A Saga of Tanya the Evil/The Irregular at Magic High School crossover.
I do not in any way, shape, or form lay claim to either of these works.
This is just a work of admiration from one fan, to those others that share the same interest.
The only characters or places I lay claim to are those solely of my own creation.
Chapter 27, The Seven Schools Competition:The heart of competition is striving for excellence.
Monday, August 2nd 2094 6:00 AM
Tanya slowly blinked her eyes open, then froze as she realized she was staring at the face of someone. Someone who, by all accounts, should not be this close to her. It was not something she minded, per se, but it was more than a bit unexpected. Then, the events of the previous night started to filter in. The nightmare, and waking up to the one person she could truly count on. The one person she truly trusted. Visha was there when she broke free from the nightmare. Visha helped her calm down.
Visha more than likely had slept in her bed, next to her from the time she had woken up until now. Tanya might have possibly hyperventilated just a bit. She was afraid to breathe, much less move lest she wake up her companion.
So, Tanya decided to do the rational, logical thing. She remained very still and studied her companion in minute detail. The softness of Visha's skin, the roundness of her cheeks. The cute way she mumbled in her sleep. At least she hadn't cast any spells in her sleep in years.
Some part of Tanya had to wonder if this was the first time that this had happened? Or if it was a more common occurrence than she was quite ready to admit.
Tanya debated with herself what she would do, what she would say. She even debated the merits of pretending to be asleep. That was definitely one possibility and would avoid any awkward conversations. A slight movement drew her attention to the young woman next to her, and she found herself staring into the eyes of a blushing Visha. As Visha attempted to get up, not able to look Tanya in the eyes anymore Tanya had a moment of epiphany and cleared her throat.
"I.. I am sorry if I disturbed your sleep last night. It was never my intention to disrupt your sleep, but… Thank you. It was nice to know that someone was there for me." Tanya said awkwardly, not really very good with this whole emotions thing.
Visha looked her in the eye and smiled shyly. "I'm always happy to help you, Tanya. After all, it's why I'm here, right?" She said with a bit of a lift of one lip, a hint of that smile that stunned Tanya from time to time.
Tanya smirked back, as she pressed just a bit "Oh, is that so? And here I thought it was because you make the best coffee in the entire fatherland?"
"Well, I am always happy to take care of your needs, Tanya. Whether that is coffee, battlefield bombardment, or I guess a convenient emotional support device." Visha's smile grew as she bantered back with the Argent, falling back into familiar territory, instead of panicking about being caught in the Argent's bed.
Tanya narrowed her eyes as she looked at her former adjutant from close range. "And why do I suspect that this is not the first time that you have done the latter?"
Visha gave her former commander a nervous smile before she quickly exited the warmth of the bed. "Well, I need to get moving if I am going to get your coffee made, the final check on our clothes for breakfast with the team, and making sure our uniforms are ready for the opening ceremonies before competition begins!"
Tanya laughed as she got up as well and shook her head. "Very well, I will retreat from the field for now to make myself presentable."
Visha flashed her companion an awkward, relieved smile as she bustled off. Tanya shook her head as she made her way into the shower, her thoughts in a whir. Had that been the first time? Had it happened often? Is it why the nightmares were less frequent? What did it mean for them?
As Tanya let the water, and her thoughts, wash over her, Visha had her own existential crisis moment going on.
'She knows' Visha panicked as she thought to herself. 'She knows' I've been sneaking into her bed at night.'. Visha flushed as the implications rushed through her head. 'Is she going to be mad? Is she going to kick me out? Will I get a scolding? And why does THAT idea intrigue me! Gah! I'm a mess right now, and all the stuff they keep telling me is not helping right now!' she thought as she quietly cursed her friends.
Visha glanced nervously at the door even as her body went about the necessary steps by rote. Coffee ground and brewed under her expert skill even as her mind slowly melted. The pastries that Tanya liked from the breakfast tray were laid out neatly, along with the latest edition of the morning paper she liked, downloaded and opened on her tablet. Tanya's clothes for the morning were laid out in the bathroom for her to wear when she finished her shower. Visha's outfit was also waiting for her, as always. Everything according to plan.
All in all, if not for getting caught, things looked good this morning.
Visha glanced at the door to the bathroom, more than a little worried as she heard the shower stop, exactly five minutes after it had started. The Argent was punctual if nothing else. She had her routine perfected, but that was hardly a surprise. Even Visha had become part of that routine, and she knew it. Her own shower would be six minutes, since she took just a tad longer than Tanya did. It was a fact that usually amused her. But today was different. She knew she could delay the reckoning if she hurried into the shower, but that would only delay it six minutes plus the time to get dressed.
Visha gave Tanya a tight smile as she hurried past her, heading for her own shower.
The relaxed smile that she had received from Tanya in passing had helped somewhat to settle her nerves.
Visha started her shower, as she let her body take care of things by rote routine as her mind ran through all the possible outcomes. Exactly seven minutes later, Visha exited the bathroom and sat down, her back ramrod straight as .over at her companion. Her companion who had already consumed and was engrossed in her morning newspaper.
Visha breathed a sigh of relief at the stay of execution. But, she had to admit to herself, she also felt a bit confused by the seeming nonchalant attitude of the Argent towards what could be interpreted as a hostile, or at least unwelcome, infringement on her sovereign territory.
And considering the Argent's usual response to infringement on sovereign territory, she did not want to garner that sort of reaction.
As Visha breathed a sigh of relief, Tanya did her best to keep up the image of indifference even as her mind worked at a feverish pace, as she internally panicked. Tanya was uncertain how to handle this situation. Nothing in either life had truly prepared her for this.
In her previous life, interpersonal interactions had been almost clinical, even those of an intimate nature. None of which had prepared her to the situation she found herself in now.
Perhaps it was time to use a feint so that she could distract Visha, and avoid the situation for a time longer. She nodded, then cleared her throat. It was an action that drew the attention of her companion immediately, as certain as the dawn and as warming as the first rays of sunshine. "So, I have heard that there will be many people from every country here, to scout and ascertain the potential of those that they will be facing someday. I think it best if we try to remain on guard at all times while we are out. Observe, but do try to not give away too much of our own hand, as it were. We do have a reputation to uphold, even if it is vastly different in this world. And, I want to commend you, Visha."
Visha looked at Tanya, not expecting this particular track. "Commend me, for what exactly? I.. I haven't done anything more than what is required of me, as your former adjutant after all." She said in a nervous tone of voice.
"I would not agree. You have outdone all expectations so far. Thank you, Visha." Tanya said as she smiled at her now flustered and thoroughly scatterbrained companion.
"T..Thank you, Tanya… That really means a lot to me…" Visha said breathlessly as she hurriedly took a drink to hide her embarrassed face.
Tanya smiled and nodded, glad that the complement and change of topic seemed to have worked. Now, she just needed to avoid any discussion of what had transpired this morning, at least until she had the perfect opportunity to talk to Visha about the merits of them pursuing a possible relationship that did not directly involve the battlefield.
Perhaps more coffee was needed before she entertained those thoughts.
The remainder of their morning passed in companionable silence, as each was lost in their own thoughts and worries, mostly caused by the presence of the other. When the time came, they made their way to the meeting room for their team as they were placed into their assigned spots for the opening ceremonies and the parade of participants. At this point is where Visha had to take her leave, after fussing with Tanya's uniform for the third time this morning.
"Honestly, Visha. You can stop mothering me. I am a big girl, and I can get dressed on my own. You made sure of that, after all." Tanya said in a tone that was only moderately teasing, as the other first years looked on in amused silence, long having gotten used to the antics of the pair of not-dating certainly not lesbians in their midst.
Tanya looked at her fellow contestants as she arched one eyebrow after seeing off her companion or, as she was often referred to out of the earshot of the pair, mother hen. "Is there something I can help you with? Maybe a bit of last minute training before we begin?" She asked in that placid tone that sent a shiver down the backs of all those that had experienced Tanya's concept of 'last minute training' in the past.
"No! I mean, no. We were just admiring how well you two get along, is all." Hans Frieber hastily said, as the rest of the Monolith Code first years nodded emphatically behind him.
"Very well, then let's present ourselves in a manner that befits our standing as the elite, as student-representatives of our school. Let's show them the strength and tenacity of our school!" Tanya said, as the enthusiastic voices of those she had trained and survived shouted in acknowledgment.
All in all, Tanya was rather pleased with the results
They might even have lasted one day on the Rhine.
The opening ceremonies and the parade went by without incident as the assembled students followed the directions they had been given beforehand, and at least in one case, the rather pointed reminder of their diminutive drill instructor.
Afterwards, they broke up into their respective groups and social cliches, as Tanya and Visha rejoined and made their way towards the speed shooting range. Visha had a pair of sausages wrapped in buns, along with two drinks and some small snacks for them as they waited in line.
Tanya shook her head as she peered at her companion "You have an barely understandable fondness for sausage, Visha."
Visha smiled and nodded. "What can I say? I developed a liking for them when we were back at the war college. These are almost as good as Herr Schroders bratwurst."
Tanya shook her head as she gave her friend a fond smile "I sometimes think you are more attached to your food than you are to me, Visha."
Visha swallowed her bite forcefully, as she blushed. "I...Would not go that far, Tanya…."
Tanya raised an eyebrow in a skeptical manner at her longtime companion.
"I wouldn't! If I had to choose between them…." Visha blushed a bit brighter and then continued in a quieter tone of voice. "I would always choose you."
"That is a relief, here I thought I was less significant than meat stuffed in a lining." Tanya teased gently.
Visha shook her head, but whatever she was about to say was lost as they entered the stadium itself, and the pair made their way to the seating that was reserved for their school.
Tanya looked at her companion and smiled 'Now, remember. We are observing the training, spells, and tactics that the official representatives from each school are using. It should provide valuable insight into the likely skills and tactics that the first years are to use. Plus, it gives us a good chance to observe our own upperclassmen, and determine how we can best influence our peers going forward to improve their own efficiency."
"Yes ma'am!" Visha chirped happily as the last bit of her food vanished into her mouth and she watched with that intensity that meant she was truly focused on the task that Tanya had given her.
Tanya, for her part, took the opportunity to quietly observe a far more interesting sight than the other girls warming up and preparing themselves to compete. Her attention, at least for the moment, was on her companion. The awkwardness of the situation this morning, and what it possibly entailed, could wait. For now, she had to steel her nerves and gathered her courage to face the battle ahead. This was one engagement, when she committed to it, that she could not afford to lose. Otherwise, there was always the balcony.
And such thoughts were what kept her company while they observed the beginning of the competition's first event.