly, her arms shift from behind her, pulling out a small antique box with a brass latch holding its lid, the same brass that covers each of the corners, maintaining its rectangular shape.

I stare blankly at the box, silently admiring the red wood and polished metal before gently taking it into my hands with a sense of curiosity. "Oh, thanks…" I say bluntly, wondering why she didn't just leave it in my room like she normally would when it came to souvenirs from her latest adventure.

"Go on hon. Open it!" She encourages quietly as I raise a brow at her anticipation. It makes me suspicious but I sigh, moving my book to the side and slowly undoing the latch.

It draws my attention instantly as I reveal the contents of the box. It's a silver wand. Beautifully engraved with ancient runes of our home country of the east. It sits there within the box, lovingly cradled by the purple velvety material that kept it in place. I slide the tips of my fingers along its handle delicately, almost scared to dirty it with my fingerprints as it shines so brightly in the sun's rays pouring from the window behind me. It calls to me, like a string attached to my body it pulls my hand closer, and I carefully lift it from its case.

Upon closer inspection, it's longer than most standard wands. My attention is drawn towards the handle with elegant lacy floral engravings that are polished down so evenly, it's almost seamless how well the matted designs compliment the glossy silver.

I spot something within the designs that make me flinch, my heart skips a beat as I take a closer look, squinting to focus my attention.

"T-That's…"

"That's right. I had it engraved with your birthdate! Happy birthday dear!" My mother smiles proudly with her hands on her hips. It suddenly occurs to me and I look up at her incredulously,

"Wait. It's my birthday today?"

"You forgot?!!"

"...I guess so…"

My mother sighs heavily, mumbling something under her breath, "You grow up too fast…" She slumps over before huffing with her hands falling to her sides, "I had it made for you! You have such great potential and I think it's only fitting to have a wand that can keep up!"

I roll my eyes in response and sigh, placing the wand back into the box, "Please. Standard wooden wands are more than enough mother. How much did you even spend on this? You didn't pull from your savings again did you?" I narrow my eyes in suspicion, my brow raising with a piqued curiosity.

She scoffs with a stifled laugh and pulls me into an uncomfortable hug, "Oh hush! Just take it and be all excited like a kid such as you should be!"

I feel my face contort into a frown as I furrow my brows, forcing myself away from her tight embrace. I can feel the familiar irritation brewing from within me at her condescending demeanor, but I hold myself back, simply sighing in response. "Thanks…"

I hear her stifle a chuckle, leaning down to face me on my level with her hands on her legs, smiling and gently caressing my head as I stare down at the new wand, holding back the urge to pick it up again.

"That's right, be happy, get excited…Just be a kid…"

***

"Please, I'm asking you to reconsider!" I plead, practically begging on my knees at this point as my friend moves towards the door hastily.

"What is there to reconsider?! There shouldn't be any debate here! What your mother did, what she's doing is illegal, it's taboo!"

"It's not like she's hurting anyone! She's just excited to share her findings!"

"Does it matter?! The law is the law and she's breaking it! Simple as that! You know my brother is in the police academy right now! His position could be in danger because of my relation to you!!"

I gasp sharply at the mention and hurry to catch Oliver by his wrist, "Stop! Please! Just hear me out!!"

"Why are you defending her?!"

I can feel him getting more and more frustrated by my actions but I don't let up my grip, I have to stop him from reporting this. It's a stupid mistake, she's just a little overzealous, maybe a little airheaded but she doesn't deserve to be punished for being a little too excited.

"Please, just stop for a second!!"

"Vanilla, if you're so adamant on defending this position, I'll have no choice but to seize you…" He says ominously as I tense up. I let go of his wrist as he slowly turned to face me. I instinctively pull out my silver wand, feeling threatened by the sudden danger presented before me.

"Stand down Vanilla. We both know who's going to win this fight…" He says ominously. The timbre of his voice sends shivers down my spine, his tone becoming completely foreign to the warmth I was so used to as he pulls out his wand,

"If people don't follow the rules, the world becomes a tangled mess…I won't let that happen, not even for you…"

I wake up with a choked gasp, panting and sweating, sitting up in my bed as I look around the room frantically. I'm safely in my dorm, my things are still in place, it's all behind me now…

I run a hand through my hair stressfully, my throat is dry and I feel like a mess. My entire body is slicked with sweat, and it feels so gross. Breathing out a heavy sigh, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves before turning to gaze out the window and groan as I see the moon, still shining so brilliantly in the sky.

Swinging my legs to the side of the bed, I feel the cold brick floors of my dorm room against my feet and shiver, grabbing my blanket and wrapping it around my shoulders before getting up and walking towards my desk, looking down at the antique wooden box holding my old wand as flashes of what happened appear before my misty eyes.

The wand calls to me, it's much louder than it was all those years ago. Perhaps it's because I dipped into that magic again, but I'm not entirely sure. Sighing to myself, I pick up the letter delivered with it, grimacing at my father's sh*tty handwriting,

'Dear Vanilla,

Hope you're doing okay. I saw you in the papers this morning and thought you might need this. Feel free to visit any time. You're always welcome back at home.

-Love, Dad.'

I cringe at the audacity and discard the pathetic letter, throwing it into the bin and burning it before turning my attention towards the wand. Opening the box slowly, I almost glare at the reflection of myself from within the silver wand.

It's still as beautiful as it was on that fateful day…Looking at it now, after everything that's happened at Easton, it feels so long ago…

In comparison to my other wooden wands sitting right next to the box on the desk, splintered and flayed by my mistreatment of them, it almost makes me feel barbaric. I pick up the silver wand, holding it gently by the handle and bringing my other hand up to slide along the smooth metal. It's cold, and heavier than I remember. Maybe it was because of what I put it through, or what I've been through since then.

It feels nostalgic, with an undertone of melancholy as I feel my lips start to tremble. A hiccup escapes my mouth that brings the start of tears beginning to fall from my eyes as I begin to curl in on myself, feeling the energy escape my body as I fall to the ground, holding my wand tightly close to my chest in an attempt to suppress a sob from escaping my throat. The sound that leaves my mouth is pathetic and it becomes hard to hold back, sitting there on the floor of my dorm room for what felt like an eternity.

It's painful, it feels deserved. I deserve this suffering, I did this to myself. This is my repentance, and there is nothing I can do that would ever absolve me of it. It's all my fault…All of it…

A sudden knock came to my room, snapping me out of my thoughts as I looked over curiously. I slowly get up from my spot on the floor and walk towards the door, frantically wiping away my tears and sniffling in a desperate attempt to look decently presentable. Taking a deep breath, I open the door.

"Rayne? What're you doing here? And at this hour…" I say, surprised by his sudden visit. I raise a brow and take in his appearance. His hair is a mess, I assume he'd just woken up, he's dressed in his uniform still, holding Bunilla in his arm as he stares at me with his usual poker face.

"Couldn't sleep…" He says simply after a little hesitation.

"Uh huh…" I responded, confused, "And what was that about being out in different dorms after curfew again?" I say, feeling my lips curl downwards into a frown.

"Shut up." He huffs.

"Hypocrite…!"

There's a few moments of silence as we take in each other's appearance, simply staring at each other as the air around us starts to turn awkward, something I've grown depressingly accustomed to.

"Are you going to let me in?" Rayne suddenly inquires with a raised brow.

"O-Oh. Right…" I say, stepping to the side and opening the door wider to let the guy into my room. I don't know why I did, but he's here now and I don't have the heart, much less the energy to kick him out anyways. I close the door behind him and turn around, astonished by his speed as he makes himself comfortable, already laying in my bed. I sigh, feeling myself chuckling softly before coming towards him and flaring the blanket around my shoulders, placing it over his body gently and making room for Bunilla, who burrows herself under the covers.

Placing my wand back onto my desk, I stretch with my hands over my head and crack my back with a small sigh, turning around to walk to the other side of the room towards the unoccupied bed.

"Where're you going?" Rayne asks from behind me with a deep voice. He pulls on the back of my pajamas and I'm startled by his actions, turning around to face him, dumbfounded.

"Uh, going to bed?" I say as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then sleep with me. Isn't that what couples do?" Rayne says more like a command than a suggestion.

I choke on my own saliva at his bluntness, staring at him as if he just confessed a crime for a moment before sighing to myself and carefully lifting the blanket, sliding under the covers and laying on my side facing Rayne, my butt is barely hanging onto the edge of the mattress as I attempt to keep my distance, feeling a bit awkward with his piercing gaze that never seems to leave my eyes.

"What?" I inquire, shuffling in the bed a bit to get comfortable, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his intense staring.

"Comfortable?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"Good." His arm slides from under the covers and forcefully pulls me closer to his body, causing me to tense up as I feel all the blood in my system rise to my face. My hands land on his chest, as if to keep a comfortable distance away from him as he pulls me close.

His body is pretty firm, warm, I can smell his cologne and it makes me dizzy as I suppress the urge to shove him into the wall. His face is only mere inches away from mine and I can feel his breath on my lips, his eyes encompassing the entirety of my vision.

"W-What're you-"

"Good night."

Ah…what a guy…

I find myself scanning his features up close as his lips pursed together, seemingly troubled by something. I can feel Bunilla shuffling slightly in the small gap between our bodies, I can feel my heart pounding rapidly in my chest, it's almost painful in the constraints of my ribcage, and I think he can tell by the way he's looking at me.

It's scary…

It's exhilarating…

It's unnerving…

He leans in ever so slowly and I instinctively flinch my head back, I can feel the heat from his face on mine, he's so close. I don't know what to feel or what to do, so I avoid it, tiling my head down to look at Bunilla in hopes that it'll get my point across, my face feels like it's on fire with how flustered I am.

'Is he doing what I think he's doing?! What is happening? Oh gods I was NOT ready for this!'

I hear him click his tongue and his arm comes up, his hand cupping my jaw and forcing me to look at him with a stern, demanding expression. I gulp, staring at him in shock as he leans in, I close my eyes tightly and brace myself.

I suddenly feel a thump right in front of my face and something fuzzy and warm resting against my nose. I flinch, peeking an eye open before sighing in relief, taking in a big whiff of Bunilla's freshly cleaned fur, and finally calming down, relaxing in bed slightly.

As if waiting for this moment, Rayne gently lifts Bunilla out of the way and grabs me roughly by the neck, forcefully pulling my face closer to his and our lips meet.

Chapter 24: The Big Sister of Orca

Chapter Text

Vanilla jolts away from the man, prying out of his grip as she scrambles to sit up, delicately tracing her lips with the tips of her fingers in shock. The remnants of the electrifying sensation running through her veins as she attempts to register what just happened.

"W-W-W-What are you-!"

"Goodnight."

Rayne turns over in bed swiftly, pulling the blanket with him, not bothering to elaborate further. Unbeknownst to her, the Adler prefect flushes as the heat begins to spread all over his face, his lips pursing together tightly as he ponders, eyes blown wide aghast at his own behavior. As a man who had always valued actions over words, the meaning behind this impulse seemed to escape his mind as his heart thumped wildly in his chest.

***

"I don't accept it."

'Ah…What a great way to start off this interview.' I think to myself in a daze, feeling my soul start to drift awayyyy~

**

"Before you two proceed to the final exam, you will each be questioned by a Divine Visionary." Headmaster Wahlberg states as Rayne and I stand next to each other in the common room of the Bureau of Magic.

The floors are spotless and shiny, they reflect the lights hanging from above with a glare to them from how polished they are. The air is cold and the fluorescent lighting makes this place even more unwelcoming, everything seems so sterile and prestigious. One tile from the floor alone is probably worth more than my life. Hell, finding even one speck of dust would probably be a challenge in itself. Everything is so bright in here it makes me squint, narrowing my tired eyes as I try to pay attention to what the Headmaster has to say.

**

Orter pushes up his glasses, glaring at me through the lens with a huff, looking at me with disapproval and pursing his lips together tightly. He leans back against the pure white pillar with his arms crossed as we stand a good distance away from each other.

'Wow…is being attractive a secret prerequisite to becoming a Divine Visionary?' I think, finding myself silently admiring before recalling the events of what happened at the shoe shop a month ago, sending a cold shiver down my spine as I remember his oppressive presence.

The large porcelain corridors of the Bureau seem to go on forever with giant white pillars littering the area. The waxed floors shine so brilliantly under this lighting and every sound I make seems exaggerated with how much it reverberates across the expansive space.

Shifting my weight from one foot to another uncomfortably under his intense gaze, I can feel my shoe squeak against the checkered tile. If the entrance of the Bureau was unwelcoming, Orter is downright hostile, offended even, at my mere existence.

'Why is everyone I meet so mean?!!' I think to myself, my lips pushing together tightly forming a straight line, sobbing internally and clenching my fist in what can only be described as pure unadulterated despair.

"You're an exception, and exceptions are the antithesis of this world's laws. Not only that, but I don't think I've ever seen someone as inept as you." He says coldly and I gulp, his words being shoved into my throat like a sandpaper cough drop, jabbing a steak knife into my chest, his comment strikes me so deeply it makes my blood run cold.

"T-That may be so…but…" I say quietly as he tilts his head, as if to challenge whatever I was about to say next. I place a hand over my chest, bringing my head up to meet his gaze with a sense of conviction, "I believe exceptions…lead to development…"

*

Orter narrows his eyes, what an incredibly optimistic way of thinking. It's naive, illogical, foolish even. He turns up his nose at the student with a huff, pulling out his wand as Vanilla instinctively tenses up at his sudden display of aggression.

"One minute."

"Huh?"

"I'll give you one minute to prove your worth. Land a single hit on me within that one minute, and I'll allow you to proceed."

Vanilla's eyes widen before her wand slips out from under her sleeve, the silver point gleaming under the fluorescent lights of the Bureau. Orter raises his arm over his head, wand in hand,

"Start." He motions his arm downwards and Vanilla is immediately hit with an immense amount of sand from above. She manages to get out of the trap, side-stepping away and cringing at how the grains seem to cling to her body, looking at the spot that was just attacked, leaving a gaping hole in the floor.

The sand disappears and Vanilla regains her footing before lunging towards Orter, her magical energy leaking out from her body and pooling around her with a certain vigor that doesn't match her demeanor.

The Desert Cane pays it no mind however as he points his wand directly at her, the sand accumulates into a dense capacity before taking shape and spearing towards the girl. She tilts her head, narrowly dodging the attack as it lands onto a pillar behind her, destroying the marble and cracking the porcelain as chunks of rock fall to the ground.

The speared sand shifts, catching Vanilla's attention as she reacts just in time, blocking the attack with her arm as the powdery spears pierce her flesh. She coughs, being flung to the side into another pillar that cracks and shakes from the impact. The student groans, recovering quickly as another set of attacks begin to form, threatening to overwhelm her.

Vanilla gasps, glancing behind her before pointing her wand ahead of her, holding her arms out in defense, "Barrier!" She blocks the relentless attacks as sand rains down in a barrage on her.

Orter adjusts the speed and density of the sand in an effort to break through her defenses with an unamused expression, "Is that all you can do?" He inquires, his attention pulled towards the crack in Vanilla's spell. "You have thirty seconds."

Vanilla clicks her tongue, choosing to focus on blocking the attacks and accumulating her magic. The sand rains heavily onto the barrier, forcing her to put more magic into her spell, kicking up a cloud of debris and sand in its wake, obscuring Orter's view of the girl. He watches on, unimpressed as he counts down the seconds in his head, '15. 14. 13…'

He narrows his eyes, his expression contorting into a grimace as he continues to press the attack, determined to break through her defenses before the one minute passed. He huffs, his arm relaxing with his wand in hand resting at his side.

"Time's up."

"Damnit…"

Orter's eyes widen in surprise as he hears her voice from behind him, whipping around quickly, his eyes catch Vanilla's arm reaching out, her fingers only mere inches away from his body before she slumps over limply, heaving to catch her breath. He observes her form, her dormitory robe is missing and she is disheveled with her hair and clothes unkept with sweat slicking her body. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, he was holding back since she was still a student, but even then she shouldn't have been so exhausted.

"What do you think you're doing?" He seethes coldly, turning to face the student as she merely looks up at the man with her brows furrowed in confusion, "Did you even try?"

"I-I didn't want to damage the Bureau…" She grumbles, averting her gaze to the side dejectedly. Orter gasps, his head turning swiftly at the pillars and the floor where Vanilla once was. It was as if they were untouched, pristine, leaving no evidence of a scuffle aside from Vanilla's dormitory robe laying tattered on the floor, the excess magic imbued within it dissipates as her defensive spell ends.

He turns his attention back towards the girl as she catches her breath, 'This kid…She didn't even raise her wand against me…' He thinks to himself, becoming quite irritated at her seemingly petty attitude. Narrowing his eyes and looking down on her he huffs, "So you sacrificed your opportunity to protect your surroundings? Hmph, how irrational."

"It's better than having someone else clean up my messes." Vanilla quips back in complaint,

"If that's the case…Then some sacrifice on my part wouldn't be such a big deal…"

Orter's eyes widen, his stern and cold expression fades as the tension between his brows relax slightly. His hand comes up to cover his mouth, the curl of his fingers hiding the amused expression painting his lips. ‘And besides, there are plenty of other ways I can make the world a better place, I just need to be a bit more proactive…

…but…I don't want to leave Rayne…’

"Would you struggle for me?"

"Wouldn't be such a big deal, huh…" He mumbles to himself quietly as Vanilla stands up properly with a defeated sigh, her shoulders slumped over dejectedly.

"I suppose I should gtfo right?" She grumbles, dragging her feet towards her robe on the floor, shaking off any remaining sand in it before slipping it over her shoulders.

"Wait." Orter suddenly states, his back still turned on the student. Vanilla freezes, in the middle of pulling her hair out of her robe, resting her hands on the back of her neck. The Divine Visionary turns his body, his usual indifferent demeanor has shifted to one of distance, as if he was longing for something. It makes Vanilla's eyes soften, approaching the man with a hint of familiarity,

"I'll allow it." He states curtly. The student jolts at the revelation, tilting her head back in surprise and furrowing her brows in suspicion and narrowing her eyes slightly, "Don't get the wrong idea." Orter brushes past the girl without another word, she shivers at the soft breeze he creates with his visionary robes. Swiveling her head to stare at his back incredulously before breaking out, pumping the air with excitement.

Orter huffs, tilting his head to direct his gaze towards the ground, the corners of his lips turning up into a ghost of a smile in reminiscence.

***

Vanilla approaches the ceremonious grand hall with a sense of anxiety washing over her. The tiled marble floors were no longer under her, instead there was a luxurious red carpet, tasseled on each side with yellow rope bordering its entirety. Blank red flags hang from the walls in between the windows, further complimenting the regal aesthetic of the Bureau's grand hall where the contestants were to be introduced.

She spots a figure standing at the door and squints to get a better look at the person. Upon closer inspection, it's a man, holding what seems to be a microphone and a clipboard, he seemed really invested in its contents, hunched over and adjusting his glasses multiple times as if rereading the text before him.

Upon hearing footsteps behind him, the mysterious man turns around and greets Vanilla with a friendly smile, "Hello there. You must be Vanilla Bean right?" He asks kindly.

Vanilla nods her head taking note of his short black hair, it falls over his forehead, forming around his face nicely and contrasts his transparently framed glasses. His slightly darker complexion indicates he was likely a foreigner, but his way of speaking implies he was born and raised here.

"I'm Matt. I'm just the announcer guy." He states, reaching a hand out to introduce himself, "I've heard a lot about you. My daughter writes home about you a lot."

The girl raises a brow, hesitantly shaking his hand out of obligation, "Are you…Alice's dad?" She inquires as Matt nods his head with a chuckle,

"Yeah…She takes after my wife mostly…" He sighs out as Vanilla relaxes slightly, chuckling a bit to herself.

"You must have it rough then." She says with a sympathetic smile as Matt shakes his head with an exasperated expression,

"You have no idea…" As if on queue, the horns inside the grand hall blare out and startle the pair. Matt glances at his watch and his face pales, "f*ck! Gotta go! It was nice meeting you!" He exclaims hurriedly before running off to wherever he needs to be.

Vanilla stands there with a small smile on her face before hearing footsteps from behind her. She turns around, spotting Rayne's familiar form walking towards her calmly with a mildly irritated expression. Once his eyes land on Vanilla, his demeanor softens ever so slightly and he relaxes, stopping just a step away from the girl as her face flushes, remembering their…encounter from the previous night.

"H-Hey…" She greets nervously, "So you passed your interview?"

"Obviously." Rayne responds with a scowl. He clearly didn't have a good time with it as he crossed his arms with a small huff.

As curious as Vanilla was, she didn't push the topic, instead choosing to turn her attention towards the pearly doors that lead to the grand hall. It's silent in the corridors of the Bureau as Rayne comes around, standing next to Vanilla, as if to use his presence to reassure her, listening to the muffled voice of Matt as he commences the start of the opening ceremony through the speakers.

Vanilla lets out a shaky breath, inhaling deeply before exhaling, attempting to calm her rapid heart beating with anticipation. Her hands begin to clam up and tremble at her sides before raising towards her mouth, blowing hot air onto them in an attempt to warm up her frigid fingers, wringing them between her palms as if to squeeze out the anxiety.

Rayne glances down curiously at her before stepping in front, placing his warm hands over her cold ones. The girl stares into his mesmerizing yellow irises in shock, they only seem to bore into her soul as he keeps his gaze fixated on her expression, as if to wordlessly communicate his thoughts.

She breathes out a small sigh, her shoulders relax, a bit alarmed to realize how tense she actually was. "Thanks…" She murmurs softly as Rayne merely nods his head in response before resuming his spot next to Orca's prefect.

"Let the Tri-Magicathalon Divine Visionary Final Exam Opening Ceremony begin!" Matt's muffled voice is heard announcing with enthusiasm, "Presenting Easton!"

Their queue had come before Rayne took Vanilla's hand in his, securely clasping their fingers together as the girl flinched, slightly flustered by the sudden action. But she doesn't pull away, accepting the gesture as they walk through the pearly doors of the grand hall, opened for the pair to enter by two guards.

The other two schools are announced as Rayne and Vanilla take their spots within the large ceremonious room. The floor is spacious, with students from every school lining the hall within their booths, spectating the event as the six Divine Visionary candidates are introduced.

Pillars border the high audience seats, the floors are covered with the same luxurious red carpet that lined the halls of the Bureau, all leading up steps where a lone podium is placed with various flags hanging along the wall between the windows, each displaying the three schools' crests respectively…

Kingruss Crookin, a second year at Saint Ars Holy Magic Academy and the current prefect of Saint Ars' Ruby dorm.

Myrvoll Ethane, a first year student from the previously mentioned school, the current prefect of Topaz dorm.

Galuf Gargaron, a first year student from Walkis Magic Academy.

Kreuger Pierce, a third year student from Walkis Magic academy, the first and only Divine Visionary Finalist with only a single magic line.

Vanilla Bean, a second year student from Easton Magic Academy, the current prefect of Easton's Orca dorm.

Rayne Ames, second year student, also from Easton, the current prefect of Adler dorm.

With the contestants now all introduced to each other, the hostility between the three schools was very prominent as the ringing silence consumed the large hall, even the audience dare not move lest they disturb the thinly veiled peace between academies.

"Hohoh! To see a girl here? Now that's a surprise." Galuf of Walkis breaks the tense silence. He's a rather lanky man with an attitude that screams delinquent. "What kind of man did ya sleep with to end up here eh?!" He licks his lips, making a provocative motion with his hand as the girl cringes in disgust.

Rayne glares at the boy, his hand squeezing Vanilla's tightly before launching a Partisan at the ground where the man stands without warning, stopping just short of his body. Galuf falters, stumbling back a bit at the sudden attack as the sword stabs the floor, piercing through the carpet and stone hall before disappearing.

Kreuger sighs in disappointment at his fellow classmate before walking towards the pair. His appearance was rather intimidating, obviously taller than average with raven black hair that went down to his waist, pulled together in a low ponytail with sharp glaring eyes, "Forgive him, he's never been in the presence of a woman before." He says courteously, reaching a hand out to properly introduce himself to the pair, "You've certainly earned your right to be here."

"Apology declined." Vanilla states bluntly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, pulling her free hand behind her back as her shoulders tense up, visibly uncomfortable with his sudden proximity.

Kreuger stares at the girl incredulously for a moment before chuckling, "Heh." He huffs as Rayne steps in front of Vanilla, holding his arm out in front of his partner protectively. The Walkis student merely raises his hands in surrender, taking a step back, maintaining a courteous demeanor, "What a shame…I wanted to see that restoration magic of yours first hand…" He says, pinching his fingers together before a sudden slash whizzes past Vanilla's face, causing her to flinch back as part of her hair is snipped off.

Vanilla's eyes widened at the display, 'T-That was close…!' She thinks as Rayne narrows his eyes into a sharp glare, clenching his jaw at the hostile display.

"You…!"

"Save the fighting for the actual competition guys!" Matt's voice interrupts as everyone's attention is pulled back towards the announcer of the event.

"And with that, this ends the opening ceremony of the Divine Visionary Final exam!"

*

"Big Sister, please help! It's an emergency!"

"Big Sister! How do you solve this?!"

"Big Sister!!"

"Big Sister!"

"VANILLAAAAAAA S.O.S!!!"

'Ah…what a wonderful time to be alive…' I think to myself with a depressing smile permanently etched onto my face as at least a dozen students grasp onto my uniform, pulling at the cloth in every direction. It's a miracle it hasn't ripped with how roughly they're handling me.

After having just gotten back from the Bureau of Magic, I ended up being dragged to the library where countless students were begging for my assistance for the upcoming exams. I'm barely through the door before all I hear are big sister pleas for help, which quickly escalates as they play tug of war, using my body to forcefully show me their problems.

"WATCH OUT!!!"

It's like I'm cursed at this point! They parted like the red sea in an instant, leaving me no room to react, no space to avoid it as a potion flew through the air, out of the clumsy hands of a fellow student. The liquid spills from the open lid and I inch forward to avoid it, leaning over in hopes of avoiding its trajectory.

Then suddenly, and without warning, a gust of wind comes from the window, blowing the potion's contents all over my body. It burns, and there's a mild sting on my scalp that makes me wince, shutting my eyes tightly as I try to ride out its effects, whatever they were.

The students around me fall silent as the effects of the potion start to kick in. I don't feel any different, a bit cold due to being soaked, and there's a bit of irritation on my head. I breathe out a small sigh in relief as the sensation eventually fades and I blink my eyes open, looking down at the ground and inspecting my body for any peculiarities.

"C-Cute…"

"B-Big sister?"

"How adorable…!"

I hear the hushed whispers of the students around me and bring my gaze back up to look at them. Something's…off…Wait, why am I looking UP at them? Wait a minute!

I gasp as Alice manifests a mirror in front of me. I'm the size of a child! Scratch that! I am a child!

Bringing my hands up to my face, I feel the plushy cushion of fat on my cheeks, my small hands feeling chubby and soft against my skin as opposed to the hardened calluses I was so used to. My eyes have become rounder, sitting larger on my miniature face, looking at my uniform, it seemed to have reverted with me as the cloak of my robes sat comfortably on my shoulders, maintaining the same proportions on my once young adult body.

I hastily pull out my wand as the mirror in front of me disappears, "Restoire!" I'm almost offended at how pitchy my voice sounds but the spell never activates and I gape in horror. "W-Why can't I use my magic?!" I scream, staring at my hands incredulously.

Suddenly, a hand darts out from the crowd from behind me, forcefully lifting me up from off the ground by the back of my hood and holding me like some sort of stray cat as they bring their arm around to make me face them. "R-Rayne?!" Oh great, things just got a lot more complicated.

"I was wondering what all this commotion was, I should've known." He grumbles with an irritated expression. I glare at him, but it must've looked ridiculous with my adolescent face,

"It's not my fault! I didn't decide to be like 'Oh! I wanna be a kid again today!'" I scream, flailing my arms in a pathetic attempt to break free from his grip. He merely hums in response and sets me down on the floor, surprisingly gently might I add.

I huff, turning around to face the students surrounding us with my hands on my hips, "Alright alright! Some unforeseen events happened but I'll help everyone out! Just get back to your desks and I'll come around!" I demand, my squeaky voice echoing through the library and it takes everything I have in me to not blush at the precarious situation I find myself in.

"Aww! How cute!"

"She's adorable!"

"Look at her!"

I feel a vein pop in my head and I'm seconds away from blowing up at their condescending comments. I open my mouth to scream at them to shut the f*ck up but the words die in my throat when I feel a certain bloodlust coming from behind me. I don't dare to turn around as I hear Rayne's threatening voice that sinks into the very core of my bones, making my hair stand on end,

"You heard her. Shut up and get back to work."

Everyone immediately scampers off back to their spots as I hear Rayne breathe out a sigh behind me. I turn to glance back at him, "Thanks…" I murmur quietly, looking up at him, finding it mildly amusing to see such an unflattering angle from under his chin. From this height, I only measure up to his mid thigh, something I find deeply disturbing. The library falls eerily quiet, with only the sound of shuffling papers and the scratching of pens against the tables filling the silence.

Rayne raises his arm dismissively, "Need anything else?" He asks to my surprise.

"Huh? O-Oh, nothing I can think of at the moment. I should be able to manage from here…" I say quietly to avoid disturbing the peace of the library. What an eventful day…

After a moment of awkward silence between us, something I had grown accustomed to unfortunately, I begin to bide my time making my rounds between my fellow Orca students when I encountered my first hurdle.

"Big sister-erm…"

"What do you need?" I interrupt, knowing the complicated circ*mstances. I'm literally a child and these highschoolers are still calling me Big Sister…

How comical…

"Er, I'm having trouble with this question." He states, looking down at his assignment and scratching the side of his head. I sigh, looking up at him in his chair before taking off my shoes, I place my hands on the cushion of the chair, grunting as I jump off the ground and pushing myself up onto the seat to get a good look at the assignment in question. Climbing onto the table, I take the paper into my hands to inspect the problem.

'This is…humiliating…' I think to myself, crying internally as I suppress the urge to simply run away and hide in my dorm.

I sit with my legs crossed on the table, looking over the material, formulating in my head what to say that'll help the poor guy out. I point out the flaws in his work before another student calls for my attention and I walk along the length of the table to assist them. This pattern repeats itself until I find myself climbing over to the other tables and inserting myself into various study groups to help them out with their academics.

By the time I reach the other side of another table I find myself winded and out of breath from moving around so much. 'Why must I suffer like this?' I think to myself as I feel my throat dry up from how heavily I'm panting. 'I just got back from the Bureau after a guy tried to impale me with sand, another guy almost cut off my arm, and NOW THIS?!!' Practically crying tears of blood at this point.

I suddenly feel someone's hands around me, lifting me up off the ground but I'm too tired to scream or demand to be put down. I turn to look at the person and I'm surprised to see Rayne still here. He holds me up for a moment before resting my small body securely against his hip,

"I'll help you out." He says simply as I simply look at him with a depressed grimace,

"Appreciated…" I mumble, reluctantly accepting his assistance.

We make our circuits around the tables, finally reaching Alice who sits at a window, clearly slacking off and reading comics instead of actually working, which makes me irritated.

"Awh, look at you! Being carried, so small, so little!" She gushes as Rayne and I glare down at her. She visibly tenses at the hostility, putting her comic down and bringing her study materials closer to engage us. I sigh at the display, ceasing my childish glare and hold my hand out to receive her problems.

"What was it you needed help with?" I grumble, fighting off the urge to succumb to my exhaustion.

'Damn, as a kid it's hard to stay awake…' I think to myself as my eyelids start to feel heavy.

*

'She fell asleep…She fell asleep in the middle of explaining the question…' Rayne thinks to himself, bringing his other arm around to steady the child in his grasp, shifting her body to ensure her head rests against his shoulder.

"So uh…What now?" Alice asks, watching Vanilla's sleeping form in awe.

"Hmph." Rayne huffs in response, merely turning around and keeping his hand on the girl's back, "I'll take care of it…See you." He states over his shoulder before slowly walking away.

***

Rayne sets child Vanilla down into her dorm, tucking her in before staring down at her sleeping form with a blank look on his face, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

'She looks…weird.' He thinks to himself, silently making observations about the child as she shuffles in the bed, turning to her side, practically throwing the blankets off of herself. The man frowns and slides the covers over her arms once again.

All is peaceful within Orca, only the distant chatter from other rooms down the hall and Vanilla's light snoring fill the eerie silence of the normally bustling dorms. Crickets chirp in the distance from outside the building as the moon's light shines through the window of the dorm, barely illuminating its interior.

Rayne yawns, his exhaustion finally dawning on him as he sighs softly, turning on his heel to leave the room.

"...please don't go…"

It was so quiet the boy had thought he'd imagined it and he faltered for a moment, his heart stuttering in his chest. His eyes widen slightly and he immediately whips around, searching for any signs of distress.

"Don't go please…"

His gaze falls upon the sleeping child Vanilla, her voice absolutely heartbreaking as it quivers, she curls up in her bed with a small hiccup escaping her throat, grasping onto the sheets so tightly her tiny fists tremble. Rayne moves towards her silently, placing a warm hand onto her head, wiping away her tears with his thumb that looms largely on her head. His expression softens as he watches her cry, where, even in her sleep, she's plagued by something…

He sighs softly, crouching on the ground next to her bed before feeling something shuffle in his dormitory robe. He halts for a minute, reaching into his robes and pulling out Bunilla. The bunny looks around at her surroundings, kicking out of Rayne's open hand and landing next to the child's face. The boy panics slightly, fearing to wake the girl but she simply stirs, her face contorting at the sudden jolt but soon her expression relaxes once more. The bunny burrows herself against the girl's body, quickly finding comfort in her warmth and closing her eyes to rest.

Rayne pouts, his eyes narrowing at the betrayal before sighing quietly, taking off his shoes and carefully crawling under the covers to join them.

"Rest well…"

Chapter 25: My Partner

Chapter Text

"Vanilla!" My friend calls to me in an obnoxious tone. I sigh, rolling my eyes contradicting the smile creeping onto my lips. The sun's rays beam down on us as I stand on the grassy plains just outside the city's walls. There are various carriages heard in the distance carrying cargo of all manner, entering through the front gates.

He runs up to me from the stream, carrying something in his hands with an eager expression on his face. "Look! It's a fish!"

I raised a brow at him, amused, "An astute observation Elliot." I respond with a scoff. Oliver pouts, lowering his hands slightly in dejection, his silver locks shifting slightly from the gentle summer breeze blowing past us.

"Oh come on, use my first name! You're not in the Eastern continent anymore!" He complains before panicking as the fish in his hands begins to flop around, the water having sifted through his fingers in his moment of distraction.

I chuckle as he scrambles back around, haphazardly throwing the creature back into the stream and it swims off frantically upon reuniting with its home. Oliver takes a seat on the grass tiredly, breathing out a sigh of relief and leaning back on his arms.

Coming around and popping a squat next to him, I rested my head on my hands, keeping my eyes on him as he looked over at me with a bright smile. It makes my heart skip a beat, the way the corners of his eyes wrinkled, the way his lips curled, the way his snowy hair fell around his face, it was as if he'd just stepped out of a portrait. It felt surreal, it made me not want to believe that he was looking at me with such a perfect expression.

"You're staring Nilla." His voice snaps me out of my trance and I avert my gaze with a huff,

"You're too pretty." I grumble, feeling my face contort into a pout against my will. He wheezes, holding a hand on his stomach and wiping a tear from his eye,

"You think everyone is pretty!" He quips back between chuckles after finally catching his breath. Honestly, he laughs a bit too hard sometimes, what's so funny anyways?

"Although, you should save some of that mentality for yourself. It's such a waste if you don't see your own." He states with a shrug as I turn my head to look at him with a scowl.

He puts his hand up, delicately brushing my hair to the side and pushing my bangs behind my ear. I freeze in place, feeling my face heat up and clenching my jaw, holding in the urge to scream.

"You shouldn't hold back, you know…You should be true to yourself." He says as I tilt my head, furrowing my brows in confusion. He huffs, leaning his head on his hand with a bright smile that makes my heart skip a beat,

"Whoever that Vanilla is…I'd like to meet her…"

I flinch awake with a gasp at the memory, pondering my thoughts as I stare up at the ceiling, suddenly finding myself back in my dorm room. My throat feels dry and my eyes feel wet, my body feels like it's on fire as I try to get my muscles to relax. Gulping in an attempt to alleviate my irritated throat and taking deep breaths to calm my rapid heart beat that pounds wildly in my chest, full of adrenaline. I blink the tears away rapidly before closing my eyes with a depressed sigh.

'For myself huh…' I think, bringing my arm up and resting it on my forehead to alleviate some of the built up pressure in my face.

A slight shift in the bed makes me immediately tense up, carefully turning my head to the side and spotting Rayne coupled with Bunilla right next to me, still asleep and snoring softly. My body immediately turns rigid as I feel his warm arms wrapped around my waist, both of us still in our uniforms.

I breathe out through my nose in a silent sigh, feeling my brows knit together as I carefully remove his limbs from my body, to which he quickly moves to wrap around Bunilla instead, huffing in her fur as I silently question his ability to breathe properly.

Slowly sitting up in my bed, I quickly take notice of the familiar mild soreness in my body and I cringe, already knowing what's happening. The sun had yet to dawn on us as the stars litter across the night sky through the glass of the window. Distant mutterings and the chirps of woodland creatures fill the eerie silence of my dorm room, the sounds of nature bringing a certain calmness to my mood.

A sudden snore abruptly ruins my peace of mind and my head snaps over to look, my eyes landing on Alice on the other side of the room, splayed out obnoxiously with her leg dangling over the edge of the unoccupied bed, a spot of drool coming from her mouth, barely visible with the slight sheen reflecting off the minuscule amount of light.

Another noise catches my attention and I turn my gaze to the ground, spotting Max sleeping on the floor with only a thin sheet. I feel myself cringe, clenching my blanket tightly in my fists as my jaw tightens,

'WHY ARE THEY HERE TOO?!' I scream internally, suppressing the urge to kick them out of my room by slamming my fist into my forehead in disbelief. I seethe through my teeth silently before letting out a huff, sliding my legs out from under the blanket and standing up properly. I carefully pick up my wand from my desk. Quickly using my magic to manifest a proper makeshift bed for the poor guy. A small mattress cradles his body and he immediately curls up into the blanket, his face relaxing as his head rests against the pillow.

I nod my head in approval before turning back towards my desk where a militany of textbooks and various papers are scattered along the table in piles. I feel my face scrunch up before I realize the effects of the potion had long worn off in my sleep most likely as my body has now returned to its former glory.

'I guess they really needed the help…' I think to myself, pulling out the chair from my desk and taking a seat. Deciding to bide my time annotating their assignments one by one while I wait for the sun to make its appearance from beyond the horizon.

Lifting up the closest paper and glancing over the material before pulling out the appropriate textbook and scouring the pages, looking for the related content and taking notes on them. Soon enough, I find a good rhythm and start to disassociate as everything goes by in a blur, going through paper after paper at a rapid pace. Before I knew it the sun had come up, the warmth of its rays flooding through the room catching my attention as the heat beams down on my arm.

At last, the Final Exam has dawned upon us.

The shifting of sheets compels me to turn around in my seat, resting my arm on the backrest of my chair. I watch as Max slowly sits up with a yawn, rubbing the grogginess out of his eyes, "Mornin, you sleep alright?" I ask quietly as his head snaps in my direction.

"Vanilla, you're back to normal." He sighs in relief as I roll my eyes.

"Don't remind me." I groan as he chuckles, nodding his head in understanding,

"What're you working on?"

"The stack of assignments you guys left on my desk apparently." I quip back sarcastically. The immaculate amount of work they left me this morning was pretty on the nose.

"Heh. Studious as usual. Though, I can't say I'm surprised." Max shrugs nonchalantly, almost too uncaring for my tastes.

I chuckled, "If you were paying attention in class, you would've known that magical properties cannot be linked due to their unique frequencies."

"But you did."

"...That's different. Linking implies it goes both ways. I can only supplement my magic, nothing more…And besides, academics only applies to the majority, not the exception."

Max sighs, bringing his hands to rest behind his head, "That means I'll have to rework the topic of my essay." He grumbles.

" I'm the topic of your essay?"

Max nods, "I thought it'd be easier that way, I could just ask you like a one-stop shop. Hehe!"

"Is that all I am to you? Just a servant that will do anything you ask? I'm appalled!"

"You guys wake up too early!~" Alice grumbles, sitting up in bed with an obnoxious yawn and stretching her arms over her head.

The commotion also wakes up Rayne, who immediately sits up in my bed, gently holding Bunilla in his arm and rubbing the sleepiness out of his eye.

"Oh Rayne, you're awake. I need to ask you something." I say, turning my attention towards the man as he grunts in response, his raspy morning voice sending shivers down my spine as I hold in the urge to squeal.

"Hm?" He inquires back.

"Can I take your pants?" I deadpan monotonously in an effort to keep my tone as even as possible. He pauses for a moment, staring at me with a blank expression as I can see the gears turning in his head to register my words before closing his eyes nodding in approval.

"What do you need his pants for!?" Alice and Max are quick to scream.

I shrug nonchalantly, "The skirt gets in the way sometimes and besides, it'll still be the uniform." I explain simply, breathing out a small sigh at their flabbergasted expressions. "It should be fine."

. . . .

"PHRASING VANILLA!! PHRASING!!!"

***

Vanilla's brows furrow together as her hand rests just under her stomach, grimacing slightly before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, sighing through her nostrils. Rayne walks beside her along the forest path, on their way to the destination of the Final Exam. He co*cks a brow at her in mild concern upon taking notice of her pained expression,

"You alright?" He inquires, catching the girl's attention as she turns her head to look at him, concealing her discomfort,

"Y-Yeah I'm fine…" She responds quietly, taking another deep breath to keep her swirling emotions at bay, 'Gosh, why now? This is the worst…'

"Well, just try to ignore whatever it is." Rayne says dismissively as Vanilla suppresses the sudden urge to snap his neck, clenching her teeth and forcing out a smile in a silent feminine rage.

The pair arrive last to the designated area where the final exam is set to take place. There within the clearing of the woods stands a large tower that looms over the finalists. Overgrown vines wrap around the tower's base, creasing themselves into the gaps between the old bricks with a well-used dirt trail free of any greenery that leads towards the entrance of the building.

The other contestants take notice of the pair's arrival and sneer at their presence. Rayne simply ignores them, setting his sights on the tower. Analyzing what this final trial has in store for them with narrowed eyes that attempt to pierce through the walls as an ominous aura emits from its base. Vanilla breathes out a heavy sigh, her brows furrowing together slightly in discomfort.

The students of Walkis seem to take notice of Vanilla's pale complexion, observing her body's weakened state and smirk to themselves before Galuf takes it upon himself to point out the obvious, "Heh. Leave it to a woman to stink up the place with her-"

"I dare you to finish that sentence, Walkis scum…"

Vanilla's voice is dangerously bloodcurdling, deepening in tone and rich in bloodlust that demands compliance from everyone around her. They dare not move, even Rayne is stunned, almost petrified of the unusual commanding vice his partner's voice holds. The pair from Saint Ars shiver in their spots as those from Walkis take a step back in apprehension, feeling the thinly veiled magical energy emanating from the woman's body in a silent rage.

"With all the contestants present, I will now commence the start of the Divine Visionary Final Examination, the Tri-Magicathalon!" The announcer's voice suddenly cuts through the tension like a knife as the contestants flinch. Vanilla lets out a small sigh, taking deep breaths to regain her composure and dispelling her frustrations for the time being.

"The rules are simple, each team will have a set of trials that they must clear before moving on to the next floor. Clear each trial presented before you, be the last ones standing, make it to the top and win. That is all!"

The finalists prepare themselves, pulling out their wands as the announcement commences the start of the final stage of the exam.

"Ready? Begin!"

Once the horn sounds Rayne and Vanilla move swiftly in sync, the boy manifests a Partisan as the pair quickly fly past the other contestants upon the golden blade.

"Energy negative." Vanilla chants, pointing her wand behind her and watching as the other contestants become trapped within her barriers. She sits behind Rayne, who drives the sword into the doors of the tower, crashing through the wood effortlessly before the two land on their feet, quickly observing their surroundings.

They were in an arena-like space with various entrances and exits closed off with iron bars. It seemed like this tower had an element of warping magic as the arena's circumference alone seemed to overtake the tower's perimeter from the exterior. The walls enclosed around them in a circular dome-like shape and the ground beneath them was seemingly on a different level from the pedestal-like arena they stood upon.

The pair analyze the unfamiliar environment, caution in their steps as they move around the room.

Vanilla suddenly perks up when a grunt from behind her, she gasps turning around and seeing…herself? Her body seemingly crouched on the floor, holding her stomach in agony.

"What the-!" She cuts herself off, her hands flying to slap over her mouth upon hearing the deep voice that comes from her throat. She glances down in shock and horror, noting the familiar Adler's dorm robe around her shoulders. From the corner of her eyes she can barely make out the blonde and black tufts of hair that fall in front of her face.

"Argh! What the hell?!" Her attention is snapped back to look behind her as the person inhabiting her body falls over onto their side, grimacing in excruciating pain with a contorted expression, quite disturbing to see her own face scrunched up like that.

"R-Rayne?!" Vanilla runs over to her body in concern, ignoring the uncomfortable sensation of his deep voice being produced from her throat and quickly connecting the dots. Now inhabiting Rayne's body with the boy inhabiting hers, Vanilla places a gentle hand onto his back as a form of comfort, knowing all too well what the poor boy was now experiencing.

"W-What the hell is happening?" Rayne growls out before grimacing once more as another wave wracks Vanilla's body, compelling him to do nothing but writhe on the floor as his hands start to numb.

"I-It's called a period-! A-And they're just cramps, ah…Y-You know like…!"

" Just cramps?! These are debilitating!"

"W-Well-!" Vanilla scoffs and attempts to soothe the man in her body, taking advantage of Rayne's naturally warm man hands and gently placing it just under the belly button, running her hands through his (her?) hair in an attempt to soothe the pain.

Rayne breathes out a sigh as the aches soften themselves ever so slightly at the coming of warmth, flipping onto his back, near tears at this point and sweating.

"You fight like this?" He asks incredulously, his voice shaking as he attempts to relax in this new body.

"...Yes…"

"How? Do you use your magic or something?"

"W-Well…I can't."

"Why not?!"

"Because there's nothing to heal when it's just the body doing its thing!"

"Ughhh!"

'Patience Vanilla, patience, it's the hormones, they're hormoning. They are affecting his mood. It's okay…Patience…' Vanilla thinks in an attempt to remain calm, suppressing the urge to tell him to just ignore it as he did just moments ago.

It's only until she feels an odd sensation upon her inner thigh and she looks down, her face absolutely beat red upon realizing that she was now in a man's body.

"Stop doing that with my face!" Rayne shouts, easily losing his patience and quickly sitting up with a frustrated scowl, his tone becoming completely foreign with Vanilla's voice.

"W-Well I can't help it! I-I can f-feel It ."

"J-Just don't think about it!" It was Rayne's turn to blush at what her words imply.

"Well I'm trying but I've never had something dangling between my legs before!!!"

"Don't say it like that! And stop thinking about it! If you keep thinking about it it's gonna-!"

"WHA-!! DON'T FINISH THAT SENTENCE!!!"

"THEN STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!!"

"I CAN'T!! WHY IS IT STICKING TO ME!!?"

"DON'T DESCRIBE IT!! Just-!" Rayne takes a deep breath, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he attempts to gather his thoughts in a calm manner, something made exponentially more difficult with the amount of stress and hormones his current body was producing at the moment. "Just focus, please." He seethes.

Vanilla nods and takes a deep breath, focusing her thoughts on the current task at hand rather than the predicament going on between her legs.

"...It's a good size…" She mumbles after a moment of awkward silence.

"What did you just say?!"

"N-Nothing-!!"

Rayne groans, slapping his hands over his face inhaling deeply, the pads of his fingers massaging his forehead in a futile attempt to prevent an oncoming headache. Why was he reacting this way? Why is he so quick to lose his patience? Is it another effect of a woman's cycle? He didn't know. He never knew women had to deal with something like this. Has she been dealing with this all her life? Gods, he feels like sh*t. His mind runs a million kilometers a second as if there were fifty tabs open, all running together at once. Maybe he should lay off the criticisms for a while…

A creaking sound suddenly echoes around the room as the pair tense up, quickly getting to their feet and doing their best to ignore their current displacement. The iron bars surrounding the arena lift upwards and multiple heavy footsteps are heard slowly approaching them. Their strides are dense, and loud, it makes the bricks of the arena shake and tremble with every step. The pair pull out their wands in anticipation as the magical beasts reveal themselves.

Three cerberus monsters come from three of the different entrances to the arena, each equipped with various colored collars. Large slops of saliva drip from their muzzles and splat onto the ground below, giving the beasts a more savage and threatening appearance as they loomed ominously above the pair from a distance. Their size was something to behold, being much larger compared to what they'd encountered in the forest many months ago.

They growl at the pair, snarling and baring their fangs in hostility as Vanilla and Rayne stand back to back, their expressions turning grim. Rayne quickly takes initiative, raising the silver wand in his hand and grimacing, "Partisan!" He chants. He feels the magic within Vanilla's body accumulate before exploding in his face and he recoils at the sudden pain, flinching back in shock.

Vanilla gasps as one of the cerberus reacts to the hostility, roaring in agitation before lunging at the pair with the other two quickly following behind it. The girl quickly grabs her partner and throws him over her shoulder, leaping out of the way to a safe distance before letting him down gently.

"Seems like our personal magic was swapped too…" Vanilla hisses with a grimace as Rayne nods his head, gritting his teeth as the cramps start to come back and he hunches over with a groan.

"f*ck…"

Chapter 26: Kept

Chapter Text

"f*ck…" Rayne grunts, hunching over and holding his stomach in pain as the cramps seem to intensify in Vanilla's body and he trembles slightly, his entire being seizing up. Vanilla can practically feel how his hands convulse and freeze whilst standing in front of him protectively. She glances back at him in concern before focusing her attention before them as the three magical beasts gather round.

"Partisan!" She chants before her eyes immediately widen in shock, 'The foundation of his magic is so weak!! Why?!' The golden swords manifest into reality before unsteadily drifting through the air. 'I can barely control it! His body isn't used to his own magic as it should be!'

The blades shatter upon contact with their rough and coarse fur, it's like a suit of armor, the swords themselves lack the power to break through with Vanilla's unaccustomed usage of Rayne's magic. Their roars ring in the pair's ears and they flinch, its powerful rumbles vibrating the air around them, stirring up the dust from the floor slightly. Vanilla quickly grabs Rayne by the waist and evades an attack just in time as the beast's massive paw shatters the ground where they once were. "Damn!" The girl grunts.

Vanilla can feel her blood pumping, it pulses in her ears loudly as the body she inhabits starts to heat up, flaring with magical energy and adrenaline keeping her awareness sharpened. She moves stiffly, unaccustomed to Rayne's naturally broader shoulders and longer legs, adjusting her grip onto his waist, securing his position before landing on her feet a good distance away with a small huff.

The other two beasts close in on the pair, prowling with their backs hunched over, analyzing their opponents with predatory eyes that bore into their souls. Snarls and lowly growls emanate from their throats, muffled slightly from the leather muzzle forcing their maws shut as they flick their spaded tails with engagement.

Vanilla takes a deep breath, gently setting Rayne down behind her and readying her wand in front of her, taking a protective stance before her partner and calmly assessing their current positions. Her mind reels, the thoughts that drift through her head are foreign, her senses are dulled slightly as she attempts to regain some sort of cognitive relapse of her own body. The girl shakes her head as if to reset her thoughts, groaning in frustration and gritting her teeth.

"Nalcos!" She chants as a pool of magical energy accumulates at the tip of the wand, quickly shooting out and crashing against one of the cerberus' heads.

"Why are you using a basic spell?!" Rayne shouts as the attack only seems to aggravate it more.

"Because I don't know how to use your personal magic-!"

"Watch out!!"

Vanilla gasps, quickly moving to the side as the magical beast separates the two apart from each other, all three heads turning their attention towards Rayne as he quickly tries to gain some distance from it, jumping back in cautious apprehension.

"Rayne!!" She shouts in concern, taking a step forward to defend him. But she quickly stops in her tracks as another cerberus pounces before her, blocking her off from her partner as she clicks her tongue in agitation, furrowing her brows in concentration.

'Here it comes!' The girl thinks as the magical beast reels back on its hind legs, lunging towards her in a quick sprint before leaping into the air. She seethes through her teeth, moving towards the animal and raising her wand in retaliation. The threat looms over her, the silhouette of its shadow covers her entire body as she lifts her wand, flipping it in her hand with her fingers and thrusting upwards, leaning back and twisting her body to use her current body's fullest strength. The wood pierces through the soft underbelly of the creature, spearing through its flesh and impaling its heart, forcing the magical beast to roar out in pain before falling limp.

Vanilla quickly presses forward into a sprint, the beast's lifeless body falling behind her and sliding across the floor of the arena to ride out the rest of its momentum before slumping on the ground, its crimson ichor pooling around its corpse.

The girl quickly runs towards her partner in a panic, scrambling to reach him. She leaps off the ground right before the demon dog could pounce onto her partner, who had his wand raised in defense. She lands on its back, startling the creature as it grounds its front paws, kicking back its hind legs in an attempt to throw the girl off of its body. Her fists clench the stiff armor-like hide, hanging onto its back for dear life as her heart drops to the pit of her stomach at the juggling sensation.

"Just focus! It's supposed to be intuitive!!" Rayne pleads, watching the comical scene play out in front of him with a sense of astonishment.

'The f*ck is that supposed to mean?!!' Vanilla thinks frantically, slowly climbing her way towards the heads of the beast. 'f*ck it!'

"Partisan!!" She attempts to use Rayne's magic once again, shutting her eyes tightly to ignore her self-induced limitations and empty her head full of doubts that told her this was a terrible idea. Her entire body tenses up, every muscle flexing as she breathes in deeply, 'It's okay…It's okay…Just let go…Let go…' She thinks, accumulating her magic.

"Control your emotions Vanilla. Nothing good will come from you losing yourself."

The girl flinches with a gasp, opening her eyes in fear as her blood runs cold. She freezes in place before the magical beast finally manages to throw her off, the sudden lurch forcing the air out of her lungs as she coughs. Vanilla quickly reacts, maneuvering her body in the air to land on her feet, the palm of her hand slapping against the ground to remain stable as she bends her legs to lessen the impact.

"Vanilla!" Rayne shouts after her, watching as the other cerberus comes up from behind her. He's barely able to take a step before his legs falter, forcing him to kneel as a surge of aches wracked his body. He grimaces, his eyes wide in horror before his arm moves instinctively, raising the silver wand and pointing it towards the girl inhabiting his body, "Barrier!!" He shouts desperately.

Vanilla gasps, quickly whipping around right as the beast collides with the weak force field, halting its movements for only a moment. Its claws easily shatter through the shield and she quickly ducks under as its dense body lurches forward. The magical beast sinks its claws into the ground, stopping its momentum before turning around with a low growl.

"sh*t!" Rayne exclaims before quickly moving out of the way as the cerberus cornering him pounces. He manages to dodge a swipe of its paw before it quickly turns around, whipping its tail and slapping him across the arena, landing only a few meters away from Vanilla as she watches with horrified eyes.

"Rayne!!" Vanilla dashes towards him, jumping over the maws of her opponent as they snap their jaws to grab at the girl. She quickly makes her way over to the boy, sliding on her knees to a stop as she quickly assesses the damage. Rayne coughs, slowly sitting up with Vanilla's assistance and grunts in pain, his face scrunching up in discomfort as the girl panics, her breath quickening as her heartbeat accelerates in her chest, pounding rapidly against her ribs as her hands start to clam up.

"I-I'm fine Vanilla, calm down." Rayne grumbles, keeping his eyes trained on the two magical beasts. "Don't hesitate. Just do it." He advises.

"I-I can't." The girl responds shakily, her eyes wide in fear with a visible tremble in her hands.

"Yes, you can. If you don't trust yourself, then trust me." Rayne states firmly, looking into her eyes with an intense gaze.

"B-But what if I-"

"Stop doubting yourself." His tone exasperated.

Vanilla gasps, the words dying in her throat as she grimaces, clenching her teeth in frustration as her hands tighten around the wand, nearly splintering the wood as the handle creaks under the pressure.

'That's right…It's not my magic. It's Rayne's…'

She slowly turns around, standing up properly on her feet and pointing her wand straight ahead over, glaring at her opponents as they break out into a sprint, lunging at the pair with ferocity.

"If you don't trust yourself, then trust me…"

The magic begins to resonate within her, the tingling surge of energy makes her body twitch slightly, a nostalgic sense of deja vu overwhelms her senses, as if learning how to use magic for the first time once more. Flinching at the unexpected feeling before a powerful sword shoots down from above her, landing squarely on one of the beast's middle head, easily piercing through its flesh as the other heads react to the sudden blow, stopping it in its tracks as the other demon dog continues its pursuit.

"Rapid Partisan!" Vanilla seethes in frustration, feeling the magic accumulate from within her before a hailstorm of swords rain down on the two magical beasts as she feels the magic within Rayne's body draining from the onslaught. The intensity of the attack kicks up stray debris, encompassing their targets in a cloud of dust and obscuring the pair's vision. Rayne slowly makes his way onto his feet, watching the scene with a stoic expression as the assault ends, the arena falling completely silent with only the light shuffling of rocks settling from the attack filling the room.

The very next moment the pair's perspective suddenly shifts. It was as if they blinked and Vanilla was suddenly looking at Rayne's back, observing the familiar Adler's insignia that decorated his navy blue robes. She gasps at the sudden realization and quickly looks down at her body, feeling the dull ache of her menstruation from within her own body and her familiar magical signature, complete with the density of her own magical capacity.

Her arms immediately shoot up, giving herself a hug and nearly squealing in excitement, "I never thought I'd miss having my period so much!!" She gushes, her face breaking out into a wide smile. Rayne looks down at his hands before sighing, turning around and observing as Vanilla squirms in her spot in relief.

He breathes out a small sigh and shakes his head. A door suddenly manifests behind Vanilla as she remains oblivious in her excitement. The man doesn't hesitate, quickly walking past the girl, grabbing the back of her hood and dragging her along to follow him. "Let's keep moving." He grumbles as her heels slide across the ground behind him.

Once the pair walk through the doors, they're greeted by a long corridor, each side lined with a series of torches illuminating their path that leads to a gated room at the end of the hallway.

Their steps acho across the floors of the corridor, walking side by side with their strides in sync as the tense air around the pair softens slightly, bringing in an ambiance of contentment in their comfortable silence.

"Hey…" Vanilla suddenly speaks up softly. Rayne doesn't spare her a glance, keeping his gaze fixated on their destination ahead of them.

"Hm?" He responds in a simple hum as the light from the torches flicker and reflect in his saffron irises.

"Thanks…for what you said back there…" The girl says quietly, keeping her eyes glued to the floor in front of her, fiddling with the tie of her uniform.

The man glances at her from the corner of his eye and lets out a small sigh, "I didn't do much…"

"But you said what I needed to hear…so thanks…"

The pair fall silent once more, walking calmly towards their next trial within the tower. The structure inhabiting them feels dense, no windows leading towards the outside world makes it feel as if they were underground with no idea how much longer they would be tested in this tower of trials. The doors awaiting them at the end of the hallway only seem to grow farther and farther away as they walk, their shadows flickering as the light from the torches bend and dance along the walls of the corridor.

"Your magic…" Rayne speaks as Vanilla tilts her head, giving her partner her undivided attention, "It's…difficult to use…" The half blonde admits, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

Vanilla chuckles softly, breathing out a small sigh and nodding her head in agreement, "It's broad…"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Everything…There's no foundation. Even basic spells are tedious."

"...I don't know…I…I guess I just think a lot…" Vanilla mumbles.

"So you formulate spells from scratch?"

She nods her head slowly, pursing her lips together into a somber expression.

"...That's impressive…" Rayne states as Vanilla perks up, looking at him with wide eyes, her lips parted in shock. "Using magic like that is difficult, but that's what makes it so flexible."

She clamps her jaw shut, averting her gaze away from the boy and slaps her hands over her mouth in an attempt to hide her flustered expression.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" The man asks in concern, turning his head to observe her reaction.

"N-No! It's nothing like that, thank you…." She mumbles, taking a deep breath to regain her bearings. He doesn't press the issue further, simply nodding his head in acknowledgement and turning back to face their trial ahead as Vanilla hesitates to bring up his astonishingly weak magic foundations. Perhaps it was due to his unfortunate circ*mstances?

The pair arrive at the massive double doors, carefully inspecting it before squaring their shoulders and pushing through together. The entrance opens with an obnoxious creak and the torches that once lit the hallway behind them all go out at once. An all-encompassing light shines brightly within the room as the pair raise their arms instinctually in defense, blinking their eyes a few times to adjust to the sudden illumination as they step into the chamber.

The two students quickly take in their new surroundings. The entire area is filled with nothing but white, almost a void-like appearance taking up the entirety of the open space. A completely blank space with no windows with only pristine marble-like walls surrounding the open space.

The pair walk into the room as the gate behind them disappears in a wisp of magic, quickly analyzing their surroundings with cautious steps. The room is bright, it's difficult for Vanilla to look anywhere without squinting slightly in an effort to prevent some of the light from damaging her eyes due to the intense illumination that seems to radiate off of the pristine walls and floor.

Rayne and Vanilla make it to what seems like the center of the room before the girl feels something cold on her neck. She raises her hand, carefully feeling her neck before a sudden click is heard. She gasps as her fingers delicately trace the metal shackle around her neck before she jolts in shock. The chains attached to her restraint pulls her from behind abruptly and she is seized from her spot, her fingers quickly grasping at the metal in a feeble attempt to lessen the strain on her neck.

"Vanilla!!" Rayne shouts, quickly turning around in concern before he too is seized from his spot in a similar manner. He slams against the wall as the retracting chain stops suddenly, allowing him to stand up and regain his bearings, granting him only one meter of freedom as the chain dangles between himself and the wall.

More of the same clicking sounds echo in the chamber as he looks down with wide eyes, shackles quickly start to restrain him by his wrists and ankles, barely giving him enough space to even let his hands reach his face unless he were to lean down.

"W-What the hell?!" The girl shouts audaciously with wide eyes, glaring at the chains restricting their movements. She looks over at Rayne and gasps in disbelief, "...This trial is sexist…" She complains with complete seriousness in her tone as Rayne co*cks a brow in mild amusem*nt, pursing his lips together with an unconvinced expression painting his face.

The familiar creaking of a door suddenly echoes from the other side of the room and the pair snap their heads to look over, a magical gate having appeared before their very eyes. The doors open, revealing the students of Walkis, marching in confidently with the hems of their uniforms slightly tattered from their previous trial.

"Well well well, look what we have here!" Galuf is quick to sneer upon seeing the two Easton students. Kreuger narrows his eyes at the pair, an amused smirk on his face as the gate behind him disappears. Shoving his hands into his pockets with his chin tilted upwards as if to look down on them.

Rayne narrows his eyes, quickly pulling out his wand to preemptively prepare to defend himself and his restricted partner. The walls of the room suddenly shift, the rattling of the white tiles scraping against each other echo throughout the enclosed space as the students of Easton are pulled farther away from each other. The chamber settles into place with a slight rumble once the pair are cornered on each end of the room with magical runes making their presence known, a dim glow emitting from their metallic restraints. Ancient texts appear along the wall between the Walkis and Easton students before the chamber is engulfed in a deafening silence.

Vanilla pulls against her chain, squinting her eyes and holding a hand over her brows to see across the wide open area to read the prompt,

'Color this room,

be there, be whole,

as your passion grows,

the doors will open

to those who bare their soul.'

. . . .

"Oh what the f-"

Chapter 27: Weak

Chapter Text

Vanilla shifts in her spot uncomfortably, keeping her gaze on the Walkis students across the room as they stride towards her with co*cky expressions painting their faces. She can sense their malicious intent, narrowing her eyes in retaliation as her wand slides out from under her sleeve, grasping onto it tightly and pointing the tip towards the pair in a tense hostility as they approach.

"Barrier!" The girl chants as the Walkis students stop in their tracks, awaiting to see the effects of her magic. Only for it to never come as the flow of magic becomes stunted.

"W-What…?" Vanilla whispers out in horror, her blood runs cold before quickly coming to the realization. She glares down at her chains, its negative effects on her body beginning to dawn on her as she slides her fingers between her neck and the shackle, her hands ripping against the collar and bruising her skin in a futile attempt to pry it from her body.

Galuf huffs, unimpressed and continues in his stride, shrugging his shoulders with a sh*t eating grin painting his expression, "Heh, can't say I'm surprised. How pathetic." He reaches a hand out towards the girl as she glares daggers into him.

She quickly seizes his wrist, "Hmph." Moving skillfully and forcing him closer to her body as he stumbles in shock, "Don't." Using her foot to knock him off balance and turn his body, "f*cking." And finally twisting his arm behind his back, "Touch me."

Kreuger whistles with a smirk, his brows raising in amusem*nt and surprise at her ministrations, "Feisty~" He draws out, licking his lips and rubbing his chin with intrigue.

Vanilla cringes at the display, shoving Galuf's head down before kicking his behind roughly, shoving him away with her foot with a scowl. The blonde stumbles away from the push, rubbing the ache in his shoulder with agitation as his partner approaches the Easton student with his hands shoved into his pockets.

He raises his hand as Vanilla reacts quickly to his actions, raising her arms to engage. As if predicting her movements, he quickly seizes both of her wrists with one hand, his long fingers easily wrapping around her wrists and pulling them downward, leaving her effectively defenseless.

"What a shame." He says quietly, bringing his arm up and cupping her face, forcing her head up to look at him, "You would've made a fine addition to Walkis…"

Rayne's body moves without his permission, letting out a grunt as he pulls against his restraints forcefully, he struggles against his shackles on the other side of the room, the metal clangs against itself, echoing across the open space as his breath hitches in his throat, watching intently as Vanilla narrows her eyes up at the Walkis student.

"And you would've made a fine addition to a salon." The girl quips back with a scowl, shrugging her shoulders and narrowing her eyes at the disgusting trail of hair between Kreuger's bushy eyebrows.

The man clicks his tongue in irritation, his hand trailing up to grip at Vanilla's hair before slamming her face down onto his knee. The girl represses any noise from slipping through her lips, seething through her teeth and refusing to give him the satisfaction as she falls to her knees, blood dripping from her nose as she huffs, her head feeling heavy as she steadies herself from the sudden blow.

"Heh…" She huffs, slowly craning her neck to meet the man's gaze, "Fragile, are we?" She mocks with a sneer, her mind reeling as she ponders the prompt presented to them, carved into the walls with magical energy.

'Color this room,

be there, be whole,

as your passion grows,

the doors will open

to those who bare their soul.'

"I've just about had enough of you." Kreuger growls, pulling his leg back before shoving his foot into Vanilla's stomach. She coughs, recoiling at the sensation as the air is forcefully knocked out of her lungs. The girl doesn't relent however, quickly recovering from the impact and chuckling lowly.

'Stop. Vanilla! Stop it! Just stay down! Don't do anything stupid!' Rayne thinks as he tugs against the shackles that hold him in place, uncaring as the metal digs into his skin, his breath quickening as he watches on in horror, seething through his teeth at his own helplessness.

"I can't tell which one's smaller, your IQ or your pathetic microp-!"

Another kick lands onto her body as she attempts to block the attack with her arms, barely able to shield herself from the blow before quickly grabbing his leg, pulling it up over her head and landing a solid punch to his groin. Vanilla quickly stands up, keeping his leg raised before placing her hand on his knee and shoving it downward using her own bodyweight, successfully dislocating his limb as he falls to the ground, screaming out in excruciating pain and agony.

'Thanks to that, I've figured it out.' She thinks, placing a thumb on her nose and blowing out the remaining blood in her nostril. Galuf takes a step forward, glaring at the girl as he pulls out his wand, pointing it directly at the girl, "Acid!" He chants before the corrosive nectar manifests before him, spewing towards the girl as her wand slips into her hand.

She closes her eyes, stepping to the side and narrowly dodging the splash of the toxic fountain. Vanilla brings her hands together in concentration, holding her wand before taking a deep breath and declaring her true feelings, feelings she had been suppressing ever since they came into fruition, feelings that she had never uttered to a single soul, feelings that she was truly ashamed of…

"Alice's food is disgusting!!"

Somewhere in the school where spectators were allowed to watch the finalists' competition, Alice is screaming obscenities and jumping onto the table in protest, her arms flailing about and shouting at Vanilla in betrayal through the magic mirror.

'I'm sorry Alice. But it's the truth!'

. . . .

A ringing silence seems to permeate through the chamber as everyone stands in shock at Vanilla's bold declaration, her expression completely composed as the shackles holding her hostage slowly disappear, as if to say, 'Close enough I suppose.'

With her newly granted freedom, she doesn't hesitate to act, sprinting towards Galuf as he frantically raises his wand. She ducks under his arm, grabbing him by the uniform and slamming her fist into his jaw, sweeping her leg underneath his body and throwing him over her shoulder, landing him right next to his partner writhing in agony on the ground.

The girl breathes out a small sigh, taking out her wand and channeling her magical energy, "Energy Negative, secondths." Trapping her opponents within the barrier before taking a deep breath in relief, watching as they struggle to recover with cautious eyes that observe their movements.

Rayne watches the scene from a distance, his heart skipping a beat as he feels as if his body is becoming weightless, a tinge of excitement pulsing through his veins. Many thoughts race through his head as the tips of his ears flare up, his throat becoming dry as he pulls at the tie of his uniform that suddenly felt more constricting than that of the shackles that currently restrict him.

Vanilla gasps as if recalling their current objective, whipping around and swiftly making her way towards her partner, "Rayne!" She calls to him, snapping the half blonde out of his thoughts as he breathes out a small sigh, his demeanor relaxing slightly as she approaches.

"Vanilla-"

"I've figured it out." The girl interrupts, quickly brushing past Rayne and kneeling on the ground, observing his chains with sharp eyes. Her brow twitches upon closer inspection, delicately holding onto his shackles as he turns his head to peer down at the girl.

"Figured what out?" He inquires, clearing his throat as she simply points up at the ancient text written on the wall above him.

"It reads, Color this room, be there, be whole, the doors will open to those who bare their soul.'" She recites as Rayne's brows furrow together, the pieces clicking into place as he realizes the reasoning behind his partner's actions.

"So what does it mean? Does it require a confession or something?" He inquires as Vanilla pushes herself up from off the ground, shaking her head.

"Judging from the magical composition of this chain, it seems like it requires something more. It can't be just anything." She mumbles, raising her hand to rest over her chin in thought as her brows knit together. "What's on your mind?" She asks gently, bringing her head up to gaze into his saccharine eyes, her expression softening to one of sympathetic concern.

Rayne stands stunned for a moment, simply staring back at her in astonishment as his hands start to clam up. "I…" He hesitates, his eyes darting around in an effort to avoid Vanilla's patient gaze. She tilts her head, furrowing her brows together in concern before a rupture behind them shakes the floors they stand on, cracking the pearly white porcelain rock beneath them as the chamber turns an ominous shade of red.

Vanilla gasps, quickly turning around with wide eyes, wielding her wand in hand as her attention lands on the barrier trapping the Walkis students. Cracks form on the sphere, visures of magic echo throughout the open space as they collide with their cage.

'What is this pressure? It's heavy…almost oppressive even all the way over here…' Vanilla thinks as her hairs stand on end. She takes a step in front of Rayne, holding out her arm protectively as her barrier shatters, blowing away the shards of magic in all directions, revealing the enraged bloodlust that comes from within.

The girl raises her wand and narrows her eyes as their opponents glare at the pair from across the room, their wands in hand with murderous intent emanating from Kreuger. "You double liners are an eyesore…" He growls lowly as Galuf flinches, tilting his head to look at his partner in bewilderment.

"Kreuger-senpai, w-what do you mean by th-!?" Vanilla gasps, her hands slapping over her mouth in horror as the enraged third year student merely uses his magic to shut his partner up, fatally impaling his stomach and sending him flying through the air. Galuf's body slams into the other side of the wall with an audible crack, knocking him out as the back of his head collides with the hard surface, his blood staining the pearly marble in a dreadful trail that pools around him.

"W-Why…" The girl whispers out breathlessly at the atrocity, her breath hitches in her throat as Kreuger turns his attention towards the pair. Rayne watches the scene with wide eyes, unsure of what to think before the remaining Walkis student lunges towards them in a sprint.

"Barrier Secondths!" Vanilla chants quickly, casting a protective shield around both of them, centering around her partner. She can feel her magical and physical prowess surge under the effects of her spell but something feels…off…

"Tch. Condense." He murmurs under his breath, raising his wand over his shoulder before a fierce gust of wind whizzes past him, spearing through Vanilla's barrier with ease and impales her side before she could react, stumbling back in surprise. The girl clenches her teeth, glaring down at her wound as it quickly closes with her magic.

"Vanilla-!"

"I'm fine!" She quickly brushes off Rayne's concern, raising her wand and reinforcing her barrier, pouring more of her magic into it in an effort to keep up their defenses.

"Condense by three." Kreuger chants, stopping a good distance away as the air begins to swirl around him, forming invisible spears before shooting towards the barrier in an effort to break through Vanilla's defenses.

The first two immediately shatter through her barrier with the third barely leaving the girl any time to react. She quickly attempts to duck under, her legs bending to lean her body backwards before the sharp wind slices her face, cutting through the surface of her lips and up her eye, "GAH-!" She gasps out, stumbling on her feet and delicately cradling her face as the beating of her heart only seems to exacerbate the blood pooling in her palm, slipping through her fingers and spilling onto the floor.

"Vanilla!!" Rayne shouts, pulling against his restraints forcefully, uncaring as the shackles that hold him in place dig into his flesh, piercing the skin as his crimson ichor leaks down his neck and hands, staining the white dress shirt of his uniform.

Vanilla grunts, quickly healing her injuries, furrowing her brows as she ponders her current disposition. 'I see, it's wind magic. It's simple…no wonder he's here even as a single liner…It's just that powerful…' She thinks to herself with a grimace, 'He doesn't need a large pool of magic to cast such effective spells…' She takes a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat, accumulating her magic, relaxing her jaw and squaring her shoulders, her gaze scanning her opponent's body for any openings to attack.

"Blades." He chants as Vanilla tenses up,

'Here it comes!' She moves instinctively before freezing in place, her eyes widening in realization as she glances back at Rayne. 'sh*t! I can't dodge!'

She holds her arms out in an attempt to prevent any of the blades from reaching her partner, stopping her momentum and bracing herself. The girl takes every hit head on as deep lacerations sear into her skin, stretching across her face to her legs as she stands in front of Rayne protectively. The wind within the chamber bellows as the shockwaves from the attack resonate throughout the open space, with Rayne raising his arms and steadying himself, narrowing his eyes to defend against the harsh winds.

Vanilla falls to the ground limply, coughing up blood as her magic struggles to keep up with the amount of damage she was taking, grunting as she feels her magic seemingly fading from her body. 'sh*t…it's the effects of the chamber…My will is dwindling…' She thinks to herself with a grimace, desperately grasping onto her previous declaration to preserve her remaining motivation.

"Hmph, how pathetic it must be to lose so spectacularly to a single liner like me, isn't it?" Kreuger huffs, looking down on the girl with disappointment before pointing his wand at her to finish the job.

'What are you doing Vanilla?! Get up! Get up or he'll…He'll kill you!!'

'As if I can…This trial is giving him a boost…his intent to kill is stronger than my will to never eat Alice's cooking ever again…'

'I need to do something!! Move! Move please! Get these damn chains off me and f*cking MOVE!!'

Rayne grunts, forcing his body to struggle against his restraints in a desperate attempt to break free from his shackles, the metal claws into his skin, nearly cutting off his breathing but he doesn't relent. A guttural scream rips from his throat as his fingers slide under his collar, a futile attempt to force it open as Vanilla looks behind her in shock, her vision blurring as she squints, trying to register what was happening before her.

"What a strong reaction…" Kreuger smirks sad*stically, licking his lips, keeping his eyes trained on the boy as his wand accumulates magic around its tip.

"VANILLAAA!!"

"Blade."

Chapter 28: True

Chapter Text

'Think! Think! Think!! You're going to become a Divine Visionary for Finn, aren't you?! So why?!!' Rayne's thoughts shout at him as he trembles in his spot, his hands shaking as an unfamiliar coldness consumes him, a sense of dread falling into the pit of his stomach, watching helplessly as Kreuger accumulates his magic to deliver the finishing blow.

"It can't be just anything."

'What did she mean by that?! What the hell?! Why isn't it working?!'

"What's on your mind?"

"VANILLAAA!!"

"Blade."

**

Vanilla is yellow, like the sunset that painted the sky amber rich hues on the day of our date. Yellow like my eyes that she liked to admire silently when she thought I wasn't looking. Yellow like her magic that feels so soothing, like I'm being swarmed by big fluffy rabbits. Yellow like Finn's hair the one time we were given the opportunity to shower when we were on the streets. Yellow, like the tulips that lined the school gates in the spring. Yellow like the pages of old books she always had her nose stuck in.

Vanilla is yellow.

**

The shackles come undone and Rayne moves instinctively without a second thought, raising his wand as all of his magical energy explodes around him, exaggerated further as the effects of the chamber begin to respond to his testament. The menacing red ambiance of the room is quickly overpowered by bright citrine hues resembling the sun's rays as the heat begins to swell.

"Partisan!"

An alarming amount of large swords are produced, surrounding Kreuger as the man tenses up, furrowing his brows and clicking his tongue in agitation, "So he's figured it out." He mumbles before swiftly moving out of the way as the blades crash down onto the ground, kicking up the debris within the area and blowing hasty winds upon impact.

"Heh…Nice…" Vanilla huffs, growing more hopeful and feeling reassured as her wounds begin to heal steadily, dedicating her magic towards her wounds rather than defending her body. She slowly pushes herself up from off the ground, looking at the state of the chamber and admiring the comforting yellow hues that painted the once ominously scarlet walls.

The dust settles, revealing Kreuger a ways away from where Rayne's attack had landed, the hardened floors cracked with caked rubble becoming revealed underneath.

"Don't get so co*cky…" Kreuger growls from under his breath as Vanilla stands up properly, keeping her eyes trained on his figure as Rayne stands before her.

The students raise their wands in preparation as they have a stand-off, observing the other with keen eyes that pierce through the tension in the air. The room begins to shift slightly as Kreuger takes a deep breath, his half of the chamber beginning to glow a brilliant crimson.

"Blades!"

"Partisan!"

The two men chant as the invisible blades of wind stir, whipping through the air aimed directly at the half-blonde. His partisans easily slice through the swirls, slamming into Kreuger as he grunts from the impact, being knocked off his feet and sliding a few meters away. Rayne narrows his eyes in suspicion, raising a brow with a stern expression painting his face, 'Something feels off…' He thinks to himself as Vanilla mirrors his demeanor.

'My barriers have the same hardness as Rayne's partisans…So what's going on here?' She tenses up as Kreuger slowly gets up onto his feet with a groan, pointing his wand directly at the pair with a pained countenance. Vanilla glances behind her, peeking at the ancient texts once more with concentration, attempting to recall anything that may be relevant that she might be overlooking.

"You double liners think you're all that…How naive…" Kreuger mumbles under his breath, seething through his teeth.

"You're a blight upon this family."

"I'm strong too…"

"You sully the Pierce name!"

"I can do anything double liners can do…!"

"How dare you talk back to me!!"

"I'll kill you…!"

The pair tense up as the once comforting yellows that illuminated the room suddenly become dense with potent magic. The colors of the room shifting into a menacing sanguine, the chamber heats up as his hatred flares, the effects of this trial forcing Kreuger's magical output to surge in power and eminence.

The pair can feel their magical energy draining slightly as they become apprehensive at the sudden shift. The powers in the room expand as the scales begin to tip in favor of the lone Walkis student.

"Condense! One-hundred!!" The scream rips through Kreuger's throat as his calm demeanor is chipped away. The pair tense up as the air around them grows thin, the wind swirling around them in a violent tempest, like a manifestation of the boy's fury, the crimson hues pulsating along the surfaces of the chamber only getting faster and faster as the air shifts and sways.

Vanilla's breaths quicken, struggling to inhale as the air gets thinner and thinner while Rayne stands his ground, widening his stance and finding it difficult to not get swept away in the violent storm.

The wind manifests, condensed so tightly the hundred spears can be seen with the naked eye, each one swirling in a barbarish reverie of torment that seemed to reflect upon its wielder. Javelins of storm float above the pair, encompassing the entirety of the ceiling with the intensity of their hatred running so deeply it leaves them nearly petrified at its potency.

Kreuger swings his arm down, flicking his wrist as the spears are commanded to descend upon the Easton students. Vanilla gasps, quickly putting her arms up in defense and chanting, "Barrier Secondths!!" Her magic is quickly manifested, using her body as a vessel to contain the spell as the spears rain down indiscriminately. They fail to break through the barrier, leaving their marks upon the enchanted magic as Vanilla's body bears the weight of the attack. Every hit that lands feels like an added weight, forcing her legs to bend and the floor beneath her to crack under the pressure as she grunts, carrying the magic spell circle upon her back.

"sh*t…!" Rayne hisses upon seeing his partner shielding the assault, turning his attention towards Kreuger and raising his wand. "Rapid Partisan!" He chants, the golden swords manifest behind him and swiftly shoot out towards his opponent.

"Blades!!" Kreuger shouts in retaliation, slicing the air with his wand and creating wind blades that fly from his swipes. The crescents of condensed wind slice through Rayne's swords, slashing into his body as he stumbles from the sudden impact.

"Rayne!" Vanilla shouts from behind him. She points her wand towards her partner, maintaining the barrier with one hand as she formulates her magic, "Energy Positive!" The girl chants, sending him a talisman that attaches itself to his body. The half blonde relaxes slightly, feeling the familiar warmth of her healing magic as his wounds begin to close.

Vanilla can feel her magic becoming weaker as the hundred lance assault raining down upon them begins to pick up in intensity with each spear adding onto the already arduous amount of weight continuing to pile on top of her. Threatening to crush her under the burden, punishing her body as her bones feel as if they were about to break and splinter, straining her joints as the muscles begin to seize up and tremble.

"Condense! Three!" Kreuger chants as Vanilla gasps, craning her neck to peer up. Tornado-like spears manifest beside the man before shooting out, whistling as they zip through the air. Rayne prepares to counter the attack only for the winds to suddenly change direction, swirling past him as he freezes in shock.

"AGH-!!" His eyes widen before quickly whipping around, witnessing as blood spills from Vanilla's lips, pooling on the ground beneath her, the spears digging into her body as she continues to hold up the barrier, preventing the javelins above from colliding with Rayne and herself.

Rayne can feel his magic flare up as he turns his attention back towards their opponent, glaring daggers as he raises his wand in retaliation. "Rapid partisan!!" He shouts as the crimson walls flicker ever so slightly in response as he attempts to take back control of the chamber's effects.

The massive spell of the hundred spears finally end as Vanilla slumps over in relief, her arms falling limply at her sides as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

Golden swords swarm Kreuger to no avail, easily slicing them apart with his wind blades and slashing through Rayne's arms as he attempts to block the attacks, using magic to increase his resilience. Slowly draining Vanilla's magic through her talisman as it heals his wounds, she slumps to the ground with a weak grunt. She lays on her stomach, carefully turning her head to peer up at the ancient texts littering the wall behind her as her vision begins to blur and the world around her starts to spin. Her head begins to fog up as her thoughts become messy and disorganized, her movements becoming sluggish as she struggles for breath.

Rayne gasps as another wave of swirling winds break through his partisans, slicing through his flesh as he attempts to defend his body with magic, his blood spilling from his wounds as he struggles to take back favor of the chamber, his head becoming clouded with frustration.

'This isn't good…His hatred for us is too strong…' Rayne thinks, furrowing his brows before he feels a sudden shiver, the warmth of Vanilla's healing magic fading as her talisman begins to flicker before disappearing. His blood runs cold and he doesn't dare take his eyes off his opponent, his magic beginning to dwindle inconsistently as Kreuger's bloodlust only seems to grow. Currying the favor of the chamber further and increasing his magical output.

"This is the end for you." Kreuger states, looking down on his weakened opponent before flicking his wrist, producing another powerful wind blade that fiercely swipes through the air, catching the half blonde off guard as it seeps into his skin, ripping through his uniform and tearing through his flesh, leaving its fatal mark upon his body.

Blood leaks from Rayne's wounds as he falls to the ground, gritting his teeth and clenching his wand in hand, glaring up at the ravenette that now stands above him.

"How pathetic…" The man states, huffing in disappointment before focusing his attention on Vanilla. He turns on his heel, making his way towards the Orca prefect. Before he could even take one step, Rayne's hand darts out from under him, grabbing onto his ankle firmly with a grimace, seething through his teeth.

"Don't f*cking touch her…" He growls lowly with a certain venom in his tone, his saccharine eyes practically glowing with resentment as Kreuger smirks in amusem*nt, 'Come on Vanilla…If there's anyone that can figure it out…it's you…!'

"Seems like your desire to protect that woman is no match for my desire to kill her. How disappointing it must be for you…" Kreuger mocks, easily kicking the weakened male away with a sad*stic snicker, relishing in the way Rayne grunts at the action.

'I'm missing something…' Vanilla thinks, desperately grasping onto the last strings of her consciousness. 'It's not a matter of will…It's…' She heaves, staring at her hand as her cheek lays limply against the cold floor, 'It's…being true…!'

Her eyes widen in realization as she feels her magic slowly coming back to her, quickly putting the pieces together in her mind as she takes a deep breath, the fog in her head slowly clearing away as the answer slowly dawns on her. 'My…True self…?'

"Whoever that Vanilla is…I'd like to meet her…"

'That's right…'

Vanilla clumsily gets up from the ground, stumbling a bit as she clenches her fists, seething through her teeth as she forces herself to move, the cuts littering her body shifting slightly before they start to heal as her magic begins to accumulate, slowly taking control of the chamber's effects.

'Cast away that pride…'

Kreuger steps away, his eyes widening as he feels her magic festering, the crimson ambiance flickering as Vanilla seizes the favor of the trial, holding onto it in an iron grasp. He retreats, his hands clamming up as he feels his magic beginning to revert. Rayne watches in awe, carefully shifting his head to look back at his partner with a ghost of a smile painting his bloodied lips.

'What I'd like most right now…'

Blobs of paint suddenly fall from the ceiling, alerting the nearby students, splattering across the pristine floors and dying the white canvas in an array of vibrant colors. Brilliant blues, ambers, and hues of green stain the ground and splotch against the walls, creating a collage of picturesque mirages of rainbows.

"That's right, be happy, get excited…"

Vanilla smiles, letting out a genuine smile as she raises her arms with bright eyes that watch with wonder as the chaos begins to unfold. The world around her starts to fall far far away, and it becomes no longer a trial, there are no stakes, there are no pains, there is simply Vanilla…

"Just be a kid…"

"Hahahahaha!! Hehehe! HAHAHA!!" The girl twirls, her uniform's robes flaring out as the music begins. The chamber shifts in response as the walls come crumbling down and transform into an ethereal sunset, its rays peer just above the horizon that feels so far off in the distance, the soft grass blades tickle at her bare feet as her uniform morphs into an elegant white gown.

"W-What the hell!?" Kreuger exclaims before being subsequently knocked out by an egregiously sized beach ball.

Rayne slowly pushes himself from off the ground as Vanilla twirls around in her dress with a childish excitement in her step. 'Like the princesses in the stories I read!'

Her magic expands around her as if to blow away all her worries, 'And the handsome princes that offer their hand to dance!'

Rayne feels the familiar warmth of Vanilla's magic enveloping him as his wounds begin to close up, the effects of the trial quickly taking shape upon his body as his uniform shifts, his robes becoming a regal suit adorned with various golden ropes and jewels that shine so brilliantly against the sun's rays, fitted white gloves that hug his hands as he looks down at his body, bewildered by the sudden change.

‘If he could just be happy, even for just a moment, a reason to smile…that’d be great…’

Blobs of paint fall from the mirage of a sky, splotching the grass with so many colors the glimmer vividly in the sun's luminescence, splattering and staining Vanilla's white dress as she dances in tune with the music that only increases in volume as the world falls irrelevantly around her.

The girl takes Rayne's gloved hands into hers, pulling him into a spin as he stumbles in surprise, scanning Vanilla's carefree expression and wonderfilled eyes in astonishment. So different from her realist demeanor, different from her usual pessimism, it was as if she'd become a completely different person. This side of her nearly overwhelms him as she dances with him, leading him with her steps and holding his hands in coordination with the music. Living out the cliche galas and the ethereal scenes that can only be described in fairy tales.

And he comes to realize that this…

Is also Vanilla…

Chapter 29: Reflection

Chapter Text

The gentle breeze carefully lifts the pair into the air as the music around them swells, Vanilla becoming completely consumed in her childish dreams in this ethereal landscape, manifested into reality through the chamber's magic.

Rayne's eyes widen as Vanilla begins to sing, the lyrics clearly not matching with the music playing among them, with rhythm so poorly coordinated it would make Margarette vomit at the sight. Her gaze seems so distant, as if she was peering through him rather than at him, feeling completely exposed under her passionate gaze.

Vanilla flares out into a twirl with Rayne holding onto her hand, the skirt of her dress flowing primly over her legs as he lightly tugs on her arm and she falls back into him, dancing upon the invisible ground as they begin to match each others' steps in tandem.

Rayne takes initiative, pulling his partner into a delicate embrace with his palm pressed firmly on her waist. He surrenders himself to the flow, his expression relaxing as he moves his body to follow her lead. The man battles the urge to prevent the corners of his lips from tugging upwards into a smile as Vanilla laughs, her childish grin becoming impossibly contagious to resist.

Her hand drifts up his arm, resting her palm resting gently on his shoulder as her amber eyes seem to glisten in the sunlight, gazing into his saccharine irises as he watches her expression, his face warming up and his heart stuttering in his chest in a way that makes his body feel weightless. Her smile is so wide it distorts her magic lines as they bend against her cheek.

Vanilla's foot slips out from underneath him, pulling his leg forward and forcing him off balance as he gasps at the sudden dip.

"Wha-!" Her hand rests firmly on his waist as she holds him in place with a cheshire smile painting her lips, baring her teeth in amusem*nt as he feels the tips of his ears heat up. The girl pulls him back up with ease, continuing their waltz once more as the vibrant paints of the room glimmer, flaring out their clothes as the couple twirls about.

The gate appears before them as the conditions of the chamber are finally met. The man glances over, gently pulling on his partner as their steps lean towards the gates' open doors. The moment they step through, the doors shut behind them and their uniforms immediately revert back into their normal state. The pair fall to the ground on their hands and knees as the effects of the chamber are abruptly ripped away from them.

Vanilla heaves on the floor, inhaling deeply and gulping down the lump in her throat to prevent herself from throwing up at the sudden change, sweating bullets as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

"That was…Something…" She gasps between breaths, casting a hesitant glance towards her partner as he grips onto his shirt tightly, clenching the fabric in his fist to calm his rapid heartbeat that pounds so powerfully against his ribs almost painfully.

The girl's brows furrow together in concern, carefully crawling over towards her partner as she reaches out, "H-Hey…" The moment her fingers graze his shoulder he flinches away, causing her to recoil at his reaction and immediately pulls her hand back.

Rayne stares at the girl with wide eyes, taken aback by his own reaction before quickly recovering, clearing his throat and averting his gaze apprehensively, "I-I'm fine…" He says quietly as Vanilla raises a brow but doesn't press the issue.

"Let's take a few moments to rest then…" She suggests, leaning her back against the wall with a small sigh. The corridors they sit in are similar to the one they were in previously, this time lined with windows that let in some sunlight from the outside world.

Vanilla shifts her body slightly, moving to sit in the shade resting her head against her knees as she closes her eyes, taking deep calming breaths to recuperate her sense of self.

Rayne watches her with observant eyes scanning her figure from across the walkway, leaning against the brick window sill with his legs stretched out openly over the floors, uncaring for the beaming heat the sun's rays unleash onto his back. He slouches slightly, breathing out a small sigh and allowing his body to finally relax.

Vanilla lets out a huff, catching his attention as he brings his head up to look at her expression. Her brows knitted together in discomfort, shifting her body before huffing again.

And in the next moment she lays flat on the floor with lifeless eyes in a daze, a bit of drool slipping past her lips as she stares at the ceiling with a blank expression.

"Tsuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…."

"What?"

"...It feels like the last thirty minutes were a dream…"

"..."

"Now that I think about it, what was on your mind back there anyways?" Vanilla asks, turning her head to the side to meet Rayne's gaze. He tenses up for a moment, averting his eyes and nervously coughing into his hand, 'I wanted to protect you…'

"...I wanted to protect the people closest to me…" He admits quietly as Vanilla hums in understanding.

"So your brother? That's nice…" She says gently, turning her head back to look up at the ceiling, resting her hands over her stomach and breathing out a sigh. Rayne doesn't correct her, slowly turning his head back to observe her expression,

"What about you?"

"Me?" Vanilla inquires before bringing a hand up to rest over her chin in thought. 'I wanted to make you smile…'

"My mother…" She says simply, the air surrounding the pair shifts slightly as the things left unsaid marinate in the silence. And they understand, simply sitting in each other's presence in content as they decompress from the previous events, relishing in the serenity of it all.

The chirping of distant birds and the chatterings of various woodland creatures ring out from the open windows, the sounds of nature becoming a calming presence for the students as they rest.

Vanilla breathes out heavily with a small groan, fighting against the urge to take a nap right then and there, slowly sitting up from her spot on the floor. She turns her head, glancing over at her partner with a gentle contentment to her demeanor.

"We should get going…" She says softly with a small sigh escaping her lips. Vanilla rubs the back of her head, cracking her neck before quickly standing up, offering a hand to help her partner do the same.

Rayne merely stares blankly for a moment, hesitantly placing his hand in hers before she grasps onto him tightly, pulling him up with a surprising amount of strength as he stumbles slightly. A ghost of a smile paints her content expression as he regains his balance, the tips of his ears reddening as his heart flutters in his chest, his throat suddenly tightening up as his lips part slightly.

"T-Thanks…" He mutters out as Vanilla raises a brow. She brushes it off and simply turns towards the other side of the corridor, narrowing her eyes at their next trial whatever it may be. The pair walk in silence as they travel down the hall, their light footsteps echoing across the building in an almost exaggerated fashion.

"Ah, before we enter, let me do this at least…"

***

Rayne takes a deep breath as they stand before the large doors of their next trial, pressing his hands against the cold metal before pushing it open. His partner watches in anticipation with bated breath as the inner chamber is revealed.

An ominous darkness consumes the pair as they tense up, slowly walking into the room with caution in their steps.

The massive steel doors slam shut behind them once they are a few paces into the trial room and they flinch, simultaneously glancing behind them in concern before looking at each other, "Well that can't be good…" Vanilla mumbles before turning her gaze ahead of her.

The walls are lined with mirrors, as if the entire room was made up of crystal reflections in this open space. Candles float along the ceiling, illuminating the area with iridescent cold lighting. Endless reflections of the pair echo throughout the room, creating a paradoxical repeated pattern across each of the walls that mimic every action they take.

Vanilla approaches a wall, gently placing her hand on the glass and delicately sliding her fingers across the crystal-like structure with intrigue. 'Thank the gods I'm wearing pants…' She thinks to herself with a sad smile, glancing down at her reflection on the floor.

"What is this?" She mumbles as Rayne stands behind her a few paces away.

"A mirror."

"R-Right…" Vanilla replies uncomfortably as Rayne represses the urge to gag himself with his fist. Suddenly, the doors on the other side of the room creak open, alerting the two as they tense up, turning their bodies to face their opponents.

The two Saint Ars students walk in, their heads raised with intrigue before spotting the students of Easton, their eyes narrowing with hostility. "Seems like you've passed your previous trials." Kingruss states as the doors slam shut behind him and his partner.

Vanilla and Rayne tense up, quickly grabbing hold of their wands in sync before the chamber abruptly starts to shake, forcing the students off balance as their stances lower to remain on their feet. The rumbles shake the crystal-like structure of the room, cracking and splintering the clear surfaces of the walls before a large flat crystalline piece emerges from the ground, slicing the room in two and separating the students.

"sh*t-!"

"Rayne!"

The Easton students shout, racing towards each other but to no avail as the transparent wall segregates the pair. The students from Saint Ars stand next to each other, also separated by the crystalline structure, glancing at each other and nodding in agreement as if reading each others' minds as their wands appear in their hands.

Vanilla grunts, turning towards her opponent with a hostile expression, wielding her silver wand in hand. Rayne clicks his tongue, standing confidently before Kingruss and pointing his wand directly at him, looking down on the man coldly. "Show me your best, Easton."

The girl narrows her eyes, her body tensing up as Myrvoll readies his stance, preparing to attack. "You're not very combat oriented…Then this should be simple." He states as Vanilla furrows her brows, taking a deep breath before moving to attack.

She gasps as she finds her movements hindered by some unknown force. It was as if her own body was holding her back, taking an absurd amount of energy just to take a single step or even move a finger, like a resistance band constantly pulling at her limbs, keeping her in place.

Various gemstones manifest as Myrvoll concentrates his magic, each one emitting a different light that reflects the candles illuminating the mirrored chamber. "Fire." He chants before the gemstones shoot out, only to disappear once they've gained a certain distance from him. He looks in shock as he feels his magical energy dwindling.

"What's going on here?" He mumbles as Vanilla grunts, a low growl emitting from her throat as she struggles to even move her body.

"Hmph." Kingruss huffs before channeling his magic, "Iron Mallet." He chants. A large hammer of steel manifests behind him, threatening to crush Rayne as the half blonde grits his teeth, narrowing his eyes and raising his wand in retaliation. 'I have to get to Vanilla…!'

"Large Partisan!" The giant claymore clearly outsizes the mallet as it manifests. However, both spells fail before they could even collide. Both manifestations disappear in an instant as the chamber's effects take hold.

"Argh! Move dammit!!" Vanilla is heard shouting from the other side of the crystalline wall that separates the students. Rayne gasps as his body is forcefully jerked to one direction, stumbling to maintain his balance before his eyes quickly dart over to his partner on the other side of the transparent wall.

"Don't tell me…" He mumbles before observing her body's movements, mimicking them in tandem as she attempts to move her body.

It was as if all the invisible restraints had suddenly removed themselves, finding that her body moves fluidly and with ease for some reason. Sensing someone's gaze upon her form, she looks over at her partner, finding him in the same position as her as he mirrors her movements.

She stands up properly, turning her head to face her partner.

He stands up properly, turning his head to face his partner.

Their eyes widen as the realization dawns upon them.

'I have to…'

'...mirror him…'

'...mirror her…'

Chapter 30: Partisan

Chapter Text

"I see…The conditions of this trial require synchronization…" Myrvoll mumbles under his breath as he observes the Easton students' movements. A tense silence surrounds the finalists as they contemplate their next moves with serious consideration, taking into account their respective partners.

'This is a problem. Vanilla can't attack using magic…'

'Yikes…! Rayne can't mimic my movements without any training…We'll be completely on the defensive here!'

"Myrvoll, I'll start with my best." Kingruss declares.

"I understand."

'WHATTTT?!!'

The students of Saint Ars move their wands in sync, raising their arms over their heads and taking deep breaths to prepare themselves, accumulating their magic and monitoring each others' output to time their spells properly.

"Guardian, Trio Fort." Kingruss chants as a giant enchanted armor manifests into reality in a wisp of magic that seems to illuminate the space around it, holding a sword in front of itself in a regal stance that towers over him.

"Gems, acclimate." Myrvoll chants as the gemstones begin to sculpt themselves into the man's desired vision, forming into the spitting image of a knight, mirroring his partner's magic with its shape and structure.

Before it could even completely assemble itself, his partner moves swiftly, taking the man off guard as he hastily attempts to match his movements.

Rayne clicks his tongue, tensing up as Vanilla shouts from beyond the other side of the chamber, "I'll match you Rayne!!" She shouts, keeping her eyes on her partner and analyzing his body for any sudden movements. She watches as he crouches down, preparing to jump out of the way and she does the same, dodging in the opposite direction and keeping the symmetry of the chamber balanced.

They move in sync as Kingruss' enchanted armor swings its sword down onto Rayne, who dodges the lethargic attack with ease. The same cannot be said for Vanilla however, the split second the delay of Myrvoll's knight manages to land the tip of the gemstone blade into Vanilla's side, knocking her off balance and slamming her into the wall with incredible force. The crystalline structure of the wall cracks, sending shards of transparent glass into her body, sinking into her flesh as blood drips from her newly acquired wounds.

The forcefulness of the sudden impact hits Rayne as well, despite not being directly hit with the attack, his body is compelled by the effects of the chamber and he too crashes into the wall behind him with an equal amount of force.

"sh*t…!" He curses under his breath, the familiar warmth of Vanilla's preemptive talisman working its magic on his body and closing his wounds.

Vanilla grunts, keeping her eyes trained on Rayne and making micro adjustments to her movements to avoid making the same mistake as the knights attack the pair in sync.

"Partisan!"

"Barrier!"

The Easton students chant, using their respective personal magic to block the oncoming attacks, preventing the other from sustaining any more damage.

When Rayne moves, his partner moves in tandem. Using his partisan to block an attack, whilst Vanilla uses a barrier in its place. The strain on the girl's body becomes cumbersome as she clumsily matches her partner's movements. He acts unpredictably to avoid getting hit as Vanilla struggles to keep up, feeling the slight resistance of her body's naturally differing center of gravity, changing her momentum and twisting her joints uncomfortably to comply with the constraints of the chamber.

She breathes heavily, becoming fatigued more quickly than her male counterpart as he moves freely. Sweat drips from her body as she furrows her brows in frustration, her throat drying up from her rigorous panting as her heart pounds rapidly against her ribs. Vanilla accumulates the magic within her body to alleviate the fatigue before another swing of the gemstone blade comes crashing down upon her.

Rayne dodges the attack on his end, pulling his partner with him as she copies his actions, forcing herself to stay in motion despite her body's constant protests. Her vision starts to blur as her mind becomes muddled, the girl's concentration begins to slip and her movements become sluggish.

The blades on each side of the crystalline walls crash down onto the floor, cracking the pristine mirrors and shattering the ground as shards of glass fly out from the attack. The jagged edges shoot out in every direction, nicking Rayne's cheek as he attempts to block the shrapnel with his arms, landing on his feet a good distance away and narrowing his eyes at his opponent.

He lowers his stance, taking a deep breath and focusing his mind. Vanilla peers over in shock, her eyes widening at the sight as she stiffens up, forcing Rayne to comply as his body turns rigid. "Don't! It's too dangerous!!"

"Then what can we do?!!" He shouts back in frustration, his agitation becoming apparent in his voice as the knights before them pull their swords from the ground with a loud rumble that reverberates across both halves of the split chamber.

Their opponents move their summons in sync, manifested warriors dash towards the bickering duo in their moment of distraction, swinging their blades down upon them as they quickly snap out of their disagreement.

Rayne and Vanilla move instinctively in the same direction to dodge their attacks, ruining the symmetry of their mirrored battles and forcing them to freeze in place as the rigid resistance compels their bodies to stay in place. Giant claymores slice through their shoulders in sync and they cringe, clenching their teeth before being kicked away, their backs slamming against the wall adjacent to each other and cracking the crystalline structure that separates them as the stray debris stirs from their bodies falling to the ground.

'This isn't good…Their attacks are getting more and more in sync and we can't seem to find a good rhythm…' Rayne thinks as he hangs his head, slouching against the wall as blood drips from his lips, slowly recovering from the attack. He feels a bit of relief despite their dire situation as he sits closer to his partner, although separated, she leans against him from beyond the barrier.

Vanilla clenches her teeth in frustration, struggling to stay awake as her vision begins to blur, the exhaustion plaguing her body finally catching up to her as she is given a moment of reprieve, sitting on the ground limply. Her magic drains from her body as her talisman helps to sustain Rayne and herself, clenching her fists in frustration.

'Damn…I'm just holding him back…' She thinks, her face contorting into a grimace, 'We can't attack because of me…I need to do something…'

Rayne's blood slowly drips down his body, crawling down his arm where Vanilla's talisman rests and mixes with her magic…

**

"Ah, before we enter, let me do this at least…" Vanilla says as the pair stand before the doors of their next trial. She uses her nails, clawing into her skin and drawing blood as Rayne flinches, immediately raising his hands to quickly seize her wrists in a panic.

"What are you doing?!" He shouts incredulously as Vanilla recoils at the sudden action. Her breath hitches in her throat as her blood runs cold, shutting her eyes tightly as her body shrinks back, as if to brace herself.

A knife may as well be stabbed through Rayne's chest as he quickly pulls away, witnessing the girl react so fearfully brought a disgusting feeling in his chest as a lump forms in the back of his throat.

"I-I…I-I'm sorry…" He says quietly, watching in horror as Vanilla's hands tremble, holding her arms close to her body as she hunches over, cowering before him in what can only be described as fear.

She lets out a shaky breath, slowly opening her eyes and averting her gaze to the side, almost ashamed of her instinctive reaction, "I-It's fine…" She whispers meekly as her voice quivers.

Rayne forces himself to swallow the lump in his throat, repressing the urge to beat himself up over the fact he elicited such a reaction from the person he'd grown so close to.

A dreadful silence envelopes the couple as they take their time to gather their thoughts, the air hanging heavily as the events of what just happened starts to die down.

The man suddenly clears his throat uncomfortably, turning his head to the side before speaking. "W-What was it you wanted to do?" He asks, cursing himself internally for allowing his tone to falter.

"R-Right…" Vanilla mumbles, holding up her bloodied arm and accumulating her magic, imbuing her ichor with magical energy as a crimson talisman forms in the palm of her hand, floating delicately along her fingers as she commands it.

"Is this what you did to link our magic before?" Rayne inquires as the talisman adheres itself to his arm, watching as it settles into place upon his dormitory robes.

Vanilla nods her head softly, creating another talisman made of her magic that attaches itself to Rayne's chest, "Y-Yeah…Just in case…" She mumbles uncomfortably.

**

Suddenly, a flare of magic jolts the girl wide awake, the flow of energy becoming disturbed as if pins and needles were pricking into her skin, her entire body tensing as every muscle within it flexes and contracts. A petrifying scream escapes her lips as it scrapes the back of her throat, the excruciating sensation overwhelming her fatigued state as she slams her fists into the ground, ripping open the skin of her knuckles.

Rayne flinches at the sudden surge of magic between the two, already accustomed to the feeling having experienced it once before. He clenches his teeth, bearing the distress before an abrupt sting of stabbing pain throbs in his head. He brings his hand over his face, pressing his palm firmly against his scalp as his fingers grip onto the roots of his hair tightly in an attempt to alleviate his suffering. Flashes of images appear before his very eyes as his lips part, leaving his mouth agape in shock as sharp words echo in his ears.

'W-What is this…? W-What…?'

"Big brother, why aren't mom and dad coming back?"

"Vanilla what have you done?!"

"Why are we the only ones suffering like this?"

"Stand down Vanilla, we both know who's going to win this fight…"

"Why aren't we normal like everyone else?"

"You're worthless if you think that way."

Vanilla sobs as the visions mix and dwell in her mind, tears welling up in her eyes as she chokes. The words of Rayne's little brother desperately pleading to him ring in her head as she clenches her shirt tightly in her fist, her nails nearly ripping through the fabric and threatening to pierce the flesh of her palm. She heaves hunched over on the ground, gasping and choking upon her own breath as her throat tightens, her lungs set aflame, desperate for air as bitter drops fall from her eyes and splatter on the floor mixing with the blood that stains the flat surfaces surrounding her. The air around her vibrates as the concentration of magic becomes unstable, shaking the chamber and erupting the walls as they crumble and crack against each other.

The prefect of Orca slowly rises to her feet, stumbling slightly as she attempts to regain some semblance of clarity. The magic lines suddenly shift and stir as her hair flares upwards, revealing her heritage. Streaks of blonde overtake her raven black locks as fissures of her magic lines rearrange themselves upon the canvas of her face.

She stands with a slight tremble, the girl reveals herself with a different visage taken shape. The familiar blonde tufts of hair displaying itself proudly upon her bangs, greatly contrasting against her obsidian locks as two straight magic lines cascade down each side of her face.

Vanilla chants, screaming from the top of her lungs as she feels as if her heart had been ripped to shreds, her blood boiling and pulsating violently through her veins, accumulating her magic as she raises her wand towards her opponent,

"PARTISAN!!"