Author's Note: Hmm. No Reviews, well that's understandable considering the warning I dropped about the feels last chapter. So Spoiler alert in case you didn't actually read that chapter: Klaud killed her birth parents by mistake when she was six years old, and was then adopted by Sakura who is her grandmother. So yah... Read, Review, Favorite and Enjoy!

Chapter 25: Magical Health Education: Traumatic Magic Deficit Disorder

After finishing their work outside Maylin and Rebecca had both retreated into a bar, and as Maylin noted, although Rebecca had ordered a drink, she had yet to drink from it. Like wise, Rebecca noted that Maylin wasn't wearing her eye patch today, revealing a huge swath of chard black flesh on her face in the process.

"You're not drinking tonight Rebecca?" Maylin asked as she downed her fourth glass of water.

"Says the one who hasn't even ordered yet." Rebecca replied looking at Maylin suspiciously.

"I don't need alcohol to desensitize myself. I learned how to deal with lost quite some time ago." Maylin stated in melancholic tone of voice.

"Maylin, Rebecca are you in here?" Answering her own question, Madison came inside the bar and quickly locked eyes with her sisters. "Oh there you are. In here everyone!" Madison subsequently led a group of first high students into the bar before sitting down with Rebecca.

But Mayumi wasn't sitting, she was looming, or trying to anyway, walking over to the table where Madison and Rebecca were sitting she slammed her hands down and glared.

"I tolerated the abuse you put Klaud through, writing it off as family business, but now I learn that you put her life in danger, you've deliberately drove her mad, and you put not only this competition but every life in here in danger. So as one of Klaud's friends I would like a explanation as to what is going on here!" To Mayumi's shout, Rebecca took out her wallet and pulled out a folded up picture.

The three of them, with two men one with black hair and the other with brown holding what looked like a infantile Klaud and presumably at a carnival based on all the clown make up they were wearing. Then Rebecca finally downed the contents of her glass before taking a deep breath.

"Tell me something, have we ever told you about Klaud's parents before?" After a few minuets of explanation the group were horrified, if not a little bit confused.

"I see, so these two men, Harry Reed Kinomoto, and Tori Reed Kinomoto, are Klaud's parents." Tatsuya stated as he examined the photo. In truth, he, who is part of the latest generation of test tube baby magicians has no right to act surprise about learning about a couple who made practical civilian use of Genetic engineering to conceive a child had no room to act surprised here. "So when your mother said that she's Klaud's mother..."

"Well. She gave birth to her, and she raised her after her parents were killed." Maylin stated sounding depressed. "It's almost like a bad joke to think that a Coulrophobe like Klaud could go a Carnival." Mari stated looking at the photo on the table.

"Funny you should say that, Klaud use to love clowns." A Teary eyed Madison took the photo and looked at it fondly tears starting to well up inside. "So much so that she use to spend every Halloween dressed like one." And there was the kicker. It wasn't clowns that Klaud was afraid of, it was herself. "I never thought the clothes I made for her would end up being used for this."

Whenever Klaud cursed clowns calling them devil demonic hell spawn that should go back to where they belong, she was cursing herself instead. She's been living the past ten years of her life carrying a intense self hatred without realizing it.

"On the subject, there was always something that always bothered me about you Maylin." Tatsuya stated eyeing his former commanding officer, and more specifically the eye patch sitting on the bar suspiciously. "But if you got that during the mess you were just talking about, then it would make sense."

"You mean the scar I got the night I failed to keep my family safe and my brother and his husband got reduced to a pile of ash blowing on the wind? Yah, for the record, it still hurts like hell too." Maylin stated as she took another drink, if Tatsuya's memory served him that was her way of ending a conversation with post haste. "So what are they planning to do with the games?"

"Basically, seeing as how no one was hurt and no damages have been done, the judging committee are willing to drop the whole thing, so long as your family leaves the area immediately." Mayumi stated with a sad tone in her voice.

"And if we don't? Hypothetically." Rebecca asked tapping her finger.

"They'll want First High to resign completely and forfeit all the victories up until now." Katsuho replied from his vantage point of a seat off in the far corner of the room.

"Hmm. Which means that if we can delay our lift off for a little bit, we can get those guys that were trying to kill everyone to stick around for a bit as well." Maylin stated scratching her chin.

"Well that's certainly true, but is that really a priority for you guys right now? I mean, after going through something like that isn't Klaud going to be too badly traumatized to use magic or something?" Mari asked looking between the three sisters. Not too long ago, a young girl almost fell to her death during the Mirage bat rookie match and now she couldn't channel Psion's properly.

"Not for us no, believe me, we are going to leave tonight without even giving Klaud time to go to the celebratory party your school is planning on throwing. Which means that you have till the morning when they announce the results to act upon this." Maylin stated tossing Tatsuya a disk. "Just don't ask where we got it."

"But believe me, it would be nice If Klaud had something like being unable to use magic." Rebecca stated leaning back and rubbing her temples fending off a incoming headache. "But it's just the opposite. Klaud can't use magic because she has gone through a traumatic event, she can use magic, and has used it since a early age, because she had went through a extremely traumatizing event that flooded her nerves with pushions. That's the reason why I had to take such extreme measures as building a series of C.A.D.'s to put into her and rigging them to burn her whenever she exceeded a certain Psion output." Rebecca stated tapping her fingers impatiently.

"That was you who did that?" This time it was Miyuki who spoke out, who immediately after her match was over and the situation explained to her she came rushing over here as made evident by the fact that she was still wearing her costume from Mirage bat.

"As opposed to what your family did to your brother?" Rebecca stated a knowing look in her eyes. "Tell me something little girl, which one of the two of us do you think acted more humanely?" To that statement, Miyuki could only gasp and look away in shame.

"'Limits her psion output?' During the entrance exams Klaud's psion count was as high as Tatsuya's, you mean to say that she was holding back?" Mayumi asked in complete shock.

"Let me put it to you this way. Your welcome, for keeping your entire school from being turned into a hundred foot deep crater." Rebecca stated with her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"To the thankless people who do what is necessary." Madison stated before she downed the contents of her glass.

Without saying anything else the three sisters left the bar. Outside in the courtyard Klaud was already wearing her flight suit and was securing her suitcase to the side of Inari's saddle. One notable addition that was simply strapped onto the side of it was 'The Book of Klaud.' It was a large, old Fashion looking book that was mostly red with gold features in particular the large white tiger on the front with golden wings. It was her book, a spell book, but before it was hers it belonged to her father. Just like how her cards were now the only thing that she had left of him. The book was created as a way of keeping Cards who did not have a master going haywire, a way to clamp down on their accumulated magical power so that they wouldn't needlessly waste it. Though consequentially, they also couldn't get out of the book either, not without help, it was like a prison. But what choice did Klaud have, until she learned how to get her rampaging magical power under control she couldn't risk one of them going berserk like way back when.

"You're not coming to the party?" Having once again sneaked up behind Klaud was none other that Masaki Ichijou.

"Turns out hotel proprietors get testy when you turn their property inside out." Klaud replied sarcastically.

"Which begs the question of why you were rampaging last night?" Masaki asked having capitalized on Klaud's sarcasm.

"I guess... I was just tired of feeling scared of my sis... my own family." Klaud replied a bit shaky sounding.

"And you're not afraid of them anymore?" Masaki asked cocking a suspicious brow at Klaud.

"I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified of them." Klaud replied as she visibly shook. "For as long as I can remember, the three of them have tormented me, experimented on me and stuffed me into mind numbing terrifying outfits meant to capitalized on my Clourophobia at every turn. So even if I now know and understand the reasons behind them doing that to me..."

"You still can't change the fact that you're scared can you?" To Masaki's question, Klaud could only nod. "Then don't worry about it, whether you fail or succeed you'll have the same result anyway, your family will still be your family, and things will still be awkward between you lot. With that in mind, isn't it better to simply grit your teeth and muddle through?" To Masaki's word's of wisdom, Klaud could only quietly nod her head.

"Klaud are you ready to go?"

Masaki looked behind him, Masaki saw four women that he couldn't believe one was the mother of the others dressed in matching flight suits with not so matching mounts. Oh sure Masaki could tell upon examination that they followed same formula as the one that Klaud was treating as a pack mule right now, but that was where the similarities ended. In the lead was a huge lion with white colored wings and silver jewelry with red rubies around his neck and around his ankles. Next to him was a grizzled beast of griffin that looked like he was completely covered in scars rather than stripes like Inari. Following behind him was a machine with the shape of a griffin with two huge turbines instead of wings that he couldn't believe was created by an ancient magician. The last one was the most ridiculous looking of all, a giant pink stuffed toy with wings.

"What's with this family and it's outrageous difference in tastes!?" Masaki couldn't help but mentally scream at this observation.

"Klaud sweetie, are you ready to go yet?" Sakura asked looking down at her shortest daughter.

"Before we do, if I could have a word with my sisters please." Klaud stated in the melancholic tone she had adopted since the evening.

"Look Klaud..." Maylin let out a deep sigh, sounding like one who was about to talk about a very difficult topic. "We understand if you don't wanna ride with us, we do, it's not like learning the truth will take back ten years worth of scars. We'll just go on ahead, if it's all the same to you."

"No, no it's not that. It's just that, as long as we're trying to mend the old wounds, I never hated any of you, and my feelings for you were never fear. I was afraid of the Soldier, the Mad Scientist, the fashion designer, I never wanted any of that." Although she was trying to hold her tears back, Klaud was still starting to well up. "I just wanted my sisters back." At this, the three older sisters swooped in and hugged the younger girl, and they let loose their tears together.

After having that moment to cry together, the Kinomoto family began making their way to the road leading to the premises. There they were met with a crowd of students from first high, led by none other than Mayumi the resident student council president.

"So Klaud, you're really leaving eh?" Mayumi asked with a bit of a sad look on her features.

"Yeah, I'm probably gonna be home until next year starts. Well although I say that since I'm a Course 2 I'm not missing out on anything just by getting my work sent home for me." Klaud stated as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.

"That's odd, ignoring how hard it is to get stuff past all of the security buffs surrounding your village, isn't it a little strange for the school to be sending stuff halfway across the country like that?" Mayumi pondered looking a little concerned.

"It's not a problem. We worked out a deal in trade." Rebecca walked up on the back of her mechanical beast smirking knowingly. "Starting next year, just call me Professor Kinomoto."

"EHH!?" Was the collective response of those present.

Of course the school board would be looking for someone with expertise in both Ancient magic and Magical engineering for the Third course, and Rebecca was tops in her field. But they already knew how Rebecca treated Klaud, and she liked her.

"Oi Shiba Dog." Maylin stated with a stern look of disapproval. "Why are you still here? Didn't I give you something to do?"

"I still have some time before that, I intended to go to the dance first." Tatsuya replied calmly, but Maylin didn't look too happy.

"Do I have to make it an order Major?" Maylin asked with stern disapproval in her voice.

"No mam. But I suspect I'll need a ride to get there." Tatsuya stated in a defeated tone of voice.

Towards this end, Maylin threw him a set of car keys.

"I'll come back for it when we drop Klaud off again, bring it back with a full battery."

Inside of a meeting house within a certain China town district, a group of middle age men were gathered with looks of relief on their faces and glasses of alcohol at their sides.

"This was a close one. After everything we went through, First High gets booted out of the competition thanks to of all people the one we were the most worried about."

"No matter how you look at it, this was a unbelievable stroke of luck for us."

"I concur. This was a close one."

Then the sound of ringing like a telephone echoed throughout the room, before one of the screens picked up the transmission and turned on, only to reveal a black box with a flat green line in front.

"Hello gentlemen." Though the voice was distorted and came with no image, the people there recognized the caller ID as their most direct superior.

"Li-san. To what do we owe the Pleasure?"

"Oh I just called to congratulate you on your successful mission to sabotage the Nine School's competition." Suddenly the men in the room gave a collective sigh of relief. Usually, he only called if he was mad at someone. "So tell me, who was the favorite from first high to take Gold, Silver and Bronze?"

"That ancient magician brat Klaud Reed. Ignoring the stupefying feat of entering every single rookie event, she also won most of them, only to turn around and stupidly go on rampage and ruin it all." The men at the table had a laugh at that.

"Yeah, my little girl is the light of my life." They suddenly stopped laughing. "And you tried to kill her." Suddenly, the sound of the various doors leading into the room being locked echoed, and the security gate on the window leading outside crashed shut. "The truth is, I would like to devise a even more cruel punishment than the generators my daughter Rebecca created." Speaking of whom, it became quickly apparent that the group's surgically and magically enhanced guards had already abandoned them. "But sadly I'm not that creative. And there's a impatient young man outside that you also pissed off, so I don't think he's willing to wait anyway. So I'll let you talk to him for a while." With the call suddenly ending on that note, a new voice took over.

"Good evening, members of the No Head Dragons." Was the hate filled words of one Tatsuya Shiba. "Understand something. Tonight you don't die for the whims of some gangster, you die for the crime of turning your fangs against my sister." Saying that, the Security shutter was suddenly turned into mist, the gangsters turned the table over hoping to provide cover while two of them went to the doors. The echo's of their screams outlasted their bodies.

"Wait Wait Wait!" Saying that, the obstructing table disappeared revealing the gangsters cowering behind it. Two of them went for the wall underneath the window, one didn't make it. "This isn't our fault! We were just following orders! You want our boss who told us to sabotage the Nine School's Competition!"

"Trying to save yourselves by giving me the name of the same man who sold you out? How pathetic."

"No! Even higher than him! I'll give you it all! The name of the man who stands at the head of the organization!" The only man to not move since ducking behind the table screamed while being extra cowardly. "I'm listening."

"No before we go any further I want your assurance that our lives will be spared!"

"Fine, fine. You have it. Now give, me the name!"

"It's Richard! Richard Sun is the head of the No Head Dragons!"

A odd feeling of relief went through the body of the thug who was hiding underneath the window. At least it was his head on the chopping block. As soon he started to get up to find a way out, he suddenly turned into mist.

"B-But you said you'd spare us...?"

"I lied."

Tatsuya drove Maylin's truck back to the hotel. He had to admit that thing had some serious horse power but he was lucky that the No Head Dragons were camped out nearby. Thus after sending the information that he learned about the Dragons out to the proper authorities, he rushed back to the hotel were the members of the Nine School's participants were gathered together.

"Firstly, for their outstanding once in a decade performance under trying circumstances, we the committee of Judges hereby award this year's first place trophy to first high." Retsu Kudou stated, handing the large first place trophy to Mari as she walked forward. "And for individual congratulations, Our MVP's for the main events, Mayumi Saegusa for her peerless marksman ship." A medal was placed around Mayumi's neck as she gave a light bow to Retsu. "Katsuho Jyuumonji, for his outstanding performance during Monolith Code." Katsuho bent down much lower, largely because he was extremely tall, and Retsu put the medal around his neck. "And Now to First high's Most Promising Rookies. The First MPR Award, for his unmatched magical engineering skills, and superb performance during the Monolith Code match, Tatsuya Shiba." Tatsuya it seems arrived just in time to receive some accommodations. Thus walked onto the stage, and humbly accepted the metal as it was placed around his neck. "Secondly, for her sweeping performance during the Rookie events, Klaud Reed. Who unfortunately, due to outstanding circumstances could not be here today." The audience applauded Klaud anyway despite her absence, there can be no doubt that she achieved celebrity status these days passed, but the stress of the games had gotten to her and hence no one held a grudge against her for suddenly going berserk. "That will be all I'm afraid. Good night everyone and please enjoy the rest of your night." Bowing to the crowd, Retsu walked off the stage.

Tatsuya spent the next several hours dancing with the many girls in attendance from first high, apparently they all wanted to thank him for his efforts during the games. Likewise Miyuki ended up consoling a sad Masaki who was given the understanding that he wouldn't be seeing Klaud who he admired again for a while. When the night neared the end both siblings found themselves out in the courtyard that Klaud nearly destroyed.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Miyuki asked looking at herself in the fountain.

"Klaud is the most resilient person we've ever had the pleasure of know, I sincerely doubt that there's any way that she won't be alright." Tatsuya stated, as if he was simply recalling a fact. "But I don't believe that she will be alright soon, she has received a huge blow on top of many huge blows a few of which has been quite recent. It will take time."

"Then for tonight..." Miyuki turned to face her brother and held out her hand. "Let us show Klaud our confidence and not worry about her." Taking Miyuki's hand, Tatsuya and Miyuki subsequently began dance the rest of the night away together.