Chapter 1: Dummies
'Hya!', the young angel grunted with effort as she swung her broadsword at a target dummy. The blade lodged itself in the dummy's collarbone and stayed there, refusing its wielder's vain attempt to jerk it free.
Morgana grimaced in frustration as she eyed her weapon disdainfully. So large and clumsy, she thought, and I'm supposed to fight with this? Another swing. Another thud.
With all the might she could muster in her little frame she pulled the sword free. It arced backwards, carried more by its own weight and gravity than by Morgana's effort, and clipped the young angel on the wing. Morgana cried out in pain, then bit her lips to hold back an exasperated groan. Stupid sword, she thought, not caring about the nick she had just received.
Around her other trainees were also stabbing at other dummies with varying degrees of proficiency while at the far end of the court yard a grown-up angel stood, pursing his lips. At his side, Kayle watched the fledglings with idle amusement. As her eyes came to fall upon her sister, however, she frowned.
'My sister wields her arms as a troll would his club', she sighed, 'I apologize for her incompetence, Justicar Michael.'
'There is time…', her mentor smiled, not really knowing what to say, '…she will improve.'
Even as he said that both of them saw Morgana hefted her sword and cleaved it in a mighty arc in the target direction of the dummy. It would have been an impressive strike had it found its mark. As it turned out, Morgana missed by miles and she spun a full circle on her feet, carried by the weight of her weapon. Kayle winced, despite herself, as she appraised her sister. Truly a sorry sight…
'Yes, Justicar…', Kayle trailed off, brows furrowed, eyes on the extremely flushed visage of her sister stomping towards them as she dragged her sword by the hilt.
'I'm done!', the young angel exclaimed, bristling visibly. 'With all due respect Justicar Michael, I fail to comprehend why I must be made to practice with this…'- Morgana gestured to her sword-'…thing.'
Justicar Michael pursed his lips as he began searching for things to say. Morgana stared at her sister with a beseeching look, perhaps hoping that somehow her sister would take her side and jump to her defense. Then they might finally let me train with magic openly for once…, she thought.
'Everyone does it. Not just you, sister', Kayle instead interjected. Before Justicar Michael could speak, the impetuous young angel burst forth with a barrage of heated words.
'But it is not efficient! See, magic can do it much better!', Morgana defiantly yelled as she dropped her broadsword and raised both arms at a dummy that another boy was slashing at nearby as a look of fierce concentration gathered on her face. She extended her fingers and began closing her fists in a claw like way.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first but quickly becoming apparent, the very structure of the dummy began to collapse inwards as if crushed by an invisible hand, drawing a yelp of surprise from its current user. Other trainees nearby stopped their practice and gawked at the scene as Morgana began sweating profusely.
Kayle cast one furtive glance after another at Justicar Michael to see what his reaction was. But the older angel was just passively watching, his eyes flickering between the dummy, Morgana, and the little trail of blood on Morgana's wing.
'Enough!', Justicar Michael commanded. Yet Morgana continued as the dummy's self-collapse went on.
'Morgana!', Kayle intervened, slapping her sister's arm down and breaking her focus.
'What!?', Morgana scowled at her sister. However, she blanched as Justicar Michael stepped forward to stand right next to her. There was a very stern look on his face.
'Your magic is effective, yes', Justicar Michael said, as his eyes appraised the little rebel before him. 'But Sefiro magic is used to first and foremost heal…', he gestured and instantly Morgana's right wing was bathed in green, healing light.
Kayle gasped and reached out a hand, tentatively placing it on Morgana's shoulder. She had not even noticed her sister's injury- now a barely visible pinkish little scar- but for a little trail of dried blood that had stained the young angel's white wings. As she noticed that all eyes in the training ground were riveted onto their backs, however, she quickly withdrew her hand. Her cheeks began to burn.
'…but rarely…', Justicar Michael continued as he turned to face Morgana, '… if ever, to destroy.'
With that he used his other hand to turn Morgana's target dummy to dust in a single motion with the balling of his hand into a fist. The fine dust mixed with the sand on the training ground of the court yard. Soon, there was no trace that the dummy had ever even existed.
'Is that understood?', he asked the now meek young angel.
'Y-yes, Justicar', Morgana muttered, her voice little more than a whisper, 'I understand.'
At his side, Kayle hung her head in shame. Every single time… she thought.
(break)
The next day…
Morgana sighed as she settled into the comfortable embrace of her favorite person in the world, turning her body slightly so that she could fold her wings off to the side so it would not get in the way. Said person wordlessly pulled Morgana closer and began stroking her hair, causing the latter to purr with happiness.
Kayle let her gaze wander to the clouds above. She thought she saw an angel holding a blazing sword, however closer inspection revealed it to be something more like a pig riding on a barrel with upturned paws. Absentmindedly, Kayle continued stroking her sister's blonde locks.
'Bring me the apple, dear', she idly requested.
Morgana's closed eyes fluttered open. Above them, obscured by several branches such that it was barely visible, was a ripe apple that looked to be about 9 feet off the ground. She squinted at it and focused her energies.
An outstretched hand. A flick of the wrist. A slight, playful oof! as the apple fell on Kayle's head, then bounced off it and rolled onto Morgana's chest where it finally came to rest on the relatively flat surface.
'Dinner is served!', Morgana exclaimed with mock glee as she arched her back to bring the apple closer to her sister's lips. Kayle reached for the apple, or so Morgana thought, but her fingers went beyond it and instead began traversing up Morgana's neck to her earlobes and then down to her collarbone where they began tickling her mercilessly.
'Augh!', she exclaimed out of surprise, 'stop!'
In a futile attempt, Morgana began to wriggle and writhe to try and get away from the assault. Alas, her physical capabilities were lousy at best and the young angel had no chance in heaven of out-muscling her much fitter sister. She could only squeal as her struggles proved useless and her eldest continued tickling her.
'…Kayle…please…', Morgana gasped, doubling over and tucking her chin in to attempt and hide her vulnerable spots, 'o mighty Justicar' *pant* 'I surrender to thee.' *pant* 'Please let me gooooooo!', she yelped as Kayle's hand accidentally brushed her chest.
With a good hearted laugh Kayle let her sister go at last and leaned fully back against the apple tree, her folded wings providing a sort of fluffy cushion on which for her to rest. Morgana rolled away like a sushi roll, attempting to catch her breath as she then sat up.
'What do you think Mom will cook tonight?', Morgana asked, then before Kayle could muster an answer, continued, 'those veggies of hers again? Eww… I just wished she would not turn us all into veggie-chomping lambs and feed us more meat for once…'
Kayle thought of correcting her sister, then stopped as she recalled how past attempts had gone and sighed, choosing instead to let herself get lost in the tranquility of it all and just chill.
Companionable silence fell over them like a veil and the two shared a smile, though Morgana still kept a wary little distance from her sister. Deep down, she hated tickles. No, Morgana paused in her thoughts, I love them. But only when Kayle is tickling me…
Sounds of clashing swords carried on the wind reached them from the arena a distance away. In the fields before them, lazy lambs frolicked. Chirping birds punctuated the otherwise serene atmosphere with their cheerful sounds every now and then while fluffy white clouds drifted by above. Morgana let herself be carried away in the peace as her eyes slowly fell closed.
'Hey sis…', Kayle sighed, eyes on the horizon.
'Mhmmm…?'
'…about yesterday…', Kayle hesitated, wondering how she should proceed.
Morgana's eyes narrowed, anticipating what was to come. Damn Justicars, damn swords and damn this training, I swear to God if she says one w-
'…your powers were impressive…', she finally said, giving her sister an encouraging smile.
Surprised, Morgana looked at her sister. The reprimand she had braced for never came. There was no trace of accusations, no stern looks leveled at her. Coupled with the smile that was being positively beamed at her, it was almost as if Kayle was… praising her?
Confused, Morgana kept mum. The clouds proved a satisfactory distraction as she tried to sort out her thoughts.
Usually, Kayle took every of Morgana's mistakes as her own and in the past it had not been uncommon for Morgana to have to sit through what felt like hours of berating. At times it felt like Kayle was just trying to take control of Morgana's whole life. Stealing a glance at her sister, Morgana noticed she was still being stared intently at.
After a while, Kayle looked away.
'But… but I thought I embarrassed you…?', Morgana questioned haltingly, '…right?'
'…yeah.'
Something in her young mind clicked.
Wordlessly, Morgana crawled her way back into her sister's lap. Looking upwards, she met a benevolent gaze. They smiled at each other and the both of them breathed a contented sigh as they shared and basked in what could only be described as glorious, beautiful sisterly love. Morgana settled into a familiar, comfortable position in her sister's lap and cast her gaze out far, far away. Above and beyond on the infinite sky, she thought she saw in a cloud formation an angel wielding a blazing sword. A Justicar…?
'Thanks, sis…', she finally muttered. At long last, sleep rose to claim her and she willingly let herself fall into its embrace.
Morgana was at peace.
(break)
The next day…
Asri absentmindedly played with her hair, out of her students' sight, as she leaned against one of the gigantic marble pillars that made up the entrance of the Institute. Idly she noticed the throngs of acolytes and apprentices streaming past her. It was dismissal time after all, and seeing so many excited fledglings was common. However, she was looking out for a particular blonde-haired little angel…
(break)
Moments later…
'What I don't really understand is why I need to swing my arms like this you know?', Morgana piqued, somewhat confused, 'what did you say it was again… the window wiping motion…?'
Asri sighed as she stepped in front of Morgana again to show her the move.
'Yes, dear… You need to swing your arms to generate momentum in addition to the twisting of your hips…', she motioned as she entered the fighting stance, took one step forward and swung her right arm upwards in an upward-rising block.
'…It also blocks any counter punches opponents might throw, since at the initial phase of kicking you drop your guard to generate momentum and this leaves you vulnerable.'
Completing the motion, Asri brought her arms up and down rapidly as she advanced one pace and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to an imaginary opponent's ribs. Retracting her leg gracefully, Asri inhaled and smiled as she turned to her eager disciple.
'Do you unders-'
'…'
'Morgana…?'
'What?! Wait! Yes!', Morgana yelped, suddenly awakened from her little stand-up nap, '…oh, Instructor Asri…'
Asri folded her arms across her chest and gazed sternly at Morgana.
'…'
What have you got to say for yourself this time?'
'Uhh…', Morgana muttered meekly, '…sorry?'. She offered with a sheepish smile.
Asri sighed, however, she couldn't help but smile back. Morgana was, after all, her most favorite student. She could barely help but feel funny inside, in a good way, whenever her little angel beamed at her.
'You have bags under your eyes', Asri paused, curiosity peeking on her face, 'did you not sleep well last night?', she asked.
(break)
The night before…
'It was the veggies again', Kayle drawled as she picked at what little non-existent dirt there was beneath her immaculately short and well-groomed nails. 'You were right.'
The girl did not croon victoriously- she did not have the energy for it.
'Yeh…', Morgana mumbled. Her eyes twitched as she struggled to hold back a yawn. Moonbeams filtered in, brilliant shafts of light piercing the darkness of the sisters' unlit room through the open windows. A soft breeze was blowing, making leaves rustle outside. Fall was coming soon- Kayle could almost taste the beginning of it in the air.
It was a long while before Morgana spoke again and Kayle was almost beginning to wonder if her sister had fallen asleep.
'…hey.', Kayle nudged her sister, '…ya there Ana?'
For one brief moment Morgana wondered what in heaven she was doing staying awake, for it was well past midnight. As the fog of sleep lifted from her mind for a second she remembered. They had talked for hours by the window sills, a favorite past time of the sisters. She must have inadvertently fallen asleep at some point.
'…Ana…?', she mumbled sleepily. 'Oh.'
Ana was Morgana's nickname that her sister had made up for her a few years ago when Morgana was just seven. At some point in the distant past someone, probably their parents, had tried shortening her name to a term of endearment that was 'Morg', but that did not stick and anyways 'Ana' sounded much nicer to the ears. And thus Morgana simply became known as Ana to her family and little circle of close friends.
'I'm here.'
Kayle waited patiently as she continued her window-gazing. Mostly at the star-clustered sky, though. It was pretty much pitch black outside-the moon had hidden itself somewhere at that moment and only the shady, jagged outlines of the Dark Mountains were visible beyond the horizons.
But the stars… oh, the stars. The stars were beautiful that night. Kayle began pointing out star formations to her sister. Morgana, in her typical fashion, tried to listen with interest but soon fell forward into her sister's lap where she curled up into a cute little ball as she sought warmth in an all too familiar embrace.
Kayle sighed happily and her sister gave her a quizzical look. Morgana was so headstrong and stubborn and sometimes just simply too much to handle, but in the moments when they were alone Kayle found a different side to her sister. One that she very much loved; happy, cute, gentle. And nice to hold. That, too.
'Kayle…', Morgana muttered barely-audibly.
'Mhmmm?'
'Tell me a bedtime story…?'
Kayle hesitated, but only for one very brief moment. Inhaling quietly as her hand played with one of her sister's stray strands of hair, she began:
'Once upon a time, in a land much like ours, a Justicar by the name of- '
(break)
At the Institute…
'Kayle!', Justicar Michael called out to his protégé.
Pausing to wipe the sweat from her eyebrows, the young angel sheathed her sword and turned to face her teacher. She saw her mentor try and make his way towards her through the crowd of advanced acolytes practicing their swordsmanship on dummies. He called out to her again, but over the din it was barely audible.
'Yes, Justicar?', Kayle asked, puzzled. Justicar Michael had never stopped her in the midst of a practice session. That coupled with what could only be describe as a very troubled look on his face gave Kayle a cause for slight concern.
'You need to sit down.'
(break)
Moments Later…
'It's nothing too serious but it is something you need to know…', Justicar Michael drawled, watching Kayle intently, '…your parents have been called away- '
Kayle's eyes widened. Her parents had given her no prior notice at the dinner table the night before…
'- I apologize for interrupting but', Kayle scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, 'both of them have been summoned?'
'Yes', Michael nodded sympathetically, 'it is rather urgent. They had to leave. On the Judicator's order.'
Kayle inhaled sharply, surprised. Judicator Arianna's orders? Must be something extremely important, she thought.
'Which is why I am here to inform you', Michael finished.
'Justicar… h-how long will they be gone for?', Kayle gingerly asked. Justicar Michael looked at her beseeching gaze and really did wish he had an answer to his student's question.
But he did not have those answers.
'I don't know', Justicar Michael simply shrugged.
It was just too bad.
(break)
Later that day…
'They did what!?', Morgana yelped indignantly as she turned on her sister.
'What?'
'Why?'
'Whe-'
'Morgana stop!', Kayle threw up her hands. 'You are not helping.'
She scowled at her sister.
'I have said this before and I will say this again. They are not! I repeat not! Not leaving us. They just have duties they have to attend to and I really hope you can act your age and be a bit more understanding!'
'Understanding?', Morgana sneered, 'they left us without a word.'
'It was on the Judicator's orders, Morgana', Kayle was somber, 'you need to realize that.'
'I…', Morgana stuttered, 'hmph!'. She breathed, frustrated.
Kayle could only sigh again. Kayle sighed a lot when she was around her sister. It was something she was only beginning to come around to being aware of. Perhaps it was why she was aging prematurely.
'With that', she started, somewhat gingerly as she tried to not provoke her younger sister's ire again, 'we are either going to go live at the Institute like some other kids or we could just stay right where we are and I will try to take care of you...'
Morgana thought of lashing out at her sister again, then reconsidered and held her tongue. What would I even accomplish? she thought. After a long moment, Morgana spoke. Kayle could hear the slightest hint of resignation in her sister's voice.
'Awkay…', Morgana mumbled, ' I-I guess I will stay with you.'
'Great!', Kayle smiled. It did not reach her eyes, however. Even without looking Morgana could tell the enthusiasm was forced, 'I get to be the big sister for real this time!'
'Yay…big sister…', Morgana felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as the beginning of a plan began to hatch in her head, '…be a dear and make me an omelet?'
'Anything for you, love', Kayle smiled, relieved. She was glad there was finally something she could do to lighten the mood. Inside, her gut churned in anticipation of the uncertain days ahead.
When will our parents return? What urgent business was it that demanded both of them be called away? Why is the Judicator involved? Those and many other perplexing questions plagued her mind. So Kayle did what anyone else would do in that situation- she chose to focus on what was before her. And that just turned out to be her sister; something real, something solid, something…there.
Not strangely at all, Kayle found great comfort in the knowledge.
'Anything at all.'