Yuki's P.O.V
When I wake up this morning, I am feeling oddly excited and happy I can't remember the last time I felt this good first thing in the morning. Maybe I feel this way because I know what I have in store for me today. Maybe I feel this way because I had a good day yesterday. Either way, I know, I am in for a good day today, and I can't help but smile at that thought.
Today I managed to wake up on time, brush my teeth, and even shower. I am silky clean today, unlike yesterday. When I get dressed in my uniform, I make sure I am not looking like one of the rebellious girls from my homeroom and that my uniform is neat and tidy. I made a bad impression yesterday, awkward conversations during our meet and greet time and I didn't look my best with my rushed dressing yesterday but today is a new day. Less than a second after I finished dressing my phone beeps and vibrates letting me know I have an incoming text. When I pick up my phone at first, I am stunned and can only stare in frozen silence as I look at the hailstorm of animated emoji's.
"Gud mrning sleepy head!" Hikari text message says. "Mom had to leave early 4 work 2day . I dun wanna eat brkfst alone! Can I com hav brkfst with u?! Y/N?!"
I smile, seeing Hikari's texting, and personality hasn't changed with the start of a new school year. I think Hikari is the only person who never tried to change who she was once a new year of school started like the rest of the people I knew had done. Hikari's most admirable trait is the fact she has never been afraid to be herself. I smile as I type my reply.
"N." I doubt she would take N for an answer though.
Before I can even put my phone down, I am proven right as I hear it beeps and I feel it vibrate in my hand as the screen lights up with Hikari's response. Her reply is just what I was expecting to get from her.
"MEANIE! Be nice to me!" Yep just what I expected her reply to be. Classic Hikari. It isn't long before I get a second reply. "BTW I'm outside ^.^."
Seriously?! If I didn't know her so well, I'd swear this girl has issues with boundaries. Sure enough, when I open the front door, a gentle breeze that's so fresh and feels so nice against my skin isn't the only thing that's there to greet me. Hikari is there staring angerly at her phone with a single cheer blossom petal stuck in her hair.
"I can't believe you don't want me over for breakfast! Next time I won't ask, I'll just show up!" Hikari tells me, turning her frustration from her phone to me.
"Er… That's pretty much what you are doing right now," Hikari must be the only person in the world that doesn't see that judging by the scroll that grows on her face.
"Shhh! I don't wanna hear it! Now move outta the way, I'm making us pancakes!" Hikari says, pushing past me and entering my home.
I can't complain, as much as I want to I can't find the words to say. Hikari's pancakes are very good despite being those cheap store-bought mixes. I'm not sure what Hikari adds to them, but I really like them. Keeping quiet, I follow Hikari into the kitchen and watch as she effortlessly finds everything she needs and gets to work on making breakfast. I watch as Hikari continues to work and listing to the tune she starts to hum as she concentrates on the task at hand. I decide to just to sit down at the table and wait patiently wait for Hikari to expend her energy. It doesn't take long for Hikari to finish cooking. When she is done, Hikari brings two plates of delicious smelling pancakes to the table.
"Ta-da! Pancakes á la Hikari!" Hikari proudly smiles. "My family's secret recipe!"
"You bought the pre-made mix from the store, didn't you?" I ask stealing the smile from her face.
"Argh! Yes! But I added sugar! Sugar! It's a secret ingredient!" Hikari tells me.
I just stick out my tongue at her before I dig in. Just as expected of Hikari, her pancakes are just as good as always. Nice and fluffy. Somehow Hikari has a magic touch as even cheap instant food tastes good when she prepares it. Hikari's skill in the kitchen puts my own to shame as nothing I can hope to make ever comes close to comparing to hers. Maybe she adds sugar to everything she makes. It isn't long before Hikari starts telling me one of her trademark weird stories. While I am happy to eat in peaceful silence, Hikari is not, and after only a single mouthful of her pancakes, Hikari begins to talk.
"I had a dream about you last night!" I raise my eyebrow at that although the dream isn't going to be one I had hoped to have a cute girl like Hikari to have about me. "We were together, walking through a dark and eerie forest… I was so scared, but you were so brave! You told me that no one could hurt me as long as you were around!" Yep, not a dream I would have liked her to have about me not a bad one. "So, that made me feel better… Until we ran into an evil witch!"
Hikari can sure dream up some weird stuff. A dream about a wicked witch in a dark, eerie forest isn't the strangest dream she has told me about, but it isn't a normal one. But then again what would be a normal dream for someone who dreams up a lot of wired stuff like Hikari does? I sometimes wonder just what goes on in Hikari's head.
"The witch said… "Eat this cauldron of boiled mushrooms, or I'll place a wicked curse on you!"" I am always amazed by how well Hikari can remember her dreams if it were me, I would have forgotten half of the details she remembers within seconds of waking up. "You refused to eat the disgusting concoction. So, the witch pulled out her wand, and pointed it at you!"
ZAP! BOOM! TIZAM!
Hikari acts out each sound effect she makes by waving her hands around.
"You were transformed into a gross mushroom!" This defiantly isn't a dream I would have happed someone would ever have of me. "The witch crackled and disappeared into the darkness. I looked into your disgusting mushroom face and saw that you still had eyes and a mouth." Hikari is one weird girl. "Even as a mushroom, you still had your usual dopey look. It made me really happy that you were still yourself."
"…" I honestly don't know what to say about a dream like that.
"Weird dream, right?" Hikari asks.
"Yep…" I wanted to tell her that it would be a weird dream for anyone but her, but I bite my tongue.
"But it got me thinking! If you turned into a talking mushroom, what would you do with yourself?" If anyone else asked me that I would take it as a joke, but with Hikari, I can't tell if she is serious or not.
"I'd find a nice hot spring and have a soak until I became soup," I can already see the hints of laughter begin to boil within Hikari as I answer, it isn't long before she is giggling.
"Ha ha ha! That is just the kind of silly answer I was looking for!" Hikari giggles and I can't help but laugh a little too. "You always know how to answer my random questions. Thanks, Yuki!"
Hikari and I both finish eating our breakfast. It was a good breakfast, and although it satisfied my stomach, I can't help but feel sleep after stuffing my face full of the delicious food Hikari had prepared for us. Hikari must feel the same way because u see her start to yawn. The little petal from a cherry blossom tree flutters down onto her empty plate.
"Oh! Look! I'm so happy the cherry blossoms are in season again!" Hikari smiles excitedly pointing to the pretty little petal on her plate. "This is my favorite time of year… The tree's look so pretty…" Hikari's face suddenly turns a shade of re, and she blushes brightly. "I am glad that we get to go to school together in the springtime! It's such a wonderful dream come true!"
I have to admit it, I feel the same way Hikari does. The spring is a nice time of year full of new beginnings.
"Oh, snap! We have to get going, or we are going to be late!" Hikari suddenly stands up.
Well, here we go again. I had hoped that with getting up early this morning, I wouldn't have had to make another mad dash to school like yesterday. The more things change, the more they stay the same. It seems like rushing to school and barely making it might become a common event for me as much as I hate to admit it. At least today I can place the blame on Hikari if I am late. It was all Hikari's fault, hers and her stupid mushroom stories fault. I doubt that she would let me get away with placing the blame on her though, Hikari will find some way to blame me for our tardiness. But now isn't the time for placing blame, if we do that now we will defiantly be late. Both Hikari and I are quick to grab our things and head for the door.
Yui's P.O.V
Everything is perfect. All my hard work has paid off. Taking the tray out of the fridge, I can't help but feel proud of my handy work. On the tray is a selection of different pieces of chocolate with different flavors and made with different ingredients. I made them for my friends, I can't believe I managed to make friends so quickly. I have always been by myself at school, and I thought when attending this academy, I would be alone again, but I was wrong. Not only did I make one friend but possible another although the second girl seemed a bit distant to me, I hope we could become friends. It is for the fact that I want to be friends with them that I have made all these pieces of chocolate. I don't know much about Yuki and Hikari, so I made a selection of treats they can choose from. I can't help but feel happy when I place the chocolate in a box with the rest of the sweats I have prepared. I hope they like them and we can all get along.
Hikari seems nice, I have barely said to words to her, but she seems friendly and like a nice girl. Yuki I barely know more about her then I do about Hikari, but I somehow feel safe around Yuki, and she did help me find my homeroom class when I couldn't find it. The only problem is that Yuki seemed to stare at me too much during orientation yesterday and I don't know why her stress didn't give me the creeps like everyone else's does but instead made me feel warm inside. Putting the lead on my box of treats I really do hope we can be friends and stay friends unlike…
"Ahhh!" I step back from my box of treats and cover my mouth as my body starts to shake.
"Freak!"
"Bookworm!"
Creep!"
"Loner!"
"You should just stay at home!"
"Don't talk to me!"
"Don't come near me!"
"No!" I tell myself shaking my head. Yuki and Hikari aren't like those people. Aren't like him.
Taking deep breaths just like I was told to do, I slowly calm down. I thought I was finally getting better. I thought I was over having these attacks. My old classmates from my high school were so cruel and the wounds they inflected cut me so deep that even now I am hurting.
Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out.
Yuki and Hikari are not like that. Yuki and Hikari are friendly and nice. They won't say those wicked words, they won't hurt me like the other did, they won't, they won't force me to… the scare that boy I thought was a friend left is still there. A small pinprick where he injected that poison into me so he wouldn't die alone. I feel my body start to shake again. Deep breaths, deep breaths. Yuki and Hikari aren't like them. I know they aren't.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm on my watch suddenly goes off. I was so caught up in those terrible memories that I forgot I set an alarm today so I wouldn't have to rush like yesterday.
Deep breaths.
I can do this. I can make friends at the academy. It won't be like high school.
Deep breaths.
"I can do this," I tell myself as I grab my bag and box of treats.
Unknown P.O.V
Lucky for us, the magical girl academy has a lot of tall buildings surround its grounds giving us a perfect view on the outside of the building. It's frustrating that the school is implying some kind of barrier that is preventing us from using spells that will allow us to see the inside of the buildings, but we will find some way around it eventually.
My associates and I have been hard at work and barely rested since we arrived and have been hard at work with our assigned tasks. My green haired friend stands by the window looking like a bird of prey ready to swoop down on its victim. I watch as her fingers twitch as her eyes dart from student to student. I can tell she is itching for a fight and can't wait till we start our work. She will have to wait, though. We have a lot of work to do before we are ready to make our move. My yellow haired friend meanwhile is currently preparing a circle on the ground, just something we prepared to test the school's defences. As for myself well, I have been hacking into the school's computer system and going over the student files for anyone we should target first or even attempt to recruit.
"This is so boring!" I look towards the window as my green haired friend slams her fist into the wall hard enough to make the concrete crack. "Those girls are right in front of us and easy prey! Why can't we just kill them now?!"
"Patients dear," I gently tell her. "The time to kill will come, and we will have our revenge, but that time is not now."
"Arghh!" A ball of air so tightly packed together it can be seen leaves the hand of my green haired colleague smashing a cardboard box into pieces.
"Calm done your time will come," I tell her. "And when the time comes, you can have the first kill."
That seems to have done the trick and got her back under control. A dark smile forms on the lips of my green haired friend before she turns back towards the window and stares out at the student. I have no doubts that she imagines just how to kill the girls she sees. My green haired friend my lack of patients but makes up for it in creativity. I feel sorry for the girl she chooses to become her first victim.
Now back to work. So far I have selected several targets for us, girls with a high amount of magical power that suit our needs but I have also flagged two other files that could be targeted, but I am hoping they can both be recruited. The first file contains information on the academy's star pupil, a third-year student while the second contains information on a surprising first-year student which caught my eye. With the star pupil, we have a fifty-fifty chance of recruiting her, and to be honest I don't care either way but this first-year student I really hope we can recruit her. This first-year student has a high amount of magical power and a unique ability that would open so many options up for us. She would make a good addition to the Cult of Nine.
Yuki's P.O.V
When Hikari and I arrive at the school's gate, we are greeted by a familiar sight from yesterday. Yui is standing by the gate, looking nervously around us. When Yui spots Hikari and I walking towards the school gate, she quickly looks away for a second before she looks at us again and then moves to meet us.
"Good mor… Morning," Yui says with a bow of her head.
Yui must have been waiting for us, she must have been too afraid to venture into the school alone. It is good that she knows Hikari and I and lucky for Yui we managed to get her own time today despite the rush to leave earlier. In her hands, I notice Yui is holding a nicely decorated bento lunch box, and she is protectively hugging that box close to her chest.
"Um… I… I made some sweats for us to share today. Would you be interested in meeting up for lunch?" Yui asks, and Hikari is literally jumping for joy next to me hearing that.
"Sweets! I love sweets! Let's have lunch together!" Hikari sounds like she's over the moon and looks like she might actually start to drool.
Meanwhile I just simply nod and smile which goes over a lot better with Yui then Hikari's energetic response. "Thanks, Yui. That sounds like a good idea."
Yui lowers her head as her face starts to turn red.
"Ah, I'm glad… I'll look forward to it," Yui smiles shyly.
"But for now, we need to get to class! March, march!" Hikari suddenly says reminding us of the schedule we are one, and quickly we snap to attention and make our way to our class.
Our class today is Magical History being taught by Izaline Arcain. I don't know much about our teacher, but she seemed like a friendly, laid back person when she said hello to us yesterday while Satomi was giving us a tour of the school. Izaline looks to be about the same age as Satomi, she has dark skin, brown hair, and emerald eyes. On Izaline lips is a friendly smile and she cares an air of confidence and kindness with her. I am not sure whether or not I will like the class, but I can see myself getting along with the teacher. Right now Izanline is standing at the front of the classroom just finishing up with the class register.
"Good morning, new students, and welcome to your first Magical History class," Izanline says as she puts down the class register. "My name Izaline Arcain. I'll be your teacher for this class. It is my duty to ensure that you pass your exams and move on to becoming second-year students. As I'm sure you can tell from my accent, I am not originally from Japan. No... I was born in Brazil, a country many of you will know is famous for its culture of magic and wonder. Indeed, many famous magical girls have emerged from Brazil over the years. It is safe to say that Brazil is second only to Japan in terms of the amount of magical girls it produces."
I am not sure I can name any magical girls I know other than the most famous magical girls in history, but seeing Hirkari nodding her head to everything Izanline says tells me it's true. I never realized how clueless I was about magical girls. I loved magical girls for most of my life and always dreamed of becoming one, but now that I think about it, I can only name a handful of magical girls.
"Magical girls, as I'm sure you know, have existed for centuries. Without them, the world would surely fall into despair. After all, it is a magical girls duty to banish evil in all its forms," Izaline continues. "However, I am not here to teach you about banishing evil. I am here to teach you about the origins of magical girls. Now… Before we study where we all came from, it might be a good idea to examine where we are right now!"
Once again, I hear the scribbling on paper all around it, and it becomes obvious that I am the only person not taking notes. I sigh, realizing it is too late to start taking notes now, but luckily for me, I see both Hikari and Yui taking their own notes either side of me. I just need to remember to ask them to let me copy their notes, and I will be fine.
"In today's world, evil is a rare thing to come across. Because of that, the average magical girl spends the majority of her time contributing to society, instead of engaging in combat," Izaline continues to explain. "There are currently three jobs that are considered to be the most popular among magical girls. They are, in order of popularity: Musical idol, doctor and finally, teacher. You might be wondering why these three jobs are the most popular. Well, I think I can explain the reasons behind that!"
I think it's pretty clear why the musical idol and doctor jobs are the most popular because I believe everyone has in one point in their lives wanted to have one of those jobs, but teacher, I hardly know anyone who said they wanted to grow up and become a teacher. I guess I will have to hear what the teacher has to say about that. I can imagine that there are people out there who dream of becoming a teacher, but I never considered it to be a popular job.
"Many magical girls pursue careers as musical idols. I am sure you are familiar with some of the famous idols on the musical charts at the moment. Because of their abilities, magical girls are able to entertain like no other. Some idols use their powers to put on grandiose shows with fireworks and lights, well others put their skills to use to enhance their singing voice or produce music without instruments." The explanation Izaline gives was most likely common knowledge that everyone knew already, but she said it just to cover all her bases. "Magical girls with supportive or healing abilities tend to tackle careers as doctors. Their unique powers make patients feel better again in no time. This is a noble career choice and makes a positive impact on peoples lives."
Now the explanation I have been waited for. Hopefully, this will explain why being a teacher is the third most popular choice of career for a magical girl such as myself.
"Lastly, becoming a teacher is a noble pursuit. Much like myself, we use our knowledge and magical arts to help mold the youth of the future," Izaline's answer doesn't fully answer my question, but I can see why some people would choose to be a teacher as their career. "During your time at the academy, you'll likely ask yourself over and over again what you aim to do once you graduate. Picking one of these professions I've talked about today is an excellent choice. But, be aware! These jobs are in high demand, and you'll have a lot of competition. Now…"
Izaline continues on with her lesson, but I am paying less and less attention with every word she speaks. I am definitely interested in what Izaline is saying, but Hikari's pancake breakfast is definitely taking its toll on me and making me very, very drowsy. I do my best to start awake fighting to keep my eyes open for the rest of the lesson, and luckily, the bell rings for lunch before I embarrassingly fall asleep in class.
When I exit the classroom to head for lunch, I feel a gentle tug on my shoulder. I turn around, and my eyes meet the gentle, shy gaze of Yui's. I totally forgot about the sweets Yui made for Hikari and me and mentally slap myself before Hikari slaps me for real. She would be really upset if she missed out on eating something sweet because of my forgetfulness.
"Hi…" Yui shyly says.
"Oh, hey. Did you enjoy that class?" I ask, hoping to play off my absent-mindedness.
"Yes, it was very interesting. I must have written twenty pages of notes," Yui answers and I am surprised to hear the number of notes she managed to write.
"Twenty…. Twenty pages?! How could you write so much in our first lesson?" Hopefully, she would let me borrow them because I have nothing.
"I'm not sure. I think I just write quickly," Yui answers. "How many pages of notes did you write?"
"Er… One maybe…" I fib trying not to make my lack of notes sound as bad as it is.
Yui looks at me disappointedly for a moment before she suddenly cheers up and smiles.
"Well… If you need to look over my notes you are more than welcome," Yui says with a smile which I return feeling myself saved.
As we are talking Hikari, come wondering out of the classroom mumbling something about wanting to become a musical idol and not a doctor. I could see Hikari becoming a good doctor, and she can use healing magic, but then if she wants to become a musical idol, I can't see a problem with her doing so. If I remember correctly, Hikari has a good strong singing voice I had had the privilege of hearing when we went to a karaoke booth together. I take the reason Hikari was the last one to leave the classroom was that she wanted to speak with Izaline about becoming her idol and the sour mood she is in means that talk didn't end the way she wanted it to.
"Hey, Hikari. You okay?" I call out to her, and she looks taken back by my question.
"I'm fine! I was just chatting to the teacher about which career path I should take," Looks like I was right about the source of my childhood friend's bad mood.
"Already?" I ask in disbelief. "It's the second day of class, and you're already thinking about your career!"
"Well, of course! I can't just drift around aimlessly. I need to have a goal!" Hikari tells me. "You should start thinking about your future too, Yuki."
"Nah. I'm good," I assure her, but it doesn't seem to have worked.
Yui starts to giggle at my answer. Hikari looks flustered and like she wants to yell at me but stays quiet not wanting to get into a heated argument in front of Yui. Once Yui calms down, she reaches for her box, which I guess contain the homemade sweets she promised to share with us. Hikari's demeanor changes completely the moment her eyes fall on the box of sugary treats. Hikari slides up to Yui with a devious expression crossing her face.
"Hi, Yuiiiii… Do you want to share some sweets with us…?" Hikari asks.
To say Hikari has a sweet tooth is the biggest understatement you can possibly make. I can't help but roll my eyes. She is so predictable when it comes to sweet treats. To Yui's credit, she just smiles and nods. I would have thought she would have stepped back, but Yui manages to hold her ground.
"I brought these sweets for all of us, so I'm really looking forward to sharing with you both," Yui happily says.
"Jackpot! Let's go find somewhere to eat!" Hikari cheers looking like a kid on Christmas.
Hikari rushes off and dragging both Yui and I with her. Running full speed through the winding hallways of the academy it's a miracle we haven't run someone over. Hikari forces us to run tightly, holding onto us and dragging us broth along with her. We don't get to stop till we reach the cafeteria. Hikari takes one quick look inside, seeing it packed before she starts running again and forcing us to come alone. Soon we are running up a stairwell, and I struggle not to trip as Hikari refuses to slow down. I never would have thought that the sweet tooth of my dear childhood friend would kill me, but today it just might. I try to ask to slow down and tell us where she is taking us, but Hikari ignores me and just keeps running. It isn't long before I discover our destination as Hikari drags us onto the roof.
Unknown P.O.V
"So… That's the girl your interested in?" my green friend asks, staring at the trio of girls who are sat on the roof, eating lunch. "She doesn't seem like much."
"She's a gem in the rough," I tell her with a smile. "She may be nothing now but give her time then she could grow into a powerful magical girl."
"I still think it will be a waste of time attempting to recruit her," My friend says. "She doesn't look like the type to join us."
"She may not be the type to join us willing, but she has friends," I reply as my eyes dart to the girl sharing her sweets to the girl napping, both girls will suit our needs if necessary. "If we threaten them, then she may come to us, and once she learns the truth of this world, I believe she will willingly join us."
"Fine but I get to hurt her friends right? They look like they have pretty voices when they scream," My friend is practically drooling at the thought of killing, and I stand closer to her in case I need to hold her back.
"You will," I promise. "But for now those girls are off limit."
I can hear my friend growl with annoyance of my order, but after watching her closely for a few seconds, I am confident she won't attack those girls, so I leave her be. Walking back to where my workspace has been set up, I feel good about our plans. Everything is falling in place, our plans almost ready to execute, and soon we may have two new members. I smile at the thought of turning the academy's star pupil into a cult member, I could picture the horror on the girl's mothers face when she learns her daughter joined the cult she helped destroy. It won't be long now until our revenge is complete and that academy is nothing but a pile of blood-soaked ruins.
Yuki's P.O.V
Waking up the next morning is so easy now that I am back into the routine of school. If it weren't for this academy, then I would have struggled to wake up this early in the morning. I feel energetic and happy instead of tired and lost. This academy really has helped get me out of the trance I was trapped in. It feels strange now that I could waste so much time laying around doing nothing at all.
Getting dressed, I don't feel the slightest bit of fatigue, unlike the last two days. Today is going to be a good day. I can't help but think that as I continue to dress. I don't know why, but ever since I started school, I can help but think and feel positive things almost like I am under a spell. I very well might be under a spell, Izaline did say teaches use magical arts to mold the future of youths.
I am brought out of my thoughts when my phone buzzes. I know who it is even before I read the text message.
"Open up! Let's hav brkfst together!"
Yep defiantly Hikari. Only she would send a message like this. I send her a quick text before I move to let her in. Maybe it's the idea of eating Hikari's pancakes that have me in such a good mood and not some magical art or maybe it's both.
There's a nervous tension in the air, everyone can feel it the moment they enter the room. We are about to have our first alchemy lesson, but right now, all we are doing is sitting and waiting for our teacher to show up. According to Hikari and a few other classmates, I hear gossiping our alchemy teacher is meant to be crazy… So we have that to look forward to.
I manage to get a seat between Hikari and Yui, like usual. Everyone is sat down, waiting for the teacher. Everyone is nervous, who wouldn't be with a supposedly crazy teacher? It isn't long before the door swings open, and we get to see if our alchemy teacher really is as crazy as people claim him to be.
Our teacher's appearance does nothing to help the rumors about him. Short black hair, green eyes with dark bags underneath them, a messy and torn lag coat and the look in his eyes all give off the mad scientist vibe. Maybe it's just our teacher fashion sense that caused those rumors to spread about him. Hopefully, he isn't really as crazy as people say.
"Gooooood morning students! I am your alchemy teacher, Henri Steiner! You will all do as I say, and that way, no one would be blown to pieces! Ah, ha ha ha!" Yep, Henri Steiner is defiantly mad.
Everyone in the room is silent, me, Hikari, Yui, and all our classmates keep our mouths shut. No one dares to laugh along with the teacher, not even Yui who I have heard giggling quite a lot since I have met her. No one can tell whether or not our teacher is serious about us being blown to pieces. Surely the school wouldn't let us do something so dangerous under the supervision of a mad man. I am starting to wonder what I have gotten myself into. Is there really a chance that we could be blown up during class?
"You're all new to alchemy, so I will go ahead and assume none of you have any inkling as to the true nature of alchemy! Alchemy is not magic! Alchemy is not science! Alchemy is a precise art and can only be practiced by those who dedicate themselves to it fully!" Henri explains. "You might ask… "Why must I study alchemy if it's not magic?" I'll tell you why! Without alchemy you, magical girls wouldn't have the means of defending yourself should your powers fail you! The greatest magical girls in the world have used alchemy to turn the tide of battles that their innate powers could not win! Imagine having the ability to forge weapons out of common ingredients. Imagine having the option to brew potions so potent that one sip could vanquish your foe in an instant! These are the doors that alchemy will open for the cunning magical girl. Having an arsenal of options in combat is always a good thing!"
I had no idea that alchemy would be such a powerful tool. In every magical girl manga I have read and anime I have watched the magical girls never once used alchemy. I guess that's the difference between real life and fiction.
"With all that said… I want it to be known that most of you will fail this class! Most of you will not have the dedication, the perseverance, to master alchemy!" Well, Henri knows how to motivate us all into doing well in his class. Just tell us you have no faith in us, and we are sure to do well in your class. "However! I still expect you all to do your best! I will expect absolutely no less than that!"
I have never had a teacher like Henri Steiner before. Our teacher is intense nut painfully passionate about his subject. I'm sure Henri can teach us a lot about alchemy but… I can't shake the feeling he sees us students as guinea pigs and not his pupils. I shiver at the thought of being on the receiving hand of this mad teachers experiments.
"Before we begin brewing potions or forging items, you must understand the very basic principles of alchemy," Henri continues. "Can anyone name the three components that must be included in every single alchemy recipe?"
Everyone is silent, and there is not a sound to be heard in the class. Just when I was beginning to believe no one knew the answer and Henri would tell us himself I notice Yui raise her hand out of the corner of my eyes. Timidly Yui sticks her hand up, and I wish I knew the answer after I see the battle with nerves Yui is currently fighting.
"Ah, yes! You there! Can you answer the question?" Henri asks, pointing to Yui.
"Um… Yes, sir. The names of the three components used in every alchemy recipe are the Base, the Solvent, and the Catalyst," Yui answers looking uncomfortable but confident with her answer.
"Ah, ha! Bingo! Well done, young one!" Henri says.
Yui seems to be happy and proud of her answer as she is literally beaming with joy. I am honestly surprised she knew the answer to that question. Yui does seem the knowledgeable type who studies a lot so it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. Unfournatly for Yui her happiness doesn't last long as she soon buckled under the attention she is now receiving from the rest of the class. It looks like I wasn't the only one who was surprised.
"The Base… The Solvent… The Catalyst! Three components that together form the foundation of every alchemy recipe!" Henri explains, and I feel happy for Yui that the attention she is receiving is slowly disappearing. "In order to successfully synthesize an item or brew a potion using alchemy, you need those three components! The components themselves can take many forms. Even some everyday items can be used in alchemy! Just because an item doesn't have special properties, it doesn't mean it can't be used in a powerful recipe. In future lessons, I will go into detail about finding alchemy components in the world around us. For now, I command you to open your notebooks and start writing the following…"
The rest of the lesson proceeded relatively smoothly. I feel lucky nothing was blown up, but even so, I don't let my guard down and looking around neither do the rest of the class. I don't think any of us will ever forget about Mr. Henri Steiner's eccentric attitude. I can't help but feel relieved to hear the bell ring.
With the ringing of the final bell, the school day comes to an end. I part ways with Yui and Hikari at the front gate with Hikari being reluctant to let me go alone, but I managed to convince to go home alone. Hikari can be really clingy at times. I don't really feel like going straight home. I still have some time before it gets dark, but so maybe I should use the time after school to make use of my new student life. But what to do, what to do? Go into town! Study? Or maybe I should just simply explore the school grounds?
Or maybe… Maybe I should try to meet some girls. Thinking back to yesterday when I was eating lunch with Yui and Hikari on the rooftop I did admit to Yui that I had a goal of getting a girlfriend by New Year's Eve and she seemed like she had a similar goal. Maybe I should spend my free time finding and building a relationship. Thinking about it, this is my best opportunity to find a girlfriend because this academy is packed with cute magical girls. I've made up my mind. I'm going to do it. I am going to find myself a girlfriend! Someone special, someone I can love. I'll use my time here to find myself a girlfriend.
Unknown P.O.V
Yes, these girls definitely the one for us. She has friends to us as leverage, lives alone so very few people will miss her if she disappears and her power is untapped and full of potential. This girl is definitely the one to recruit, and we don't have to do much to draw her into our clutches. I have seen it countless times before with newbie magical girls. They think using their powers would be easy and it's a shock when they can't do it. This girl will be the same. She will fail to activate her magic and feel like a burden. That's when we move in with the offer of power. Soon she will be our newest member. Soon Yuki will be ours and…
I quickly turn around at the sound of glass being crushed under someone's foot. Some may see the broken glass as a danger, but I see it as protection. Nothing can sneak up on you if you scatter glass around the floor. Not even another cult member despite the fact we are experts when it comes to stealthily killing our targets.
"What do you want?" I snap annoyed with the expression on my yellow-haired friends face.
"It's done," She replies, holding up a purple crystal. "We just need to wait for something to take the bait."
"You made sure to make it look like an amateur is responsible?" I ask raising an eyebrow under my mask.
"Don't worry," She assures me. "I made sure I made enough tiny mistakes that no one would believe a pro like myself is responsible." I don't have time to say anything else before her eyes fall onto the screen of my laptop, and a smile grows on her face. "Who's that? A target? I bet she has a nice scream. That is just the kind of girl I would take my time with savoring every scream and tear she makes while I…"
"She isn't to be harmed!" I tell her and quickly see anger grow on my companions face replacing her smile. "Or her friends. This girl is going to be our newest member."
"Fine," My friend huffs. "But when she turns you down, I get to kill her."
Hikari's P.O.V
Today is going to be a good day! Today's lesson is in Practical Magic, where we can go outside and use magical spells and stuff. I can't wait till school starts I am jumping with joy. I hurriedly get dressed before running down the stairs to find something to eat.
As usual downstairs is a mess. Mum's passed out on the couch with several cans of beer can are scattered around her. A hold my nose and try not to let the smell ruining my good mood. I should be used to this smell by now, but no matter how many years pass, I still feel sick whenever I leave my room. The kitchens in just as bad state as the rest of the house. Unwashed dishes in the sink, there is expired food in the cupboards, and our bin is overflowing with garbage even though I emptied it last night before I went to be. I have no idea how my mother does it, but somehow she can drink and eat enough to fill our bin in under an hour.
I sigh as I shake my head before I set about emptying the be again. I know my mother works hard for me, but I wish she would at least help me with the housework. I would be happy if she would just be a little tidier, but all mother does is drink and throw her empty cans at the wall. Ever since father left us, she has been like this, ever since dad walked out on us in the middle of the night mother has been lazy and drunk most of the time.
"About timmmme you di… did somethingggg… around here…" I look to see my mother stood in the doorway, barely able to support herself. "Ever sin… ever since youuu started that… school… you have been slacking…"
"I clean up once I get home," I promise trying not to be too loud. Mother doesn't like it when I am loud.
"A real women would… would be able to clean… cook…" Mother pauses for a moment trying to think but in the state that she is in I doubt mother would be able to find the answers she is looking for. "Clean… all that… all that before they left…"
"I'll try and do better mother, but I have to leave now," I still have time, but the smell of alcohol on my mother's breath is about to make me sick.
"…." Mother doesn't say anything and just silently goes back to the couch.
I quickly run to the front door and seeing my mother fast asleep again, I just leave without saying goodbye. Instantly the fresh air of the outside world does wonders for my health as I no longer feel like I am about to throw up. Today really does look like it is going to be a good day. The sun is shining, and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Today should be the perfect day for our Practical Magic lesson. I take a quick look at my watch and feel a smile grow on my face. Yuki should still be asleep, and I should be able to get some more photo's of her cute sleeping face before she wakes up. Today really is going to be a good day.
Yuki's P.O.V
"Good morning!"
"Good morning…"
Yui and Hikari are so different I am surprised they could be friends, but then again I am so different from them but can still maintain a friendship with both of them that I guess it shouldn't come as such a surprise. Yui and Hikari are waiting for me at the front gate with Hikari jumping with joy and Yui nervously looking around glancing at our fellow students.
"Today is the day I've been waiting for! Its Practical Magic DAY!" Hikari cheers excitedly.
"Hmm? What's that?" I'm as clueless as ever as I am not able to recall just what this class is.
"Ugh! Are you serious?!" Hikari groans. "Practical Magic class is where we actually get to go out of the classroom and use magic!"
"Oh, really?" I guess I do remember Satomi mention something like that.
"Yes, really! Geez, you didn't pay attention at all in Miss Otsuka' first class did you?" Hikari accuses me, and she is not wrong entirely, but I feel like I just forgot most of the information rather than I just didn't listen.
A thought occurred to me as I listen to Hikari's accusations when I see how cute she looks all flustered like that. I wonder how far I can push her if start to act more clueless then I already am.
"Hmm…" I pause for a moment. "Which one is Miss Otsuka, again?"
Hikari pouts. She always hates it when I act clueless, but I can't help but admire the appeal of how she looks. Wide eyes and an innocent expression on her face makes her look so cute. I sometimes wonder if Hikari can tell my clueless acting apart from the when I really am naïve.
"Miss Otsuka told us to call her Satomi on the first day of school. She's the one with the… big… um…" Yui goes red in the face as she speaks, and it's clear what she is talking about even if she can't bring herself to say the words.
Who could forget the very mature, well endowed Satomi?
"Satomi… I mean Miss Otsuka told us all about the classes we will be taking and the most exciting one was the Practical Magic class!" Hikari happily says as her smile returns.
It is clear to all that she is looking forward to this class. I don't know if I would be able to cast any spells, but this class does sound like it could be pretty cool and exciting. I get to see what everyone is capable of and maybe if I could perform some neat magic trick I might be able to attract myself a girlfriend. I don't see that happening though. I am just a rookie Magical girl, after all.
"Well, shall we head to class?" Yui suggests making Hikari happier than before.
"Sure," Hikari says, sounding over the moon. I just simply nod my head, and together with both Hikari and Yui, we start to make our way to our classroom until Hikari suddenly stops us. "No, wait! We are studying Practical Magic on the school field!"
I shuder. "An outside class… with bugs… and sunlight."
"Oh, will you grow up!" Hikari tells her. "It's nice being outside! It's sunny, warm, and the springtime air smells so nice!"
"But…" I should have known I wouldn't have stood a chance against Hikari in the mood she is in today.
"Shut it! You're coming with us!"Hakari tells me as she grabs my arm, and I hear Yui giggle as my childhood friend drags me towards the school field.
"Good morning, please gather around," Our teacher says as she steps out onto the field. Our teacher is a tall blond woman who for some reason, she is keeping her eyes closed. "How are you all this morning? I know this class is early and I can see some of you yawning, so I hope you got enough sleep last night. My name is Aya Yoshida, and I will be your Practical Magic teacher. I hope we can all get along and learn a lot together!"
Being outside under the blazing sun and starting to sweat really does make me feel like I am back in High School. I am almost expecting to be hit in the head with a football or told to run endless laps around the school field because I look disinterested in the lesson. Sports was never my thing, and I would always end up annoying my P.E teacher so much that he would just make me run for the entire lesson while he taught the others. I didn't mind, though. There was a lovely tree at my old school that was perfect for taking a nap under, and the teachers just gave up on me, so they never bothered me until the end of the lesson. I wonder if there is a tree here I could use. I doubt Hikari would let me take a nap, but it is still worth looking around for a place to take a break.
"In this class, you will learn how to harness your raw magical energy. You are all capable of great things, and it's my job to guide you into unlocking your full potential while you are at this academy." Aya continues. "A magical girl is capable of drawing upon the magical energy within herself and focusing into a powerful force that can alter the fabric of reality. Using the magical power within yourself, you can create a fireball, conjure up illusions, heal the injured, shield the weak and even stop time in its track."
Hikari turns to me as Aya continues to list them and I think back to that time I froze that glass mid-air before it spilled all over Hikari. It is pretty cool that I can freeze time, but I wish I could control it better. That way, I could lay in and then take my time walking to school without any worries about being late.
"A magical girl's disposition directly affects the kind of magic she can cast. The chances are that you all have already dabbled with your magical abilities. You should all be familiar with the type of magic you are capable of using." Aya says. "How about we go around the class and say what we know about our own magic. I'll start by telling you that with my power, I can create mystical fields of light that dazzle onlookers. This is a type of defensive magic I developed due to my kind and caring personality. Now where to start… How about you there?"
I can hear the gasp leave Hikari's lips as Aya points towards her. I watch as she shyly steps forward. I fell sorry for her. It must be hard going first.
"Um… My name is Hikari… I can use healing magic… I first discovered this ability when I fell down the stairs and broke my arm… I am not sure what my personality is though so I don't know why I have this ability…" Hikari timidly says nervously twiddling her fingers.
Aya nods and gives Hikari a round of applause that the class soon joins in on.
"Thank you for sharing Hikari! Your healing magic sounds lovely, and from my experience, it is people with a generous and thoughtful personality that can use healing magic." Aya tells her.
Hikari steps back into line with her head down and almost looking like she is ashamed to have the ability to use healing magic. The next person Aya calls upon is Yui who looks even more afraid then Hikari did. But despite her fear, Yui bravely steps forward.
"I… I'm Yui… my magic is unreliable, and I don't really know what it is I can do yet. All I know is that strange things have happened around me a couple of times that I can't explain. Sorry… I'm so embarrassed." Yui says as her face starts to burn up.
"Oh, no trouble Yui. Some girls just take longer to understand their powers, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. We will help you discover your powers together." Yui seems to feel better after listening to Aya's words as she rejoins the group.
Aya calls on a few other girls to share their powers with the class before her finger points to me, and I step forward feeling someone nervous but not enough to stop me from doing this.
"You seem to be a very special case, Yuki," Aya says. "Would you please share with the class what you know about your magical powers."
"Well I was only able to use my powers once before, and I don't think I had any control over it," I answer thinking back to the glass. "But… I was able to freeze an object in time."
"…" This is the first time she's been speechless this whole time, and even some of my fellow students seem to be shocked. "You froze and object… in time…"
"Yes... It was a falling glass. It didn't just stop mid-air. It literally froze the contents of the glass and stopped falling," I tell her starting to feel a little self-conscious. Is it really that strange to have an ability like mine?
"I see… how peculiar," Aya says. "And how would you describe your personality?"
"Lazy," I tell her.
I could probably have found a better word to describe me, but I just went with the first answer that came to mind. I hear a few students start to laugh and even Aya cracks a smile, though I can tell she is trying desperately not crack up completely.
"Lazy… my, my. I suppose I would have to put some thought into what caused you to develop this ability. Excellent, Yuki." Aya says before moving onto the next person.
I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction when I told even what my ability is. The laughing I could understand but the shock I can't. I couldn't tell what Aya thought when she heard about my power. Is it a standard or rare ability? Could it be something more? Could it be that I am destined to raise up and defeat an evil demon lord with my ability to freeze glasses of water mid-air? Probably not but I can dream, can't I?