Chapter 3: Chapter 3

A young Seitojin woman walked out the cafeteria with a small bag of fruit.  Students of the Xiang Yu Military Academy weren’t supposed to stash food in their rooms, but Kimi received special permission from the principal as a condition for her enrollment.  She was even given a small icebox.

The school was mostly populated by seconds sons and third daughters from elite Seitojin families, so when the houseless orphan girl was admitted there was quite the uproar.  Not that she cared.  Only one thing kept her here, and popularity amongst cast off nobles wasn’t it.  She looked at her pilfered apples.  Maybe two things.

While Kimi was walking away admiring her haul, she found herself ambushed by a gang of four women surrounding her on all sides.  A familiar bunch, popular in spite of the low standing of their families thanks to their performance in the class ranking.  They backed her into a narrow space behind the main building.

“Looting the pantry again?” the leader of the clique, Kira Yamada, said.  She was the only one in Kimi’s estimation worth paying mind too.  She was tall, and rather pretty, with long back hair tied into a braid.  For some unknown reason Kira took a disliking to Kimi a few years ago.

“I’m sure the starved rat will put it to good use,” one of the girls said.  Kimi decided Cindy was as good a name as any for her.  She was well built, so probably a Guardian.  Tough and trained to fight with her fists.  “I mean, she’s flat enough to pass for a boy.”

Another girl laughed.  This one was around Kimi’s size, with unusually pale skin.  Likely an Arteficer.  It was against the rules at Xiang Yu to carry weapons, but artes were naturally easy to conceal so she might have a few hidden tricks.  Kimi decided she looked like a Mindy.  She said, “Could just be the clothes.”

Kimi glanced down at her outfit.  She wore loose fitting camo fatigues from the school quartermaster.  It was unisex attire, so it was unclear how they were boyish.

“I suppose orphans get what the army buys them,” Cindy said.

“Or what they can steal,” the fourth girl said.  She was the tallest of Kira’s crew, with the lean arms and sharp gaze of a Lancer.  Specialized in ranged weapons, and useless in melee.  Sandy was a fine name for her.  She reached for Kimi’s bag of fruit, so she flinched back and tucked it under her arm.  The girls laughed.

“Can I help you?” Kimi said.

“Can you help us?” Cindy scoffed.  “That’s rich from the charity case.”

“You should be asking if we can help you,” Mindy said.  “Especially with dressing yourself.”

“Does it matter what I wear?” Kimi asked.

“That’s a good point,” Cindy said.  “You’ll look like a boy no matter what.”

“Or maybe we aren’t worth the bother,” Sandy said.  “The little wannabe superstar is too good for us.”

“Is that is?” Kira asked.  “You think everyone’s beneath you ‘cause you’ve been on missions already?”

“That’s not…”  Kimi trailed off.  It was true she’d been given tasks by the school, but not for being anything special.  In fact, it was rather the opposite.  She had no family, and in spite of her age could pass for a child.  A helpful combination for spying on political dissidents, or occasionally disposing of them.

“So what is your problem?” Kira said.  She pushed closer to Kimi, backing her into a wall.

“My… problem?”  It wasn’t something Kimi gave any thought to.  If there was more to life than a warm bed and plentiful food she never heard of it.  “I don’t know I have one.”

“You do now,” Cindy said.

“In the form of an imminent beat down,” Sandy added.

“Let’s kick her ass!” Mindy finished

Kira blocked her crew with a raised fist.  “I’ll handle this.  You three keep a look out.”

“Alright boss,” Sandy said.  “Put that bitch in her place.

Kimi was uncertain how it happened, but a fight was about to break out.  Luckily, Kira looked to be her only opponent.

They’d never sparred—not close enough in the school ranking—but Kimi didn’t mind the chance, especially with Kira unarmed.  Normally a Scout, like herself, couldn’t defeat a Saber of the same rank, like Kira.  Stealth and speed weren’t much help in a one on one duel with a tech heavy melee specialist.  With Kira reduced to her fists, Kimi actually stood a chance.

Her opponent opened with a flurry of punches, which Kimi dodged easily enough.  It wasn’t that Kira lacked genuine skill—Kimi would last only seconds in a real fight—but she never practiced martial arts on her own.  Kimi made a mental note to complain about the lack of mandatory hand to hand training.

She would gladly volunteer her experience.

Still, that was a problem for another time, for now she had to deal with Kira.  Kimi always kept some unarmed techs loaded and could win with a few quick jabs.  But then… Kira’s clique might not take kindly to an ignoble defeat.  Perhaps something more theatrical might convince them to drop whatever this was?

Kimi grabbed one of Kira’s arms mid swing, then flipped her up and over the shoulder into, then through the wall behind her.

Kimi turned to face the remaining girls, keeping her guard.  “Well?”

They shared a look amongst themselves, then scurried out of sight.

“Pretty mediocre allies.”  Kimi shrugged.  She turned to examine the hole in the wall.  Most people underestimated grapple techs, but they could be highly effective in the right circumstance.  “I better finish with Kira.”

She stepped through the gap, brushing a cloud of dust from the air.  Kira was laying in a pool of blood, from where her ribs ripped through her chest.

Kimi spent a moment looking over the damage, her lips pursed.  She sighed.  “I can’t leave you like this, now can I?” She reached into her coat to grab something from a hidden pocket.  “It’ll be over in a minute.”

 

---

 

The Nova Academy Forum was no stranger to crowds during normal use, but the senior party filled it beyond capacity.  The steady beat of electronic music, likely composed by a fellow student, kept the mass in constant motion.  Working his way through the jumble of tangled limbs and writhing bodies was Hitori.

He would prefer to be training right now, especially since his session with Protius ended on a flat note, but the meeting with Ms. Athens ran longer than expected.  She spent two hours expounding the virtues of academia, then, when he was battered into submission, dropped a chore on him.  One that would have been much easier two hours ago.  Now he was going to have to spend half the night hunting down his squad.

The team got along well enough, but after hours they tended to scatter.  Protius wouldn’t be far from Chandra, but Gordon could be virtually anywhere.  The Forum was his best bet for locating Chandra, so he starting looking for her pretty white hair.

I’m sure there aren’t many Paladins here… compared to the White Temple.  Idiot.

It usually bothered him when other students literally kept their distance, but his mother’s reputation worked in his favor for once.  He didn’t have to stop to talk with anyone, and the spacing made it easier to look through the crowd.  The flash of multicolored lights timed with the steady thump of music had an equal but opposite effect.  It took Hitori an hour to locate Chandra.

He found her lingering near the makeshift bar, a glass of clear liquid in hand.  The ice rattled as she swayed on her feet.  She was watching two students in an animated discussion.  One was a tall, well built man who shared Chandra’s Northerner complexion and facial features, as well as the pure white hair that marked him as a Paladin.  Hitori recognized him as Seht, a member of Bridget’s Team.

The other was a Seitojin woman, with lighter brown skin and more distinct facial features, but she still had the distinct white hair of a Paladin.  Hitori wasn’t sure which team she was with, but she was the same year as him.

“Damnit Yuffie, not this old story again,” Seht said.

“Come on, you’ve seen the door they have down there,” the other Paladin said, apparently Yuffie.  “There’s got to be something on the other side!”

“And you think it’s a secret metafauna research lab?  Why would we need another one, but in secret?”

“Well, I dunno,” Yuffie’s voice dropped in volume.  “Then what do you think it is?”

“It’s got to be a stockpile of weaponry from the Temple Wars,” Seht said.

“What, like a big pile of swords collecting dust for four hundred years?”  Yuffie laughed.  “And you think that makes more sense than a lab!  We actually research metafauna, what would we do with a bunch of rusty guns?”

“Chandra!” Seht called out after spotting her nearby.  “Come on, back me up on this.  I know you were close with the chaplains.”

“I don’t know if I’d say that,” Chandra said too quiet for him to hear.  She started turning away but was interrupted by Yuffie.

“Oh Chandra! I didn’t see you there,” she called out. “What are you doing huddled away in a corner.”  She walked towards her.  “Let’s forget this stuffy temple business and you come dance with me.”

Chandra backed away, but Hitori stopped her by lightly grabbing her arm.  She shifted towards Hitori faster than expected and he reflexively slid back.

“Oh, Hitori—” Chandra started.

“I need a second before you join your friend,” Hitori said, quickly reclosing the distance.

Yuffie arrived as Hitori finished talking to Chandra.  His teammate made as if to walk off, but her captain was still in the way.

“Don’t forget,” Hitori said as he left.

“Doesn’t he look imperial,” Yuffie said as she grabbed Chandra by the hands, rotating her inwards.  “Is he your boyfriend?”

“Just my team captain,” Chandra said.  Yuffie smiled, before suddenly drawing one of Chandra’s hands up.  She started fussing over her sleeve, but the high tone of her voice was drowned out by music as Hitori walked towards Protius.

As expected, he was nearby, watching Chandra from amidst the small crowd that surrounded him.  They were from another squad in Shadow Battalion, who kept trying to poach Protius.  Hitori wasn’t sure what their team name was, because it kept changing, but he did rather wish they’d stop trying to steal his friend.

What would they even do with two Arteficers?

“Get out of here ya damn vultures,” Hitori said, physically shooing one of them away.

“The offer’s always open,” one of them said as they walked away.

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“They never quit,” Protius said with a laugh.  “Now, where was I?”

“I think you were awkwardly stalking your teammate,” Hitori said.

“S-shut up!  I-I was—“

“Yeah, yeah,” Hitori said.  “Save it for after you’ve actually asked her to dance.  Although you’ll have to wait your turn.”  Hitori motioned toward the floor where Chandra and Yuffie were dancing.  Or more accurately, where Yuffie was dancing and Chandra was awkwardly swaying.

“She… she’s pretty close, to her.”  He trailed off as Hitori moved into his line of sight.

“Yeah, Yuffie seems like that kind of girl,” Hitori said.  “But you can worry about that after I tell you we’re meeting tomorrow for some last minute training.”

“Hmm, that sounds—“ Protius had been leaning over to see past Hitori when he bolted upright.  “Wait, what?”

“Tomorrow, training, meet by the North Gate at zero seven hundred.”

“You’re crazy man, we don’t need more training.  You promised we could relax before the field exam!”

“Take it up with Ms. Athens, because she wants us to do it.”

“Damnit Hitori,” Protius laughed.  “Will you two make out already, I’ve had enough of this tsundere bullshit.”

“I think in order for her to be tsundere she has to actually like me.”

“I’m talking about you.”  Protius elbowed him in the side then dodged a lazy punch.

“I think you’ve mistaken well justified terror for affection there, bro,” Hitori said.   Wouldn’t it be hilarious if that Shade just shifted in?  He glanced behind him.  “Anyway, you’ve stalled enough, go ask Chandra to dance with you.”

“I don’t think… .” Protius looked down and fidgeted with his hands.

“Then someone,” Hitori slapped Protius on the back, knocking him toward the mass of moving bodies.  “I have to find Gordon.”

“I think I saw him leave earlier,” Protius said as he was dragged away by a girl his age.  Apparently she snuck into the party.  Hitori wondered how long she’d been waiting to pounce as he walked out of the Forum.

He started running down a mental checklist of all the places Gordon might have ended up, enjoying the cool night air as he thought.  His rumination was broken by the sound of an explosion near the southern wall.

 

---

 

This wasn’t the first time Kimi found herself in this room.  It somehow managed to look both overpriced and cheap at the same time.  The walls were adorned with paper thin displays, and in the center was a recessed table, with prominent bands used to project an interactive hologram.

In contrast to the expensive equipment was a roughly constructed wooden chair occupied by the Sergeant in charge of operating it.  He was flanked by a mean faced woman and grey haired man currently reviewing security footage of Kimi’s fight.

“It’s a pity there’s no cameras inside the classroom,” the woman said.  She was wearing black armor, with no markings save an insignia that identified her as a Colonel.  “I’d love to see the damage.  By the time the med team arrived she’d recovered most of her Vital Net, but the blood was everywhere.”

“I’ve got to admit Nanji, your girl has incredible technique, especially for a B-Rank,” the grey haired man said.  He had a rough look that suggested he still knew his way around the battlefield.  A gold lettered tag on his coat identified him as General Saburou.

“Did you hear that, Scout, you should be proud, your talents are being recognized.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I told you to speak up!”

Kimi snapped even straighter than she already was.  This wasn’t the first time she’d worked with Colonel Nanji, and she’d gotten used to the level of tension that carried with it.  That is to say she thought she had.  Ever since she’d been planted in the center of the room the Colonel’s razor sharp glare had been honed into a dagger.

“Yes ma’am, and thank you sir!”  Hearing her own voice so loud was an alien experience, but it pleased the two high ranking officers.

“This one’s even mousier than the last one,” the General said.  “Although I suppose that’s to be expected.”

“She made a far more capable agent, however,” Nanji said.  “I’m quite proud of the work we’ve done.”

Given Kimi was the one getting her hands bloody, she wasn’t sure why the Colonel should be proud.

“Yes, it was a shame about the other girl,” the General said.  Kimi couldn’t detect any regret in his voice.  He turned to Kimi and for the first time actually looked at her.  She felt a pressure in her cheeks and had to fight the urge to look away.

“Y-Yes, Sir?”

Nanji cast a keen glance in her direction.

“There is one thing I’ve been wondering,” Saburou said, his eyes now locked with hers.  “Why did you go in after her?”

Kimi wasn’t sure what they were looking for, so she let the question hang in the air.  Nanji deepened her scowl, so Kimi quickly said, “To see if I had to take care of her.”

“Oh my,” Nanji said with a wicked grin.  “How cunning.”

The General hummed as he looked away.  “Yes, I suppose, an unprovoked attack….”  He  turned to Kimi.  “But why would you let an enemy live?”

Her rigid stance cracked as she canted her head, which drew pursed lips from Nanji.

“Wouldn’t that depend on the mission?” Kimi said at last.

“Good answer,” Saburou said.  He turned towards Colonel Nanji. “I think this one will do.  Make the preparations.”

 

---

 

The room flashed alight, in time with the mechanical whir of the opening door.  Hitori walked inside his dorm room with plodding steps, and let out a long breath as he closed the door behind him.

“Well, that was obnoxious,” he said.  Or hilarious.  Only Gordon could cause that much mayhem showing off a new gun. He shook his head and straightened his back, then went about getting ready.  After a quick shower and a light snack he dragged the armor off his bed, thankful it hadn’t been damaged in that afternoon’s training, then threw himself on top of the covers.

He passed out in seconds.

 

---

 

This was the furthest I’d ever been into the Wychwood, likely a school record since entry was forbidden a hundred years prior.  I often found myself here during the weekends, while the other students relaxed amongst friends and family.  I… didn’t quite have the same luxury.

In spite of its reputation, the forest was pleasantly serene.  Not a single mote of light could wiggle down to the mulch carpet, and the metafauna that called it home gave me a wide berth.  I spent countless hours over the preceding months enjoying the solitude.

So I was surprised when I found myself pulled from my body into the presence of a mysterious light.  It stretched into an ovoid shape, pinching at the center to form two monstrous eyes, stained with a tinge of yellow mist.   Pursed mandibles sat tight beneath them, and behind, the body of a colossal spider emerged.

“What are you, little glimmer?” a voice, rough and deep with a steady lilt, not so much heard as felt.

“What business is it of yours?” I asked, defiant in spite of my shock.  The sound didn’t seem to fall from my lips, but instead reverberated through my body.

“Ah, a creature in the shape of a man,” the spider said.  “I am the lord of this forest, and you are an intruder.  So, I ask again, what are you?”

I had a very bad feeling, certain any wrong move would spell disaster.  “I’m an S-Ranked Nova Mercenary, so if you don’t want any trouble, you’d better leave me be.”

“What a funny little bird.”  The spider made a raspy clicking sound.  “You are right to fear me, but there is no point in the deception.  You can’t hide a thing with your peculiar shimmer.”

“What do you mean?”

The spider hummed.  “A young one indeed, perhaps not even a hatchling.”

“Don’t ignore me!”

“Fret not, pretty fly,” the spider said.  “You have my utmost attention, but first, I must see you up close.”  I felt myself pulled through the forest, down a winding path into the dark heart of the Wychwood.  “Ask for the one called Wickham.”  The spider’s voice whispered as the light faded away.

Glimmerfly, I thought you were dead.

That’s funny, coming from you.

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