"Suga, please, let me sleep," Oriana groaned. "You shouldn't be moving either."
"Oh, c'mon," Sugawara pleaded, for the hundredth time. "We have to leave tomorrow already. We won't have other chances to see them."
Oriana was aware of that fact. They have been stuck in the hospital wing that was reserved by the Magic Embassy. No one that wasn't either Embassy staff or a Magic Knight or a nurse or medic, or the Ambassador himself was allowed to go in. However, Oriana and Sugawara were free to leave whenever they wanted, since they were discharged last night, however Ambassador Iachima wanted to make sure they were comfortable. Was it mentioned that he forced one of his assistants to go to Oriana's house, with her permission, and retrieve some of Charmy's pre-made meals? It was the only way to keep Oriana from constantly collapsing from mana deficiency. and he was really persistent.
"Oriana! Let's go already!" Suga shouted as he pushed the covers from Oriana.
"I swear to fucking-"
"Language."
Oriana groaned, but she had no other option but to comply. Sugawara could really be a big child sometimes and as noisy as any of their juniors in the Karasuno team. It wasn't like the Black Bulls mage planned to sleep until the boat departed the next day, but she definitely planned to rest that morning. Apparently, that was not an option when Suga was around.
She hadn't seen anyone besides Sugawara and Michimiya since the fight in the highschool. The most recent memory she had of them was their blank expressions and lifeless eyes. That image went through her brain too many times while she was awake. It was the very first image in her mind as she opened her eyes. She wanted to erase it, replace it with a new memory before she left again.
Without another word, Oriana let her best friend pull her from her bed. Within the hour, they were both ready to leave the hospital. They were asked to not wear their Magic Knights robes as the streets weren't empty anymore and life had come back to the Miyagi Prefecture, this reminded Oriana of how she had to tear her own robe apart. She could hear Magna and Finral complaining already.
Even the weather seemed to agree to the revived streets. The sun was warm considering it was winter, but it still called for a winter coat given the chilly wind.
"Are you satisfied now?" Oriana asked.
"We are just getting started."
With that said, Sugawara steered suddenly in the opposite direction from Oriana's house.
"Where are you going?"
"Visit the boys, obviously."
Oriana sighed, she wasn't excited about coming back to Karasuno Highschool that soon, but Sugawara would drag her there if needed. She just didn't have the structure to tell him the full view of what she had experienced. Too soon to talk about it, but he knew the gist of what happened. Oriana wished it could just let the whole incident fall into oblivion. To forget it ever happened.
"You think Daichi still doesn't want to see us?" Oriana asked suddenly.
Sugawara was taken by surprise. There was some hesitance in his step and now he walked side to side with Oriana.
"No, I think it was the effect of the spell." he paused. "I'm sure of it."
Hopefully, that would be the case. Oriana never fully processed that encounter, it left her too angry for that. Probably the effect of the spell as well.
As the duo climbed the hill, they were surrounded with Karasuno uniforms. Oriana felt some sense of relief. It was nostalgic to see the young faces in black uniforms. The two worlds she lived in were completely different, so everytime she went back to one of her homes, no matter how long it had been, she couldn't help but smile fondly. The cold breeze made her clutch to her coat, but she felt lighter.
As they made their way to the school entrance, the duo was greeted with familiar joyous faces, waving energetically. For some reason, even the vice-director was there.
"Guys! We're here!" Suga shouted with glee.
Oriana laughed at his energy and jolted behind him when he suddenly decided to run to their friends. Soon, the image of blank faces faded from Oriana's mind. Their tears and laughs, the chaotic energy, the hugs and pats on the back symbolized that it was the real Karasuno volleyball team. Her friends were back. What a feeling to be right there, beside them and holding them close again. Oriana couldn't stop her tears as the emotions kept piling up. She didn't allow herself to cry when the sky fell down in the Miyagi Prefecture, but since everything was over, the sense of relief made her muscles relax. The chains of the dark mage were gone and Oriana could laugh freely again. At least for that moment.
Somehow, both Sugawara and Oriana were dragged inside the building by the director's persistence. A compensation for saving the school and the whole town, he allowed the duo of mages to visit the school premises and insisted on paying for lunch. Immediately, Hinata grabbed hold of Suga's and Oriana's attention to the gym and pleaded to see how much better he had gotten. None of them had the structure to refuse Hinata when he was an adorable jumpy tangerine.
By lunch time, they shared meals in the school's roof and the Karasuno team shared the news of how they won their way into Nationals, as they had defeated both Seijoh and Shiratorizawa, and they would leave for Tokyo the following week for the tournament. Meanwhile, Sugawara was beyond thrilled to share the Coral Peacocks gossip. He really knew everything that happened inside the Headquarters. It was, honestly, a little scary. Oriana finally got to share some her own stories. Talked about her squadmates and their magic and shared her most recent mission.
"Can we see some of your magic tricks? Can we? Can we?" Hinata begged.
This caused sour expressions to both Suga and Oriana as they evaded the junior's pleading eyes.
"Don't call it 'magic tricks'." Sugawara disclosed, in a disappointed tone.
"It's spells…" Oriana continued.
"Show us some spells! Please!" this time, it was Yachi that asked.
Thank goodness for Charmy's meals.
Oriana's grimoire glowed by her side as she showed off her blades and combat claws. With her bone tendrils, she lifted the first years in the air and immediately Nishinoya and Tanaka asked for a turn.
"What can you do, Suga?" Asahi asked with a curious glint in his eye.
"Oh, you better be prepared."
With his grimoire, Sugawara casted a spell that evoked plant roots from the cement and created various patterns in the air.
"That 's it?" Tsukishima commented.
"What do you mean 'that's it'? I could make this whole building shake and crumble if I wanted to!" the boy divulged.
"Do it!" Nishinoya and Hinata shouted in unison.
"No!" Daichi and Oriana immediately yelled in return.
By the end of the evening, Oriana found herself in her old classroom. Classes were over and the rooms were empty. The walls had an orange tint from the sunset displayed in the clean glass windows. The disposition of the room looked exactly the same and it still had the characteristic chalk scent. She leaned on the doorframe, but the seat by the window looked inviting. They were never allowed to sit on the tables, however, no one was there to stop her. She barely had time to assume a comfortable position before a stentorian voice filled the silence.
"Miss, get off that table!"
"Yes, I'm sorry!" Oriana screeched and instantly jumped off the table as per instinct.
When she heard a familiar laugh, she turned her head to it's direction. That lovable laugh she knew so well..
"That was hilarious!" Daichi said between laughs.
"It wasn't funny at all!" Oriana contradicted. "You scared the crap out of me."
"Exactly as planned." Daichi said before he walked up to her.
He lifted the chair out of the way and dragged the table in front of Oriana closer to her before he sat on it. Oriana groaned and plopped back to the table.
"Seriously, hearing that made me feel like a highschool student again."
"You weren't gone for that long." Daichi jeered. "Don't speak like you've been gone for years."
She glared at him for a moment, then turning her attention to the sunset. The day was about to end. The days seemed shorter in the South. Life in Miyagi seemed easier, because it honestly was. Everything was joyful when she was nothing but an ordinary highschool student. Her only worries were finals and due dates. In comparison to her worries in the Clover Kingdom and as a Magic Knight, those were absolutely nothing to her. She still would complain about it, but she said to herself that she had to fulfill her role as a normal student and complaining was part of it.
"How's your shoulder?"
Nothing could hide the guilt in her eyes.
"It's just a scratch. I barely remember it's there."
"I'm sorry I did that to you."
"I barely even remember it happening! Don't worry about it, seriously. It 's fine."
Oriana dropped her shoulders. His lower tone always calmed her. She held his kind gaze for a while longer before she whirled her head to the sunset again.
"We missed you." Daichi said almost in a whisper. "I missed you."
Oriana scoffed.
"Well, that's much better than what you said to me last time."
Daichi tilted his head,
"What did I say to you?"
"You don't remember that either?"
"My memory became foggy after you two left, to be honest." he scratched his cheek while he admitted to his lack of memory.
That would mean he also didn't remember what she said to him.
It 's for the best.
"It doesn't matter anymore. I forgive you."
"Was it really that bad?" Daichi asked, his voice filled with regret.
Oriana had to laugh at his reaction.
"That's not fair." he murmured, but then, he stopped and searched Oriana's glowing features.
His hand cupped Oriana's face and his thumb caressed her cheek. Her laughter ceased. She tried to feel it, the rush it used to be when her and Daichi touched. As she held his gaze again, she almost wanted to feel it, but it wasn't there. He leaned closer to Oriana and pulled her head gently to his.
The wish for a normal life.
By instinct, Oriana closed her eyes as their faces got closer.
It wasn't her wish anymore.
Oriana opened her eyes and put light pressure in Daichi's chest with her hand as she pushed him away.
"I'm sorry."
There was a flinch of disappointment in his face, it lasted only a second before he smiled fondly and let his hand fall from her face.
"I understand. Don't worry, I get it. Really." he paused. "I'll wait for you."
Thankfully, it was time to head back. With hesitant and awkward moves, they had to put the tables and chair back in their original positions. It was time to say goodbye to Miyagi and the friends she made there once again and go back to the unknown adventures and dangers that called her name in the Clover Kingdom. She made the same promise, that if she was to come back, she would tell them everything about it and once again, it left a bittersweet feeling.
A/N:
This was a last good bye to Daichi, the Karasuno team and Oriana's easy life. At least, in this installment. I like to think that Oriana had a good development, but I left a lot of room for her to grow as a person. Even I don't know what will happen in the second installment yet when it comes to her character development, so we'll see, hahaha. It would be interesting to see her fall into her old habits of lying because it was easier, but that would also be going back and forth in the same theme. We'll see what happens.
Also, another great reason for giving Dishonesty a second installment is that I didn't get to show off the full extent of Oriana's and Sugawara's habilities. There are so many spells and modes that haven't been showed yet, but since I gave those to them, I have to show it off. It's only right!
In regards to the last chapter, it's not finished yet. I tried writing more yesterday, but it's so hard! And things keep getting in the way, it's like it doesn't want to be written. Or maybe it's a message from the Universe for me to change it. But nah, I don't think I will. It will be a bridge for what's coming and a transition in Oriana's and Zora's relationship. With that said, I have no clue when I'm going to publish it, hopefully soon, but I can't make any promises.
Until then, remember to be kind to everyone!