Author's Note: A small edit, but I changed "Seere" to the more familiar "Sale" in previous chapters and will continue to use the name.
The next couple of days flew by without incident. The classes would continue their tasks from morning until night, and the school gradually took shape into a place that truly looked like a festival ground.
And on the afternoon before the day of the festival, after everyone had gone home, Yuji and Hecate went down to the riverbank near the bridge—the same place the Priestess had summoned Sereiden together with Bel Peol months ago. But they were not the only ones there; Shana had followed them wordlessly and observed their training while sitting on the steps leading up from the shore to the road.
"Are you sure you don't mind having her here?" Yuji asked the Priestess who had assumed her true form, to which she did not respond in an ambiguous silence. He interpreted that as an "I don't really care" from her. "Anyway, think I can pull it off? We haven't had much time to practice the past few days."
Hecate nodded.
"But you sure seemed to have fun," Yuji said, smiling warmly at the Priestess, and she let the happiness show on her face as she recalled their time with their friends.
"I look forward to tomorrow," she said.
"Yeah."
They did not cast a Fuzetsu for this training session, for today Yuji was not about to perform feats of battle, but one with a more mundane use in the world he now lived in. He took a few steps towards the water.
"Let the Power of Existence flow throughout your body and shift them in the desired direction all at once without expelling it," Hecate reminded him. "Power of Existence is the fundamental energy of reality, and thus should alter the truth about you. Change yourself from a groundless mortal, and as you had once learned to walk, gradually lift yourself up and become more confident as you move."
"Alright, well, I guess it's time to see if our training the past week has finally paid off."
Feeling the warm azure flame from his core leak all throughout his torso and limb, he focused; not dissimilarly to the time he had learned to condense the same energy, but unlike that time, instead of the power gathering towards a singular point, it all pushed upwards.
Slowly, the Mystes lifted off the ground and floated higher into the air. Behind him, the Supreme Throne observed him proudly, while the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter watched with mild surprise.
After reaching twenty feet off the ground, Yuji looked downwards in delight. "I'm doing it! I'm doing it Hecate!" He wobbled when he lost his balance for a moment.
"Just keep practicing," Hecate said with a pleased expression. "Soon, flight will become second nature to you."
The Mystes laughed with absolute joy and directed his energy horizontally. He zipped over the Mana River faster than he expected to go, but he was not afraid. He was no longer grounded to the two dimensions he once walked as a human; and with that thought, he soared even higher.
With glee, he flew in circles over the river. He lost track of time from his excitement, and when he had finally begun to calm down, he headed towards the top of one of the great A-shaped arches of the Misaki Bridge, where Hecate was waiting for him. It was that same place where he had once been unable to reach her when she was in the pit of despair.
He alighted just in front of her, although he nearly crashed right into her after misjudging his own inertia. Back on his own feet, he lost balance and fell forward, and the white-mantled girl caught him in her arms.
"Now you can fly with me," she told him happily, and they both flushed.
"Yeah, now I can follow you anywhere."
The mushy display was cue enough for the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter to leave them alone. She had not moved from the spot she sat from, and there was nothing more to see with her highly keen eyes. Walking down the road home, she took out a piece of melon bread and began to chew into it.
"Not many Flame Hazes and Crimson Denizens learn how to fly," Alastor told her. Noting his partner's face show some envy, he comforted her. "Bring out your wings at your own pace," he said figuratively. "You still have not even learned to release the full might of the crimson flame, but it will come in due time."
Day of Festivity
The long-awaited day finally arrived, and the announcement of the Seishu Festival's opening was greeted with many cheers. At Class 1-2, the stars lined up to show off their costumes in front of their classmates before the parade would begin.
From the left, Shana adjusted her conical oil can-like hat. Rather than plain cylindrical tubes as would be expected of the Tin Man, she had donned a kite-shaped breastplate that was not too bulky or too thin, and her arms and legs had a more streamlined design. If the Tin Man was meant to look like an old-fashioned robot, then her outfit made her appear more like a knight-like cyborg, if not for the hat and her long dark hair. The axe prop in her hand, while on a long pole, retained a more classic design. For modesty's sake in the case of a wardrobe malfunction, she also wore a black long-sleeved shirt and matching tights under her paper mache armor.
Next to her was a very self-conscious Kazumi Yoshida. Due to the nature of the parade, standards had to be met in terms of how much of her natural assets could be exploited and exposed, but her female classmates, Kimiko Nakamura in particular, had indeed been very creative. She wore a suit of short light brown fur from her paw-like feet up to her neck, where a mane of a slightly darker shade encircled from shoulder to shoulder, looking more like a fluffy collar. The outfit fit her stunningly well, almost as if it really were a second layer of skin and fur, and did nothing to hide the shape of her voluptuous front or her curvy thighs. On the top of her head, matching the color of her own light brown locks, was a pair of cat ears. Many a male who caught even a sidelong gaze of the Cowardly Lioness instantly felt their knees melt while stiffening themselves at the same time; the girl fidgeted her paws with a blushing face, while her tail swished from side to side.
"I told you I had something nice planned," Nakamura said with a wink. "I asked Heca-tan here to make the effort in getting the measurements just right."
"So that's why you were taking so much time measuring every inch of me before," Kazumi said shyly while pouting.
Beside her was the Scarecrow, Keisaku Satou, who by far had the plainest and most simple costume among them, a regular white shirt and patterned overalls with straw tucked under his sleeves. While he did end up having to wear a straw hat that was somewhat itchy to the scalp, as per his demand, he did not have to wear the wooden poles that were meant to restrict him from the spine, and they remained unused in a corner of the room.
Hecate, dressed as the heroine Dorothy, still wore the same light blue Lolita dress and red shoes she had shown off before. This time, an addition was made to the dress in the form of a big white bow tied to the top of her hair. To her comfort and contentment, she noticed Yuji admiring her cuteness out of the corner of her eye and allowed herself a small smile. Her faithful dog Toto sat next to her…
Literally, on the floor, dressed in the full mascot outfit of a dog up to his nose and with a collar around his neck, Ike had his rump on the ground like his legs had given way completely.
"You alright Ike?" Yuji asked.
"Y-Yeah, don't worry about me," his friend mumbled. "I'm still just a little tired."
"Try not to push yourself too hard Ike-kun," Kazumi told him out of concern.
"If you feel like you are about to collapse, allow me to carry you like the dog you are," Hecate offered, unwittingly jabbing words so sharp that Yuji winced from hearing it.
"N-No, it's fine really," Ike insisted.
In contrast to the suffering canine, the Mystes of the Reiji Maigo, and for today the titular Wizard of Oz, stood proudly and confidently before his classmates. He wore sleek black pants and a long-sleeved coat of the same shade. On his feet were dark brown shoes, and white gloves not unlike those of a magician's covered his hands. The most distinctive feature of his getup, however, was the long, flowing cape of white with bright yellow lining the edges. In one hand, he held a cane painted gold with a fake emerald topping it.
For the sake of style, Yuji grabbed the hem of his cape and threw it sideward, letting it flap and swish in the air momentarily.
"So cool~!" one of the girls complimented with dazzled eyes, and the others, including the guys, readily agreed; even Hecate, who thought at first that it was uncannily similar to her own Priestess garb, found it very appealing.
"The outfit was my idea," Kazumi confessed. "I thought it would really suit you."
"I love it," the Mystes told her, admiring the handiwork that had gone into the getup.
And then there was Romeo, played by Eita Tanaka. He wore slacks and coat of royal purple and grey fashioned in a design suitable for a prince. While his face didn't exactly look the part for it, his tall height and broad build accentuated the illusion of a strong and brave protagonist.
With a hand in his pocket, his squinted eyes scanned the room. "Hey, where's Oga-chan?"
"She said she needed one last thing before she could reveal herself and just took off somewhere," Kazumi answered, gradually getting used to the stares around her.
Finally, the last of the stars arrived. Juliet, played by the usually tomboyish Matake Ogata, glided in on light feet like the princess she was meant to be. Her dress was elegant-a gown of magenta wrapped around her slender figure, hanging from her modest bust down to the floor. Looping around each shoulder was a strip of dark purple cloth which met at the center of the top of her dress, clasped by a silver brooch, and her skin from the upper arms down to her fingertips was covered in classy long gloves matching in color to her dress at a lighter hue. Her hair had been fixed, brushed neatly with persevering hands, and was kept tame by an unadorned, headband-like tiara. Her eyelashes had been curled with skilled fingers, and her natural youth was complimented by a small amount of blush applied on her cheeks. Her thin lips had also been highlighted with scarlet red lipstick.
The class before her eyed her in amazement. Never before had they ever seen the girl so feminine and charming, and they all were speechless.
Feeling their gaze, Ogata shifted uneasily. "H-Hey guys," she said somewhat timidly. "What do you think?"
Nakamura gave an immediate thumbs up coupled with a wide grin, and one by one, each of her classmates threw praise at her.
"Ogata-san you look great!"
"You turned out to be a really pretty Juliet."
"You really look like a princess."
"You're gonna be a shoe-in for the grand prize!"
Her confidence bolstered, the maiden held up the sides of her dress with dainty fingers and twirled around, momentarily revealing the white heeled shoes she endured just for today underneath. The awestruck class, including Hecate and Shana, clapped for her in awe.
Meanwhile, Eita just stood there, and in a rare occurrence, his eyes were wide open as he took the sight of the beautiful maiden in. "Oga-chan, is that really you?" he said quite late.
His Juliet pouted. "Of course dummy, who else could it be?"
He put his hands up defensively, unwittingly pulling his bookmark out of his pocket at the same time. "A-Ah, n-no, I mean," He stammered, his cheeks turning a shade red, "you're very beautiful."
In addition to the applied blush, the girl genuinely added a natural sort of redness to her face. "W-well then you'd better start burning this image into your eyes, because this is the only time you'll ever see me like this."
"I'm cool with that," Eita said, smiling at her sincerely. Ogata reacted to this by teetering on the edge of fainting.
"Okay you two, save it for the parade, and maybe even after that," said a grinning Keisaku.
"He's right, they're going to start soon," Ike told the group. "We wouldn't want to miss out just because we were late, especially not after putting this much effort in."
The rest of the costumed cast agreed and calmed down. One after another, they filed out of the classroom while the rest of their classmates cheered as they followed. After they made it halfway through the hall, Ogata paused and turned back.
"Oh, sorry guys, but I forgot to put on my necklace," she said, and her friends saw her off for a moment before heading to the school grounds ahead of her.
"Don't you think you're spoiling them a bit too much, my heart-warming hazard, Margery Daw?" Marchosias teased his Flame Haze.
"Oh shut it," Margery said with pink cheeks as she put away her make-up in the girls' restroom. "I can act the part of the big sister Eita and Matake expect me to play sometimes, can't I?"
"For all the times you act tough, you really are just a big softie, aren't you?"
"Same goes for you. I still haven't forgotten how much you've revealed to Keisaku about my past," Margery said as she made her way out. "We should get going to find a good spot to watch the parade."
"Speaking of which, you think they felt them too?" Marchosias said with a more sober tone.
"I don't doubt it, but knowing them now, they probably chose to ignore them."
Crowds were already forming on either side of the road as lines were drawn for the students of Misaki Municipal High School to parade unhindered. The event was such that a few police officers had been tasked with ensuring that nothing breaches past the audience's limits and disrupts the event. After all, this was practically a holiday for the city, a day for joy.
Among the throng of people was a Native American, a man in a cowboy hat, and a young Italian girl.
"You sure this is such a good idea?" Sale asked, sensing a fair number of Denizens besides the two powerful Crimson Lords and the Chanter of Elegies scattered all over the city. "I'm surprised we didn't get owned as soon as we set one foot into their territory."
"And give the Dazzling Blaze—who you know as the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter—a reason to end whatever farce of a truce she has with Bal Masque?" Southvalley responded. "Whatever that girl does, she's always been a dutiful Flame Haze, one who could still do plenty of damage even if she would likely lose. The leaders of Bal Masque aren't that dumb either, as long as we keep our cool and avoid making our own excuse to brawl, we can wait for the right opportunity."
"But why just us three?" Chiara inquired. "If a team led by the Manipulator of Objects, composed of some of the strongest Flame Hazes in the East, including the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter herself, wasn't able to secure the Reiji Maigo, then what chance do we have?"
"You underestimate your abilities, Flash Arrow," Southvalley said, using the nickname the Four Gods of the Earth referred to her with. "And we're not here for that, unless the opportunity presents itself."
"Then why are we here?" Sale asked more firmly now.
"To give everyone all around the world reason to rally and fight back the Denizens," said the Evoker of the Demon Horde.
Having returned to the classroom, Ogata looked around the room for where she may have left her accessory. She tried her desk first, then the costume racks, but there was no such luck.
"Where did I put that thing again?" she said to herself, starting to get worried. It was a tiny detail to her costume, but it was given to her by her mother, and more than that, she wanted to go all out with everything she had because of the fortunate role she had been handed. "That's right, I was showing it off to Sugano-san and she was holding it when we rushed off to change into our costumes."
She made her way towards where she had seen it last, and it sat right there on a desk, a small tear-like stone of aquamarine hanging on a loop of silver string. Having put it on, she was about to leave when she spotted an oddly marked scrap of paper on the floor.
Out of curiosity, she picked it up. It was a simple bookmark composed of white paper with an eldritch circle surrounded by various unreadable symbols. "I don't think I remember anyone reading any books around here lately. Better keep it safe for whoever owns this so it won't get trampled on when we get back."
Stashing the piece of paper into her schoolbag, she picked up her skirt and quickly followed the path of her classmates.
Only minutes remained until the festival started with the grand opening parade. High school classes gathered together in the courtyard all ready in their costumes, some even with floats of their own make, with each participant eager to get things rolling.
Yuji eyed his classmates. Those who were not specially dressed stood to the side in anticipation. Shana took a moment to readjust her "armor" for comfort's sake. Hecate continually prodded a still fatigued Ike nonchalantly. Turned away from her classmates, Kazumi hugged her bosom tightly in abashment.
"You holding up alright, Yoshida?" Keisaku asked the Lioness, raising an eyebrow as he approached her.
"Y-Yeah," she mumbled shyly. "It's just that this costume feels even more embarrassing than what I wore that time we went to Misaki Waterland." As she said that, her eyes strayed to the Mystes who had overheard the conversation, and their faces immediately lit up and turned in a different direction.
Just in the nick of time, Ogata rejoined them. "Sorry about that, guys," she said, to which her friends told her that it was no problem.
"That's a pretty necklace Ogata-chan," Kazumi complimented her.
"But was it really worth going back for?" Keisaku questioned.
Ogata's eyes met Eita's briefly, and she timidly answered. "Well, I just wanted to put my all into this role. Even though I thought at first that I couldn't pull it off, I'm still really glad I got to be Juliet, especially since I probably won't get to be something anywhere near as nice next time, if there even is a next time."
The eyes of the Mystes fell on Hecate again, who was visibly excited for the parade to start. And with good reason, he thought to himself.
That's right, this is probably the last time she might be able to have fun like this; it won't be long now until Bel Peol initiates the next phase of Bal Masque's plan, and then she'll have to say goodbye to this city and resume her role as the Priestess.
He took a glance at the Flame Haze dressed as the Tin Girl, who had positioned herself just behind the group's Dorothy.
The same could be said for her. Sometime after this, they may have to go back to being enemies again for real.
The thoughts of the Mystes filled him with sadness, but one look at Hecate's bright smile, an expression of sincere happiness which had taken this long to develop, gave him to motivation to defy his prediction. He felt a subtle warmth flow through his being for a brief moment before opening his mouth.
"Everyone, listen up!" he said suddenly, emboldened with a desire to preserve the smile of the Priestess. His surrounding classmates, not to mention a number of other nearby students, turned to his clear voice in wide-eyed attentiveness. "Ogata's right, we don't know if we will ever get the chance to do something like this again. None of us can say for sure what the future has in store for each of us, yet we've been blessed with an opportunity like this. The time we spent together working on this project as a united class may have been brief, and the memories we've shared will always remain with us. But how do we want to look back at those memories? Do we mark it up as just another day among many which we spent as a high school student, or will we cherish it as a happy memory that would always bring a smile to our face? I say we savour today. Let's put our best foot forward and make the time we have worthwhile. Let's make this a day to really remember!" At the end of his speech, he raised his cane high, and the rest of his class, even those who would watch from the sidelines, were moved by his words of firm conviction.
Raising their fists high, they all cheered loudly.
The event was well on its way soon after that, and the cast of Class 1-2 paraded out of the school gates with youthful energy spilling from their very souls. They waved enthusiastically towards the throng on either side with huge smiles on their faces. Even Shana couldn't help but allow the infectious mirth to affect her as she beamed widely, which while uncharacteristic for the current her did not feel unwelcome.
All the while, Hecate retained an expression of bliss as she waved her arms high and wide. With gentle steps, she twirled around and around, giving the people an eyeful of her cute dress. Ogata soon followed suit, and spun around with astounding grace. And when the Juliet took the hand of her clumsy Romeo and began to guide him in a waltz that continued to match the pace of the parade, she was met with an audible cheer accompanied by clapping.
They did not pass by unseen by the Chanter of Elegies, who lingered within the general area of the school. The edges of her red lips curled up in a smile as she watched the couple fondly.
"They really do make an adorable Romeo and Juliet, don't they?" she said softly.
"No less than a princess and her dashing knight, am I right?" Marchosias hinted subtly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the Chanter of Elegies replied passively.
The second she said that, her eyes met those of the Scarecrow, who immediately waved at her with a cheerful grin and sincere eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. Upon realizing what she had just felt right that moment, she turned away awkwardly.
"What the heck was that?" Marchosias said knowingly, but was ignored.
The blonde woman turned her eyes back to Keisaku, and he still made eye contact with her. He gladly continued smiling and waving at her. While she did smirk and raise an eyebrow, she ended up waving back anyway.
"Maybe I'll stick around for the party after all," she muttered. Within the bindings of the Grimoire, her Crimson Lord contractor grinned inside.
The one dressed as Toto the dog positioned himself abreast of the young man who had roused his colleagues to give their all. "Not a bad speech Sakai," he told him as he adjusted his glasses on top of his fake animal nose. "As expected of the Wizard of Oz."
"It wasn't anything that grand," Yuji said, continuing to raise his cane and free hand high while grinning at the surrounding audience. "But more importantly, will you be alright? We still have a very long way to go until we even reach the halfway point, and Fujita-san tired you out pretty bad the past few days."
"Yeah, I can manage," Ike said and pumped his fist. "At first, I thought I'd fall on my face and die during this whole thing, but when I listened to you… I don't really understand why, but there was just something so inspiring about your speech that I felt revitalized, and suddenly I could keep on going for the sake of making a really good memory, rather than a weary one."
Yuji blinked. He honestly didn't expect his speech to go that well.
Ike shrugged. "Maybe there's just something oddly empowering about your words." He said that in passing, but Yuji took note of the whole statement mentally; perhaps he could understand just what happened when he had the time later. But for now, there was a festival to make lively.
Even the blatant appearance of three potentially hostile Flame Hazes among the audience could not spoil this moment for them, not even for Hecate or Shana.
"They look like they're really having fun!" Chiara said as Dorothy, the Tin Girl, the Cowardly Lioness, and the Scarecrow linked arms and skipped along, mirroring a famous scene from a now ancient film. At first, her expression was one of surprise, then confusion, and finally humor. Strip two of them of the fact that they were the most feared Crimson Lord and the Strongest Flame Haze, no less than mortal enemies, and one could clearly see two girls enjoying themselves along with their friends in a lively display.
Meanwhile, Sale's expression was stuck on "surprise". Such a sight so unconceivable it would never have been expected for thousands of years was passing right there before his eyes, leaving him utterly baffled and speechless.
"What is this farce?" Southvalley spat venomously. "No matter how much they pretend, Crimson Denizens can never coexist with the folk of this realm." Turning away sharply, he addressed his companions with a more gentle tone. "I'm going to go book us a hotel. Stay and enjoy yourselves if you wish."
"We'll do that," Chiara replied cheerfully. Sale glanced at her quizzically, shrugged, and nodded to the departing Flame Haze.
Somewhere further down the line, Kantaro and Chigusa watched their son with pride as the Wizard of Oz strode before the four jovial Yellow Brick travellers with confidence.
"I don't have to worry about him now," the father said aloud. "Whatever happens from here on out, I have faith that he will do the right thing."
Chigusa took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. They exchanged a pleased expression, and the mother caressed her steadily expanding womb with her other hand.
Not far from them, Lamies and Bel Peol also witnessed the event, and the both of them could not help but take notice of the happy smile on Hecate's face.
"Her time here with him has done wonders for her just as I had hoped," Lamies commented.
"Yes, I never thought I would see the day when I would see that bright and pure smile of hers return completely," Bel Peol said, momentarily unguarded from having her calculating heart melted this much by the sight of her little sister. She chuckled and took a zoomed-in picture of the Priestess' happy expression. "Sydonay would be so infuriated once he finds out he missed out on this.."
Her gaze strayed over to the Wizard of Oz who walked with his head held high and his feet so sure. His cape flowed behind him, and in his eyes were a fire of great determination and courage, as well as a keen awareness and intelligence. His striding form projected the image of one strong, wise, and majestic, not at all unlike the very Crimson God the Trinity served.
The Strategist of Bal Masque felt a warm feeling in her chest swell rapidly all of a sudden, and in addition to that, her cheeks began to heat up. Her gaze remained fixed on the Mystes, and the moment he was out of sight, she finally realized what she had just felt, and turned even redder.
Blinking, she mumbled to herself in a fluster. "I-I can't believe it… did that just happen right now? That can't possibly…"
Beside her, the Spiral Organ was trying hard to stifle a laugh. "This does not have to be the end of it, Judge of Paradoxes," he said. "I would suggest you take a break from war planning just for today. Please, don't be afraid to go ahead and share in the experience with the Supreme Throne."
The Strategist turned to him. "There's a lot more than just that, isn't there, Spiral Organ?"
"You of all people would recognize that, but you would also know that as long as you retained your usual self-control, it would not lead to anywhere too harmful," Lamies said with a straight face. Bel Peol simply smirked at his remark.
As if some spell of uncanny endurance had abruptly worn off the moment they returned to their starting point in the school grounds, each and every one of the costumed students of Class 1-2 dropped to the ground in exhaustion, save for those with supernatural stamina and the athletic Ogata. Upon their arrival, their waiting classmates raced over to them.
"You looked so cool out there Shana-chan!"
"Hecate-chan, you were really charming!"
"Man Sakai, you really looked like an honest to goodness Wizard out there."
"Almost as if you were actually a total badass!"
"Ogata-san, you were soooo beautiful!"
"Just like a princess out of a fairytale~."
"Yoshida-san, you were really brave out there."
"Yeah, even with all those eyes glued to her!"
"Thanks everyone," Kazumi said, her cheeks a little pink.
"Hey, since most of you are this dead tired, how about we take over the first of the assigned duties for some of you?" Kimiko Nakamura offered, and it was accepted with immense gratitude, especially from Ike.
"You are a life saver," the bespectacled boy drifting near death said with tears in his eyes. The next words that reached his ears, however, shattered that spot of hope like glass.
"Oh, that reminds me," Fujita said suddenly. "Ike-kun, we have to be there for the opening of the school to the entering public and start distributing the voting forms."
The dog's face paled, and before long, the highly energetic yet oblivious girl was dragging him away by the collar like the mutt he was. Struggle as he might, all he could do right now was howl with all of his anguish.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Since he and especially Hecate and Shana still had plenty of energy to spare, Yuji tended to the crepe stand. He had donned the white button shirt of his uniform along with an apron. With the three were a couple of other female classmates to share the work with.
To one side nearby, Bel Peol chewed on a blueberry crepe with refined posture. "As far as common food goes, this is delicious," she remarked towards Hecate, who nodded with a faint smile.
"We just got some more batter, so don't hesitate to ask for more," Yuji said to her. The strategist, who had been avoiding his gaze until now, now turned her attention to him briefly, and suddenly turned away upon recalling the odd feeling she had experienced just a while earlier.
"…Perhaps."
Out of the corner of her vision, Shana spotted Ogata eagerly dragging the hesitant Margery Daw towards the stand by hand.
"Look, I'm really not in the mood for this, okay?"
"Oh come on, live a little."
It was only when Keisaku, who had come along with his platonic long-time friend, took her by the wrist that the Chanter of Elegies stopped resisting. "Just have one already, it can't be that bad," he said with a teasing grin.
When they got closer, the Judge of Paradoxes and the Chanter of Elegies made eye contact.
"So, even you can make a face like that," Bel Peol said smugly.
"Humph," Margery scoffed. "I suppose say the same for you. Your 'little sister' and her pet might be blind, but I certainly am not."
The two maintained their expressions as they turned their heads away, knowing full well that the other was probably right. Meanwhile, Ogata had a hand on her hair and a look of embarrassment while Keisaku, upon the slightly confused looks on Hecate and Yuji, brought a hand to his own forehead.
"She'll have the chocolate and almond crepe," Keisaku told Shana, who nodded and immediately set about her task.
When she was handed her treat, the Chanter of Elegies looked into the eyes of the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter. There was no more killing intent visible from either of them now. It had been a long time since they had fought, and after seeing how their opponent had been like outside of battle, they both figured that perhaps it would be best if they didn't spoil the rest of the day with open hostility.
Chiara Toscana happily plucked a fluffy wad from the sweet cotton candy in her other hand and popped it in her mouth. She instantly expressed delight with a girlish "Mmmmm!"
Sale walked alongside her while remaining vigilant. Coincidentally, he had seen his potential enemies and the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter from a distance earlier. They seemed to actually be enjoying themseselves; he had heard tell in unofficial rumors circulating around Outlaw, but now that he had seen it, his mind had no choice but to believe it, surprising as it was.
"The Evoker of the Demon Horde is gonna flip if he ever saw that," he sighed.
Suddenly, a pink blob obscured his vision. "Hey Sale, try some, it's really tasty," Chiara offered.
The Puppeteer of Devilish Skills looked at her with an eyebrow raised, but there was really no harm in obliging her. He took a small piece out of her cotton candy and let the sugary threads melt in his mouth.
"Not bad," he said. "Definitely much better than you'd expect from unnaturally-colored wool."
Chiara giggled softly. "You already used that line the last time we went to a carnival." Sale responded to that with a faint chuckle and a shrug.
"Go! You can do it!"
"Kick her ass, Oga-chan!"
"Yeah! Do it for me!"
Gathered to one side of the gymnasium, Keisaku, Eita, and Margery cheered for the girl who had played the fair Juliet not too long ago. Ogata leaped up and spiked the volleyball with all her might, and the projectile zipped past Shana's defense and scored another point.
The Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter glanced at the scoreboard. 26-25, with her team just barely in the lead. The MVP on either side had scored equal amounts of points, displaying impressive stamina, particularly in the case of the human girl, while their teammates had reserved their energy until the endgame rounds.
Ogata wiped the sweat from her forehead and gave her rival a fierce look that made Margery proud.
"I hope you're not going easy on me, Shana-chan," she said. "I've been training a lot ever since you joined the team, and I don't intend to lose this time."
Shana blinked and looked into the strong-willed eyes of her opponent. She thought back to Yuji's speech again.
Indeed, this could very well be the last time we could get to play like this, so what am I doing holding back half of my skill? No, judging from the fired up crowd around us, it was fine for the sake of show; but now's the time to show her just how much I respect that fighting spirit of hers. I'll fight back with everything I have!
After the Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter served the volleyball, it continued to sail back and forth between the two teams. Sometimes, Ogata would get lucky and manage to intercept Shana's explosive attack. Other times, her teammates would barely manage to do the same. Occasionally, Shana would be bamboozled by her opponent's tactics, yet her own team was able to cover for her mistakes.
The ball continued to fly around viciously for at least forty exchanges until finally Shana raised her hand and…tapped the ball with a small fraction of her strength. It was so unexpected, Ogata and her team reacted too late in diving close towards the net. As their bodies met the polished floor, the ball bounced up and down, signalling their defeat.
The outcome was pretty obvious from the very beginning, but a match that gruelling may as well have been a battle, and the entire room cheered for the two contenders; although, Margery did sigh whilst clapping for them.
Shana extended a hand to Ogata as she picked herself up. "That was a good game," the Flame Haze told her honestly. "I had fun."
Ogata smiled as she shook the outstretched hand. "We got even closer this time. But I suppose the all-you-can-eat voucher was just too much for you to go too easy on us, huh?"
Just as she said that, a pair of students approached them with a coupon at the scale 100 times larger than what the ticket version would look like and presented it to the Flame Haze. Shana gracefully accepted the prize and raised it with pride over her head as she let pictures be taken of her alongside her opponent.
"Just try to leave some melon bread for the others, alright?" Ogata whispered to the Flame Haze.
Outside, to one corner of the school field, a multitude of pupils and guests gathered before a stage. Taking her turn to perform, a lone figure stepped up to the center of the platform. She was dressed in the pure white and deep red garb of a miko, the traditional Japanese priestess. Her hair was green and cut short with straight bangs; and her eyes were like emeralds. There was a momentary glint in them when she spotted a fancily-dressed woman with an eyepatch along with the boy she loved amidst the spectators. In her hands, she held a metallic side-blown flute.
Her presence was announced proudly. "Ladies and gentlemen, our dear Snow Princess, who also goes by the nickname Hecate, Fumina Konoe!"
She was greeted by a wave of clapping, and the moment the Priestess brought her instrument up to her lips, all noise had become still and silent.
She began to play a serene and beautiful melody, depicting a time of peace and purity, and days of contentment. As every ear listened, her intentions washed over them, forming vivid images as per their own interpretations.
Then the rhythm suddenly picked up the pace, and with dexterous fingers the Priestess played out scenes of great action and movement—akin to how one would feel upon listening to Ride of the Valkyries or Flight of the Bumblebee.
And with a sharp ending note, her wordless song shifted to a somber tone, pulling the captivated assembly into a deep void of hopeless sorrow.
Following that, her music gradually became warmer and warmer, as if a frosted heart was being thawed away, and she resumed a happy tune once more, only this one was even more joyous than how she had begun. Before her, several eyes began to shed tears, and numerous hearts were moved by the unspoken tale.
Bel Peol and Yuji exchanged a knowing glance between themselves as Hecate finished her entrancing performance.
After the volleyball match, Ogata followed Eita, who was looking through the game stalls.
"You know, you really don't have to do this just for me," the girl said sheepishly. "And they already gave me a consolation prize anyway." In her hand was a coupon for a free fortunetelling and charm of her choice. It was an odd form of reward, but considering that the contestants were teenage girls, with the MVPs in particular having an obvious interest towards certain boys, it was a safe and inexpensive one.
"Yeah, but you put up a really good fight," said Eita Tanaka. "You deserve a lot more than what you got. Shana's always been pretty beast, but for you to be able to come that close to her just means that you're even more of a beast."
It was a strange way of comforting her, one that would probably not work on every maiden, but Ogata understood what he meant and felt the heat in her cheeks again.
The two of them stopped at a pop gun game, where a small plush bear at the end of the rows of targets caught Eita's eye.
While Shana went around with her victorious team in the food stands, abusing the power of her voucher for the sake of melon bread conquest, Hecate hung out with Kazumi with Bel Peol in tow.
The Judge of Paradoxes could not help but allow some fondness show on her face as the two girls attempted to scoop out little goldfish from a tub using little more than a paper net and a bowl.
"Aww," Kazumi pouted when her tool broke at the center, freeing her captive, just before she could fully catch him. Next to her, Hecate, having analyzed her friend's mistake, skilfully claimed her own little fish.
"Nice one Hecate-chan," the human girl praised her, and Hecate smiled back. Then unexpectedly, the Priestess picked up the tiny aquatic creature by the tail and innocently lifted it towards her mouth.
Immediately, Bel Peol, Kazumi, and the stand owner reacted with panic. And in the end, Hecate ended up with a cute little pet in a filled plastic bag.
As promised, Keisaku led Yuji to a classroom-turned-cosplay-cafe, where Margery was waiting for them patiently at a table. The two boys sat down across from her and quickly placed their orders before Margery began.
"Alright kid, I'm here now and I have some time," she said to the Mystes. "Keisaku here was pretty insistent to find out more too, so I don't really have much of a choice in the matter."
Yuji sent a questioning glance towards the human male beside him, who ambiguously shrugged.
"He's already told me that you've heard about the Flame Haze Civil War," Margery told him, "so what else did you want to know?"
The Mystes took a brief moment to select the order of answers he needed to hear. Beside him, it was apparent that Keisaku was all too willing to listen and understand more about the history of the Flame Haze, particularly when it interconnected with Margery Daw's past. Finally, the Mystes threw his first question.
"Who exactly are the Four Gods of the Earth?"
"The Four Gods of the Earth," Margery repeated before beginning her narration. "They're Native American Flame Hazes who, up to now, have always been the most dedicated in the sake of keeping the world stable, to the point that each of their unique Unrestricted Methods has the ability to convert raw Power of Existence into solid, existing matter."
"That's really possible?" Yuji asked, wide-eyed as he etched that potentially vital piece of information into his brain.
"Yeah, but they only turn them into simple things, like plants," Margery answered before continuing her story. "At first, they believed that their native land was the whole world, until the settlers came. They accepted them, sure, but after a while, their people started to die by the hundreds—some by lead and others by foreign disease. Their lands, gold, food, and even their own lands—all of the Natives' possessions were being taken away by these invaders. Their own children, whether pure or mixed in blood, were turned to slaves. And finally, someone had the bright idea of turning their entire homeland into a whole nation meant for their own kind."
The three were so deep into the tale that they hardly noticed their soba noodles and coffee being served.
"Boy, were they pissed. But they kept to their duty as Flame Hazes, even as they had to watch their people suffer for centuries. And then, one day, something happened: a little girl, praying for a god of any sort to save her and her people from their fate, was gunned down by American soldiers. Needless to say, those four were absolutely furious, and they massacred cold-blooded soldiers on the spot."
"And so the Civil War began with that?" Keisaku said, the Chanter of Elegies answered with a nod.
"How'd that go?" Yuji inquired.
"I was getting to that anyway," Margery said. "Somewhere around the 19th century, the four of them gathered up their own army of humans and Flame Hazes and struck against the American government, seeking to overthrow it for the sake of liberation. Given the unfair advantage, many other Flame Hazes joined in the fight, including myself, in order to stop them. As you can guess, it got really bloody for everyone, not just for those directly involved."
She paused and softly bit at her lower lip. "Incidentally, it was during this time that Trigger Happy was created," she told the boys.
"Trigger Happy?" Keisaku repeated, not understanding.
Yuji took a moment to take a guess. "Could that be the gun Friagne was pointing at you when I first met you?"
"Bingo, you have a good memory," Margery said. "Somehow, the bastard Denizen managed to find a human who despises Flame Hazes as much as he does and created the damn Treasure Tool."
"Wait, I don't get it," Keisaku spoke up suddenly. "Why would that guy need a human to create a Treasure Tool?"
"There has to be a representative from both worlds—a human and a Crimson Denizen—and the necessary materials in order to create one," Yuji explained briefly, recalling the memory Johann had shown him of the Reiji Maigo's origin. He straightened up at the suspicious look Margery was giving him. "So I was told."
"Well you're not wrong," Margery said. "By the way, you were there when the Supreme Throne destroyed the Hunter Friagne. Any idea what happened to the gun?"
"Not really, but I hope it was destroyed when Hecate blasted him to pieces," Yuji replied, but the ring which hung from his neck gave him doubts.
"I sure hope so too," Margery said. "The thing can kill Flame Hazes in a single shot, no matter who they are or how much power they wield. It's an extremely dangerous weapon no one should be allowed to have."
As she spoke, the Flame Haze began to tremble slightly. Keisaku alone noticed that the Margery Daw before him began to feel afraid, especially considering she was only moments away from an instantaneous demise had Yuji not shown up right at that time.
The boy reached out and took Margery's hand, calming her nerves almost immediately. The Chanter of Elegies turned to the boy she lived with, and he gave her a soft, reassuring smile.
"What ended the war, Margery-san?" Yuji asked in an attempt to steer her mind away from the near-death experience.
Margery took a sip of her coffee before she answered. "In the end, since the fighting was so focused in America, Crimson Denizens did as they pleased and wreaked havoc everywhere else. Of course, both sides also realized that too many humans and Flame Hazes had died. So, the Four Gods of the Earth willingly stopped what they had begun, and asked for peace. Not too long after, that geezer you know as Khamsin, the Mobilizer of Ceremonial Equipment, suggested they join Outlaw. Today, they're the keepers of the four Outlaw branches in the U.S."
"You think they never got over that?" Yuji asked, and Margery shook her head.
"I don't think so. I've hung out with each of them a few times while I was over there." As she reached the end of her statement, her voice began to trail off, and Keisaku knew what was going through her head now: Yuri Chvojka, for whose death she was responsible for in New York just after meeting with Eastedge. The boy squeezed her hand tighter, and the Flame Haze found herself feeling better again.
This time, the Mystes knew better than to probe even deeper, and he had learned enough. Perhaps later, when she felt up to it, he could ask her about just what kind of person Southvalley was.
"Thanks, Margery-san," he said to the Flame Haze. "I really appreciate opening up to us."
Ogata held a little toy bear close to her heart as she walked alongside Eita with a wide grin on her face. It took nine tries, but the tall boy figured from the look on her face that it was well worth it.
As the couple continued look through the stalls, the PA system came to life.
"Testing, one-two. Hello from the Seishu Festival committee. Without further ado, we announce the grand prix finalists:"
This announcement was met with many a cheer, and everyone who heard it paid attention.
"From Class 1-1, Shotaro Kawakami; from Class 1-2, Yuji Sakai, Kazumi Yoshida, and Matake Ogata…"
At the mention of her name, Ogata completely flipped out in astonishment and embarrassment. "Wh-wh-WHAAAAT?!" she practically screamed with wide eyes and shivering legs. The little bear dropped from her hands. "I-I didn't actually think they were actually going to pick me."
Eita put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you did great the whole time, so why not?" he said to her. "Things just keep getting better and better for you today, doesn't it?"
The girl blinked and lowered her head to hide her blush. "Y-Yeah, I suppose so," she said, pushing her fingers together.
The finalists lined up on stage, once again in the costumes they had worn. From his elevated position, the Wizard of Oz quickly spotted Hecate and Shana watching from the congregation before him. The two of them actually came very close, he was told as he made his way up earlier, and would definitely be there with him if they just had better costumes. To be fair, however, Ogata had shined the most during the parade. It was widely known that she was tomboyish and assertive, so when she showed her more feminine and graceful side, it was hard to look away from how well she acted in contrast to her usual nature.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the winner for the best girl's costume," the announcer declared through the mic while accompanied by drumroll. "Our Grand Prix winner is the beautiful and elegant heroine of Romeo and Juliet, Matake Ogata!"
"EEEEEEEEEEH?!" the girl exclaimed loudly, in even more shock than before, but the voice of her outburst was drowned in the sea of rooting voices.
"Ogata-san, will you please step forward for a speech?" the emcee prompted her.
"A-A-A s-s-speech?!" she stuttered nervously, her legs rooted in place. Now that she had won what she had least expected, she displayed none of the refinement and dignity of the earlier Juliet.
Then, she saw Eita in the crowd, still cheering for her at the top of his lungs even after the rest had quieted down. He held the little bear he had won for her in his arm. "That idiot," she muttered affectionately, and it was the push she needed.
Gathering up all her courage and strength, the maiden strode forward. But she still hadn't come up with anything to say. Saying she had fun was too plain, and she could never top Yuji's speech about enjoying their time at the festival. She looked at Eita again, and it dawned on her that this was the perfect chance to finally lay bare what she should have said long ago.
She swallowed and grabbed the mic almost violently. "Hey Tanaka, listen up you idiot!" she yelled in his direction. "You're the thickest guy I've ever known, so I'll say it right here when there's absolutely no way you won't be able to hear it."
Taking a deep breath, she made her confession. "I LOVE YOU EITA TANAKA!"
The object of her affections immediately went red faced, but smiled widely. Around him, the audience, though stunned at first, cried out in even greater applause than before. Ogata took a glance towards the only blonde-haired woman in the crowd, the one who stood beside her other cheering childhood friend, and found her smiling at her with pride.
Only Yuji was half-hearted in his clapping. With a thoughtful gaze, he turned from the brave young maiden who had all but screamed her love to the heavens to the Crimson Lord girl who was smiling with joy.
His stare did not go unnoticed by the human girl who continued to be in love with him.
While a still-blushing Juliet shook hands with her fellow finalists, including a girl dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland, the Lioness pulled the Wizard of Oz aside and towards a private place behind the school building.
"Sakai-kun, you've been acting different today," she said. "And there was also your speech. Did something happen that made you seem so…" she tried to find the right words.
"…decisive?" the Mystes said, and she nodded.
The young man looked at the lady straight in the eye. In the back of his mind, he remembered the courage and conviction with which Ogata had just shown, and admitted that her act had deeply inspired him, and gave him the push he needed to commit.
Kazumi listened closely as he spoke. "I'll be going to war soon," Yuji told her straight, though with a heavy heart upon the realization of how crushing this might be for her. But it was better than giving her false hope. "I've decided to be with Hecate, not because I want to save her… but because I love her. And I'll be telling her at the end of the festival after she's enjoyed her time here to the fullest."
Rather than breaking down in tears like he had expected, Kazumi Yoshida smiled at him, never averting her eyes. She didn't even flinch. This girl was strong, very strong, the young man realized, and he was grateful for her response. But he still couldn't help but wonder.
"I knew it," she said softly. But she said it without an ounce of self-depreciation. "I've seen the way you look at her, and the bond between the two of you is as plain as day. But I don't regret trying anyway."
"Yoshida-san…" Yuji said, finding himself filled with both relief and admiration for the woman before him. She really had come a long way from that shrinking violet he once knew.
"But… that doesn't mean I won't indulge myself in a little act of selfishness," Kazumi said as she stood on tiptoes and brought her face closer to his own.
Yuji blushed even before she made contact, and with a soft "chu", she left a peck on his cheek. When she stepped back, still smiling, the Mystes brought a hand up to touch his cheek delicately. It still felt slightly moist, but it was also very warm.
"You have my support," Kazumi said before turning her back to him and walking away.
But as the Mystes stood there, he was unaware that the girl who had so bravely taken her rejection was now walking away with tears spilling from her eyes.
On his way up to change, Yuji ran into a lone Ogata, who was back in her uniform.
"Hey," he said as naturally as he could, although the effects of her confession to Eita and the fresh experience with Kazumi still lingered in his heart and mind. "That was really brave back there."
"Thanks Sakai," the girl said, now standing up straighter than she thought she could now that she had finally exposed her feelings. Eita would be waiting for her downstairs, and she was looking forward to seeing him now more than ever.
Yuji raised his hand, and the girl did the same, and the two palms clapped together in a high five.
Author's Note: Well, I'd say this is now my longest chapter ever. Never thought it'd be a slice of life of all things, but this one turned out to become one of my favourites, as long as it took to complete. Hope you all enjoyed it!