A month passed, Tear settling in comfortably with the busy school life of the academy. She somehow managed to keep up with the mass of work that the teachers piled on her, though she had help from her friends as well.
As time passed, she began to see how differently Luke and Asch were treated. Sometimes the teachers desperately tried to suck up to them, giving them extra credit for no reason or showering them in compliments. A few, however, treated them like they treated everyone else, and somehow, the boys seemed grateful for that.
The attitudes of the students also varied. Either they desperately crowded them, trying to be their friend so that they could get 'benefits', or they outright hated them. Tear was starting to see why Asch was so hesitant around other students.
It was Short Range Weaponry, and everyone had been paired up. Once again, Tear found herself with someone she didn't know; or rather, that she had talked to. It turned out his name was Gailardia, but he preferred to be called Guy. He used to rather thin sword without a shield, a style called the Sigmund Style apparently learnt from his home country.
The two of them quickly got on, happily chatting as they exchanged blows.
"So Tear, can you use Fonic Artes?" Guy asked as he blocked a strike from her and retaliated.
"Yeah, though I mainly use healing artes. What about you?"
"Nah..Never been able to, doubt I ever will. I prefer Fon Machines."
"Yeah, Luke said he had a friend in Fon Machines...is the teacher really as weird as he says?"
"Who, Dist? Yeah, he's weird. He's obsessed with machines, and seems to be in some sort of rivalry with Jade...I think they're competing on who can get more students in their class, though Jade has more because a lot of people naturally have the ability to use Fonic Artes and so need to learn."
"Sound tough."
"I dunno, Dist is a good teacher and all, but he doesn't take very much seriously. I don't think he cares much, actually. But enough about that. So, where are you from?"
"Yulia City."
"Really? Cool. I've never met anyone from there before. What's it like?"
"Pretty dreary. We don't get much sunlight, and it's cold too, plus barely anyone lives there."
"Oh. Sounds like a drag."
"It is. That's partly why I'm glad I got to come here; I finally got away from the depressing place."
"Alright students! Rest!"
Everyone lowered their weapons, panting and wiping the sweat away. They congratulated their partner then moved back towards the centre.
"Alright then, let's see what you've learnt. Any volunteers?" Largo asked with a grin. No one offered, and his grin widened. "Well then I guess we'll just go by default.."
Tear thought of the dark bruises she had seen, and stepped forward. "I volunteer," she said strongly. The students gasped, muttering to each other.
"Tear! What are you doing?!" hissed Luke, looking at Largo worriedly.
Tear shrugged. "Who knows," she replied before walking forward to stand in front of him. She raised her spear, expression set.
Largo laughed, then looked around. "Anyone else?!" he called. There was silence for a moment, then Guy stepped forward.
"Sure, why not? I've always wondered what it'd be like fighting you," he said, standing beside Tear and drawing his sword.
"You don't have to," Tear murmured.
"Guess what? I want to," Guy replied with a smirk.
"I'll fight," said a voice, and they turned as Sync stepped out, standing on the other side of Tear.
"Sync?" Tear asked, surprised. He glanced at her, then gave a slight smile.
"Can't let you take all the glory now can I?" he said.
Luke looked worried, and even Asch seemed vaguely concerned. "Wait! I call default!" Luke called.
"Well, unfortunately, they're volunteers. No default allowed," Largo replied with a nasty grin. The boys shared a glance then moved forward, and he stopped them with his staff. "No joining in either. Default isn't allowed to volunteer."
He faced the three students, taking them in. Their faces were set, obviously ready to fight him.
"Alright then! Let's get on with it!" he roared, before charging.
The three kids dodged to the sides, attacking from either side and behind. Largo blocked their attacks, pushing them back. They continued to attack, leaping around as they dodged his attacks, though taking the brunt of several themselves.
As Largo blocked one of Guy's attacks and threw him back into Tear, Sync suddenly dived forward for the opening he had spotted. Largo blinked, and Sync nearly managed it, before he brought his staff round. He caught the green haired boy in the stomach, bringing him round and flying into the recovering Tear and Guy. As they struggled to get up, Largo lowered his staff towards them, and they froze, looking up at him.
He gazed at them for a moment, then smirked. "Good job. I hope to see improvement next time, though," he congratulated, then turned away. "Dismissed!" he bellowed, and everyone hurried from the room.
Luke and Asch ran over to the felled teens, kneeling beside them. "Are you guys alright?" Luke asked, scanning over them.
"We're fine. It's only a few bruises anyway," Sync replied shortly as he stood up, dusting himself off. Guy also stood, rolling his shoulder.
"Man, he can pack a punch! I almost want to fight him again," he said with a laugh.
Luke reached down, offering Tear his hand, and she smiled before taking it and allowing him to help her up.
"Why did you do that?" he asked quietly.
"Do what?" she asked.
"You know...volunteer instead of letting us do default."
"I have no idea what you mean. I just wanted to try fighting him," Tear replied, flicking her hair back and turning to the Guy and Sync. Asch joined Luke's side, gazing at her in disbelief.
"S-She just totally...!" Luke gaped.
Asch patted his shoulder. "It's alright, little brother. When a woman beats you in an argument, it just goes to show who's in charge of the relationship," he said, before walking off.
"H-Hey!" Luke yelled after him, and Asch gave a vague wave before catching up to the others. He stared after them, then felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Largo grinning down at him.
"Your brother's right," he said with a laugh before striding off, leaving Luke in his pit of disbelief.
"Hey guys!" Tear called as they entered the cafeteria. Natalia and Ion waved back, watching as they walked over then blinking as Guy sat down with them.
"Oh, hello. I don't think we've met," Ion said politely to the blonde boy.
"I'm Gailardia, but call me Guy," Guy replied with a grin.
"Ion," Ion replied, the two shaking hands.
Tear took her seat next to Natalia, who looked at her in surprise. "How come Guy is joining us today?" she asked.
"Oh, I just figured he might like to and he said he would," Tear replied with a shrug. Natalia nodded skeptically, eyeing the two red heads who had just joined them.
"So, Luke, Asch, I notice an absence of bruises," she noted.
"I'd imagine so, yes," Asch replied.
"Care to explain?"
"Not especially."
"Mm-hmm..." Natalia hummed, looking from Tear to Guy, then nodding. "Oh, I see. So Tear stepped in for you and Guy fought as well, huh? Looks like Sync joined in too," she deduced. The others looked at her in surprise, and she humphed. "What? I'm not as stupid as I look," she said.
"I beg to differ.." Luke muttered, then jumped as bread roll hit his head. "Really Natalia?!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Natalia replied, calmly eating her food.
"Ugh, first Tear, now you? What is it with girls!" Luke groaned, face-planting into the table. Everyone paused, looking at him. "Ow." They nodded and went back to what they were doing, allowing him to wallow in his pain.
Tear was happily chatting away with Natalia when she heard a click. Reacting on instinct from days of training, she summoned her spear and sent it up, so that the edge pointed against the throat of the woman behind her. Everyone went silent, staring.
"M-Miss Legretta?" asked Natalia hesitantly, a little worried about the fact that her teacher was pointing a weapon at her best friend and vice versa.
The two women glared at each other a moment, then Legretta smiled.
"Reflexes are as sharp as ever, Mystearica."
Tear smiled, lowering her spear, then flinched as the gun was pressed against her forehead.
"But you shouldn't let your guard down so easily," Legretta murmured, before pocketing the gun.
"Right. Sorry, Legretta," Tear replied.
"That's beside the point. It's good to see you, Mystearica," Legretta said.
"And you, Legretta."
"You've certainly grown since the last time I saw you," Legretta noted, looking her up and down. She glanced around their table. "An interesting choice in friends as well. A mixture of Daath, Kimlasca and Malkuth? I don't believe I've ever seen such an odd group."
"I prefer to think of it as 'finding friends within your enemies'," Tear replied with a smirk, and Legretta gave a barking laugh.
"That's my girl. Now, I've got to get going. Your brother sends his regards."
The group watched the gun-wielding teacher walk off, before turning to Tear.
"You know Miss Legretta?" Natalia asked in surprise.
Tear nodded. "She came to visit me with my brother a lot when I was little, and she trained me for a while as well."
"Wow..Miss Legretta's really strict, I've never seen her compliment anyone before," Natalia mused.
"You just have to know how to impress her," Tear explained.
"Do you think you could tell me?"
"Sure. See, if she wants you to..."
The two girls were soon engrossed in conversation, leaving the boys to their own devices.
Luke shrugged then turned back, grinning at Guy. "So, Guy, how come you've been so distant lately?" he asked.
"You know how it is, Luke. School work, being ordered around by Peony, avoiding the mob of fan girls.." Luke jabbed him in the side and he gave a laugh, pushing him back. "Alright, so maybe not fan girls, but I really have been busy," he said.
"Well, I hope you don't start again. It's weird not having you around."
"It's only because he spoils you so much. If he wasn't around, you'd do a lot more work," Asch said playfully, catching the thrown bread roll and eating it, despite Luke's icy glare.
"You two know each other?" Ion asked, surprised. Guy nodded.
"Yeah, I've been here a while. My home got burned down, so Lorelei offered me a place to stay here. I've been helping look after Luke and Asch since they were kids," he explained.
"What, so you're a servant?" asked Sync.
"Not exactly...more a guardian."
"But you do servant stuff," Sync deadpanned.
Guy laughed. "I suppose it does sound a bit complicated, huh?" he agreed, continuing to eat, but not explaining any further. Sync made a disgruntled noise and Ion giggled, before they also carried on eating.
A/N: Feel that fluff! And is the fight scene okay? I couldn't really picture it in detail...
Review?