Author's Note: Well, boys and girls, we've done it. I now have over thirty loyal followers. Who was this great man that stopped my dreams from just being dreams? The God's name is AkimoTactician.
I spot Diana, Hannah, and Barbara sitting at the table area where one would be during brunch. With the textbooks, notebooks, and loose papers scattered around, it looks as though they're studying. Good, I was looking for those three, well, really only Diana. I walk up to the three girls. Hannah is the first to notice me, as she smirks at me, before looking at her companion.
"Stalker status." She whispers in Barbara's ear.
The two giggle into their hands at the joke.
Diana notices her two friends have stopped paying attention. She looks up at the culprit, smiling as she sees it's me.
"Ah Theodore, how may I help you?"
I sit at an empty seat next to the blonde.
"I was just wondering what classes you put down for next year."
"Oh, is that all?" She asks, fishing out her schedule from her satchel.
She reads it off.
"I have Magic Law(insert AP classes here). I also have one incomplete slot, for which I've yet to decide. What about you?"
"Advanced Magic History, Alchemy II, and Magic Numerology. Besides that, I have nothing else. I was hoping we could complete our schedules together. Unless of course, you have more important work to do."
Diana shakes her head, as she closes her textbook.
"It's fine, I already know the study subject anyway, and seeing as school is over for today, I don't see why not."
The two other girls put off a confused look at Diana, before joining her, and taking out their schedules. I wonder what that was about?
As the two do just that, I look over at Hannah and Barbara.
"So, what classes are you two taking next year?"
"Just the basic stuff." Hannah explains.
"Alchemy II, Magic History II, etcetera, etcetera." Barbara adds.
"However, all three of us have one empty slot for a class of our choice. And Theodore, you have..."
"Three left to be decided." I say, finishing Diana's sentence.
"Well, one class is obvious for you." Hannah declares, in a teasing tone.
I raise an eyebrow, preparing myself for what's to come.
"And that is?"
Hannah looks at Barbra, both of them cracking smiles. She looks back.
"Basic White Magic! I mean, you're basically a walking bag of bandages, and stuff!"
The two laugh out loud, not even attempting to suppress their crackling.
"Children, pull it together." Diana demands, not at all amused by the two. "You have no idea how he received those injuries."
The laughter stops.
That's actually not a bad idea. Basic White Magic would've been nice to know during my fight with Mendacius. It has so many other uses as well.
I grin, saying
"You know what, you're right." I write down Basic White Magic on my schedule. "Thank you for your suggestion, Hannah."
The girl glares at me, angered that her insult had no effect on me.
I look over at Diana.
"I was thinking that I might take Magic Astrology. Do you know who teaches that class?"
"Yes, Ms. Ursula."
Ms. Ursula? I haven't spoken to her in some time. The last time was when Diana accidentally released the dragon, and I saved the teacher's life. It was then that she revealed herself to be Shiny Chariot. I don't know much about her alter persona, expect the fact that she was a stage performer, and is idolized by Akko. She seems okay. I've only heard good things about Ms. Ursula from Akko. With my decision in mind, I write down Magic Astrology into my schedule, leaving only one class left.
"So, you said you were taking Magic Law?" I inquire to Diana.
"Yes, why? Are you interested in taking it?" She asks.
I shrug.
"It's just an idea." I say.
"Well, Ms. Lukic, the Magic Law teacher, is holding a small meeting in her classroom for those who are interested."
That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Maybe I will attend this meeting.
"When is it?" I ask.
"It's a continual meeting. You can join anytime today."
"Even now?"
"Even now."
I think a bit, before saying.
"I think I might go now."
"Go ahead." Diana says, reopening her book. "We'll be studying here if you need us."
I smile at her offer.
"Thank you Diana, I'll be back soon."
I walk into the Magic Law classroom. It seems as though the meeting has already begun, as multiple students are listening to the teacher's speech which is already in progress. The teacher herself looks very...uh...interesting. She is an old woman with long gray hair, several of her teeth have fallen out over the years, and those that remain are pointed and chipped. Her nose is almost as long as mine, ending in a point. Overall, her appearance is of a classical witch, making her look like she could be Sucy's mom. Is Sucy's last name Lukic? I'm starting to think it might be.
I sit down at the nearest seat, at the corner of the room nearest to the door. I take a look around the class at all of the other students. The vast majority of the witches bear trembling eyes, as sweat drips from their ghostly white faces. What is this? What could have caused these people to show so much fear, and it's only the meeting to decide if you want to take the class! Maybe Ms. Lukic's appearance gives more information about her than I first thought. I start to listen to her speech, maybe then I'll find out the truth.
"Those who commit fraud through magic shall have their tongues branded with a hot iron."
Oh, so that's why the students are in such a state. Ms. Lukic is reciting magic law. After my whole ordeal with The Big Caves and Mendacius, I've grown understandably apathetic to gore and the like. That's probably a good thing, helps you stay calm under the stresses of violence. I guess you could say that I have the brain of Diana, and the heart of Sucy. Not as extreme as those two extremes, but still something that is worth noting. Let's see what else this, anything but plain, professor has to say.
"Those who kill another through magic..." The corners of her mouth crack into a slim sadistic smirk. "...will be eaten alive by mice, their incisors sharp as blades."
Oh damn, didn't I technically kill John Diehl? Sure it was basically a self defense, mercy blow, but does that count? It can't! What about all the other magical murders created out of self preservation? No, these rules clearly have something wrong with them. And why such a painful punishment? Good thing only my trusted friends know about what happened, I really don't want to be eaten alive by mice. The teacher continues with her rules, occasionally giving off a wicked chuckle.
"And finally, those who try to bring back the dead through magic..." She drifts her body to the very edge of the front student's desks, her face only mere centimeters from the young witches. "...imagine something so fearful, you would rather die than face it. They shall suffer a punishment one hundred times as agonizing as that!"
The teacher begins to laugh hysterically, her eyes bulging, all the while the students verbally whimper, terror swirling around the dark, dank room. However, it is hard for me to feel fear, when I feel anger. I've broken two of these so called rules. I'm normally an understanding guy when it comes to tradition, but this is too much. Sure, killing people outside of self defense, but reviving the dead is illegal?! Those Necromancy spells were created to be used, not thrown away and left to rot. Spells to bring the dead back to life aren't inherently evil, I've proven that. How are us witches and wizards supposed to thrive again when we can't fully unite amongst ourselves?! It's not just the parade that needs dire reform!
Without any words, while the teacher continues to laugh and the other students continue to tremble, I get up, and silently leave the class. I walk down the hallway, back to Diana, all the while trying to keep my calm demeanor intact.
"So Theodore, how was the meeting?" Diana asks, as I sit back down at the table.
Thinking about it causes me to mutter out a groan. On face value, it wasn't bad at all. I wasn't in fear or threatened in any way, it definitely wasn't as mood changing as The Big Caves. The teacher, Ms. Lukic, seems like an interesting teacher. Perhaps we could even be minor acquaintances, a lesser friendship than my own with Sucy. I'm not irritated at her, but at those ludicrous laws.
"I didn't mind the teacher, but I did mind what she said."
Diana raises an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"I know it's a Magic Law class, but some of the rules just didn't sit well with me. I'm sure you already know this, but apparently it's illegal to revive the dead. To me, that makes no sense. Every spell that is created has its own use, and shouldn't be censored. Those magicians who created those 'dark spells' created them to serve a purpose, right? So, why can't we find a purpose, just as they did?"
The table grows silent. Maybe it's because I've spoken out against age old rules that have been obeyed and enforced throughout time. It also might be not what I said, but that I said so much, so quickly. Usually, I say a sentence or two, and leave it at that, perhaps even adding a nod. It's not the status quo for me to break off in a rant.
"Well then..." Hannah says, smiling. "I totally know what class will suit that opinion."
"Hannah..." Diana begins.
"Nah, nah, this time I'm serious." She explains, waving her friend's doubts away.
Diana leans back in her chair, letting her friend speak.
Sure, I'll listen to her. After all, she recommended Basic White Magic. Even if it was in jest, it was still a good idea.
Hannah looks back at me.
"Magic Philosophy!" She declares.
Huh, once again Hannah gave an idea that's not half bad. It definitely fits this situation. Maybe I can make an impact there, change those few codes Ms. Lukic told us. I mean, the Romans were philosophers, so it can't be that bad. Who knows, it might actually be fun.
I nod to Hannah, saying
"Another good idea, I think I might try it."
"Professor Pisces teaches that class. I believe there is also a meeting being held for those interested." Diana informs me.
"Okay then." I say, getting back out of my seat. "Like last time, I'll be back soon."
I walk into The Magic Philosophy Class. Like the last class, there are already students there, each with a notebook out, writing hastily, as if taking notes.
Also like the last class, I sit near the door, at the corner of the room. However, unlike the last class, there doesn't appear to be a teacher. In her place is a goldfish sitting on top of the desk in a glass bowl. It has a yellow and green body, with blue and orange strips around the fins. Amusingly enough, it's also wearing a miniature witch hat in the same fashion as one worn by a teacher.
I wonder what the fish's purpose is. Perhaps it's the teacher's pet, or maybe even her familiar. That's strange, I've seen witches use cats, birds, and even frogs, but never a fish. Her choice of animal is definitely outside of the status quo, no wonder she teaches a philosophy class.
Still, I wonder where the teacher is. Isn't this supposed to be a meeting in progress? Maybe she stepped out to go to the bathroom, or get a drink of water. So, if the teacher is gone, then why are the students busily writing away? Perhaps before the teacher left, she assigned the class busy work, or maybe this is the entrance exam. In any case, it's best that I just wait for professor Pisces to return. I take out 'The Brink of Salvation'. Mr. Brink may be gone, but what he left here isn't. His message may have been confusing, some would say ahead of our time, maybe even racist, but it was still hilarious.
'Children, throughout this book I have given you several undisputed facts about the Europeans of Europe. However, it has come to my attention that there are many Europeans breeding, thriving, and spreading their so called culture on holy American soil. Today, we shall talk about a central hub that many of these Europeans migrant to. A city located in Central California, a place known for crime, murder, and worse of all, a sanctuary for the sub species of Europeans. Yes my children, I am talking about the war zone known as Stockton. Stockton, also known as the Iraq of America, is home to several violent gangs, all promoting European equality. The biggest of these groups goes by the name 'The Stockton Boyz'. Like all Europeans, they speak in autistic screaming, and random slang words. However, the gang has created several slogans in American to promote their hate group:
"Yo yo yo, Stockton Boyz comin' atcha like Cleopatra!"
"Yo yo yo, we from Southside Stockton, boyz from ma nig."
"Yo yo yo, Stockton fo' lyfe. Am I right? Ye, I'm righter tha' ma right haaaaand."
Their most famous slogan is known as 'The Call of Valour.' Yes, with a U in Valor because they're Europeans. It starts at the beginning of every one of their meetings, right before a gang war, or just at random. The leader shouts "Stockton Boyz say ho!" Then everypony who is aligned with The Stockton Boyz in the surrounding area shouts "Ho!" The Stockton Boyz are responsible for 80% of all crime in the city. You might ask how a god given American city fell to the tide of Europe. Remember when I told you that we gave the Injuns everything west of the Mississippi? Stockton was their capital, and when we took our land back, spreading our grand influence from sea to shining sea, we occupied Stockton. Now the question was, what do we do with the capital of ignorance and violence? An indentured servant known as Barack 'Hussein' Obama unintelligently cared for the underdeveloped Europeans and remade Stockton into a sanctuary city. However, there is hope for the poor Americans living in that decrepit district. There is a new group rising, one that vows to destroy every European in Stockton. The holy group is known as "The Stockton Slayerz." They are hell bent on freeing America of the Stocktonese menace. I, for one, am a proud member. Hopefully through this new information, you too can become aware of the enemy on our home soil, and join us.'
Okay, enough of that. The teacher should be here by now. I look up from my book. Nothing has changed, the students are still writing, and now I notice that the goldfish is blowing bubbles inside of its bowl. It must be breathing...but wait, fish don't breath through the mouth. Whatever, it's a magic school, anything can happen.
A little annoyed at the wasted time, I put the book back into my satchel, and get up. I can't wait for too long, I told Diana I'd be back soon. With that in mind, I leave the room, walking back to the three girls.
"Well Theodore, how was Magic Philosophy? Was it any better than Magic Law?" Diana asks.
"I guess you can say that." I answer, as I once again take my seat at the table. "I'm less angry, and more annoyed."
"Why? Was the teacher a bit too hard for you?" Hannah jokes.
"That's just it, she wasn't there."
"Really?" Diana asks in disbelief. "She normally has such a good attendance record."
"Well, if she wasn't there, then who was?" Barbara asks.
"Just me, the other students, and the teacher's pet."
"Pet?" All three girls ask at once.
So I was right, they see it as strange too.
"Well, I'm not sure if it's a pet or not. A goldfish for a familiar is a bit unusual."
Hannah and Barbara instinctively stifle a giggle with their hands, while the blonde stares at me blankly.
"I see..." Diana whispers.
What's with this reaction?
"That's not just any goldfish, that's professor Pisces!" Hannah declares.
I blink uncomfortably a few times. The goldfish was the teacher?! I know this is a magic school and all, but this is very strange news. After fighting a Roman god with a talking dog, nothing should surprise me anymore, but a fish teacher is something in a whole other league. How can we even understand her?
"If she's supposed to be a teacher, then how come I couldn't understand her?" I ask.
"Understanding fish language is complex, so only students in advanced magic linguistics can take it." Diana informs me.
Ah, that makes sense. So those bubbles I saw professor Pisces emulating must've been her speech. I guess the students were taking notes, maybe learning about what the class entails.
"Do you know any advanced languages?" I ask Diana.
"Yes, I became fluent in Dragonese at the age of twelve."
Dragonese? What even is that? She learned an advanced language at the age of twelve? And I thought I was intelligent when I learned fluent English! I know that Diana is the school's top student, but just how talented is she?
"Now, I'm not sure which class I should consider." I admit.
"Are there any other teachers that you like? That's always a turning point for me." Barbara suggests.
"Hmmm...let me think..." I request, cupping my chin into my hand.
I already have Ms. Finnalin and Ms. Europa on my schedule, I chose Ms. Ursula because Akko seems to like her, but who else is there? Well, let's think about it like this: what class has benefited me the most this year? Let's see, I dueled with Diana, killed a Cyclops, and even defeated a Roman god in battle. Well, it definitely wasn't Magic Law that I used, it was Destruction Magic. The teacher, Ms. Faralda, is pretty cool. She's young like Ms. Ursula, but not as clumsy or anxious.
"Ms. Faralda." I finally say.
"What's she teach?" Hannah asks.
"Destruction Magic." I answer.
"Ooooh, that sounds so killer!" Barbara declares.
"Girl, you are righter than my right hand." Her friend responds.
"We should add that as our last class." Barbara then suggests.
"Totally."
"Well then..." I respond, turning my gaze to Diana. "What do you think? Are you interested in Destruction Magic?"
"While I'm not interested in the destruction side of that class, I am willing to learn the self defense spells that the class has to offer."
I nod at her statement.
"So then, is it safe to say that all four of us are interested in that class?"
"Mhm hmm." Hannah says.
"Yup." Barbara adds.
"I have no other classes in mind, so yes." Diana finishes.
"Are you three done with your studying?" I ask.
"We finished ten minutes before you arrived." Diana informs me.
As I get out of my seat, Diana joins me, followed by Hannah and Barbara. All four of us make our way to Ms. Faralda's class.
Diana, Hannah, Barbara, and I enter the destruction magic class. The room looks just as it always has. A large square room, that looks more like a gym than an actual classroom. One big line criss crosses through the floor, cutting the room in two. That's the 'field', where students take turns dueling each other. I remember my duel with Diana. While I was inexperienced back then, I'm sure I can be more than a challenge for her should the opportunity arise again. While the room has stayed the same all year round, I notice two big machines one either side of the line, both hugging the opposite ends of the room. On each of the machines is a big screen, both displaying the number code: 00000. I wonder what those devices are for? Something with destruction magic I'm sure, but what? Also on the far walls lies a circular target.
Unlike the magic philosophy class, the room is not filled with many students, but only two. One of them has black hair, that is tied into a ponytail. She has a pale skin tone, and wears opaque glasses. Interestingly enough, she also appears to be the same height as me. But, even more interesting is the fact that she's using a cane, clenched in her left hand. So, I can only guess that her left leg must not be on par with the rest of us. The other one has brown hair that reaches to her shoulders. Both are wearing the standard Luna Nova uniform. So, these must be other students interested in the Destruction Magic class. Also unlike the previously mentioned class, I can easily discern which one is the teacher. I already have her as a professor, so I would be a fool if I couldn't. Behind the only desk in the room, stands Ms. Faralda.
"Finally." The teacher says as she notices us walking in. "I was hoping that these two weren't the only ones."
"Please forgive our tardiness." Diana politely requests.
"Don't sweat it. That's what these make up days are for. Trust me, worse things have happened to me today than a few late comers."
"Like what?" Barbara asks.
"Me and Ms. Ur had plans tonight, but she flaked on me. Said something about Akko and the parade."
Hannah and Barbara chuckle at Ms. Faralda's nickname for Ms. Ursula. Those two have always been good friends.
"But enough about my gal pal's disappointing decisions, let's start with this thing. I'm satisfied with the amount of students here. Especially if Diana Banana, as well as Ted Bundy, are taking it."
Those are new nicknames. Ms. Faralda always likes to leave an impression on her students. I can't believe I didn't think of her class first, I forgot how much I like her.
"Okay then..." Ms. Faralda says, leaning onto her desk. "I only ask this question because I have to. Everyone knows that this is Destruction Magic Class? And we're meeting here because you want to take Advanced Destruction Magic next year?"
All six of us nod, some muttering out yeses.
The teacher smirks, saying
"Very good."
She pushes herself off the desk, and walks over to the field, standing in front of one of the machines of unknown purposes.
"Since this is an advanced class and all, we'll be learning new things that the basic class doesn't. One of these things includes...burn temperature." She says dramatically.
Burn temperature? I've never heard of that. I don't think any of us have. I can only guess that it has something to do with temperatures and heat.
"Burn temperature..." She continues. "Is a measurement of how hot the caster can make a destruction spell, such as fire. It's mainly measured in Celsius, but sometimes Fahrenheit is used. Not Kelvin, we don't talk about Kelvin..."
Okay?
"That's what this thing does." She claims, gently clanking her fist against the metal machine. "I had it installed earlier this week."
"As an advanced class..." She continues. "I only want the above average students, those who stand out above the rest. The average burn temperature for a witch your age is 500 degrees Celsius. So, to enroll in my advanced class, be above average, score a burn temperature higher than 500."
Ms. Faralda points to the ceiling, then the walls, and finally the floor.
"There are sensors all around us. They relay back to the machine, and display a number onto the screen." She explains, guiding us back to the machine with her finger. "It's currently set to Celsius, and the screen shows 00000, because, well, no one is casting spells."
This is definitely interesting new information. I wonder what my burn temperature would be? Greater than 500, no doubt. But, I wonder something else.
"What if someone has a burn temperature greater than what the machine displays?" I ask.
Ms. Faralda waves my question away with one hand.
"Impossible." She claims. "No witch in history has been recorded to have a burn temperature even coming close to 100,000."
Well, I'm no witch. I'm sure I'll get there one day. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with myself, learning magic in this short amount of time, while my fellow students have been practicing all there life. Yeah, I'm sure to shine.
"I'll give you children a little demonstration."
Ms. Faralda then pulls out her wand, facing one of the targets. She looks back at us with a cocky smile, saying
"Keep your eyes on the screen."
She immediately locks her attention onto the target, raising her wand up. Without effort, a ball of raging fire explodes out of her wand. Before anyone can blink, the fireball smashes against the target, erupting into a giant wave of immense heat. A jingle jangles from the machine as the number on the screen skyrockets. A few chimes later, and the screen pauses at the number 2,000.
Wow, sometimes I forgot how much of a master of magic Ms. Faralda is. She's definitely one of the best.
She glances back at us, her cocky smile even wider.
"So, who wants to go first?" Ms. Faralda asks.
Before anyone has time to respond, the teacher suddenly points at the girl with brown hair.
"You!" Ms. Faralda cries.
All eyes fall onto her.
"M-me?" The girl nervously whispers.
"Yes, you. You go first."
"Oh, uh, o-okay." She mutters, shuffling her way to the field.
As the nameless student pulls out her wand, Ms. Faralda asks
"What's your name, hun?"
"K-kiki." The nervous student replies.
"Like Kiki from Shaye Saint John?" The teacher asks, slightly excited.
"N-no."
"Oh." Ms. Faralda disappointingly says, taking out a paper and pen from her satchel.
She scribbles the student's name down, before looking back at her.
"Okay Kiki, show me what you've got."
The student looks at the target, slowly raising her wand at the target. From her nervously shaking wand, a small beam of blue energy oozes out. At a slower pace than Ms. Faralda, Kiki's magic dings against the target. Once again, the room is filled with the sound of chimes.
Ms. Faralda stares at the number, unamused.
"Hmm, 233, or about Fahrenheit 451. While you didn't make it, you can always get a job burning books."
"Oh okay..." Kiki mutters, looking down in sadness.
I feel a little bad for her. By her manner of speech, I can assume that she's a rather shy girl. Putting herself on the spotlight, only to be rejected must be a blow. But still, she doesn't have enough skill. She doesn't belong here.
"Come on!" Ms. Faralda exclaims, lightly patting Kiki on the back. "So what if you didn't make it? Life is full of let downs. That's what makes it interesting!"
Kiki appears to lighten up a bit, but is still suffering from her failure.
"Do you have any other classes you're interested in taking?" Ms. Faralda asks.
"Well, I did want to be a librarian assistant." Kiki answers, smiling as she finishes her sentence.
The teacher notices this.
"Atta girl! Go and enjoy your library life."
Kiki smiles even wider, possibly imagining herself in her wanted position. With her new found enthusiasm, the student leaves class, yelling
"Thank you Ms. Faralda!"
The teacher chuckles lightly to herself, before returning her attention back to the class.
"Who wants to go next?"
"Oooh oooh, I will!" The student with the abnormal leg cheerfully calls.
"Well, aren't you the anxious one?" Ms. Faralda jokingly asks.
The student walks over to the teacher, all the while her malformed leg veers to the left, her cane assisting her with this trouble.
"And what's your name?" Ms. Faralda asks.
"Melisa Rincones, but ya may call me Mel."
"Okay Mel, let's see your burn temperature."
"Gladly." Melisa says, pulling out her wand.
She aims it at the target. A bright green static ball bursts out, flying towards the target at high speeds. While not as fast as Ms. Faralda's, it smacks against the target far earlier than Kiki's. Like the other two times, the machine chimes, displaying the number on the screen.
"800!" Ms. Faralda exclaims. "You've certainly passed my little entrance exam."
Melisa turns her back to the teacher, walking back towards us, a smile spread across her face.
"And that's the way the news goes." Melisa pridefully mutters.
"Okay, who's next?" The teacher asks.
The next two, being Hannah and Barbara, take the test with little to no trouble. Hannah scores a burn temperature of 700, while Barbara takes the slight edge, a reading of 750. Both have passed the entrance exam. That leaves Diana and I.
"So, do you two want to rock paper scissors for the right to go next?" Ms. Faralda jokingly asks.
Diana looks at me.
"Well Theodore, would you like to go first?"
"Sure." I say, walking up to the teacher.
"Okay, go for it Theodore Sempronia..." Ms. Faralda mutters, all the while writing down my name.
I pull out my wand, pointing it at the target. If people like Hannah and Barbara are able to score a burn temperature that high, then I can easily get a number over a thousand. Time to show them the results of my training. I tense up my arm, pushing as much magic as I can to the wand. A small lightning ball appears at the tip of my wand, then eventually grows to the size of an apple. I feel the heat and hear the crackle intensify, as I put all I have into the spell. With teeth gritted from strain, I fire my magic. It travels fast, faster than anyone else's thus far. The lightning splatters against the target, exploding into smaller lightning bolts, as the sound of thunder echoes throughout the class. The machine then calculates the number.
"Very nice, Ted Cruz. A burn temperature of 950 at your age is nothing to scoff at."
I silently scoff at it anyway. A burn temperature of only 950? That means I'm closer to Melisa, then I am to Ms. Faralda. Being closer to student than teacher? Have my skills increased at all since I arrived? Yes, of course they have. While most here have been learning magic their entire lives, I've only recently have had proper training. Yes, that must be it. Besides, I still have the highest burn temperature yet. Well, there is Diana.
As I walk back to the others, Diana walks over to Ms. Faralda.
"Okay, show me your infamous talent." The teacher says, writing down Diana's name.
"As you wish." The blonde says, pulling out her wand.
I wonder what burn temperature Diana will get? Without a doubt higher than mine, but not that much. I predict the reading will be somewhere in the thousands, but no more than 1100.
Without a sign of strain, Diana launches a fireball at the target. In an instant, the magic collides with the target, shattering on impact, small fires litter the cement floor, and eventually die out. However, the number that is displayed shocks Ms. Faralda more than the fire.
"1500?! That's a new Luna Nova record!"
Of course it is.
"It's no wonder why everyone says you're the best student this school has ever seen!" Ms. Faralda continues.
"Oh please, I barely even tried." Diana admits.
"You're so cool, Diana!" Hannah cries out.
"Yeah, a true champion!" Barbara adds.
Diana quietly sighs to herself, walking back over to us, and standing next to me, not Hannah and Barbara.
I guess she's tired of their constant love and admiration. That's all those two seem to do.
With all of us having our burn temperatures recorded, Ms. Faralda begins another talk session.
"I'm very proud of all of you. I can tell that this class is full of people who know their stuff! All five of you have above average burn temperatures, and thus are accepted into my Advanced Destruction Class next year!"
Very good. I knew without a doubt that Diana and I would get in. I was uncertain if Hannah and Barbara would make it. I guess there's more to them than what meets the eye. I would hope that they would've learned something, being in the same group as Diana. It looks like they have. And Melisa? I've never heard of her until now.
"But, we're not done yet..." Ms. Faralda says with a glint of excitement in her eye. "It's true, all five of you have made it, but that doesn't mean anything to me."
What does she mean? We've passed her test, and shown her our power. What more could she want?
"You might be steadfast when firing at an immobile target, but a duel would be something interesting. That's what this class is after all, an advanced destruction magic class. If you can't handle a little fire being blown your way, then I won't waste my time on you."
A duel? The last one I had was with Mendacius, and my first one was with Diana. Two tough opponents, both made me rethink my abilities. The duel with Diana ended very quickly. I fired a few blast, she fired a few blasts, but in the end she won. Her burn temperature is at a staggering 1500, almost than double my reading of 950.
"But before we begin, let me assign you your opponents."
She scans the room, before saying
"Hanna-Barbera, your burn temperatures are only fifty apart. Both of you are about evenly skilled. You two will duel each other."
"Ah yeah, you ready for a beating, girl?!" Hannah jokingly asks.
"You kidding me? My burn temperature is higher. I'm gonna make you hot!" Barbara responds, both of them high fiving.
"Theodore, you will be fighting Melisa. You burn temperatures are also close."
So, I'll be fighting a crippled? I couldn't ask for an easier duel. I would've preferred if I was paired up with Diana, at least then I would be presented a challenge. What is Ms. Faralda thinking?
"And Diana, you will be with me. Don't hold anything back, I assure you, I can take it."
"I'm sure you can." Diana responds.
With our groups sorted out, the teacher instructs us to put on the same magic resistant suits we wore the first day of school, as well as us handing over our wands, and replacing them with the battle safe ones. Ms. Faralda then directs us to the fields. I am at the end with Melisa at my front, to my right are Hannah and Barbara, and at the other end of the room, the teacher and Diana face off.
"Begin on my command!" The teacher yells so that everyone can hear. "Your goal is to keep on kicking until the end of my timer! It's set to five minutes! I'm sure we can all last that long..."
"Ready...?!" She calls out.
Everyone takes a stance, facing their opponent.
"Set...!"
I take my own stance against Melisa, both of us facing off, ready for what's to come.
"Go!" The teacher cries.
Giant explosions go off all around me, as the other two groups have begun the battle. In response, I twist my head to the right, watching them. Hannah and Barbara are firing off quick spells, accompanied by friendly insults. Diana and Ms. Faralda field seems like a war zone. Massive explosions, swirling with every color imaginable are slung at each other. Diana seems to be more focused on defense, while Ms. Faralda unleashes her arsenal.
"Hey!" I heard someone cry out in front of me.
Looking forward, I spot Melisa smirking at me.
"You wanna go around, or just fantasize about those women all day? Come at me!"
Does she really think that she can tangle with the likes of me? I don't care if she's crippled, I'll show her.
"You'll feel like a fool later if you continue to act so cocky." I say, pointing my wand at her.
Melisa takes a defensive stance, smirking all the while.
"Let's have it!"
As soon as she utters those words, I unleash an aggressive barrage. An overwhelming bombardment of ice, fire, lightning, and everything in between. All of my energy is poured into this unrelenting onslaught of devastation. As I savagely sling more lightning than a storm could produce, I gather my remaining strength, focusing it at the tip of my wand. A ball of lightning similar to the one that was used for the burn temperature test is formed. With a grunt, I rocket the ball of magic directly at the dust cloud that I've formed in front of me. The magic explodes, swirling in the dust, creating high powered winds that eventually die down. As the dust settles, through my exhausted but satisfied breathing, I can't help but smile at my quick victory.
Superior firepower, it always works. It worked against Mendacius, and it worked now. The fact that she has a bad left leg played no part in my domination. With my cast, I'd say it evens out.
As the dust finishes parting, I quietly mutter under my breath.
"Told you you'd regret being cocky around me, especially when you don't have the skills to back it up."
"Oh really, is that so?" I hear from the settling dust.
As the air fully clears, much to my shock, I spot Melisa, grinning as wide as can be.
"H-how did you manage to-"
"All those small shots were easy to block. But I have to admit, that big boy blast at the end wasn't something I could tank. Lucky for me, I have exceptionally good reflexes despite my left leg."
Melisa pauses as she notices my exhausted breathing.
"What's the matter? All tuckered out from your volley? What sucky stamina. Whoever sleeps with you will be disappointed."
How foolish, I underestimated her! Even with her dysmorphia and lower burn temperature, she still managed to avoid even a scratch! I'm fatigued, and she's not even breathing hard! No, I'll recover my energy with time. Once that happens, I won't take her so lightly.
"Tired or not, Romans are a race of warriors. Don't forget that."
She scoffs at my statement.
"That doesn't mean a damn to me. I'm Brazilian, but that doesn't mean I'm some Amazonian warrior."
"You're definitely no warrior. Us Romans ruled supreme for over a thousand years. I'm sure I can handle three minutes."
"Now look who's being cocky. When I'm through with you, you're gonna collapse harder than the stock market in 1929!"
As Melisa finishes her sentence, she swiftly fires an energy beam straight at me. In the nick of time, I manage to block it.
"Google it if you don't get the joke." She mutters.
Enough of this!
I blast a lightning bolt at her, only for her to dodge, darting to the right. In response, she blasts a green ball of magic at me. I block it, all the while she fires another beam at me. With only centimeters to spare, I jump up, as her magical beam flies through my legs. Damn, that was pretty close to hitting my...wait!
"D-did you just try to hit me where I think you've tried to hit me?!" I embarrassingly demand.
What kind of person would do such a low brow attack?!
"Oh, how rude of me." She mutters, firing another light beam at me.
With lightning fast speed, her spell slams into my face. I let out a cry of pain, instinctively grabbing at my stinging face.
"M-my nose! Damn it!"
She lets out a light chuckle, saying
"To be fair, your nose was a much bigger target."
She notices that I'm still recovering, gritting my teeth in both anger and pain.
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure this isn't the first time you've taken a hard one to the face." She jokes.
I've had it with her!
I unleash another volley, this time much more controlled and accurate. She blocks the first two shots, then dodges the third. However, her sidestep only put her in the line of fire for the fourth shot. It slams against her, throwing her back, as she lets out a cry of pain. She collapses to the floor, gripping her stomach in agony, and silently sobbing to herself.
Oh no, I went too far! This was just a test duel, and I treated it like a real one! Now look at what I've done!
With concern, I rush to her, kneeling besides her.
"Melisa, are you okay?" I ask, offering her my hand.
She takes it, as I pull her up. Now sitting down, she looks up at me with a friendly smile.
"Thank you for helping me..." her smile changes from one of joy to a crooked, devious smile. "...and for giving me an opening.
In mere moments, Melisa conjures a giant dark purple ball of electricity, striking me head on. The ball begins to electrocute me, as I violently convulse. After a few very painful seconds, the ball explodes, inflicting even more damage, as I'm thrown onto my back.
Without a moment to spare, Melisa gets back on her feet, and jumps onto my laying body, holding me down with her one good leg. I grab at her foot, trying to force her off of me. She presses harder.
"Y-you tricked me..." I groan out.
"Of course I did! I do what it takes to win without hesitation, even if it means playing with someone's emotions! Well, your move, bud." She finishes, saying the last sentence calmly.
Once again, I grab her leg, digging my fingernails into her calf. No good, the boots from her school uniform cover her calf. I try to lift her foot off of me. Also, no good. Since she's disabled, the good leg she has is subjected to double the stress of a normal one. No amount of struggling will be enough to match her muscle.
What can I do now? Surrender?! Never! I refuse to let myself be beaten by her. Come on! I fought a Roman god, and yet I'm being thrashed around by some school girl?! This is ridiculous! While she's been learning magic all of her life, I've one recently had that privilege. I might have a higher burn temperature, but she certainly has more skill.
Okay, let's see, what's the situation? I'm injured and exhausted, all the while she has her boot firmly planted on my chest. There's only one thing I can do. It's my only chance, I have to trick the trickster.
With physical strain, I look up at Melisa, staring in her eyes, all the while trying to look as pathetic as possible.
"I-I give up, so remove your foot." I croak out.
She stares back at me. With a mixture of disbelief and pride she asks
"What?"
To add to the effect, I ball my hand into a fist, slamming it against the ground.
"Get off of me, I surrender!"
She chuckles to herself, looking quite pleased as she slowly removes her foot.
"Okay jeez, don't blow out my eardrums or anything."
I sit up, lightly rubbing at my chest, my wand at my side.
With our match having the impression of concludance, I look over at the other two matches.
Hannah and Barbara have worn each other out, but Barbara still holds a slight edge, dodging faster, and firing quicker. It must be her extra burn temperature, or maybe she just studied harder than Hannah. Diana and Ms. Faralda are still clashing with no visible signs of fatigue or stress. In fact, with every spell slung or magic manifested, they show complete fluidity. I can't tell which one is more powerful, perhaps they're evenly matched. Such skill...
I crack a smile. Such skill that I will eventually completely eclipse. I can't wait till such power belongs to me. But first, I need to deal with Melisa.
I turn to her, as she still stands over me.
"Diana and Ms. Faralda definitely have great skill. I could only imagine what would happen if they fought for real."
She scoffs at my imaginative scenario, before looking at the two fighting, saying
"In survival situations there are only winners and dead people. You were lucky this wasn't that kind of situation".
Now's my chance, while she's distracted! I grab my wand, quickly pointing it at her face.
"No...you are!"
At point blank range, I strike her in the face with a destruction spell. She flies back, landing hard on the floor, dragging against the ground.
With her elbow she pushes herself up, and with her hand she rubs her red cheek. A sudden jolt, and I hear her jaw pop, as she groans out
"...fuuuuuuucckkkkkkkk. Ok, l'm hurt now. GG no re, bud. You win."
I get myself back on my feet, my muscles as sore as can be. Through heavy breathing, I walk over to where Melisa lays, all the while I have my guard up as high as it can be. She won't trick me again.
"Are you sure? Do we have peace in our time?" I ask.
She gets up, sliding her wand into her satchel.
"Yeah, I'm sure. We both put up a pretty good fight. I like that it wasn't one sided, we both finished with a few stitches."
"I expected to win easily." I admit. "It's amazing how good you, especially with your disability."
She playfully punches me in the shoulder.
"Don't be getting a crush on me now. I'm aromantic and a lesbian, so you have as much of a chance with me as you do with Mr. Brink." She jokes.
"You know about him?"
"Who doesn't? I had him fifth period, and he was definitely something special. I don't know how, but he made me hate him in only two sentences."
The timer begins to ring loudly, ending the other two duels in progress.
Ms. Faralda walks over to the timer, turning it off, as she wipes a layer of sweat from her forehead.
"Well, that's five minutes." She declares, scanning through all of us. "And by the looks of it, all five of you have made it. If you're not crying, then you're at least teachable."
"Well, that's it." Ms. Faralda continues. "If you have any other questions about the class, just ask."
The teacher then goes back to her desk, plopping down as her energy levels run low.
"Theodore?" I hear Diana call out, as she, Hannah, and Barbara are standing by the door. "If you're ready, we can get going now."
I turn to my past opponent.
"What are you going to do now, Melisa?" I ask.
"I'm just finishing up my cameo right now".
"Oh okay." I say, walking towards Diana and her two friends.
What's a cameo? Another English word I don't know, maybe it's a spell.
All four of us leave the room.
As we walk down the hallway, I eye the three girls. Hannah and Barbara are both chatting about about their duel, accompanied by exhausted breathing and drying sweat shining on their face. Diana looks as calm and collected as she ever could. You'd think she was just awoken peacefully by signing angels, rather than participating in a scuffle with the destruction magic teacher.
"So, how did your duel go, Diana?" I ask.
"It was fine." She responds. "It was a rather one sided match, but I don't think she was fighting at full strength, perhaps half."
I wonder who would win between Diana and Ms. Faralda. That's something I'd like to see.
"I destroyed Hannah!" Barbara proudly announces.
Hannah scoffs at her friend's statement.
"Yeah, whatever. Your burn temp is higher, so no wonder you barely beat me." Hannah cooly responds.
"Barely? You were practically begging me to stop."
As those two continue to argue, Diana asks me.
"What about you, Theodore? How was your match?"
I casually wave that question away, and arrogantly claim
"Oh Melisa? She dared tried to challenge me. I took care of her with little effort."
I leave it at that as we continue to walk.
"So, what are you going to do later?" Diana asks.
"I'm not sure." I admit. "Akko's probably working on the parade, so she might ask for my help."
"I can't believe you tolerate her." Diana says.
"Akko's not that bad. She means well." I state.
"She's too loud and obnoxious. I can't believe Luna Nova accepted her."
"Yeah, I can hear her halfway across campus." Hannah claims.
"Oh come on." I say, rolling my eyes. "She's not that lou-"
"What the heck?!" I hear someone cry from the room to our left.
We all jump, surprised by this sudden disturbance.
That voice may have been muffled by the walls, but it's still self evident as to who it belongs to.
Diana stares at me unamused, an eyebrow raised, as if to say 'Oh really, not that loud?'
As if to prove Diana's statement even more, Akko keeps screaming at the poor witch.
"Yeah, I'm sorry! I can't use shiny rod, I can't fly on a broom, my grades are bad! Is that a problem?!"
Yes.
As if she heard my thoughts, I hear Akko scream
"So what?!"
Diana lets out a heavy sigh, before saying
"It seems as though I will have to restore peace on this campus."
Without waiting for a response, Diana strides over to the door. Hannah, Barbara, and I follow, none of us speaking out. The two girls are probably excited at another opportunity to torture Akko, while I'm wondering what to do. Diana is like Akko in the sense that once she puts her mind to something, it's hard to change it. The best I can do is watch, and hopefully weather the storm should things get out of hand.
Diana opens the door and enters the room. As I'm about to follow in her direction, the door suddenly slams shut, but not by Diana, by Hannah and Barbara, both of them shooting me glares.
"Can I help you two?" I ask, both confused and surprised.
"Like, what is your deal?" Hannah demands.
"Yeah, your deal." Barbara parrots.
"What do you mean?"
Hearing me ask this sends Hannah into a frenzy.
"What do I mean? What do I mean?!" She demands.
Barbara puts her hands together into a ball, holding it against her cheek, and in a mock impression of Diana, says
"Oh hello Theodore. Do you need help, Theodore? Oh yes Theodore, let me drop what I'm doing for you, Theodore. Theodore, Theodore, Theodore, Theodore!" Barbara suddenly explodes.
"Look, Diana doesn't need you. She has us." Hannah states.
So, that's it. Those two are jealous of my friendship with Diana. From what I've seen, those two only use her. They're angry that no matter how many compliments they assault Diana with, Diana won't bat an eye. She's not into constant love and admiration.
"You better back off, or else you'll regret it." Hannah hisses out.
I hold back a small chuckle. After my crusade against the Roman god of deception and lies, I think I can handle a couple of narcissistic valley girl wannabes.
Our stand off is interrupted, as our attention is snapped to the room Diana entered. Strange, it sounds like Diana, but it couldn't be. It's too horrible. The voice, it's as if the devil himself bellowed into a cave, and his words echo for all of eternity.
"Don't compare me with someone like you, who came from some eastern island just because you fell for some tasteless magic show. There's no way we could get along."
I nervously avert my gaze back to Hannah and Barbara. Both of them are holding onto each other for dear life, their trembling eyes glued to the door.
A few seconds later, and Diana exits the room, looking rather happy with herself. Diana is the only girl I know who can act so scary, but can go back to calm in an instance. It's like I said, a disgruntled Diana is a tougher opponent than Mendacius ever could be.
Diana moves a lock of hair back into place, before asking
"So, now that that matter is out of the way, what shall we do know?"
"Now that my schedule complete, I'd like to get back to my room to work on my homework." I respond.
"That's fine, Hannah, Barbara, and I shall resume our study session. This was a rather interesting day, let us meet again some other time."
"Yes, we should."
With that, Diana and her friends head back down the hall, towards the break area.
I look back at the room where Diana just exited. I can still hear the sounds of Akko, angrily protesting her previous engagement with Diana.
By the sound of it, Sucy, Lotte, Amanda, and the others are in there as well. It's best that I leave them alone for now. I really don't want to hear another rant from Akko. Without making myself known, I casually walk through the halls, to my room.
Author's Note: I think this is the longest chapter yet! But before I beg you people for reviews and followers, it's time to respond to a man. That's right, a man who shoots up a school not once in his life, but every minute of everyday. A handsome, noble man. A man who's shot up the same school twice! The man, the myth, the legend Nightcore Miku.
"OMG this chapter was too short! Also, you haven't responded to me for a while, are you okay? Did you meet a different school shooter? Are you cheating on me?! You bastard! I thought we had something special!"
How could I ever replace you? We're closer than brothers. Remember when we had that big jamboree at Jonesboro in 1998? That was a good time.
Also, the character Melisa is owned by TAWOGfan 2000, and Kiki is owned by PagetDaPanda.
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