Note: Been wanting to publish a fanfic about this most especially Hikaru and Maiden. This is only an experimental work. I never published anything before. If one reader discovers and appreciates this at least I might update occasionally.

Disclaimer: AX :Defenders of the Universe fanfiction only. Story and characters belong to Mr. Dexter B. Roxas

Chapter I

Manifestations

"I will…see you…again…"

The words hung emphatically and she waited but nothing more is said by the mysterious voice. Those moments she wakes up from the vivid dream, all the said hints slip her like quick sand but nonetheless keeps a short-lived curiosity as her eyes flutter open. This morning was one of those times.

Slowly she rises from her bed. She glances at the nightstand clock to find out she's rather roused earlier than her personal maid's scheduled time to get her prepared for the day. She mentally grimaced at the thought of having one thinking she can get herself done and the need of help from another person in assisting in tasks as menial as tying a ribbon in her hair is overrated. She still wishes to convince her parents to get over it.

She brushes a lock of hair off her face and notices the faint barely there hints of tears that had dried from what she presumed her 'reactions' from the dream that haunted her the previous night. She lets out a sigh. It was not like it is something she'd have to ponder on and weigh greater than the matters to attend for the whole day. She shrugs it off and takes a stride towards the glass door stepping outside to a balcony with a view of the garden. She presses both arm on the intricately carved banisters and inhaled the early morning breeze thankful that she had gotten off the bed for this moment of peace not be interrupted by anything.

Like the faint knock on the door…just suddenly.

For the second time, she sighs.

"Come in, Yuna" she calls out as she walks back in to her bedroom closing the door behind her in the process.

"Miss, Mai-" she cuts herself when she finds her 'ladyship' up and about with a slightly raised elegant eyebrow at her greeting. "M-Maiden.." she calls her followed by a nervous chuckle as she lays down a tray of the girl's morning meal in the nearby table glancing back in the doorway.

"And I wish you don't have to do this too.." Maiden says in defeat as she settles by the table.

"What- but my la-..Maiden!' Yuna blurts nervously. "It's just worrying me that anyone else hears me out being.. being..—"

"Disrespectful of me?" she continues as if reading her maid's train of thought to which the latter gulps and then nods. "It's ironic how following my wishes be considered disrespectful." she answers calmly while eyeing the selections of her breakfast in the tray—a cup of her favourite soup, a glass of milk, a piece of buttered toast and a bowl of mixed fruit. "Why am I having a breakfast in my room, anyway? "she asks again motioning her assistant sit with her in the breakfast table.

Yuna shots her another nervous look and as she is answered with another raise of an eyebrow, she concedes defeated.

" Your parents have to leave early to take care important business regarding your move in the town" she answers promptly as she eases herself in the plush seat that is too comfortable for her liking. She attempts to serve Maiden with some of the soup but her lady beats her to it by helping herself to the food. "They promise to see you tonight for dinner so they can check how are you liking the new school..hey!" She jumps upon noticing Maiden pushing the cup she poured soup in towards her direction.

Maiden shot her another insistent glance that made her comply nonetheless. Once her attendant has made no sign of further retort, she then took the bowl with halved content to herself and began eating silently contemplating the maid's answer to her inquiry. Today will be along day and she wasn't going to stay in the confines of a rather empty house. She plans to leave early and to be able to do that, she might as well seek help in finishing her food for her-that besides she doesn't like the feeling of being served with and looked after when she can fend for herself. She mentally prepares a string of reasoning for her parents to relieve her of personal servants.

******** A.X.*******

After practically running from the gates of their home to dodge her chauffeur down the road for twenty-minute walk to the school, Maiden feels a pang of guilt of leaving him clueless of her whereabouts. She finds comfort in the thought that she can enjoy the scenery on her way and the small freedom of finally being by herself.

She follows the path she easily remembered from yesterday's trip when she and her parents collected her school bag, textbooks and few sets of uniform consisting mainly of dark blue silk blazer, a red neck tie with the school logo in it, her badge, inner white polo, and red plaid skirt with box pleats falling two inches above her knee.

She's too busy musing on herself taking in the new surroundings to notice another person's presence beside her.

When she appeared to be oblivious of him, he begin plot ways to startle the blonde girl but chuckled mentally knowing he wouldn't want to sport a bruised jaw on his equally first day of school. He resorted to block her way effectively letting her bump into his chest.

"Uhh!" he hears him blurt out along with a string of something incoherent as she muffed herself to him.

"Hey…" he greets and smiles tentatively at her surprised expression that is quickly replaced by confusion and by what appears to be some sort of annoyance judging by the sight of her furrowed brow to which he sweatdrops. The temper of this girl. He thought to himself.

"Hey your face…. Care to clear out the way?" she shots to him, putting up an annoyance for having her moment of silence short-lived by another interruption. She momentarily glares at him but huffs turning away. "Didn't expect to see you early in the morning, Nii-san." She says turning to continue her walk but not as fast to let him catch her pace.

"Uh-huh..come on, Maiden, thought we already agreed on you no longer calling me that. " he says on a mock exasperated tone and easily catching up on her. What with her lithe physique and shorter strides.

"I know. " she answers simply looking ahead of her. " It's just a good come back on you for pulling off that stunt!" She says looking up to him smirking at her victory.

"Hn. Really, huh?. I just miss seeing interesting reactions from you. I…well…haven't been able check on you when you left and I miss you…" he says slowly, gauging her reactions not missing how she glanced back on the road wearing the same unreadable expression he didn't like on her but used to seeing anyways. He wonders briefly if she grasps the undertone in his last few words.

True to that, she knows where he is coming. She practically avoided him when she learned about their move in the town. She's not in for another farewell and a dramatic display, if she had to deal with one, with little of their friends they make in her previous school. A month later, she received a call from him saying that he too, along with his family are moving in the same town as her and will be attending the same school she will be enrolling. She suspected he had played a part in it into convincing his father to go and accept a new business venture in the area so as to give a better sense of their move. Not that she cares about reasons that much, after all, Forg is an old friend. They had been together since they were young and she could have made use of the comfort that it wasn't much of an apprehensive first day knowing someone else, that she knew, is in the same boat as her.

"I missed you too.." she answers finally a faint smile gracing her lips. She makes sure to use measured choice of words and tone when speaking to him that way. She is aware of the way he looks at her, and somehow senses his hope of turning their friendship into something but careful not to lead him that way. But when she glanced back at him again, she quickly regretted saying what she said seeing how her words lit his face and his eyes giving away his hopefulness of her...of them.

He smiles at the words stirring an internal panic inside her head

Before she could strike a jab on Forg's budding confidence, a number of other students passes by with them. She barely noticed they have neared the school gates but didn't miss a number of glances thrown at her and Forg. She suddenly realizes how they seem to appear to the outsiders' eyes and she couldn't afford to cause another misconception of her. She abruptly sidestepped him and made a quick dart to the gates leaving Forg behind.

"Maiden, wait!" he calls out as he ran after her chuckling to himself and shaking his head at her antics.

****A.X*****

My class would be… she thought as she skims over the listing of names posted along the entrance hall of the building. After a bit, she went straight to the designated room intending to wait but as soon as she stepped in, she catches the sight of who appears to be the homeroom teacher just in front of her whose presence effectively hushes down the noises of what used to be a buzzing chatter she heard from outside.

" Oh there you are, dear." the homeroom teacher figure acknowledged her prescence upon sight. She looks up at her but squinted at the sudden streak of light coming from the glass window behind the figure behind her on the opposite side of the room. She looked past her to the windows wondering about the eye-catching glint. Maiden squinted her eyes once more as the light seem to have died down to a glow to a nearby tree and faded. She had to blink her eyes to make out what of the sight but her attention was called once more by the woman in front her.

Before shifting her gaze, back to the woman, she swore she had seen in her peripheral view something white that flutter in the air from the source of light. She doesn't know why but she made a mental note to check on that later when she gets the chance.

"Miss Maiden. Are you alright?", inquired the woman.

She lightly gaped as though she has just noticed her. Well, she could see her clearly now without the disturbing rays. Their teacher looks younger than she expected. She was used to the image of bespectacled middle aged man or woman greeting the class like the ones she had in the previous school that she had momentarily lost register in her memory that she is entering a new one, in an unfamiliar room full of fresh faces to her at least. Regaining herself, she bows slightly murmuring a low ' I,m fine, thank you.' as she does.

She put on her blank expression she used to wear when she feels uncomfortable, as she faces the class. She could barely hear the faint sound of her introduction by the teacher by the name of Ms. Keiko in the background. She scans the room, still wearing a blank expression but then her zeroed in as she met the gaze of a certain student who seems to have been staring at her from the last ten minutes she is inside the room. She pursed her lips in a hard line and lightly narrowed her eyes as if to illicit a silent command to stop him from staring. He didn't budge but continued looking at her she couldn't help the feeling of annoyance slowly build up. When she heard Ms Keiko thought out loud about finding her a seat she glanced back at the woman, thankful for the distraction but when she followed her line of gaze, she realized, she's been eyeing at the empty seat next to the annoying student who still kept his eyes on her only this time, his eyes gives away a hint of amusement as opposed to the curiosity from earlier.

"You can take the seat next to Hikaru." Ms. Keiko announces taking back her attention and gesturing her towards the said empty desk—the one next to him. The one seat next the annoying guy.

She lightly gaped but pursed her lips once more wanting to protest for some reason she is yet to find and to further her internal mishap, she saw the said Hikaru visibly smirked at something and then looked away with an amused expression in his eyes.

With a heavy feet, she practically dragged herself to the seat next to him.

When she's already seated, albeit reluctantly, judging her posture and hints of annoyance, he couldn't help but take a side glance of her tensed form. She edged herself in her seat away from him as if putting as much distance between them as she can. He was able to catch a whiff of her light but sweet perfume and the faint scent lingers despite the distance she desperately put up between them but what caught his attention mainly is her face.

To say that she is beautiful is an understatement. The first time he saw her by the gates earlier that morning, he couldn't help but feel enthralled by her beauty. Is it her long blonde hair? Her big brown, almost golden eyes framed by long lashes? Or the fairness of her skin that just seem to glow in the natural light? He thinks to himself that if an angel does have a human form, she could already meet all the possible description. He couldn't help but let his thoughts linger on those musings but then, seeing this angel in the same class as his is something he didn't expect all.

******A.X.********

She stirred herself to focus on the day's lessons thankful she did as much reading to be able to catch up on a three-week lesson she had missed. She never dare glance back to her left side by the window to avoid what she knew an impending discomfort. She knew and feel the hints of when she feels he had been glancing at her like some creep. Every break in between periods, she takes time to observe her other classmates. Some of them would greet and chat with her and she would nod in the right times and supply stock answers when asked about her family and some little about herself. Whenever conversations take longer for her comfort, she's thankful for the timings of the next period teachers effectively hushing even the loud-mouthed redhead who animatedly introduced himself as Traxor followed by his declaration of open admiration to their beautiful homeroom teacher Keiko. She chuckled to herself lightly at the memory when a girl who they call Hazel, nonchalantly smacked his head with a hard-bound book saying it was the umpteenth time he made said announcement.

When the bell rang for the lunch break, everybody seems to know their place with lunch buddies. Some of the girls would gather in groups and the guys would chat to themselves. She however had no group to join to but with someone who's frantically waving at her by the classroom door.

Oh right, he decided they'd have lunch in the cafeteria together. She stood up and went straight to the door missing the way her seatmate follow her line of gaze towards Forg.

Hikaru blankly stared at the spot where Maiden and the unknown guy who he had not seen before, left. He was momentarily lost in thought at the sight almost not hearing his younger sister's bubbly voice calling him as she skips toward him.

"Onii-channn.", she squeaked. Her arm snaked around her older brother's dragging him with her as he stands up.

"Colleen.", he greets her absent-mindedly and slowly regaining his focus. She is his younger sister who is in the middle school department. He wonders in amusement if she rushes to his class room by some way of magic work thinking it had only been five minutes since the mid day bell rang. He shrugs at the thought.

"What's wrong, nii-chan?" she asks tilting her head and peering at to get a better view of her brother's face.

"Nothing.", was his short response.

"Eh? Really?" she prods disbelievingly knowing he is not giving out the details. She can tell by his demeanor that something had been bothering him.

"Hello, Colleen!", chimed in Hazel with her best friend Reinjenna in tow.

Both girls continued to merrily chat with Hikaru's cute younger sister to which he is thankful that he was left on his devices with the thoughts over something he is yet to confirm.

Traxor joined them shortly coaxing everyone for a trip to the cafeteria in their usual spot.

The school cafeteria is bursting with life by lunch break. The ambience gives out a greenhouse garden-like feel with the floor- to ceiling glass window from the left and right side entrances giving a view of the greenery and garden outside the building . To the northern point is the student's queue to a wide selection of dishes and all around them were tables and seats of different sizes and heights to accommodate small and big groups . Some counters by the aisles are flank by high stool seats, some areas by window are low couches good for small groups while the more regular tables in the middle areas are mostly square and surrounded by regular stool seats or cushioned ones.

At the sight, Maiden thinks that jokes about "recess or lunch breaks being favourite subjects" by many could be justified. Forg takes her by her right arm quickly to a spot in the queue before she could protest at the gesture. She frees her arm and distracts him with when she points to a dish of his favourite roasted steak and potatoes. She'd let her mind drift on the food and the delicious smell and wafting to her senses hopeful her companion is as distracted so that he won't initiate another awkward gesture like the one he did early on and that morning.

She settled for plate of pasta and ginger bread sidings and a tall glass of juice and while Forg took what he says her suggested dish of steak. They headed to the couch by the window and started eating commenting on here and there on how good the food and the place is.

From his place he just settled two tables apart across, Hikaru throws her glance catching her eye in the process that she abruptly turned away as she chats to her only companion. He lays his tray of tomato pasta and steamed meat cut lets and apple. Colleen and the rest soon occupied the seats around the table and soon their area is already full of merry chatters mostly courtesy of Traxor bickering with both Hazel and Reinjenna.

Halfway the break hour, he notices the two standing up and collecting their trays depositing them by the counter and make their leave. By the time he arrived and settled back in the classroom, Hikaru tries to ignore the empty seat next to her and absentmindedly leaned by the window. He caught sight of a blonde hue, and found Maiden walking side by side the guy who she was with at the cafeteria. He saw her stop by the large tree near his side of the window and eyed it's entire height from the base. Despite the distance he could see how she seems absorbed and unsettled about something towards the tree. He continued to look back between her and the large form of plantae she's staring but then settled his vision to her lithe form. Slowly, she begins to tear her gaze off the object and eventually looked upward it's expanse to the sky until those golden brown orbs fell back to his.

For the third time that day, his eyes caught her and she's unable to look at anything else but them. There is something unreadable in the way he looks at her now than it was the first time he locked gazes with her in the classroom. He seems apprehensive, somehow and something else she couldn't put a finger on. The wind blew lightly taking some of stray leaves and flowers in it's wake. A stray lock of her hair obstructed her view of him but he didn't stir so does she.

From under the shade of the leaves in the tree, she heard Forg called out to her. Only then, she broke the staring spell that befell them both.

'I didn't see anything interesting in here...It's just a tree –a big one, yeah but nothing else.", Forg exclaims more as he looks around. "And by the way, I guess we should be heading back to class." He suggests, though he sees that Maiden needs no reminding as he saw her heading a back to the building. He throws a quick glance at the window at the second floor but after seeing no one in there, he took that as a signal that everyone else is settled down for the afternoon classes. He quickly ran after Maiden in a beat.

From his place near the window, Hikaru let's out a sigh. He vaguely reminded himself of lessons in etiquettes at how blatant staring is considered rude. He settles back into his seat opens a book and tries to read on something. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her enter the classroom and silently takes her seat beside him. He tried his best to keep his composure and not let his mind wander back to his or their recurring eye contacts and that long one of that. He cleared his throat promptly making her tense as it seems and out of impulse he spoke a reminder in passive yet commanding tone.

"You should be inside the class room ten minutes before the start of the class."

As she gathers her book and arranges her stuff to distract herself and keep her thoughts off the unusual interactions she had with the guy sitting a mere foot away from her, she vaguely wonders what could he be thinking right during those moments. Just then, she hears him clear his throat she almost grimaced in anticipation of him asking her about something he finds unusual that she knows no idea of. But then, his words, and the tone he used as he spoke, rather pique her dormant annoyance of the guy.

You should be inside the class room ten minutes before the start of the class. She turns to look at him slightly gaping but huffed in annoyance upon seeing him busy reading a book…or so it seems.

"Alright" she muttered bitterly but relieved somehow. Somehow she needed not to explain her actions to him especially. She'd rather not.

The classes in the second half of the day went quicker than she realizes. It's three o' clock in the afternoon when the teacher dismissed the class but not after making everybody stay for a shorter time so that they can have their homeroom teacher back for some reminders. It was not long until Ms Keiko arrived and everyone listened. The announcement merely is about school calendar activities which they more or less they already knew of through the handouts and student handbooks. Also, Ms. Keiko welcomed Maiden once more encouraging her about her stay and assuring her of good company throughout the year and as if their awkward silent encounters weren't at all enough, she was shocked when the homeroom teacher called out the class president who will be showing her around the school as part of the protocol for new students especially transferees.

It was him. Again.

"Hikaru will gladly show you around the school facilities and the clubs you might be interested in." beams Ms. Keiko as she motioned them both to stand up to get started.

She calls it a day for everyone and the rest of the class gathered in groups some heading out straight and the others seem to be attending their own after-school-clubs. Hazel with Traxor in tow are headed in what she hears the male say 'dojo' not before a black-haired bespectacled girl bid them 'goodluck' while announcing her trip to the school library. Everyone seems to have something to keep them busy after school and she…. She glances to Hikaru who tentatively looks back at her. Well, she is left alone with the annoying seatmate who turns out to be their class president for the time being.

"Let's go" he tells her as he walks and stops by the door inviting her to join him.

She timidly complies, reminding herself to just get over this without another stash of awkwardness.

In truth, he had almost forgotten about this being a protocol. In reality, he feels unprepared in doing this activity with her than anyone else but he tries to set the uncertainty and consciousness aside for the task at hand.

"Hi.", he says unsure why he is saying so. "Hikaru..I...", pausing at his uncharacteristic stutter. "I will be showing you around.", he says finally while holding out his right hand to shake with hers.

"Ah..yeah." she answers, mentally scolding herself for the lame response. "Maiden.." even mentally slapping herself for mimicking his tone but took his hand nonetheless. They shake hands lightly twice but too soon, she withdraws as if she's electrocuted by the touch. "After you, then.", she added. She let her shoulder lax as he turns to walk ahead.

She takes her walk a comfortable meter behind as she follows his lead. It was only then, she notices his entire appearance. He seems to be head taller with lean built and broad shoulders. His hair an unusual dark shade of green and from what she remembers his sharp-looking eyes are the shade of gray mixed with blue above an aristocratic nose. His skin is also fair and appears to be smooth. The features pieced together, she is well aware that the guy with whom she feels awkward being with is indeed a very good-looking one. He can actually put to shame those Prince characters she used to read about from fairy tale books. Is this why she's feeling uneasy about him all along? She frantically shook her head as if that would alleviate her mind of the thoughts. She tried to rethink back the way he looked at her in the classroom. What he had been smirking about after having glued his sight on her face? Did she look funny back there? And what about that look he gave her during lunch? Rethinking about his previous actions leaves her more confused and the more confused she is, the more annoyed she becomes.

He walked ahead of hers, straightening up his face to mean business masking his own internal chaos. But then gathered his wit start talking her out bits about the school facilities in the building they were in to the next adjoining one, they walked past the school grounds, the benches and some shrubberies in the side, to the library, administrative offices, registrar's office and clinic infirmary. Their next stop is the building that houses full sports club facilities.

"Anything in them you find interesting?", he inquires as they were headed towards the last hall of the sports building. " Feel free to inquire with the officers.", he added when she appears to be distracted glancing to her sides as if looking for something..

"Is there a—", Maiden begins to ask, though distractedly but was cut off by the sight of the last facility they visited.

"And this the Archery Club training field…", he announces, internally pleased he had her attention on the subject.

"I used to be a part of the Archery club in my previous school. ", she shares inspite of herself. She never realizes she's beaming at him as though he had presented the best news of the day.

Looking at her now, he realizes, that was the first time she smiles for the entire day and it is beautiful. Her smile highlighted more of her features…She really is this beautiful. His eyes softened at the sight.

"You like it.", it was a statement and not a question. Suddenly becoming aware of the change in their moods, he looks away from her to some few club members working around.

"Maiden!" calls out a male voice that the both of them spun around to see Forg approaching.

***A.X.******

When Forg realizes it that Maiden is walking around the archery club training pitch, he immediately rushed to her side barely registering the girl is with company of another male. Said guy side stepped to his right to make room for his intervention. He had been around with complete strangers the whole day and although he easily makes few acquaintances from his own class, he looks forward to being with someone he knew above everyone else and spotting her in the loose crowd then gives him a sense of relief.

"I thought I'd see you here.", he says looking down at her face noting the transition of her expression from surprised to confused to her usual nonchalance.

"' Thought you should know." she replies dryly looking back at the group of students setting up target dummies in practice field. Her gaze shifted past him to the person to his side and following her line of gaze, he realized he has come to intervene in an ongoing student affair. Forg visibly stepped back apologetic of his action.

"Oh, I'm sorry...", he says looking at Hikaru who is looking at both of them. "You must be showing her around..", he added. He himself had been in the same exercise with their own class president awhile back.

"It's fine. ", Hikaru tosses in with wave of hand. "I was about to dismiss her already. The archery ground is our last stop anyway.", he adds casually the knawing disappointment of not being able to prolong Maiden's company with him set aside. He gave the two one last look back and forth but rested on the newly arrived male.

Hikaru willed himself to remain as calm as possible trying his best to ascertain his senses for all he know he could've been taking things wrongly-or feels them wrongly. For the record, he already had a whirlwind of uncertainties ever since he laid eyes on Maiden up until this very moment. His musings were suddenly interrupted with the sound of said girl's voice.

"Hikaru, this is Forg..", she pauses wondering if her introduction seems abrupt if necessary at all but ethics tells her she should...at least do so. "Forg, this is Hikaru, our class president."
Both males reached out and shook hands briefly as they did, Maiden caught a glimpse of Forg's eyes slightly narrowing. Hikaru on the other hand seems to press his lips on a hard line but otherwise more calm. No words are said and for some reason, she thought the air hung heavily around them but quickly dismissed said notion as their hands broke apart. "See you around, then.", Hikaru bids sounding more like to Forg than her which was responded by a nod.
In a few bit, her tour companion starts walking away from them. She throws a glance on his retreating figure that was obstructed from her view when Forg side stepped facing her.

"Shall we go home together?", he says beaming at her.

She just nods at him looking around she sees few more students wheel crates of archery equipment as well as target dummies. She may perhaps reserve her membership the following day. She turns to face Forg who was a good few meters away waiting for her to join him. She was about to make her way towards him when a heavy cart was wheeled across her path she abruptly halted at the interception however, the person behind the tall stack of items noticed her presence a little too late. He reins his hold on the handle intent on maneuvering the wheels the other way too quick that the action causes the crates to wobble and shake.
Alarm washed over Forg at the sight.
Maiden was quick to step back, however but not far enough to dodge the top crate falling off the stack. In a flash, she was pushed off to the side to the ground. The sound of a loud crash followed by a groan and shrieks of alarm from the onlookers rang to her ears. Quickly, she regains herself to look back at what had ensued. A few feet away from where she was standing a while ago was Forg beneath a clutter of supplies off from the crate. Her eyes went wide. Students and club members went rushing to them quickly assisting her and him. Some people darted to where she recalls the direction of the school clinic.

She quickly got to her feet and rushed to Forg's now crouched figure. He'd been forcing himself to stand but to no avail. Her eyes locked into the torn fabric of his left leg of khaki uniform seeping with blood. A sharp object had slice him there-an arrowhead she assumes.

"F-Forg..." she stammered, "..Why did you...", she tries to reprimand him for what he did but she was beyond shock and more worried to say anything.

"Maiden, I'm fine...It's nothing.."

"...!"

Two nurses- a male and a female arrived and carefully sat him down the wheel chair they brought along. The male nurse took him to the infirmary while the other one approached her.

"Are you hurt anywhere, my dear?" she heard her say. She just shook her head. "M-My friend. He's the one hurt", she responded weakly, her mind swarmed with guilt thinking it should have been her and not him. She tries to regain her composure and quickly ran in the direction of the clinic.

****A.X.****

After parting ways with Maiden and Forg, Hikaru decides to meet Reinjenna in the library. He intends to discuss a great deal of concern that occurred that day and also considers the others to join in. He was about to drop calls to the rest when he overheard some students talking loudly about an accident. He strained his ears to get better cues of their discussion.

'..new students...'

'..haven't seen them before..'

'..hurt ...God! Seen the wound!'

'...the blond...so pretty..!'

'Archery..'

His mind raced as he pieced together those fragments of conversation. He debated whether to walk back to the archery training pitch or head straight to the school clinic.

"Hikaru, nii-san!", calls out a familiar voice from behind. He turns to see his younger sister approaching him and stopped huffing to catch her breathe.

"Colleen! What is it?", he asks his voice laced with a hint of alarm of what seems to be urgent.

"Keiko-!", Colleen blurts out immediately realizing her slide. She covers her mouth and tried to speak more calmly. "Ms. Keiko summons us in the 'meeting room'. It seems very important. ", Colleen supplies her voice growing more hushed as she speaks.

"I was actually about to...", Hikaru pauses looking around as though searching for something rather than making sure no one is within hearing range.

"What's wrong?", Colleen inquires furrowing her brows. She also can't help but grow anxious by the minute.

"Did you hear about an accident a while ago?", Hikaru asks quickly which earned a gasp from his younger sister. Her reaction confirms her answer.

"That's what Kei- Ms. Keiko wants to tell something about!", she mentally berates herself for always forgetting the honorific.

"W-What?"

Do 'they' have something to do with this? Is Maiden hurt?

Hikaru is surprised at his own train of thought but dismissed the second one immediately.

"Look...I want to check on something very quickly.", he turns back to the direction of the Archery training pitch.

"Hey, nii-chan! No fair, I'm coming with you!" she whined and stalks behind him.

They arrived at the place of incident and immediately noticed a group of Archery club members tidying up some clutters on the ground. Hikaru also sees the archery club president holding a blood-stained arrow.

"Hikaru!", said person calls out upon him. "Jeez, I'm so sorry for what happened.", the president says as he walks towards him and Colleen.

"Ren.", he acknowledges him gazing down at the arrow in his hand.

"Those are new kids from your class, right?", Ren continued. "One of them got wounded in a freak accident earlier." he says tossing the arrow in the tray of equipment for clean up for later. "That guy was very quick to save the blonde girl, though.", he grimaced at the thought.

"It was Forg.", Hikaru mutters.

We fetched the nurses in quickly.", Ren continues. "It might take him a few stitches, I suppose.", he says running a hand in his hair. Hikaru realizes his agitation on this as the toll of the incident will definitely fall onto the club no matter whose fault it is. They will save the investigation for later, for now, they will have to attend to the students' welfare. As if hearing his thoughts on this, Ren sighs.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the school, hidden away from the eyes of the many students and faculty, loud and angry screeches of a young female echo in the walls of a marble room followed by an incoherent whimpering sound.

"I- I think he just died.", says a male voice in a nervous tone.

"As if that'll ever happen.", replies a female voice followed by a sigh.

"God, I think we messed on this one really bad. ", says another female voice.

All three of them sigh simultaneously as they look back at the closed door in front of them the sounds and noises on the other side can be heard faintly. Just suddenly, the door opened with a surge of wind from the inside, the sheer force of which almost detaching the big piece of wood from its hinges.

The three spectator sweatdropped. The force of the wind materialized on their back, doing a poor job of concealing itself from view. They don't need too to turn their heads to know that said being is rattling madly from fear.

Emerging from the shadows, Keiko was seething.

"Come back here you moron!", she grumbled.

Upon seeing her, the small being shook even more holding on tightly to the three people that barricade him from Keiko. Said girl slowly stalks towards him with a menacing stance-like a predator to a prey.

"NAORRRRUUUU!"

Hearing his name said in such a way, he gulped.

Hard.

Almost instantly, a hoarse scream tore from his throat.

"Hazel, Traxor, Reinjenna, HELP!"

***end of Chapter 1***