Yep, I'm here with more Kawaakari Academy Chorus Battle fanfiction. What can I say, the lore/story behind it really has grabbed me (and it's still not even the end of Round 1 yet!). I was actually going to slowly spread out the writing of this across the month but as you can see by the fact this is here, I got carried away.
Anyway, this is just a little one-shot collection with stories centering around some of the staff member's characters, both professor and faculty, imagining different aspects of their lives/mindsets in the Kawaakari universe. Most of them take place over the 300 years the school has been open, and a couple just before that time, although I haven't put these in chronological order of any sort. I've put the name of the focus/POV character in brackets after each story's title for clarification purposes.
Though it's not all doom and gloom here, I've taken a somewhat angsty perspective on things, figuring that being alive for over three centuries and that being in the wake of the war could have some...pretty heavy implications, which is why I've put the rating for this at M. I have also added extra notes to certain one-shots where appropriate. But, I picked the beginning and the end ones deliberately as they both mostly strike a more uplifting note.
Either way though, I do hope that you all (whether professors/faculty, participants, spectators or none of those options) enjoy this. I certainly had a lot of fun writing this!
The lights in the simulation were twinkling the way they usually did in the first week of the new year-most of the students safely ensconced in their dorms, a number of stragglers in the bathrooms. A few sneaking out, to the forest. It hummed softly in the middle of the room, rotating gently, and Cher smiled at it as he looked over from his armchair, nursing his glass of wine.
"Looks good, doesn't it?"
Cher flicked a glance over at Hades, directing his smile at her. He did not need to say anything to confirm, simply lifting his glass towards her as if to toast to this. Hades nodded and made the same gesture, though she held no glass in her hand.
Gradually, the other staff drifted in in dribs and drabs through the door. Or, rather most of them did. Nyamai, being Nyamai, had used a transportation rune so that she suddenly appeared, sprawled out and rumpled on her favourite worn blue plush sofa, almost landing in Keno's lap and making him yell as he leapt up.
"Why you gremlin…"
"Oi, don't you start, you. My entire tutor group have been calling me 'Professor Gremlin' all week. All fricking week, I tell you!"
Nyamai flopped dramatically, her face the absolute picture of exasperation. Even as she did this though, she shuffled slightly to create a little extra space, and though Keno eyed her up suspiciously, all the same he sat back down again. Cher couldn't really blame him-in the grand scheme it wasn't that long ago that the small Rune-caster had snarled at anyone who'd tried to sit in her chair.
"Aren't you the one who calls your classes 'gremlins with knives'?" Mshrupo asked mildly.
The purple haired woman walked over to the side table as she did so, selecting a glass and then picking up a bottle of wine, carefully pouring out the liquid, almost drop by drop until she had the amount that she desired-the amount that she would make last for the whole meeting. Nyamai pouted at her back.
"Yeah, but they're the gremlins in that context! Not me!"
"Ah, come on, we all know you're the biggest gremlin of them all."
This came from Kenta, who had walked in with a cluster of other staff. Nyamai simply made a rude gesture at him that had been quite common amongst youth about thirty years ago. Mshrupo came to sit down as others went to get refreshments of their own, and when Snow arrived carrying a huge basket, she went around to everyone and handed them packets of cookies similar to the ones she'd been giving the freshman at the beginning of the week.
When she reached Cher, she handed over a packet tied with a blue ribbon, expression cautious and careful. He thanked her, then weighed them up in his hand.
"What's in them?" he murmured to her.
"Yours are forest fruit and white chocolate. But everyone's flavours have a bit of joy in them."
"That's an unusual one, for a year like this." He commented.
Snow blushed, very slightly, but didn't waver.
"It's more the ability to appreciate joy, as it is," she said, wistfully. "To remember how to do that."
Cher's confidence faltered a little it, and he felt his smile slip just a tad. He lifted the glass to his lips, slowly and looked down at it. Like Mshrupo, he was intending to make this last the whole meeting. It wasn't enough, but he'd been alive too long to not know the consequences of giving into the downward spiral that giving into that not enough would entail.
Yes…I don't want to forget how to enjoy things. What would be the point of all this, otherwise?
"You are right."
Snow brightened at this, and then gave him a respectful nod as she went over to Hades, and then back to the door where Shippa, Hiromi and Bin had arrived.
"Oh, damn," Bin drawled in their honey-sticky-sweet tones. "I was hoping I'd be the fashionably late one."
"Aren't you?" Hades asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, Cinnabuns isn't here." Bin asked. "Oh, and thanks for these, Snow."
Snow nodded and went to sit down next to Mshrupo, making Reoni shuffle up in the process. Not that she minded, considering their friendship had been strong since the days of the Great War, never wavering over the intervening centuries. Of course, all of them were bound by a bond that could never really be broken, by the building itself, but Snow and Mshrupo and Reoni were something special. Speaking of which…
"Is he coming?" Cher called over to Shippa.
Shippa looked up from the discussion that he'd almost instantly started with Yanovi and Arianna, when there was motion at the door and Cinnabuns appeared as if summoned-which Cher had not actually done. A look over at Hades suggested that she hadn't, either. They would have, if necessary, but that term had a more stringent yet more compassionate definition with Cinn. It had to, really.
Cinn smiled gently, as if he had been able to read their minds:
"I am."
He walked into the room, bypassing drinks completely. Instead of looking for a place to sit, he walked over to the simulation in the centre, watching it twinkle. He lifted a hand, then paused and shoved it in the pocket of his dark trousers resolutely. He bowed his head in such a way that Cher could not see the expression on it. He didn't need to look to Arianna to give him an insight into what was going through Cinnabun's mind.
After all, that wasn't even his real name. That had been something lost a long time ago from all their memories (though no doubt, Shippa had it somewhere within his own records), the way a good few of them had shed their own old names when they'd shed their mortality.
But in his case it had been a deliberate slip-up, an attempt ten years into the opening of the school to make a scared, shy freshman smile. Her name, too, was one he'd forgotten now, something ordinary and popular for the era, but they'd called her Little One, because she had been younger than the average freshman intake. More talented, yes, but younger and more vulnerable. It had been Cinn who had managed to get Little One to open up in the process of completely ridiculing himself with the name 'Cinnabuns' and gradually she had flourished, going onto join the imperial law enforcement force and remaining a friend of Kawaakari Academy forever. Her granddaughter had even grown up to be a student here, though she had died about 150 years ago, and Little One longer ago than that.
Something like that wasn't really the problem, though. After all, at this point it was just a fact of their lives. But the ability to form a rapport that had been sparked with the success with Little One…even now, it was still Cinn's strength, but in the end it had been his downfall. Cher'd had to make sure he was no longer rotated a freshman tutor group, only ever alternating between sophomore and senior, though there was no getting away with his teaching any freshmen. In consultation with Hades, they'd created new policies about when and how staff could be alone with students. Despite, or perhaps because, these measures had been because of him, Cinnabuns followed these rules stringently.
Still, the weight of it all was heavy, and one really didn't need to be Arianna to be able to see it clearly through the bright smile and confident, charming words. Everything had a price, and Cher knew it all too well. Didn't they all?
Gradually, Cinn looked up and met Cher's eyes, expression drawn in. He gave a nod, and then went to sit on a chair by himself, slightly back from the group. Shippa glanced over, gestured to him, but the redhead simply declined, curling up almost cat like, long limbs not quite managing to fit properly but completely uncaring of the fact. A far cry from the polished persona that he had during school hours.
"Hey, I wonder," Keno wondered. "You think any of the kiddos will find their way up here this year?"
"None of them ever have, yet, though they do a pretty good job trying." Void commented. "I'd be pretty damn impressed if they managed it."
"Oh, agreed." Shippa nodded earnestly.
"I wonder what, exactly, they're expecting we do up here though," Nyamai snickered. "They're probably going to be disappointed that there's not some big orgy or something."
"Mai!" Mshrupo coughed, needing Reoni to thump her back.
"What, you know it's true, Ru!"
"No I do not!"
"I have it on good authority at least a bunch of the freshman are completely enamoured with us all," Cher put in idly as most of the staff cackled. "I overheard a small group talking while they were all arriving for orientation on the first day."
"Oh those poor babies," Nyamai shook her head. "They're gonna be so disappointed, huh?"
"Sounds like you're the one wanting to witness an orgy."
This came from Cinnabuns, with mild laughter in his voice. Nyamai looked over and stuck her tongue out cheekily.
"Yeah, well, not with you."
Cinnabuns sucked in a breath, and Nyamai's expression froze before she sat up straight and flailed.
"Wait, I didn't mean it like that."
Cinnabuns shook his head, folding back in on himself again.
"No. I know."
"Perhaps now would be a good time to get this show on the road, huh?"
They all switched their attention to Hades gratefully, and she smirked back at them. Cher nodded gratefully, and put his glass down.
"Alright, let's start with tutor groups, then our classes, then the running of the Magic Games and after that anything else."
"I've got a few promising newbies in mine," Void said. "Doing particularly well in my classes, too so far. I think they're the bright stars of your class too, Keno."
"Hmmm?" Keno murmured.
Void listed off a few names, and Keno frowned for a moment before nodding with agreement. Cher made a mental note to look into the records of those students-their aim was naturally to produce solid but glowing all-rounders, but they had nurtured many specialists like themselves over the years too. The world needed both, after all, even in peace-time.
"Yes, yes. Adaptable things, aren't they, youth?" Keno was musing. "They've just gotta realise it, and these ones are pretty ahead of the curve here."
"You all know what my group are like," Nyamai huffed. "Still, they're good kids really, I guess….they're certainly got a positive attitude."
"Good, good, that's what we like to see!" Hades said.
"There's a couple of shrinking violets in mine," Bin said. "But it's too early to say whether that's a serious problem we need to work on or whether that's just the usual first-week dazzling."
"Could easily be first-week dazzling," Yanovi said, playing with the flowers in her plaits. "Two of mine are those really hard-headed boys you had last year, Shippa, and they looked like owls caught in the daylight all through tutor sessions this week."
Shippa nodded at this, apparently not surprised. They continued discussing their students, both new intake and returning, comparing notes where necessary. Then, Bin spoke up:
"Oh yeah, I've got identical twin sisters in my class."
"You've what?"
This expression of shock came from both Arianna and Kenta, though the sentiment mirrored itself in a lot of the others' faces. Only Mshrupo, Rynacel and Snow didn't seem that surprised.
"Oh yes, I remember them, sweet, they seemed. Dawn and Ra….Ra…."
The name seemed to catch itself on the edge of Snow's tongue, hiding out of reach of her memory. Her soft eyes widened as she bit her lip, clearly straining herself to remember.
"Radha," Bin supplied, quickly. "Dawn and Radha."
Snow nodded and smiled, gratefully, but the stricken look on her face didn't quite disappear. Reoni quietly put a hand on her shoulder while continuing to watch them.
"And they're twin sisters for sure, right? Not adopted, both born as female?" Arianna demanded.
"Yes, yes." Bin said. "All that."
"Finally," Arianna breathed. "Things are changing."
"I mean, it's still more common for the other twin to be given up for adoption, but yes, it does seem like it." Shippa remarked. "It's still more common with parents who've already suffered the loss of a child to decide to keep both, but yeah, the attitudes are gradually changing."
"We still need to be careful though, don't we?" Lucifel pointed out. "Remember what happened twenty years ago, with those twins from Zohara-Lia and Avi?"
"That had nothing, nothing to do with them being twin sisters." Arianna hissed, fists clenched. "It never, ever has. Not even in the days of the Great War. Are you saying you've forgotten-"
"Of course not, but have you-"
"Nobody has forgotten," Hades interrupted both of them. "None of us could ever forget Rielle."
This wasn't necessarily correct, but the sentiment of the fact was true. It was what losing one's mortality was for, alongside the reasons they had invoked it in the first place-to carry on the memories, to not have to rely on transmission to different people to keep them going. In that way, even if they went the way of poor, poor Snow they'd still have the recollections imprinted on their very souls. Rielle and their other comrades, Eita and Lowen. The students they'd lost over the years, including those in the tragedy caused by Avi and Lia.
"Hades is right, but all the same, Arianna, you know why we need to be extra cautious in the case of twin sisters."
"Self-fulfilling prophecy."
"You know where we stand on the issue of twin sisters, but it would be a dereliction of duty to not particularly monitor them-whatever happens, it's with the aim of all our safeties."
Arianna's lips twisted, turning her bright beauty into something momentarily frecht, but then she sighed and shook her head and looked directly at Bin.
"Tell me about them, please."
Bin nodded slowly, and flicked a glance at Cher.
"The rest of you, feel free to go on."
Cher nodded, and then Bin turned to Arianna, meeting her eyes intently. Calm swept over Arianna's face, smoothing out the pain and replacing it with determination as she peered into Bin's mind for everything she knew about the twins in question. He left them to it, and they continued chatting about classes, and gradually onto the Magic Games.
"The enrolment period for that is over now, right?" Ceiraii asked, tapping her foot idly.
Before waiting for an answer, she got up to refill her glass. Bin and Arianna had apparently finished their silent conversation and now returned their attention to the rest of them. To Cher's relief, Arianna did not look nearly as fearsome or troubled anymore, instead tucking her legs in underneath her, almost concealed under her floaty white dress, getting more comfortable.
"Yes, that's right," Hades answered. "And now they're working hard getting themselves ready for it. All very exciting."
"I saw a couple of groups going through their plans in the Free Study rooms earlier this evening, actually," Cher remarked. "Clearly getting ahead of the game."
"And they're allowed to showcase some progress during the Mid-Year exams, right, like the last time?" Ceiraii continued.
"Yes, that's right, but it doesn't affect the judgement we give them when the Games come around. Speaking of which, those of us in teaching, we're aware which categories of attainment we'll be judging on the day, yes?"
Everyone answered in the affirmative fairly quickly, which pleased Cher.
"Good, good, then we can discuss what I know we're all looking forward to-"
"Sleep?" Nyamai snarked.
"The party!" Yanovi grinned. "I came up with something the other day that isn't actually useful in battle but would look absolutely gorgeous in the main hall. I'll bring up some cuttings next meeting, once they've grown a bit more."
"I'm looking forward to it, too." Snow murmured quietly.
"So am I-all of us non-teachers, we need to set up a meeting ASAP so we can make this even better than the last anniversary parties we've held." Hiromi declared.
"Three times as better." Rynacel nodded.
"We'll leave that in your reliable hands, then." Hades said, decisively.
"Anything you need, please come to us and we'll see what we can do."
"I'm happy to help too," Cinn offered, too hopefully. "If you need anything."
"Sure, sure," Hiromi smiled. "We'll be counting on you."
With no other pressing matters, the meeting gradually wound down, with idle chatter being shared as refreshments and drinks were gradually diminished. Slowly, they all started to leave. Nyamai did what she had done before, casting a transportation rune so that she vanished in a blink of light. Void remarked that they may as well do the same, and then did this, though in their case all that occurred was a slight wavering of the air when they left. Eventually, though, only Cher and Hades were left in the room.
The simulation continued to glitter in the center of the room, lights now concentrated in the building, specifically in the dorm areas. Cher leaned over and waved his hand across it, causing a cluster of other lights, these ones in different colours, to appear across the building. One appeared to be heading towards the angel tree in the south building, another looked like it was heading towards the roof. The rest, all towards staff sleeping quarters.
"Arianna and Nyamai, right?" Hades said, pointing to the light going to the tree, then the one heading to the roof.
"Most likely."
"They'll be alright."
"As will we."
Cher was not sure whether he had meant that as a question or not, but found himself wracked with uncertainty as he looked over at Hades, who had tilted her head at him, silver eyes catching the soft lights in the room and seeming to glow themselves. He did not need to say anything, once again, as her smile softened.
"Yes, we will."
It was truth, he knew. Somehow, always, they did end up okay. All the same, sometimes it was heavy, seeing what the passage of time had managed to inflict on all of them, and knowing that the responsibility for that essentially lay with him. Cher looked over at the simulation, then got up and walked over to it, much as Cinn had done, and studied it for a moment longer before holding his hand over it and concentrating. Slowly, like a sheet of paper, the simulation folded once, twice, three times until it became a single glowing blue sheet, giving the room an extra, eerie glow. He then pressed it down so it rested against the table directly underneath it, before glancing over at Hades and nodding.
Then, they too left for the night.
A couple of notes on expressions used in this-
'Frecht' is a word I borrowed from the novel Deeplight by Frances Hardinge, basically referring to a twisted, terrifying sort of beauty, where that attraction comes from fear as much as aesthetic, as opposed to a more straightforward sort of attractiveness.
'owls caught in the daylight' is basically this universe's version of 'deer caught in the headlights'. Cars and things do exist in this world, I just figured that this fit better.
'dazzling' is basically the same as being overwhelmed/disoriented/knocked over. I think the word can be used in that context anyway, but it's particularly prevalent in this world, having a mostly positive connotation, the idea being it's something that usually happens when faced with something particularly entrancing, or as part of the typical settling-in period for something new.