Special Chapter 5: Palladium's Thoughts

Today's the exam day. I wait in the simulation chamber for all my students to arrive. I see Onyx coming in. I shouldn't let her see me looking her way. She needs to understand that we will never be more than a teacher and a student. I start explaining how today will proceed.

"Alright ladies, in a few minutes we'll begin. You'll go one at a time."

I turn on the computer. I hear the girls whispering amongst one another about how nervous they are.

Once I'm done with the preparations, I turn towards my students.

"Alright, do I have a volunteer who would like to go first?"

Nobody volunteers. Of course.

"I knew this would happen. I guess I'll be picking who goes first."

I look at everyone, while trying to avoid any eye contact with Onyx. I just don't think I can deal with that right now...

"Bloom! Which one of the tests do you choose?"

"Um..."

Bloom looks surprised at being chosen to go first.

"Well, the second option sir... I want to work on a damaged environment."

After Bloom says her choice, I motion for her to step forward.

"Come on, then. You can choose the environment. What would you like?"

"Hmm... Well, I'd like a desolate environment. The most desolate possible."

After clicking on a few buttons, I start explaining things to Bloom.

"There's this place called Domino. It's one of the saddest most miserable places in the magical dimension. Have you ever heard of Domino?"

I ask Bloom.

"No, I've never heard of it."

She answers.

"As soon as you enter the simulation room, Domino will appear around you. Are you ready?"

"Yes, I brought a few ingredients and some potions with me. Can I take them along?"

"You may take whatever is of help to you."

I then open the door to the simulation room and Bloom walks in. I then go and sit on the chair in front of the computer. I push a few buttons and a virtual rendition of Domino appears all around Bloom. After she looks around at her environment, Bloom reaches in her bag. Her pet rabbit then immediately jumps out. Bloom then concentrates her magic to sprout some plants. Good. Plants are the first step to reviving an ecosystem.

While she's doing that, the three witches materialize behind her. I didn't program them! I need to do something to stop this.

"What?"

Flora exclaims.

"What are those three doing here?"

Musa retorts.

"Bloom's in danger!"

Stella screams.

"They shouldn't be able to hurt her, since this is a simulation."

Tecna says. She's right about that, but it still worries me a bit. The three then start attacking Bloom. I then feel someone coming up to me. I glance up and see Onyx.

"Stop the simulation!"

"I'm trying, but it won't respond!"

"Can't you just shut it down?"

"These things don't work that way, Onyx. If I force it shut, we might lose all of the data."

"Who cares about the data when Bloom's in danger?!"

"She's not in danger! Three witches are just as virtual as everything else."

I don't have time to argue with her! I need to do what I can to get Bloom out of there. I'm finally able to stop the simulation. Everyone then rushes in the simulation room to check up on Bloom. At least that problem is resolved.

I announce that the test will be postponed to tomorrow, to have enough time to fix up the computer after what happened. Everyone cheers for Bloom. I notice Onyx slipping out of the room. If I follow her right away, it might look suspicious... But I just can't help it! She seemed really upset.

I follow her and see her going in Headmistress Faragonda's office. What's going on? After a bit of time, she finally comes out.

"Onyx! Wait!"

She turns around after hearing me calling out to her. She doesn't look too thrilled to see me.

"What is it?"

"I want to know why you were so agitated about what happened today, even though I told you that Bloom couldn't be harmed."

"That's none of your concern."

"It is, since I was the one controlling the computer."

"Well, you should've controlled it better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I don't want to be late for my next test."

She leaves after saying that. I sigh, trying to relax. She actually managed to make me angry. I can't even remember the last time I've felt that way. I shouldn't care so much! Anyway, time to go and prepare for the test. I need to make sure there won't be any occurrences like this one again.

The next day, I focus on doing all the security checks on the computer. After that's done, I head to the library. I then see Onyx walking down the corridor towards me. I shouldn't pay any attention to her. It's not like she wants it either. We walk past each other, without even a word nor a glance towards the other. It's all for the best...

The day of the test in now here. I wait for all the girls to come while I set up the computer.

"Ready, girls? Everything is up and running for the test. We even took extra precautions as to not let any incidents happen this time around. Who'd like to go first then?"

Like last time, no one volunteers for that. I can't help but notice how exhausted Onyx looks. No, focus. I can't play favourites with my students like that. I'm sure all the fairies are also tired.

"I guess I'll have to pick someone randomly again."

I then pick a random fairy. She goes on inside the simulation room after telling Professor Palladium what she chose as her test. After struggling a bit in the beginning, she manages to accomplish the task she was given. After her, some fairies volunteered and some were chosen randomly.

"Lastly, we have Onyx."

She jumps a bit when I call her name.

"What's your choice for this test? The barren environment or the witches' dark spell?"

I try to talk to her like I talk to all the other students, with as little personal emotion as possible.

"T-The dark spell, sir..."

She's stuttering? It's been a while since I heard her stutter like that. Is she nervous?

"Alright, you may go ahead."

She heads towards the simulation room. I program the simulation room to look like Magix.

"As per headmistress Faragonda's request and your different kind of power, you will be graded on both dispelling the witches' magic and capturing them. If you perfectly succeed in one of them, you'll pass, but barely. In consequence, the witches are much stronger than the Cloud Tower witches."

Onyx uses some dark spheres that chase their target to destroy two of the three witches. For the last witch, she shoots out a black beam. It's so big that she has no place to run and meets the same fate as the two others. Oh no! The system's overheating! That's way too much magical power!

"Warning. System overloaded. Evacuate immediately."

This is bad! I need to get her out of there!

I barge into the control room.

"Onyx!"

Her eyes start tearing up. She must've been so scared. I run towards her. I then immediately grab her hand and lead her out. As soon as we get into the control room, currents of electricity run through the simulation room and it blacks out. If I had been even one second late... I don't think I would've been able to forgive myself.

"Onyx!"

The girls run up to Onyx, with concerned expressions on their face. I let go of her hand and walk away to leave the space for the girls. I dismiss the class after handing everyone their grades' breakdown and head to my office. While walking there, I look at the hand with which I held Onyx' own. I know very well that, if I let myself go, I'd do everything to make her mine...

I get to my office and close the door behind me. I need to get my mind off of things. Maybe cleaning up a bit might help out.

Not too long after, I hear a soft knock on the door. Who could that be?

"Yes?"

My eyes widen and I drop the papers that I'm holding when I see Onyx coming into the office. Why is she here?!

"A-Ah! I'm sorry I startled you, Professor! I'll pick those up!"

"N-No, that's quite alright! Is there something in particular that you wanted to discuss?"

She's not looking directly at me. Then again, that's how she usually is.

"Well... I wanted to thank you... for earlier..."

"Oh! You're welcome. It's my duty as a teacher to protect my students after all."

I need to keep that necessary distance between us... I can't treat her differently from the other students anymore.

"Is that all? If it is, then you will have to excuse me, but I'm really busy right-"

"Also!"

She brings her hands to her mouth. I didn't expect her to shout like that.

"Also..."

She brings her voice down to almost a whisper.

"Yes?"

She's looking at the floor. I notice her cheeks getting red.

"I... I'm sorry for being so rude back with what happened with Bloom..."

I chuckle. Good... That was all it was.

"Oh, that. You don't have to worry about it."

There's then a moment of silence where she keeps looking down at the ground with her feet fiddling around.

"Onyx?"

"Um... Sorry... I just have something else I want to say... but it's really hard to say..."

No... She can't do it. That would be too unfair. If she does what I think she's about to do, I won't be able to stop myself.

"I...!"

"Don't do it..."

I'm sorry, Onyx...

"What do you...?"

"Onyx, please... This is not right. For a teacher and a student to be more than a teacher and a student is not right. I've been holding myself back this whole time. If you say anything more, I don't know if I'll be able to resist any longer. So, please, let's leave it at this."

This is so painful to say, but there's no other way.

"I'm sorry..."

I'm doing everything I can to not lose my self-control and take her into my arms. Seeing the tears falling down her cheeks is so painful... Knowing that I'm the cause of her pain is unbearable. She runs out of my office, while I stand there, unable to even chase after her. I cover my eyes with one of my hands, trying to contain my own tears.