Akko Kagari and the Contest of Champions
A/N: Show your support for Serenity Academy
Chapter Twenty: The Opening Ceremonies
Akko got up on Sunday morning and dressed so inattentively that it was a while before she realized she was trying to put her hat onto her foot instead of her sock. When she'd finally got all her clothes on the right parts of her body, she hurried off to find Diana, locating her on the second floor of the dining hall, where she was eating breakfast with Hannah and Barbara. Feeling too queasy to eat, Akko waited until they had finished the last spoonful of soup, then dragged her out onto the grounds. There, she told her all about the Xenomorphs, and about everything Izetta had said, while they took another long walk around the lake.
Alarmed as she was by Izetta's warning about Ram, Diana still thought that the Xenomorphs were the more pressing problem.
"Let's just try to keep you alive until Tuesday evening," she said desperately, "and then we can worry about Ram."
"Izetta-oba-san said that only one person from each team is picked," said Akko. "Maybe it won't be me."
"With your kind of luck, do you really believe that?" asked Diana.
They walked three times around the lake, trying all the way to think of a simple spell that would help get past a Xenomorph Queen. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead, shooting a quick text to Makoto and Fate to meet them there since they were all facing it together; she couldn't call Nico because she didn't have her number. Here, Akko pulled down every book she could find on aliens, and the four of them set to work searching through the large pile.
"'Talon clipping by charms…treating skull-rot…'," Fate muttered. "This is no good, this is for nuts who want to keep them healthy…."
"'The Xenonorph is a largely unidentified species and are extremely prone to flocking in packs….' Makoto read aloud. "Yes, we understand that, but how do we get past them?"
"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," said Akko, throwing aside I Married an Alien from Neptune.
She returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down, and began to flick through each in turn, Diana whispering nonstop at her elbow.
"Well, there are Switching Spells…but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped their tails for taffy or something like that would make it less dangerous…. The trouble is, how would you go about performing that spell for an entire pack of them…. I'd say use Alchemy, but against something as big as the Queen, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor Finnelan…unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra power? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing S.T.A.R. practice papers…."
"Diana," Fate said, through gritted teeth, "I swear, I will dropkick you so hard if you don't shut up."
But all that happened, when Diana fell silent, was that Akko's brain filled with a sort of blank buzzing, which didn't seem to allow room for concentration. She stared hopelessly down the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. Instant scalping…but Xenomorphs don't have hair…pepper breath…just what she needed, to give it an extra weapon…growth spell…one Xenomorph queen was enough for her….
"Hey, isn't that girl from one of the other schools? I think she's spying on us," said Makoto in a hushed tone as Fu Inubozaki walked in, cast a look over at the group, and settled herself in a distant corner with a pile of books.
"I think she's looking for Sucy," said Akko.
"Even if that's the case, I don't feel safe with an enemy nearby," said Diana, standing up. "Come on, we can ask Professor Croix if we can study in her office…maybe she'll let us borrow her computer…."
Akko barely slept that night. When she awoke on Monday morning, she seriously considered for the first time ever just running away from Luna Nova. But as she looked around the dining hall at breakfast time, and thought about leaving the castle would mean, she knew she couldn't do it. Luna Nova was her home away from home, it was where her friends were…or at least some of the friends that still liked her.
She finished her fish and soup with difficulty (her throat wasn't working too well), and as she, Lotte, and Sucy got up leave, she saw Mato Kuroi out in the entrance hall, following close behind Ram. It looked like they were just coming from upstairs; Holbrooke's office, maybe?
Black Star Academy didn't know about the Xenomorphs…the only team who didn't, if Akko was right in thinking that Eruna and Fu managed to swindle the information….
"You guys go on ahead, I'll see you at the greenhouses," Akko said, coming to her decision as she watched Mato follow Ram out the double doors. "Go on, I'll catch up later."
"Akko, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring – "
"I'll catch up, okay?"
By the time Akko stepped down the stone steps, Mato was already past the fountain of Jennifer. She was keeping very close to Ram. Akko didn't want to talk in front of her; everything she had learned about Ram from Izetta made her not want to take any chances of a confrontation. She followed Mato at a distance and saw that they were heading to the Ley Line station. They were headed back to town. She needed to act fast. Not even thinking up a plan, Akko looked around, picked up a rock, and chucked it as hard as she could.
It hit Mato squarely in the back of the head.
"Ow!" Mato cried, rubbing the tender spot.
She turned around, looking around. Akko waved her down, urging her over, but quickly ducked out of sight in the tall grass when Ram looked back, curious as to why her student wasn't following.
"Uh…I need a moment," said Mato, her voice noticeably hesitant. "I just need to uh…tie my shoe. Don't worry, I know the way back. You can go ahead…."
This was exactly what Akko had been hoping for. Ram paused for a moment, staring at Mato, then turned on her heel and walked into the Ley Line station. Akko waited until she saw the flash of the Ley Lines opening, jumped up, and then hurried over to meet Mato.
"You know…," Mato groaned, still rubbing her head, "if you wanted my attention, there are a lot less painful ways to do it... I think I might have a bruise…."
"Mato," said Akko, "the first game is Xenomorphs."
"What?" said Mato, tilting her head.
"Xenomorphs," said Akko, speaking quickly, in case Ram decided to change her mind and come check on Mato. "Like…killer alien bugs. There are dozens of them. They're going to be released in the town sewers. They have a giant queen – it's, like, twenty feet tall, and we're supposed to get past it."
Mato stared at her. Akko saw some of the panic she'd been feeling since Saturday night flickering in Mato's bright-blue eyes.
"Are you sure?" said Mato in a hushed voice.
"Dead sure," said Akko. "I've seen them."
"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know…."
"Never mind," said Akko quickly – she knew Andrew and Hannah would be in trouble if she told the truth. "But I'm not the only one who knows. The heads of Myojo, Honooji, and Class Zero all saw the Xenomorphs. One of the students from U.A. probably saw it because I almost ran into him. Eruna has that weird power to know everything that's going on, and Sucy's probably already told Fu, because she has such an obvious crush on her. Your school is the only one that doesn't know."
Mato straightened up. She stared at Akko, and there was a puzzled, almost suspicious look in her eyes.
"Why are you telling me?" she asked.
Akko looked at her in disbelief. She was sure Mato wouldn't have asked that if she had seen the Xenomorphs herself. Akko wouldn't have let her worst enemy face those monsters unprepared – okay, so maybe she did imagine Amon being torn limb-from-limb during her many daydreams in class.
"It's just…fair, right?" she said to Mato. "We all know now…we're on an even playing field, aren't we?"
"Yeah…I guess so," said Mato, scratching her head awkwardly. "It's just…I'm not used to people helping me outside my little circle of friends. I'm kind of hated by a lot of people because of – "
Whatever tidbit of information that Mato was about to share that could have illuminated her strange history was suddenly lost in her throat when a tall shadow was cast over them both. Akko turned around and saw Zeref standing over her, looking at her with a neutral gaze.
"Come with me, Kagari," he said. "Back to Ram with you, Kuroi."
Akko stared apprehensively at Zeref. Had he overheard them?
"Er – Professor, I'm supposed to be in Herbalism – "
"Never mind that, Kagari. Up to my office, please…."
Akko followed him, wondering what was going to happen to her now. What if Zeref wanted to know how she'd found out about the Xenomorphs? Akko didn't think she could keep a secret from someone as powerful him; he was probably already reading her mind as they walked up the castle's front steps….
She followed Zeref up the spiral staircase and into his office on the fifth floor. Zeref closed the door behind them and turned to look at Akko, his eyes fixated on her.
"That was a decent thing you just did, Kagari," Zeref said quietly.
Akko didn't know what to say; this wasn't the reaction she had expected at all.
"Sit down," said Zeref, and Akko sat, looking around.
Being the troublemaker that she is, Akko had been to a number of offices occupied by various teachers. Ursula's office was messy and disorganized, where you were likely to unknowingly discover some new magic trinket or artifact, with a large telescope that would be perfect for a magical astronomer. Croix's was equally messy, but organized in such a way that it was surprisingly efficient, where the walls were covered by computers and you couldn't walk two steps without tripping over some wire. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Professor Finnelan's office was neat and immaculate; everything was in its rightful place and meticulously arranged to the exact measurement; it was Diana perfect. And Professor Crème's office was stacked with wall-to-wall shelves containing literally a million books with an entire shelf dedicated to the entire Night Fall series written by previous Annabelle Crèmes.
Zeref's office, however, was surprisingly sparse and seemed like it was rarely used. His work desk was tucked away in the dark corner of the room, almost like he had put it there purposely so he wouldn't have to think about it, with a small pile of ungraded papers and a candle stub that was nearly all used up; Akko realized that Zeref didn't have any lights or electricity in his office. Next to the open window was a comfy-looking high-backed chair next to a small table where a steaming teapot and a tattered book with the words E.N.D. were written in faded letters. Hanging on the wall was small two row shelf with a number of similarly tattered books, each of them looking like they were centuries old with peeling letters that Akko couldn't make out their titles.
"I wouldn't touch those if I were you," said Zeref warningly as he watched Akko closely. "They're my demons."
"Your…demons?" Akko asked slowly, craning her head back at him questionably.
"I don't suppose you've heard of the Demons of Zeref. Well…they're exactly what they sound like. Demons, the worst kind there is. The kind that would not hesitate to slaughter all of humanity if given the chance. Oh, but don't worry," he added with a slight chuckle when Akko backed away, "they're consciousness are sealed inside those books."
"So you just keep books holding genocidal demon brains on the shelf in your office where anyone can get them?"
"What do you take me for, Kagari. They're protected by a magical seal I crafted myself and only someone with immense magical power and a skill for rewriting magical formula could break it. Besides, who do you think would be foolish enough to step into the office of the worst villain in human history, next to Aradia, that is."
He let out a short, cold laugh that made the hairs on the back of Akko's neck stand on end. Akko felt like the room had suddenly gone a hundred degrees lower; a faint black mist, she realized, was starting to come off his body. As if realizing what was happening, Zeref took a deep breath and his expression instantly switched to neutral. The room immediately warmed up again; the black mist faded from existence. Zeref sighed, resting his head in his hand.
"Sorry about that," said Zeref. "Sometimes I forget that I am cursed in peaceful times like this. If I feel too much joy or happiness, the curse of contradiction that afflicts me will lash out and kill everyone in my prescience. It's so hard to maintain sometimes – only certain people like Holbrooke or Ram can contain it."
"So, you're cursed to never be happy or else you kill everyone," said Akko, sounding more sympathetic than frightened. "That's gotta suck. I mean, I can't imagine living for four hundred years without ever being happy."
"Some days are easier than others," said Zeref, taking another deep breath. "But enough about that…. The Xenomorphs. You found out about them, didn't you? Was it the Hanbridge boy who leaked his father's information? I know you and him are friends. Or was it Hannah England and her useful sensory magic?"
Akko felt her inside freeze up. He had already figured out everything before he even asked. Akko bit her lip, hoping that if she didn't answer, he would think he had missed his mark.
"None of you are in trouble," said Zeref, stretching himself out in his seat with a groan. "Cheating has always been a tradition in any competition. I dare you to name one person in all of history who hasn't used underhanded methods to get what they want. The Americans in particularly are a nasty bunch…."
"I-I didn't cheat," Akko stuttered, flailing her arms. "It was – it was an accident that I kinda – sorta – went out into the woods at night and – okay, that sounds very bad saying it out loud – "
Zeref smirked. "I've been telling Miranda from the start, she can be as high-minded as she likes, but you can guarantee the other schools won't be. You've already seen Meichi and Kiryuin. Those two are cutthroats – they will take any measure they can to come out on top. No doubt they were there when you were on your little moonlight stroll. They want to win. All of them do. They want to be the ones standing on their bodies on their fallen foes."
"Have they ever considered seeing a therapist," said Akko.
Zeref snorted lightly. "So…," he said, "you're going to volunteer for the first game, right? You already saw the Xenomorphs – "
"Whoa, whoa, why me?" sputtered Akko. "If anything, Diana or Fate should be the ones doing it. They know more magic. I already nearly wet myself when I first saw them – "
"And that's exactly why you should be the one to volunteer," said Zeref. "You saw the Xenomorphs. They didn't. They can do all the research they want and plan as much as they like, but they've never actually seen a Xenomorph up close, let alone a queen. No amount of studying can prepare you for the real thing. Cavendish and Testarossa – they're likely to freeze up the moment they catch sight of the beasts. They are terrifying. But you – you've already seen them; the shock has already worn off. You are the best chance your team has, unless you want to risk your friends getting hurt."
"No…no, I don't want that," Akko mumbled.
"Then you need to prepare," said Zeref. "I'm not going to tell you how to win. I don't play favorites. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice – play to your strengths."
"I haven't got any," said Akko, before she could stop herself. "I mean, I've got the Shiny Rod and I'm good with that, but…the Shiny Rod's spells are kinda powerful and probably not the best thing to use in an underground sewer system."
"But there is something you're good at," said Zeref. "Everyone has something."
"Not me," Akko mumbled. "I suck at studying and my magic is the worst in the entire school without the Shiny Rod…. Now I'm starting to think the crystal Skull might have made a mistake. I can't do anything."
"That's not true, Kagari," said Zeref. "There has to be some talent you have. Every witch is born with an affinity with a certain type. Blair has her pumpkin magic. For Finnalan, it's alchemy. Croix, technomagic. Every magic user that has ever lived had a talent for something, even if it took them more than half their life to find out what that is. But Kagari," he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, "you have been surrounded by some of the greatest witches in the world for four years. Surely one of them has told you where your talent lies…."
Akko tried to concentrate. Everyone was born with an affinity. Akko knew about this ever since her first time to London with Blair. She tried to remember what her teachers have said before….
And it clicked. There was something she had an affinity for, but she had never mastered because she had constantly been putting it off. If Zeref was right, then she needed to master this skill to succeed. For that, she would need to practice. And for that, she would need someone to teach her that knew the spell inside and out. She needed –
Akko pounded furiously on the door until her knuckles started to sting. It was a solid full minute before the door finally swung open and Professor Finnelan stepped out, looking down upon her with a familiar look of irritation.
"Miss Kagari, do you understand that you are supposed to be in class now?" she said, frowning. "You'd best have a good reason for this."
"Professor, I need you to teach me a spell, it's important!" shouted Akko urgently. "I need to learn it before tomorrow!"
"Miss Kagari, I have been trying to teach you for the better part of four years," said Professor Finnelan with an exasperated sigh. "You've never shown any genuine interest in learning before. What makes now any different?"
"When was the last time I ever came to you for help?" Akko countered.
One of Professor Finnelan's brows rose so far that it seemingly disappeared into her hairline. She paused for a moment, contemplating, and said, "Which spell do you need to know?"
And so they practiced. Akko didn't have lunch, but headed straight for Professor Finnelan's office, where she tried with all her might to master the spell that could possibly save her in the upcoming Contest. It was a good thing she didn't eat, as she soon realized. For the third time in that hour alone, Akko stuffed her face into Professor Finnelan's wastebasket, dry heaving.
"This was to be expected," said Professor Finnelan sympathetically, rubbing Akko's back. "Using this spell on an inanimate object is one thing, but using it on yourself is another. Very few witches dare to perform this spell on themselves in fear of the consequences it may have. Fortunately, your body is naturally adapted to endure it."
"Tell that to my stomach," said Akko grimly before retching once more.
She wanted to skip foretelling to keep practicing, even if it was one of the only subjects she was actually good at, but Professor Finnelan refused point-blank to encourage students skipping class, and there was no arguing with her when her lips turned that thin. She therefore dragged herself all the way up to Ursula's class, but she could hardly process any information as her mind was packed to the breaking point with thoughts of Xenomorphs and the spell she was supposed to be practicing. When Ursula turned her back to explain the relation between Mars movements in conjunction with Saturn, Wendy leaned across the table and whispered:
"Are you okay, Akko? You look like you're going to die any moment now."
"I'm not going to die here," said Akko blearily, resting her chin on the edge of the table they shared. "The Xenomorphs will do the job good enough."
She forced down some dinner after Foretelling, then returned to Professor Finnelan's office, nearly getting caught by Elma before Finnalan explained their situation. Under Akko's insistence, they kept practicing the spell until past midnight. Akko was hoping they would stay longer, but Mr. Mxyzptlk turned up and started tossing balloons again, this time filled with expired yogurt that left a horrible smell in the office when they exploded. Akko ran out of the office with her hand over her nose and practically sprinted back to the Polaris common room, which was now mercifully empty.
At two in the morning, Akko stood near the fireplace, leaning against her knees in exhaustion, but was smiling in satisfaction. She vaguely remembered last year when Master Noah – that is to say, Amon – had taught her how to use the Light Spell and it had taken months for her to master. But after several restless hours of practice, Akko had managed to master her new spell in less than a day. Everyone had been right – she did have a natural affinity for this type of magic. She would be proud of herself is she wasn't so exhausted.
Blair, who had slinked down from the dormitory somewhere around one when she noticed Akko hadn't come to bed, clap her hands excitedly.
"That was great, Akko-nyan!" Blair said happily. "I've never seen you learn a spell that quickly before. You're definitely improving."
"Well, I had some serious motivation," said Akko, throwing herself into the nearest armchair. "Next time I want to learn a spell, just threaten me with a Xenomorph."
"No, it's was because you have talent for this particular branch of magic," said Blair. "No one else could have accomplished it as fast as you, not even Diana."
"I just hope it works tomorrow," Akko said. "It'll be the first time I'm using that spell in real threatening situation. What if I freeze up? What if the Xenomorph catches me before I use it? Maybe I should let Diana or Fate-chan handle this instead…."
"You've got this, Akko-Nyan," said Blair firmly. "Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll work. Akko-nyan, we'd better get some sleep…you're going to need it."
Akko had been focusing so hard on learning the new spell that evening that some of her blind panic had left her. It returned in full measure, however, on the following morning. The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the Ley Line terminal and take the buses waiting for them to the Byltonbury football (soccer, for Americans) stadium, where the Contest would be hosted; the champions were to leave early and fly over on brooms.
Akko felt oddly separate from everyone around her, whether they were wishing her good luck, or asking if they could have her stuff after she died. It was a state of nervousness so advanced that she wondered whether she might not just lose her head when she was sent down into the sewers with the Xenomorphs, and accidentally set off a spell that could cause the entire tunnel system to collapse. Know her, that was a possibility. Time was behaving in a more peculiar fashion than ever, rushing past in great dollops, so that one moment she seemed to be sitting down in her first lesson, History of Magic, and the next, walking into lunch…and then (where had the morning gone? The last of the monster-free hours?), Professor Ursula was hurrying over to her in the dining hall. Lots of people were watching.
"Akko, the champions will be leaving soon…. It's almost time for the Contest to start."
"Okay," said Akko, standing up, her fork falling onto her plate with a clatter.
"Good luck, Akko," Lotte whispered. "You'll be fine."
"You probably won't, be we can hope," Sucy added.
She left the dining hall with Professor Ursula. She didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Akko felt. She walked her down the stone steps, past the statue of the Great Witch Jennifer, across the sloping lawn, and up the Ley Line Terminal where Diana, Fate, Makoto, and Nico were waiting.
"Is everyone here?" said Ursula. None of them answered verbally; they either nodded slightly or raised their hands; Makoto looked like she was about to be sick. "All right…on your brooms everyone. We'll be heading over to the stadium right away before the crowds start pouring in."
They all silently mounted the school-regulated broomsticks that were provided; Akko didn't try to summon the Shiny Balai because she wasn't sure if she could work the Shiny Rod with her nerves the way they were. They all activated the flight spell and ascended into the ethereal green portal above, being pulled into the tunnel of light with a great lurch. A few seconds later, the six of them came flying out over the town of Blytonbury. Akko looked down briefly as they soared over the rooftops, taking notice that the streets were packed more than they usually were on any given day and came to the conclusion that they were all here for the Contest. She silently wondered how many of them were from out of town. If the Contest of Champions was anything like the International Chariot Racing Tournament, then that meant more than half these people could have come from all over the world.
Ursula started to descend as they reached the Blytonbury football stadium – nothing too spectacular about it, just looked like a regular human sports arena – and the Luna Nova champions followed behind. They skirted around toward a side entrance where Ursula hopped off her broom and led the girls down a long, dark corridor. Still, no one was saying a word, like they were afraid of breaking if they made any sudden noises; Akko's hand was gripping and releasing her wand anxiously. Ursula stopped when they came to a door halfway down the corridor and turned to the champions.
"You will change into your uniforms here," said Professor Ursula, in a rather tense sort of voice, "and wait until you are called before entering the stadium. Once all the teams are introduced, they will explain the first game…. Good luck."
"Thanks," said Fate, in a flat, distant voice. She left them and went on ahead down the corridor. The Luna Nova champions went inside.
They walked into the locker room; their team uniforms were folded neatly on the benches. Akko could hardly believe that it was only a little while ago that she had been so excited to wear the same costume as Shiny Chariot, and to be one of the few chosen to participate in the Contest. But now that she was here, Akko was doing everything in her power to hold back the urge to vomit into the nearest wastebasket. Makoto, however, didn't have her restraint; the poor girl's head was in the bin for a full two minutes before she came back up.
After getting changed, the five of them loitered around the locker room, waiting until the time when they were called to make their entrance. Fate was sitting on the farthest bench in the room, hands folded under her chin, not looking nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Makoto was sitting on the floor with her legs tucked under her next to the waste basket, which Akko supposed was in case she wanted to throw up again. Nico was standing in the corner looking surlier than usual, lowering his hood purposefully so that none of them could see the panicked look on her face. Diana had taken to pacing up and down, her shoes clapping on the tile loudly. And Akko was sitting down staring at her feet, clutching her wand like it was a lifeline.
In no time at all, thousands upon thousands of pairs of feet could be heard stomping above their heads, their owners making such a loud clatter the champions could hear them through the thick walls. They sounded excited…. Akko felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species. And then – it seemed like about a second later to Akko – the locker room doors opened up again, making the champions jump. The Grand Master poked his head in slightly, likely making sure they were properly dressed before stepping inside fully. The Grand Master was beaming at them, possibly not able to see just how pale-faced they really are.
"Hello, ladies! Hello!" said the Grand Master happily, looking around at them. "Just checking in on the teams. Making sure everyone is ready. You'll be heading out in five minutes, so please make your way to the end of the tunnel and wait for your names to be called."
Akko glanced around. Diana nodded once, to show that she understood, and then walked out the door; she looked slightly green. Nico followed shortly after; her limbs were noticeably stiff and was walking awkwardly. Makoto needed Fate's help to stand up because her legs were shaking too hard to do it by herself. Akko knew they had volunteered for this moment, but the realization of what they were doing was probably only now starting to settle in. Akko let Fate and Makoto pass and tried to follow after, but was stopped when the Grand Master suddenly threw out his arm to block her path.
"Er…excuse me, Akko…. Could have a quick word with you?" he said.
"Er…I guess," said Akko blankly up to the Grand Master, who turned to her with a fatherly expression on his face.
"Feel all right, Akko? Anything I can get you?"
"What?" said Akko. "I – no, nothing."
"Got a plan?" said the Grand Master, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean," the Grand Master continued, lowering his voice still further, "you're the underdogs here, Akko…. Anything I can do to help…"
"No," Akko said so quickly she knew she had sounded rude, "no – I – I know what I'm going to do, thanks."
"Nobody would know, Akko," said the Grand Master, winking at her.
"No, I'm fine," said Akko, wondering why she kept telling people this, and wondering whether she had ever been less fine. "I've got a plan worked out, I – "
A loud buzzer had gone off somewhere in the stadium.
"Good lord, I've got to run!" said the Grand Master in alarm, and he hurried off.
Akko shook her head, wondering why the Grand Master had only wanted to speak to Akko specifically instead of the whole team. But then she remembered that her team were waiting down in the tunnel and dashed out the door before Diana got mad at her again….
The stadium had reached full capacity in less than thirty minutes since the gates had opened to the public. Scores of men, women, and children – Humans, Demi-Human, and Alien – congested the walkways, shoving their way to their seats and hoping the Contest would start soon.
On one side of the stadium, high above the stands, was a private viewing room where the school representatives had the pleasure of observing the Contest without being bothered by the masses. The government representatives were there as well. Org was talking animatedly with Professor Holbrooke near the windows, Lindy was in the back of the room nodding appreciatively at her wife and son, both of who had made banners for Fate, and Lord Hanbridge, frowning as per usual, was sitting in one of the many plush chairs in the private room with his hands folded in front of him. Andrew, naturally, had joined him and had, of course, brought Frank along for the ride, because god knows he could only last so long in the company of his father alone.
"I hope they start soon," said Frank eagerly. "I'm going to root for Luna Nova. What about you, Andrew?"
"I don't particularly care who wins," said Andrew nonchalantly. "But if I were to pick a side…I suppose I wouldn't be amiss if Luna Nova were victorious."
"Uh-huh," said Frank, smirking knowingly. "So you just care about Luna Nova? Or is it someone on the team in particular."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" said Andrew, raising his brow.
"Oh, nothing," said Frank, smirking. "I've just noticed that you've been spending a lot of time in the school library lately…trying to learn how to speak Japanese."
Andrew a noise in the back of his throat, but quickly composed himself. He was a civilized man…he wasn't about to beat his best friend over the head with a chair…at least not with so many witnesses around….
On the opposite side of the stadium was the commentator's box. The Grand Master was there, naturally, as he was the host of the Contest, seated between a pair of students on either side. On his left was Wangari, sixth year Corona and president of the Luna Nova News Network – she often provided the commentary for the Chariot Races, so it was no surprise she was allowed a seat at the table. On the Grand Master's right was a teenage boy with spiky orange in a green blazer bearing the emblem of a fairy with a set of heavy-looking headphones. He had a perpetually bored look to him, like he wished he could be anywhere other than an exciting, world-class event.
"Hellooooooooo, ladies and gentlemen!" Wangari screamed into her mic. "It's that time again! That monumental event that only happens once in seven years! That's right, it's the Contest of Champions!" She paused as the stadium exploded into waves of frantic cheers. "From the Luna Nova News Network, I'm Wangari."
"And from Serenity Academy's VOCALOID, I am Neku Sakuraba," said the spiky-haired boy dully. "Ryuko couldn't make it because the author wasn't competent enough to plan ahead for the obvious plot hole ahead of time."
"I…yeah, nobody has any idea what that means," said Wangari. "But, joining us here today on commentary is the creator of the Contest of Champions, the Grand Master. Looking forward to working with ya, Grand Master."
"The pleasure is all mine," said the Grand Master. "I simply love the Contest. It is one of my all-time favorite events. Such a shame I'm only allowed to host it every seven years."
"Yes, a real tragedy," said Neku is a tone so detached, they couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. "But enough about that. The crowd is starting to grow restless; maybe it's time we started introducing the teams?"
"Good idea, Sakuraba!" said Wangari. "Let's go ahead and bring the first team out onto the field!" She took another pause to let the audience scream themselves hoarse. "First up is a hometown favorite for those in Blytonbury. From the hallowed halls of the number one magic school in the world, this team is looking to make their mark in history. I present to you…Diana Cavendish, Atsuko Kagari, Makoto Kowata, Fate Testarossa, and Nico Minoru – Team Luna Nova!"
From one corner of the field, the five girls garbed in white stepped out onto the turf amid the screaming crowds, most of whom were citizens of Blytonbury rooting for their hometown team. Of course, there were some students from Appleton in the crowd, hissing and jeering, but their voices were overshadowed by the supporters. Diana took the lead as they crossed the field toward the center, looking calm and composed as could be, but Akko could definitely see the glistening of nervous sweat on her brow.
"It's a little nerve-wracking, isn't it?" said Makoto, looking around anxiously. "Having the perform in front of all these people like this."
"This is the biggest event in seven years," said Fate, making a loud gulping noise. "Somehow, it feels like it's even bigger than the International Chariot Racing Tournament."
"Th–This is n-n-nothing," Akko stuttered, trying, and failing, to look calm. "Sh-Shiny Char-r-riot h-had way big-g-ger crowds th-than this. Th-this is just g-g-good prac-c-ctice for when I b-become a star l-l-like her."
"Akko, you're literally shaking," said Diana.
"All right, let's move on to the next team," said Neku. "From the Land of the Rising Sun, these young warriors were chosen by the gods themselves to be the guardians of our world. They have risked life and limb to keep us safe from the wicked Vertex, and now they're here to claim their title as the greatest. Presenting the maidens of the Hero Club…Fu Inubozaki, Sonoko Nogi, Karin Miyoshi, Mimori Togo, and Yuna Yuki – Team Sanshu!"
The team came from the opposite side of the stadium that Luna Nova had entered, stepping onto the turf with confident smiles and were waving to the cheering crowds enthusiastically. They weren't nervous at all, but Akko supposed that, if what Sakuraba said was true, then public performances must be a cinch compared to monsters.
Each member of Team Sanshu were matching uniforms that looked like a combination of superhero suits and traditional Miko robes. Fu, who was marching in front, grinning from ear-to-ear, was wearing a bright-yellow suit with her lengthy hair tied into braided pigtails. The other blonde standing at Fu's right was dressed in deep purple suit with coattails and the stern-looking brunette on her left donned a red uniform while carrying two katana at her hip, giving her a samurai vibe. The tallest and the largest bust in the group was a traditional dark-haired Japanese beauty wearing a white-and-blue suit that was so thin that it may as well have just been a second skin.
But when Akko's eyes fell on the last of Team Sanshu, she felt a sharp twitch in her spine that she hadn't felt in a long time; the Shiny Rod, which was strapped to her belt, started to vibrate against her hip. Akko gave her a closer look. She seemed innocent enough; slightly on the short side, round-faced, bright pink hair tied in a ponytail, and a large clip that clung to the right side of her head, nearly touching her eye. Her uniform was bright-pink, but had armored gauntlets and greaves. Of the five members of Sanshu, she seemed like the least threatening…so why couldn't Akko stop the tingling down her spine?
"Akko," said Diana, touching her shoulder, snapping her out of her stupor. "Are you all right? You just spaced out all of a sudden."
"Yeah, it's just…that girl over there," said Akko, pointing her out. "I don't know why, but I feel like she's super strong. We oughta be careful around her."
"And coming up right behind them is our next team!" Wangari screamed. "Hailing from a place for freaks and weirdoes, our next competitors aim to put their unique…quirks to good use and reach for the title of hero! But before they can run off to save the day, they have come to prove their mettle against the best the world has to offer! Look out, because here comes…Shoto Todoroki, Fumikage Tokoyami, Tsuyu Asui, Katsuki Bakugo, and Izuku Midoriya – Team U.A.!"
Much like Sanshu Middle School, the champions of U.A. High practically strutted onto the field with unwavering confidence…well, except for the boy with the messy green-haired – he looked exactly like how Akko felt; trying to hold back the urge to vomit as he looked around at the enormous crowd watching them, judging them.
Unlike Luna Nova and Sanshu, none of them were wearing matching uniforms, but a strange variety of different styled costumes that, Akko guessed, were supposed to be their hero suits. The one on the far right with the half-white, half-red hair and scarred face wore a simple deep-blue track suit with a combat vest, but the long-haired girl next to him donned an elaborate green-and-black wetsuit with a pair of oversized goggles that gave her a frog-like appearance. Akko was nearly taken aback when the boy (?) on the opposite end had a head shaped like a bird and only wore a simple tattered black cloak and the green-haired boy who looked like he was about to have nervous breakdown wore a plain looking neon-green jumpsuit with padded gloves and a respirator around his neck. The last in their group looked like he was dressed more to be a villain than a hero – and those gauntlets shaped like oversized grenades weren't helping much – but it was the boy's face that made Akko gasp in shock.
"That's him!" Akko hissed out of the corner of her mouth. "That's the guys Hannah and I bumped into in the Arcturus Forest."
"Then that's probably the one who'll be competing today," said Nico thoughtfully. "Remember, these guys are training to be heroes, and heroes don't cheat. So he obviously kept the information for himself, which means he's the only one that knows what's coming."
"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," said Makoto apprehensively; that boy did look very scary.
"And just arriving on the field is our possibly most lethal team yet," said Neku. "Though the rumors are unconfirmed, it is said that this next school doubles as a prison, keeping the most dangerous teenage girls on the planet in check. Assassins, poisoners, mercenaries, serial killers, bombers, and deadly cyborgs – good money says that these ladies will mess you up if you even look at them the wrong way. Here for the first time… Nio Hashiri, Sumireko Hanabusa, Haruki Sagae, Tokaku Azuma, and Otoya Takechi – Team Myojo."
Okay, that sounded terrible, Akko thought, as she looked back at the tunnel Team Luna Nova had emerged from where the next group was stepping on their field. It had seemed that none of them had opted to try for matching outfits and had instead arrived in their school uniforms, which were as different from each other as their face and personalities.
The blue-haired girl leading the group definitely had the look of a killer – cold, unfeeling blue eyes that didn't quite meet anyone's gaze, seemingly focused on something that only she could see; and the knife pouch strapped to her thigh certainly didn't make Akko feel better. The peach-blonde girl on the far right looked largely out of place compared to the others; she looked like she belonged in a rich mansion garden sipping tea instead of locked up in a prison school for killers. The pink-haired girl between her and the leader reminded Akko of Amanda; both had a mischievous gleam in their eye that could only mean she was a troublemaker, lazily gnawing on a pocky stick with a cunning smirk. On the far left was a playful-looking girl with long purple hair, but Akko didn't like the way that she was fiddling with a small pair of scissors in her hands, almost like she was itching to cut something. And the last among them was a short little blonde girl that was smiling like an overgrown child…but Akko could see right away that it was fake; it was the same kind of smile Akko used often when she was trying to hide her true feelings. Akko couldn't explain it, but she got the sensation that the little blonde girl was just as dangerous as the blue-haired one.
"Next up is a team you won't be forgetting any time soon!" shouted Wangari enthusiastically. "Perched atop a man-made island where everything is controlled by an 18-year-old high school student – I mean, seriously, what the hell? – this insane school where the laws of physics do not apply boasts itself as one of the five greatest schools in the world, right alongside Luna Nova! Give a big round of applause for…Ryuko Matoi, Nonon Jakuzure, Ira Gamagōri, Uzu Sanageyama, and Hōka Inumuta – Team Honnoji!"
The audience's screams had almost rivalled that of when Luna Nova had been called – Honnoji was an obvious favorite. Back in Japan, Honnoji was considered the greatest school in all of Asia and only a handful of people were every selected to attend; they had an acceptance rate of 2% if Akko remembered correctly.
The champions from their rival school marched onto the field from the entrance on the south-east side and right away they presented themselves as a serious threat to the competition. Four of them were dressed in crisp, clean white uniforms branded with three golden stars on each, though they had taken liberties to make each one unique. The largest of the group (looking more like an adult that a high school student) had slicked back blonde hair and had some heavy-looking gauntlets and shoulder spikes. The shortest among them was a girl with pink hair that dressed like she was the conductor of a marching band, even twirled a short baton between her fingers. The green-haired delinquent stereotype had his uniform wide open with a high collar and what looked like a kendo sword sticking out of his back. And the blue-haired boy with the stereotypical nerd glasses had a fur-lined collar and several machines strapped to his waist.
But it was the girl in front that stood out the most. She had shaggy, unkept hair with a single left-swept red highlight and a cocky grin that said she was looking forward to this more than anyone. In contrast to her white-uniformed classmates, hers was a pitch-black sailor uniform with a bright-red ribbon. Much like Satsuki Kiryuin's uniform, it had a design on the breasts that resembled a demonic eye, but one side was covered by a black patch, almost like an eyepatch. Akko couldn't see from a distance, but she thought she saw some kind of holster around her hips – a gun, maybe? It was too small to tell.
"Ryuko Matoi," said Diana suddenly, nearly making Akko jump. "She's Satsuki Kiryuin's younger sister. She'll most likely be the most difficult."
"Huh, really?" said Akko, blinking. "…Oh, yeah, now that I think about it, I think I saw her and Satsuki at the Rabbit House during our last Blytonbury weekend. Guess that makes sense."
"The next team is one I know from personal experience, though not often the best one," said Neku blankly, which made a few people in the audience chuckle. "Located in one of the emptiest regions of Hokkaido, our next school holds a proud reputation for lacking any common sense, where sanity is nonexistent, and everyone breaks the fourth wall more times than a Deadpool comic. It is my pleasure to introduce…Eruna Ichinomiya, Mikoto Misaka, Otone Fujishiro, Kanami Eto, and Raven Sachya – Team Serenity.
"Yay! We finally make our proper debut in the story!" Eruna shouted at the top of her lungs the moment she stepped out of the tunnel, throwing up her hands in double peace signs. Akko couldn't help laughing out loud; Eruna was so ridiculous that it momentarily made her forget that she had been nervous a few minutes ago.
The other four champions of Serenity Academy came run out after her, all of them looking winded like they had been running to keep up with Eruna. Just like Myojo and Honnoji, they were wearing their school uniforms as their team outfits, though there was a clear division between them – three of them were wearing bright-orange blazers with white sun emblems and two of them were wearing white blazers with golden lapels and golden crescent moon emblems on their breasts. Eruna was among the three wearing the sun jackets along with a girl with duel-toned white-and-violet twin tails and a brown-haired girl carrying a katana strapped to her waist. Among the champions in moon jackets was a tall woman, possibly the oldest in the group with long black hair that subtly shifted to a red gradient and the youngest, who was a tomboy-looking girl with short brunette hair.
Besides the champions themselves, Akko saw movement around threw of the champions' shoulders. Bimii was floating around Eruna, whispering something in her ear that caused the orangette to stick out her tongue. Akko could automatically assume that the tall one was Raven because of the strange star-patterned bird that just perched itself on her shoulder, making itself content. And the other girl in white nearly tipping over when a large yellow creature with a lightning bolt tail jumped on top of her head and settled itself there….
"Is that a Pikachu?" asked Akko. "Wait, why are they allowed to bring animals? Isn't that against the rules."
"Technically," said Fate, "pets are allowed to be entered as tools as long as you fill out the necessary forms…. Lindy-san told me that the other day."
"And you're just telling us now?!" Akko shrieked exasperatedly. "If I had known that, I would have registered Blair as a pet and have her help! Damn it!"
"We're almost at the finish line, so let's move on with one last spurt of energy!" screamed Wangari. "Our next team has travel across the galaxy from the distant planet of Orience, making them the first alien team to compete in the Contest of Champions. But because they are from another world, we have no idea who they are or what they can do? Could this be the advantage that puts them on top? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…King, Queen, Ace, Rem Tokimiya, and Machina Kunagiri – Team Class Zero!"
The champions from across the galaxy entered the stadium from the north-western tunnel to a booming round of cheers and claps that was probably more powerful than the one Luna Nova received. Akko couldn't blame them; alien visitors from another world competing in the Contest – Akko would be beside herself if she wasn't competing as well.
Once again, they were a team that had decided to stick with their school uniforms instead of wearing any special outfits for the occasion. But, on the other hand, they did decide to bring weapons to the Contest, which Akko supposed counted as different. The cool-looking leader with short, blonde hair was shuffling a deck of cards, seemingly for no reason other than to do something, but there was a strange marker on the back of each card that looked to be glowing – magic playing cards, perhaps? His taller companion standing to his right had blonde hair as well, though it was longer and slicked back neatly; his hands were tapping a pair of handguns holstered to his hips anxiously. On the opposite side of him was a girl with long, silky black hair and a pair of wire-rim glasses, hefting a long, knightly-looking sword on her back.
But when Akko turned her eyes on the last two members of their group, she felt the same sharp sensation on her spine as when she did with that girl from Sanshu. The Shiny Rod was vibrating harder than before, possibly because there was two instead of one this time. First was the boy with emo-looking black hair hauling a pair of twin rapiers and the other was the shortest girl among the group with shoulder-length brunette hair twirling a pair of twin decorative daggers in her hands. Unlike the girl from Sanshu, Akko could actually see the power coming off those two in thick, miasmic auras: the boy was white while the girl was red.
"Something's wrong again, isn't there," said Diana, once again snapping Akko out of her trance. "You had that same look earlier…. Is there something about that team that bothers you?"
"Well, not me exactly," said Akko uncertainly. "It's like…the Shiny Rod is…I guess, nervous about some people. It won't stop shaking. It did the same thing when Sanshu showed up."
"Hmm…," Diana hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "Perhaps the Shiny Rod senses power that rivals own. We don't fully understand the Shiny Rod, but there's always a chance it could be sentient. If it is, indeed, worried…then that means we will be facing opponents with unimaginable power."
"Is it too late to drop out?" asked Makoto anxiously.
"And now, the moment you have all been waiting for," Neku continued. "Hailing from parts unknown, our final school is one shrouded in mystery. They honed their skills under the watchful eye of Ram, said to be one of the greatest Hunters of our age, and are ready to put them on display. Without further ado – Black Gold Saw, Strength, Chariot, Dead Master, and…BLACK ROCK SHOOTER!" he concluded with an unnatural boost of enthusiasm.
The screams from the audience were so thunderous that anyone outside the stadium would have thought there was an earthquake. Akko and many of the champions from other teams had to clap their hands over their ears because the noise level had reached a pitch where it actually started to hurt. She knew that Mato – that being, Black Rock Shooter – was a pretty big deal, but this was a bit much in her opinion. The noise had reached a new pitch when Mato and her teammates came out that Akko thought she would go deaf at any moment. The cheering lasted for a solid two minutes before they finally decided to settle down, probably because their throats were starting to hurt. Sighing in relief, Akko removed her hands and turned around to look at the last team.
When they had arrived in front of the school over a month ago, it had been too dark to see anyone other than Mato, but now that they were standing in broad daylight, Akko nearly did a double take. If Ram was anything to go by, then Akko figured she shouldn't have been surprised that her students were equally demonic-looking.
The tallest woman had long black hair that faded into red towards the end much like Raven from Serenity Academy along with a pair of curved demon horns jutting out of her skull. She had large skeleton hands that were wrapped around the handle of a great sword equal to her in size with a serrated edge like a saw. The short blonde girl next to her donned a spiky black crown on her head and had metal claws like her companions, but the biggest attractor were her legs, which looked like they had been replaced entirely by metal prosthetics balanced on a pair of oversized wheels. Mato was in the middle dressed in a long dark-blue coat with a single white star on the back, a pair of combat boots, short shorts, and only a small bikini to cover her chest; a strange assortment of attire, but she looked normal compared to the others. On her left was a tall and slender woman with thick framed glasses and a pair of skeletal horn growing out of her head that matched her hands, which were clutching a menacing-looking scythe; somehow, Akko thought she looked familiar. The last one was definitely the shortest among them – she only came up to Akko's shoulder – and wore an oversized coat with a thick collar that covered her mouth. But her size seemed irrelevant when you caught a glimpse of the long, scorpion-like tail growing out of her spine and the pair of massive mechanical gauntlets that was almost as big as her.
Team Black Star joined the rest of the teams in the middle of the field, forming a complete circle around the center line. Akko, whose team were directly left of Team Black Star, waved at them excitedly.
"Hey, Mato-chan, let's do our best out there!" she shouted.
Mato had her face covered by her hood so Akko couldn't see what she was thinking, but she turned her head slightly towards Akko and then turned away a second later without any response. Akko lowered her arm slowly, frowning.
"That was rude," said Akko.
"You seem to have a bad habit of pissing everyone off," Nico commented offhandedly.
"I didn't even do anything!" Akko yelled. "Why is everyone always blaming for stuff?"
"Because you're you," Diana countered.
"…you may have a point there," said Akko thoughtfully.
"And now, all of the teams are here!" said Wangari. "It's been a long time come, and we thank you for your patience, but the wait is finally over! Eight teams have gathered from all corners of the galaxy for one goal: to prove who truly is the strongest school! Honor, fame, glory, riches, and the right to call themselves the greatest in the universe! That is awaits those who reign supreme in the games ahead! And nooooow, the moment you have all been waiting for!"
Akko unconsciously gripped the Shiny Rod for strength; the blue-haired assassin of Myojo narrowed her eyes threateningly; Ryuko Matoi punched her fist in her palm with a cocky grin; the dagger-wielder girl of Class Zero took a deep shuddering breath; Eruna Ichinomiya grinned from ear-to-ear; the green-haired boy of U.A. High gulped nervously; the pink-haired girl of Sanshu braced herself at the ready; Mato remained still and stoic.
The atmosphere was palpable – they could all feel it – the time had finally arrived….
"Let the Contest of Champions…. BEGIN!"
Again, please show your support for Serenity Academy, because you know I'm just going to keep repeating this message over and over again.
And be sure to check out my latest project, Super Smash Anime: A Future Imperfect.
Next chapter: The First Game