Music is magic is might. That was what we were all told at the freshmen orientation for Kitauji Military Academy. As I glanced around at the nervous faces of my future classmates and eventually my band, I couldn't help but feel that they were all so hopeless. These children were worried about things like a curriculum that's too harsh, detentions, or mean teachers. Hadn't these idiots realized that they were signed up to go to war as soon as we graduated? Furthermore, Kitauji was ranked low on the list of military academies; most of the kids here would never grow past Section Leader, if they were lucky. Hopeless- it was all so hopeless.

"What's so hopeless?" A curious face popped up, ignoring the arrangement of Abarenbou Shogun played by the upperclassmen.
"Eh, did I say that out loud?"
"Yeah! You were staring into space, then said 'Hopeless' in a really dejected tone!" The inquisitive girl leaned forward secretively. "So, what's so hopeless?"
Luckily, applause broke out as the upperclassmen finished the song. I didn't really think that she would like my opinion of our peers; the last time I said something like that out loud, a girl started to cry.

Kousaka… she was upset. I was sorry that I made her cry, but not for what I said. Our middle school never stood a chance in the music competition. We were lucky as it was that there were no major injuries as the other band seemed to take pity on us. If we were unlucky, then most of our middle school band would have lost any hope at a military career. Injuries from a uniform band were known to kill. Individually, her playing was beautiful. It was the quality of the rest of the band that ultimately caused us to lose, especially when the rival school's drums messed up our rhythm. I wonder if I'll ever see her again? She was an amazing trumpeter, so she probably went to the elite schools nearby.


We were soon dismissed to go to our dormitories and drop off our luggage.
Kitauji Military Academy, while not ranked very high, was still funded by the government. This meant that we lived in dorms on the campus, where most of our needs would be cared for. In each dorm building there was a common room- the very literal "homeroom".
A professional looking woman addressed us as soon as we were all sat down. "I am Michie Matsumoto, your advisor during your time at Kitauji Military Academy. You may call me 'Michie-sensei', and nothing else. I am not your friend, nor your counselor. However, if there is something you require you may ask me. I have the option to say no. Girls' rooms are on the left, boys' on the right. Any nonsense will get you expelled and discharged dishonorably; you are now soldiers as well as students. Understand?"

"Hai!" we replied.

Her eyes narrowed. "You two- pull down your skirt." Two girls sheepishly unrolled their skirts to their proper length, and Michie-sensei nodded in satisfaction. "Dismissed!"

I pushed my way towards the growing crowd near the map where our room assignments were posted. There, in room 54, was my name- Oumae Kumiko- with Katou Hazuki, Kawashima Sapphire, and Kousaka Reina. Sapphire was a rather weird name. Did somebody foreign come? Foreigners weren't usually trusted enough to come to the military academies, though.

Ah… Kousaka?
That might be awkward…
It was with dread that I headed towards my room.


Musical competitions: School-level bands compete in a nonlethal setting. Each side has 10 percussionists, 20 brass players, and 30 woodwind players, with 5 special instruments allowed, such as contrabass, guitars, violins, harps, etc. One school notoriously had a harmonica player, who was soon injured so badly that he refused to play again: Get Rekt.