The Kusanagi sisters walked side by side, wandering quickly through the halls. After a heartfelt, tearful reunion, the siblings were given their instructions and sent to the dorms, escorted by yet another god. His navy-blue jacket swayed back and forth with every step as he strode silently ahead of them. Yui attempted to converse with him, hoping to gather a little more information on their given task. Unfortunately, the Egyptian god was far less cordial than the others of his kind.

"Um, Thoth —"

"Master."

"M-Master?" Yui questioned, a look of confusion on her face.

"Call me Master Thoth. I'll allow nothing else."

Nari raised an eyebrow at the back of his head. 'Master Thoth…? The hell does this guy think he is…?' Her aggravated thoughts came to a screeching halt within moments as she reminded herself: this man was a literal god. Even still…

"Er… Master Thoth."

"What is it?"

"Zeus told us what we are supposed to do, but I'm still not sure I understand."

"What's not to understand? You have one year to guide all eleven students to graduation. If you carry out your task successfully, you will be returned to your home world."

"W-Wait, a year?!" Yui exclaimed, her previous confusion making way immediately for surprise. "We can't stay here for a whole year! What about —"

"It is no matter," the god interrupted. "The time you spend here is irrelevant. So long as you are in contact with the air in Garden, you will remain stagnant. You will not age nor change. When your task is finished, Chronos will bring you back to the very instant you arrived."

"Ch-Chronos?"

"The lord of time," Thoth replied shortly. His patience was clearly starting to wane… which was rather impressive considering he barely had any to begin with.

"Even so…"

"It doesn't matter," Nari interjected. "Either way, this is insane."

"Your instructions are clear," Thoth spat.

"They are not clear; he hasn't given us any indication on what we're supposed to do."

"You are to lead the gods to graduation."

"That doesn't tell us anything. How exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"That's your job. Figure it out."

"Figure it — That's ridiculous! You can't just —"

Thoth's patience ran out. Spinning on his heel, he made an about-face and stormed toward the defiant sister. His body moved so quickly, Nari nearly stumbled, back away to avoid running into him. Her mind went blank for the briefest moment, dragging her back to a distant time as he cornered her against the wall. It wasn't until his hand slammed beside her head that she was shaken back to her senses, his face appearing merely inches from her own.

"You will not defy us."

Nari fell silent. Thoth smirked down at her, taking joy in her submission. His victory didn't last long. Within moments, the woman's eyes grew still. Her pupils dulled and her lips pulled taut as she slowly lifted her gaze. They continued upward until they were level, staring directly into his own.

"…Wanna bet?"

"Nari!" Yui stepped forward, gently tugging on her jacket sleeve. She wasn't sure what was going through her mind, but angering a god was not a good way to start their time here.

Thoth, however, only stared down at her. His lids widened slightly as he watched her, taking in the fogged expression on her face. Her body was tense, her jaw clenched, eyes unseeing. She was prepared for something… but he didn't know what. 'This woman…' He thought silently to himself. He made a mental note before slowly stepping away. "It is decided. You will lead all eleven students to graduation," he repeated, before spinning around and continuing down the hall.

Once he moved, Nari's posture softened. She glared after him, her mouth twisting into a scowl as he got further and further away. Her focus never waned, only stopping when her line of sight was broken, her sister stepping in between.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Nari shook her head and moved away from the wall, her eyes glancing one last time around her sister at the retreating Egyptian god. "Come on… better follow that asshole before he leaves us here in the hallway."

"B-But…" Yui stammered, watching in startled surprise as her sister brushed off her concern and continued down the corridor.

. . .

Thoth led the two women to their rooms as requested, storming off before either had a chance to converse with him further. Yui was a bit agitated at his lack of hospitality while Nari was just happy to see him go. With nothing further and both sisters looking forward to a long rest, they went their separate ways and entered their rooms. Inside of their living quarters were school uniforms, a student handbook, as well as a campus map. The rooms themselves…

Yui walked slowly around her room, eyes shimmering with awe. They were the most impressive living accommodations Yui had ever seen. Her dorm was cozy and spacious, equipped with a fireplace, dining area, and lounge. The attached bedroom was huge, with wooden flooring, rugs, and the largest, softest bed she had ever laid on. Even the bathroom was luxurious with a large tub and shower, for their preference.

"Hey, Kutanagi! You're finally here."

"Huh? Who's there?" She jumped, confused by the disembodied voice.

"Over here."

Yui followed the sound downward. Standing at her feet was… "A… talking doll?"

The doll huffed and crossed its arms, irritation evident. "How rude! I am Melissa, a splendid human! And I'm here to look after you as a mentor."

"To look after me?"

"Indeed! Zeus fashioned me from clay."

"Clay?"

"Most myths describe humans as having been made by gods from clay or earth. In my case, there was a little mistake. You see, Zeus didn't put in enough power when he was creating me."

"A mistake…" Yui muttered, watching Melissa tottering around below. He certainly wasn't lying. It wasn't entirely clear what Zeus had been aiming for when he created Melissa, but it wasn't like any human that she had ever seen.

"Oh, make no mistake. I do like my body. A bit small, but it's sturdy and mobile." He proved his point by crawling up one of the dining room chairs. "In this garden, I'm your upperclassman. I'll take good care of you. When you're troubled, come and talk to me… When you want to cry, you can borrow my shoulder."

Yui stared, still trying to wrap her head around the very existence of this place, let alone gods and semi-humans. The fact that she was now being commissioned — or more like forced — to teach said gods and semi-humans about actual humans. The fact that she only had a single year to do it all and had no idea where to start. The fact that her older sister, who had been previously missing for nearly three years, was now suddenly here to do it all with her. It was all just too much to grasp at one time.

So instead, she did the only thing she could think to do. "Th-Thank you, Melissa. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Kutanagi."

"Er… it's Kusanagi…"

"I know, Kutanagi."

. . .

Across the hallway, Nari walked quietly around her room. While she was comfortable with the arrangements, she wasn't entirely impressed by them. As her career skyrocketed her to fame, she wasn't unfamiliar with a bit of luxury. She had often found herself frequently staying in hotel rooms and lofts of similar quality. It wasn't something that she had ever demanded, so much as something that came with the profession. Now, it left a bitter taste in her mouth, reminding her of what she had left behind.

And Nari didn't need a reminder.

Her fingers dragged along the wooden table as she looked around at the decorations. On the wall hung her school uniform, something she had never thought she would dawn again. The skirt was a bit short for her liking, but nothing she was unaccustomed to in her line of work. With a tired sigh, she made her way to the bathroom. Yamagata's jacket fell to the floor with a thud, her jeans following behind it.

A small turn to the side gave Nari a full view of herself, adorned in nothing more than her undergarments hidden beneath a blood-stained shirt. The crimson was everywhere, from the top of the collar down towards the hem. Her arms were no better, red staining her pale skin and hardening under her fingernails. There was no way she could exit her room like this. She looked like an axe murderer… which, if she was being honest, wasn't exactly far from the truth.

Shaking her head, she pulled the shirt over her shoulders, shedding the rest of her clothing and turning the knob. Leaning forward, she plugged the stopper and watched as water slowly filled the tub. A small smirk tugged at her lips. None of that mattered anymore. She was no longer in the human world and thus, its problems were left behind with it. For now, she would focus on what lay in front of her. A nice warm bath. Dumping a generous amount of bubble mix into the filling tub, she perched on the edge and watched the water rise. It filled surprisingly quickly, given its large size.

Swinging a leg over the wall, she dipped a foot in the water, sending out little rings. Not too hot… it was perfect. Her second leg followed, her body sliding slowly into the bubble bath. Nari smiled and leaned back against the wall. Finally, she could relax. Something she had been unable to do for as long as she could reasonably remember. It was a wonderful feeling, unwinding in the marble tub. If every day were like this, Nari wasn't sure she'd mind being trapped in the magical school. That thought was her last as she heaved a heavy sigh and closed her eyes.

. . .

The evening went and morning came, the gentle rays of sunlight tickling her face. With a quiet groan, Nari slowly opened her eyes. The fuzzy room came into focus as her eyes adjusted to new light. Was it time already? Where did the night go? With a wide yawn, she stretched and sat up in her bed, looking down at her silky nightgown. For a moment, she felt utter confusion as she tried to piece together the last forty-eight hours. Becoming a fugitive, hiding in the Kusanagi Shrine storehouse, being forcibly dragged into a school for the gods —

Right. A school for the gods. So, it wasn't a dream.

Rubbing her eyelids, she climbed out of bed and slowly dragged herself to the bathroom. A small part of her hoped in futility that she was still in the world of dreams. One quick look at the floor dashed it. The bloodstained clothes were her confirmation. Shaking her head, she brushed her teeth and made her way back to the dresser. She grabbed a pair of undergarments and changed, putting on the uniform hanging from the wall. Her movements were sluggish, her body moving on autopilot. Layer upon layer covered her form until she was completely dressed. Turning, she took a quick look at herself in the wall mirror.

Nari grumbled, frowning at the outfit's adjustments. She tugged gently on one of the buttons, taking note of how closely they hugged her chest. While the uniform essentially fit, certain parts of it were a little disproportioned. After all, the garments were designed with a high schooler in mind, not necessarily someone in their early twenties. Shaking her head, she quickly gave up. It couldn't be helped. The clothes covered what they needed to and that was what mattered. "Looks like we're really doing this…"

"You could try and look a little happier about it."

"Holy —" Nari nearly leapt out of her own skin at the sound of a quiet voice addressing her from the dining room table. Spinning on her heel, she searched wildly around the room for the source. At first glance, nothing looked out of the ordinary. A few chairs, an empty cup of tea that she had apparently drank at some point, her student handbook, a black cat…

Wait a minute.

Blinking at the small creature, Nari rubbed her eyes once more to ensure she wasn't hallucinating. When the animal didn't disappear, she instead decided to address it. "Hey there… where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time. You looked tired last night, so I didn't want to disturb you."

"Wagh!" Nari shrieked, stumbling back a few steps from the foreign creature. It talked. The cat talked.

"You're a jumpy one, aren't you?" she asked, slowly leaning forward and stretching out her paws.

"Well, pardon me… uh…"

"Fuyu," she answered.

"R-Right. Pardon me, Fuyu, but cats don't generally speak where I come from."

"Of course, they don't. They are animals. I am a familiar," Fuyu replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Which, to be fair, to some degree, it was.

Nari, however, didn't take it that way. Instead, she gaped at her with an incredulous stare. Yesterday, she had seen a pink Pegasus taking to the skies. Now, she was talking to a magical house pet. This place just kept getting weirder and weirder. Of course, it was only about twelve hours ago that she saw a king of the gods call down bolts of lightning, so a feline familiar was probably the least of her worries. Resigning herself to her new situation, Nari shook her head. "Of course. Silly me. I must have forgotten," she muttered sarcastically, taking a seat at the table. "So, to what do I owe this meeting? I can't say I've ever met a familiar before."

"I imagine you haven't," she replied, sitting calmly in the center. "I am here to act as your guide. To watch over you during your stay here as you learn and grow."

"So, you're kind of like an advisor?"

"More or less."

"Great. Well then, Fuyu, what do you suggest I do first today?"

The cat smiled deviously; her emerald eyes boring into hers. "I would suggest making your way to the auditorium. Preparations for the opening ceremony are already underway."

"Opening cere —" Nari turned to look at the clock. It was almost 11:00 a.m. "Shit!" Swiping her handbook from the table, the frantic student rushed to the door, throwing it open and disappearing into the hallway. Fuyu snickered behind her, hopping down to the floor. With a Cheshire grin, she trotted to the door and pushed it closed with a paw. Just as fascinating as she imagined.

. . .

Nari ran through the halls, bobbing and weaving in between other students as she passed. With the handbook as her guide, she made her way across the massive campus, only slowing her stride when the large doors came into view. Shoving the book into her blazer pocket, she made her way inside. Rushing through the doors, she entered the hall… only to find it completely empty. Chairs were set up across the room, but no students filled them. There wasn't a soul in sight. "Huh…? Did I already miss it?"

"Nami! You are late!"

With a tired sigh, she turned around to address the voice. "Yes, I am well aware of that, I — huh?" Her eyes looked back and forth for the source. But there was no one there.

"Down here."

"Uh… ah?" Lowering her gaze, Nari found herself gazing at… something. It looked like a doll of some sort, sewn together from various fabrics. It was probably the most unusual thing she had seen so far and had she not spoken with a house cat only minutes ago, she would have been a lot more surprised. "And you are?"

"Melissa! I am your sister's upperclassman, roommate, and mentor. A pleasure to meet you, Nami."

"Oh, my sister huh… Yeah, nice to — wait, what did you call me?"

"Nami! You are Kutanagi's sister, yes? Nami Kutanagi."

"Er… it's Nari."

"Yes, yes, Nami! Nami Kutanagi."

"No, it's Na-ri. Na-ri Ku-sa-nagi."

"Yes, Nami Kutanagi."

"…Forget it." With a heavy sigh, Nari gave up. She wasn't sure if he was refusing to pronounce her name properly, or if he simply wasn't capable. Either way, it wasn't any of concern. She had bigger things to worry about. "Hey, where is everyone? Isn't the assembly soon? Or did I already miss it?"

"Correct! Kutanagi was here earlier with Apollon, Balder, and Tsukuyomi. But no other gods showed up. So, they went to go find them."

"Oh. Okay, so I should go look for the other gods?"

Melissa shook his head. "No. Kutanagi was unable to convince them. She returned to the classroom."

"So, I need to head to the classroom?"

Melissa shook his head again. "No. Kutanagi explained seating arrangements for the opening ceremony to the gods. She wished to organize them by last name, but gods do not have last names. She went to go rectify that problem."

Nari took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to contain her growing frustration. "You're saying that Yui came here, left, returned to the classroom, came back again, then left to solve a name problem?"

"Yes!" Melissa exclaimed, seemingly pleased that she finally understood. Unfortunately, he offered nothing further.

A few moments of silence passed between them. The two stared at one another, Melissa with a beaming smile and Nari with a growing scowl. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke through gritted teeth. "So, where. The hell. Do I go?!"

"Library," Melissa stated simply. As though she should have known all along.

"…Thank you," she grumbled, turning away and striding from the auditorium. She had to commend her sister's patience… she lived with that creature.

. . .

"Gh…" Nari groaned, wandering slowly down the empty hall. Per Melissa's instructions, she had made her way to the school library, in the hopes that she would locate her sister. Unfortunately, upon her arrival, she was greeted instead by an angry Thoth who informed her of her sister's departure, complained about it, then promptly threw her back out again. With her patience exhausted, Nari admitted defeat. Wherever Yui was, she probably had it under control.

Instead, she decided to explore the building. Chances were, she had already missed the ceremony by that point, so there was no sense in rushing back. Aggravated as she was by the entire situation, she couldn't help but admire the accuracy of the campus design. She found chemistry labs, classrooms, art rooms, and even a music room, and the latter immediately drew her attention. Her eyes grew wide with wonder as she entered the room, fit with chairs, stands, and musical instruments.

"No way…" Nari murmured, slowly making her way toward a large piano near the back of the room. It had been a while since she had seen one, having given up piano early on her career. Wandering around the bench, she carefully placed her fingers in the once familiar position. A few scales got her back into the swing as she allowed muscle memory to take over. It seemed she could still play.

"Mmm, mmm…"

Nari's voice rang out through the empty classroom as she played, a gentle melody drifting through the open door. There were no lyrics to her song, only a tune that she had hummed often in the past. She had planned to make it her debut, but that hope had never become reality. A sense of calm washed over her as she continued her song, taking her back to a place she loved. Pleasant memories reentered her mind as her fingers glided across the keys. It was calm and serene… until it wasn't.

"Wow, wow, wow!"

A loud voice sounded from the doorway startling the pianist and resulting in a loud bang of the keys. Whipping her head toward the intruder, she opened her mouth to snap at the offender. But upon the sight of him, her mouth quickly shut. It was one of the gods. The sunny one she had spotted with her sister earlier the previous day. What was his name…

"You must be Fairy's sister!"

"F-Fairy…?" Nari balked. Whatever the bubbly god was going on about was a mystery to her. "I… I don't understand."

"Fairy! The other human girl who came here with you. I saw you two yesterday. You seem close. Very close. Fairy told me she's your sister."

Nari paused for a moment when his rambling stopped, taking in the words he was spilling out uncontrollably. He must have been talking about Yui, then. But… "Wait… why do you call her Fairy…?"

"Because she's pretty and mysterious, like a fairy!"

"I — that's…"

"What's your name? What is it? Fairy never told me your name. I'm Apollon. Apollon Agana Belea!"

"I'm… It's Nari. Nari Kusanagi." It seemed her sister had addressed the surname problem already. This particular god was having a good time using his new name. Was he always like this?

"Nari! That's a pretty name. Really pretty. Hey, can I call you Siren?"

"Thanks, I guess. I — wait, what? Why?" Nari's eyes grew even wider at his unusual request.

"Because your voice! You sing beautifully, like a Siren. It's beautiful."

"Thank you, but…" Her voice slowly faded into silence. She couldn't bring herself to voice the words. Instead, she changed the subject. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the opening ceremony?"

"I came to find you! Fairy and I split up to look for you."

"Heh, funny… I was looking for her too."

"Well, come on! The ceremony is going to start soon. Let's go, Siren! Let's go!"

Apollon grabbed her hand, dragging her forward and away from piano bench. His energy was suffocating, and Nari wanted nothing more than to yank her hand away and put as much distance between them as possible. But following Apollon would mean finding Yui, and she needed to go to the ceremony anyway. With a resigned sigh, she shook her head and allowed the sunny god to lead onward.

. . .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Hey, I know there was a really long delay here. I am working on a little project that's been taking up most of my time. I am trying to translate Kamigami no Asobi. If anyone knows Japanese or anyone who does that would be willing to lend a hand, I would greatly appreciate the help!