- You will have to go undercover in a school instruction group, I'm counting on you two to wear decent outfits. Our new informer contacted Lila, insisting on the fact that an instructor abused of his magic to touch pupils. You will have the right to arrest him only when you'll have compelling proof of that fact. Know that using Rose's power, even officially known, cannot count as formal proof. You may have to work few days if he doesn't take the bait on frist day, even if, according to our informer, this instructor cannot resist girls, especially if they don't naturally go to him. Please don't blow your cover right from the start...
- Yes sir. Verte and I will do our best to stay undercover, I can promise you that, answered Rose.
- Very well. You may go.
This conversation was held the day before, as Rose remembered it when she went up the gravity tube with her sister. She ensured her sister dressed proprerly, and, appart from the fact she could see Verte's belly between her pleated green miniskirt and her orange vest opened on a green band covering her breasts, Rose considered her sister correctly dressed for school.
Herself was wearing a very loose black t-shirt over an assorted tank top showing her shoulders, and a knee-high pleated pink skirt. She only put one black stocking, knowing fashion was on assymetry these days. Their boots squeaked on the corridor's marble, respectively white for Rose and orange for Verte. Heels were forbidden in school areas and Rose remembered it at the last minute. She waved to a girl a bit small, with straight long fair hair, waiting in front of a door. She had a long red ribbon holding her hair backwards and turned to them as they got near.
- Ah, hello ! You surely are the transfer students from the school in maintenance. Come, the lesson hasn't begun yet. My name is Talhia, please call me Tal as everybody else. You'll see, the girls are really nice and outgoing. What are your names?
- My name is Leah, answered Rose. My friend's is Lucy. Nice to meet you.
- Same here. Lucy, those suspenders to hold your skirt are really strange, youreally musn't like fashion. However, Leah... I. Just. Love. Your. Top! You have to tell me where you bought this !
- Errr... thanks Tal. I'm making my own clothes, to make sure I always have what fits me. But I don't have any particular skill, I'm just using a sewing machine a friend fixed me.
- Woah... You're using magic for that ? We don't have any mages in our group, I think that's too bad, but it seems one of our teacher is really sensitive to magic users, so we didn't have a choice.
- No, I'm not using magic for my clothes. An allergic teacher ? Sounds weird, doesn't it?
- I'm not sure. But some girls had to swap with other groups, when their powers woke up.
- Okay. Where're you at ? By which course do we begin ?
- Educative History. Really boring.
Verte burst out laughing behing Rose and Tal, and her sister shrugged while smiling to their new friend. Verte put her hand on Tal's shoulder while smiling widely.
- Boring. REALLY boring. I totally agree with you. Shouldn't we get in class ?
- Of course, yes ! Sorry, I forgot ... and I don't really want to ...
- You don't like that teach'?
- Not many girls do like him...
- Wait, aren't there some boys in our group ?
- You had in yours, Lucy ?
- Of course. They usually mix everyone. To be sure no one feels appart, different, or superior. It's important.
- Ah. I suppose they must have their reasons for not doing the same here.
- TAAAAL !!!!
The three girls turned around to see two other girls running on the other side of the corridor. They had really strange outfits, compared to Tal's. The taller one had a bright red top which almost let her bra show, dark jeans like a second skin on simple black ballerinas, her long ringleted fair hair dancing on her chest while she ran. The smaller one had a purple leather jacket on a large cream skirt. The vest made a cleavage almost to the limit authorized to students, and she had brown straight hair to her chin, with purple strands.
When they got to Talhia, the sisters noticed the dark eyes of the purplish brunette had assorted sparks in them, while her friend had astonishing brown eyes surrounded by a light green circle.
- Keridwen ! Auri ! I though you already were in there. You can just go with our two transfer students from the thirteenth, teach wouldn't insist on pestering you if they're here. Here's Leah, who sew her own clothes, and Lucy who doesn't like fashion and Educative History. New girls, here's Keridwen who likes leather, and Auri whose eternal red nose makes everyone smile.
The girls waved to each other, and Auri made a strange wince with her mouth before skipping from one leg to another.
- What is it? Asked Verte.
- Ah, Auri is the target nowadays.
- The target ?
- Yes, Leah, the target. You'll understand very soon. We have to go, Auri, it's just a really, really, really bad period to survive through, but you will.
Auri nodded sheepishly, then Tal put her hand on her shoulder, as if to show support, before turning to the classroom door and knock. The door opened itself and Tal went in, motionning to the others to come in. Rose and Verte followed suit, dreading. Keridwen and Auri closed the door behind them and dashed to sit while Tal went to the teacher's desk.
- Ah, transferred students ! I see three of my students deemed accurate to wait for you, that's sweet of them. Although I'd rather have miss Auri on time, seeing her recent... problems.
Verte saw Auri hunch her head and try to disappear on her chair. Rose reached for her with her power, but only saw fear, without any clue about the teacher's abusive behaviour. He was detailing their outfit with a lewd look he didn't even try to hide. He smiled while seeing Verte slip her hands behing her back to ball her fists. He waved to Talhia who went to sit in the half circling tables around the teaching desk. A strange setup for Rose and Verte, used to the three ranks with five tables.
- Our new comrades will introduce themselves, then, to avoid too much change for them, we'll put them together... right in the middle of our circle.
Two chairs and tables floated from a pile in the back of the room, while the occupied ones movez themselves. Telekinesis. Rose and Verte introduced themselves quickly, then fled to their places. From there, they could observe their new teacher in detail as he got back to his lesson, with a fake sweet voice, unbearable to Verte and so sick that Rose found it nauseating.
He wasn't tall, a head over the sisters at most, an not really ugly. He wore large jeans, big shoes hidden by the underside of the jeans' bottom legs, and a short sleeved shirt which buttons were open to his chest, showing a disgustingly great amount of hairs, making Rose nearly puke. She stopped looking and closed her eyes while Verte went on detailling him, looking for a flaw that would betray him, other than his normal brown eyes.
His brown hair was untidy, not as much as if it was on purpose, he most certainly got out of his shower without touching it. He wasn't shaved, a short goatee longer than his cheek hairs proving he was doing it from time to time. Verte didn't find anything special, and it annoyed her. Even more than the lesson that he was giving with his unbearable voice. As if he was convinced that he was a really generous man, but she felt he was more like giving out drugged candies to kids.
The teacher turned to her with a wry smile, and she grit her teeth. She didn't pay attention at all to what he just said.
- Maybe our new friend Lucy could explain why school is in the same building as genetic labs ?
- ... I don't know, sir.
- What a shame. Her transfered comrade has most certainly the answer, then ?
- Because everything happens at the same place, sir, answered Rose, tensed.
- Detail.
- Donors go up to the fourteenth floor of the growth building from a district. Extra-uterine growth and births happens on the thirteenth. Then, for around three years, newbord stay on the twelfth floor where their basic physical and communication developpment is brought up. Next, each January, they go down a floor progressively as they grow, changing school level and learning new things. Ground floor is for the end of general studies once they're fifteen, then the students are allocated according to their specialization in the underground floors of the building. And, as soon as they're fifteen, they're attributed to a personal lodging more or less near their study building depending on their grades and their specialization.
- Perfect, miss Leah, be assured I'll pass a comm to your previous teachers to congratulate them. Miss Lucy may enlighten us about fifteen and sixteen floors of a growth building ?
- Errr..., did Verte, bright scarlet.
- You disappoint me, Lucy. Miss Auri, please ?
- Students live in dormitories on the fifteenth floor until they're fifteen. The sixteenth is an administratve floor only.
- This answer is... well, let's say adequate. But you'll have to stay behind at the end of class, as well as Miss Lucy, to level yourselves.
- Yes, sir, answered Aury, trembling while she bowed her head.
Rose had her mouth opened, outraged by what she just witnessed. Auri had given but a perfect answer, a well crafted sentence moreover. She shot a glance to Talhia who nodded, tense. This was how he separated his "target" from the rest of the class, but it seemed that picking two was new. Then, when he released his targets, those kept a sickly face and a solid mutism for the whole day. No way to know what happenned. But suspicion were spreading since a few weeks about what he did to them.
For Rose, it was enough. And thankfully, it was Verte who was summoned. On the first little problem, she would know how to defend them or let them flee. She would also be able to know precisely what he did to his students. Then, Rose thought, and a question appeared in her mind. If no one knew what he did, how did the city, or government's informer could have known anything? A bell rang, making all students perk up, and they all fled to the exit, except fo the two punished by the teacher, and Talhia and Keridwen who stayed next to the door, full of concern for their friend.
They finally made it to the corridor, and Rose followed them while the teacher slammed the door closed behind them, locking it from the inside. Talhia turned to her, a sorry look on her face.
- I hope your friend won't be too shaken once out...
- I'm not worried for her, she's ressourceful. But tell me, Tal, you're sure you don't know what happens in this room ?
- To speak frankly, I was his previous victim, answered Tal. But I think our memories have been locked, and, except for a strong will to never wear low necklines or short stuff again, I don't really have aftereffects. But the thing I don't remember and I see on Auri are the days following those punishments. She stays muted, shouts when someone touch her, and keeps her head low, crossing her arms to keep warm, or to protect herself. I suppose that, even without memories, the body might keep a protective reflex.
- This is horrible, he locks memories so that nobody complains... I suppose that nothing has ever been done against him ? Asked Rose.
- Not really, Leah. We went to consult someone secretly, who guided us to the governmental antenna. Here, a strange mage asked us some questions, but he never looked at us. Then he confirmed there was a problem, and told us he would warn the competent authorities to intervene. That was three days ago, during the day off. I suppose those things take time.
- ... maybe not. You told me there was no mage and no boy in your group, I know perfectly why. This teacher's protecting himself. A mage, whatever his power may be, would be able to run away or defend herself. And if there's no boy, it's just because he'd rather attack girls. This teacher's a mage, he might have a telekinesis power with a strong locking ability.
- How... Leah, who are you ?
- Wait for the moment the girls get out.
Talhia and Keridwen looked at Rose, with a perfectly dumbfounded face. She counted on her fingers until fifty, then the door litteraly exploded. Rose activated the direct line between her and her boss, without getting through the secretariat. He was supposed to be on the top floor of the building, in the office of the last year's headmaster. A word from her boss confirmed her everything was ready, and she went in the classroom, walking on door bits scattered in the entrance while putting on fake glasses.
The teacher, on his knees over a half naked, crying Auri, seemed surprised. Verte was afloat against a wall, evidently held by the man's power. Rose felt a violent intrusion in her mind, certainly to lock away what she just saw, but the lock exploded. He turned to Verte, furious.
- How dare you oppose your power to mine ? I am your teacher, if I decide that you should forget that, I am rightful to do so, you hear me ?!
- Hey, what are you doing to Auri, sir ?!?! Cried Keridwen, horrified.
- She's my hobby for now. Your green haired classmate was only here to watch, so that she knew what waited for her is she wanted to play rebel again in my class. But don't worry, I'll lock all your memories, you three, nobody's going to be traumatized. I just need to put away this impertinent.
- Verte, you may let it go, Boss said he has everything to lock him. I'll get Auri outside, please help yourself on this piece of crap and go full blow, I think it tickles you since our outing with the boys...
As Rose spoke, she got close to Auri and began to pull her by her wrists. She got up suddenly, coming around, and the two girls almost ran out of the room. Trying to hold them in, he locked the room, but Verte distracted him by breaking what was holding her on the wall, and the girls reached the exit before the lock got in place.
The man, furious, turned to Verte while the girls stayed on the other side of the invisible lock, watching. Talhia and Keridwen met up with them, then the other girls came too, one by one. Verte had a predator's smile, facing the teacher in front of her, and he rushed to her, yelling. She let a small laugh escape her mouth and dodged with a side step. He grabbed a chair and lifted it up above him to hit her with it, and Verte stayed still, her animal smile still on her face. The chair litteraly exploded in his hands, pieces of metal sticking in his flesh.
He screamed in pain and used his power to pin her against the wall again. Verte let him do it, smiling, and watched him unzip his pants and take down his underwear, looking perfectly delirious. Verte had a bad smirk, and a second before his crotch exploded, Rose tackled every girl on the ground. To avoid a visual trauma.
The man sled on the ground, his face frozen in agony while he grew unconscious. To be sure, Verte broke his heels before putting her feet on the ground. Miraculously, no blood drip had reached her. This foul bastard's lock had protected her clothes. She sighed with contempt as she saw no bloodstain on her, then got out of the room as her boss and medical staff got to the man.
The group's students had been pushed further from the bloodbath scene, and Rose was explaining their true identities to the younger girls. Then, one after another, they began to cry, some yelling. The lock on their memories certainly had blew up. Rose confirmed Verte's thought, and went to the headmaster of the floor, not giving a damn about the carnage around the teacher. Either way, he wouldn't die. She knew her sister.
- Headmaster, sir, please pardon my interruption, but I think these students needs a psychological support. And a female teacher.
- Of course miss. I'm really thankful of you two for your excellent work without human damage.
- Our pleasure sir, to stop these atrocities ourselves, answered Verte.
- Rose, Verte ! To the office! Our informer is waiting for you in Lila's office.
- Yes sir! Verte, let's go !
Rose waved goodbye to the girls who welcomed her nicely, then took her sister by her arm and pulled her quickly to the gravity tube. She had a big hunch on this... informer. And the less time he spent alone with Lila, the less he would learn about Rose's past as an ingrateful tantrum-throwing kid. She was almost sure the informer was Kaito. Why, she didn't have a clue. But this urgent need to move him away from Lila, as she wasn't often really covered, practically made her run.
Verte sighed when she sat on the backseat of the taxi, but Rose rushed the driver so much that she almost threw up, even if she wasn't used to get carsick. Rose pulled her, still running, to the office, going through rooms and corridors, slowing just enough to identify herself. She finally slowed down, then stopped in front of Lila's office. She knocked gently, then opened the door without waiting for an answer, noticing two things as she went in. First, Kaito was really the informer, standing with his back to Lila as he observed the aquarium. Second, they ignored each other superbly, as if they couldn't stand each other.
Verte rolled her eyes recognizing Kaito, and went out of the room grumbling while Rose dropped on a nearby chair, sighing with relief. Kaito turned to her, surprised, and smiled at her while Verte closed the door behind her. She agreed that Rose kept seeing him, and he seemed to have an important position, and Sentry liked the guy, so it meant that Kaito was trustworthy. She decided on going to see Sen to question him about his friend, and left a note on Rose's locker so that she wouldn't worry about her leaving. Verte got out of the office, waving to coworkers going in, and walked to Sentry's shop with a quick pace. She got there in thirty minutes to find him in deep conversation with a beautiful thirty years old woman, with messy chestnut hair falling to her back. She was bent over the counter towards him, and he played with a strand of her hair, his chin in his other hand while she talked, listening. Verte pushed the door unwillingly. She liked Sentry enough to be reluctant to interrupt this kind of moment. But she needed answers.
- I'm sorry to disturb you, I didn't know you were busy Sen, but I need to ask you things about Kaito. My sister and he began to get close to each other, playing cat and mouse, and I'd like to know more about him before letting him get closer. Please don't go, miss, your presence in this shop is making Sen happy, so I wouldn't want him to stop.
- Well, what do you want to know ? It's already really surprising that you let someone getting close to your sister only on an ... information condition. Please stay, Lila hon', it won't be long, added the pastry cook.
While Verte talked to Sentry, he completely stood and went around the counter to get to Lila's side, the cute woman looking like she was used to the place. He walked to a table and took a chair, followed by the two ladies. When they sat, he looked through Verte's eyes and his fingers began to tap rythmically on his knees, as he always tended to do when his hands weren't busy cooking or making.
- So, Verte, what do you want to know ?
- Since when do you know each other ?
- We grew up in the same builing, but he is a few years younger. Your age.
- What does he do to make a living?
- Working in government's office. He has a unique position due to his powers.
- Powers that are ?
- I don't know. I scarcely saw him use them, but it was different each time. I'm not able to tell more about that.
- He's a good person? Asked Verte.
- Really good. I entrusted your sister to him when I couldn't help her. I wouldn't give that kind of task to anybody else, and you know that very well, he answered with a reproachful look.
- ... meh.
- Other questions ?
- ... not for now, but I may come back to you. Madam, I'll leave him in your care. Please take good care of him, and our next meetings should go smoothly. See ya, Sen.
Verte got up with these words, and went straight to the appratment she shared with Rose. Sen's anwsers didn't completely convinced her, but she didn't have any lingering need to slaughter Kaito. Not if Senty risked his own life and his friend's in sending him help her little sister, as she would unleash a dangerous wrath if Rose was hurt one tiny bit. But then, help Rose for whichever reason ? Verte swore loudly while using the gravity tube of her home. She would have to interrogate Kaito, as Rose wouldn't say anything to her on that topic...