Uploaded On: 17th November 2024.

Wow is Me
Flowery Descent

Consequently, to go with Natsuki's hammering heart, is the anxiety her rising pillar brings. Standing atop the massive tower, she peers down to the anticipating audience. Today it isn't just Garderobe's student body and staff watching.

Behind her she is acutely aware of a drone buzzing about. It captures her every subtle movement, making her warily jump as it swerves around her. After all, the legendary Trias Duels are being globally broadcasted. Shooing it away, she apprehensively redirects her attention to the secondary pillar coming to a stop.

Her former-mentor, destined bodyguard and partner, Shizuru Viola, quickly seizes her gaze. Natsuki's awareness to her surroundings inexplicably fades as some form of voiceless communication transfers. Why is Shizuru smiling at her like that? A tightness squeezes Natsuki's heart in confusion until the pandemonium of the crowd drags her from the trance.

"—Meister Natsuki has been appointed Garderobe's Headmeister and Buhne's Head of State!"

As the arena loudhailers declare this, gasps of awe are witnessed by Natsuki from her higher position. It causes an entanglement of nerves to strangle her already fragile mindset. She had not been told that her Columnhood would be announced in this way. But, perhaps to her amazement, the worst case scenario does not happen. Instead, the crowd is energised by the commentator, resulting in heavy chanting:

"Headmeister Kruger! Headmeister Kruger! Headmeister Kruger!"

It's rare indeed for students to experience the initiation of a Column. Let alone the two—herself now included—by her Pearl year. Natsuki's only read about the eerie hysteria that a Headmeister's ascension creates, but this?

Only speechlessly can Natsuki witness it all.

"It's been ten years since our temporary Headmeister, Maria Graceburt, seized control from Headmeister Shamrock. For the first time in forty years—yes, forty!—we have a Trias Duel between an Archmeister and Headmeister!"

Resounding roars echo across the arena from not just the students, but even visitors and governmental officials. Natsuki is clearly taken aback by the heartfelt enthusiasm. People seem to genuinely love that she's becoming the next Headmeister. Natsuki's truthfully dumbfounded. 'They want me? Me?'

Shizuru who has been studying Natsuki this entire time feels a surge of pride enter her chest. Natsuki's finally realising her importance in this world.

"The final duel is now underway!"

A blaring horn reverberates throughout the campus, signalling that their duel has commenced. Frantically Natsuki cups her GEM in response to kick-start her transformation. "Materialise." She breathes without confidence, an overwhelming argent light swiftly taking her.

Her ghastly uniform is reshaped into that of grey and black accents. There are also red, blue and green trims decorating her robe. Extending her hands, she gazes at her disced gauntlets. It's not as bad as she feared. She can work with this. Rounding her hands into fists, she leaps back with trained instinct.

A volley of conjoined blades rip across her pillar, sending bits of debris scattering everywhere.

"Now…" Shizuru reels her double-naginata element back together and slowly closes their distance within the air. "...keep your attention solely upon me, and only me."

'When did she materialise?!' A frighteningly possessive demeanour radiates from her Archmeister abruptly. It's so much so that it catches Natsuki off guard. As the alarm bells ring within her mind, Natsuki launches herself away from her. Just in time because at this moment, Shizuru swerves a deadly blade towards her torso.

Now, although they have sparred countless times before, this is different.

Shizuru is testing her, and although she has no idea what capabilities her robe has, Natsuki must prevail. Thus, as though fate has aligned itself, a silhouette appears within her mind detailing her element.

'Is that a gun…?' Natsuki's brow furrows in disarray as she arches her back away from another blow. "If you cut my hair you're paying for it, Viola." She taunts the Archmeister who for a fraction hesitates. Taking this as her chance, the appointed Headmeister retreats to the arena's centre.

The internal image alters, looking like a hand cannon revolver, but the barrel is longer with added girth. Like time after time before, Natsuki attempts to summon the element. Success! This monster of a gun is hefty within her hand but oddly perfect. It's silvery with Garderobe's emblem engraved into its grip. The hammer too… how strange, it looks like a wolf's head—

—Somehow, Natsuki manages to sense that this mystifying element comes in twos. Evidently the bullets coming out of these things will be much bigger than usual as well. Her mind quickly formulates a plan as Shizuru charges towards her in the sky.

"Shizuru!" She calls out to her while pressing her finger against the trigger. An icy bullet propels at impossible speed towards the Archmeister who dodges it with inches to spare. "My element is cool!" She grins enthusiastically, summoning its copy within her other hand.

Shizuru, startled by this feat, is forced to arc her blades to slice a second bullet. It shatters dramatically, sending brittle shrapnel around her.

'Cool indeed…' Shizuru remains in this stance, staring awestruck at her beloved partner who does not realise her own demeanour. A misty and cold fog has enveloped the sandy arena with specks of ice floating around the Headmeister. Every frozen shard reflects the floodlights around them, creating lines of rainbows. Stranger yet, every individual shape is that of flowers?

The frosty forgeries are as intricately beautiful as their authentic cousins. Even throughout the audience, Shizuru hears the wonderstruck gasps then the silence. Alongside their Archmeister, the crowd—and perhaps those watching the broadcast—are speechless.

This is not a documented feature of the Ice Silver Quartz.

Natsuki has not taken notice either.

As the battle proceeds, the appointed Headmeister's confidence gradually sees improvement. Landing into the frosty sand, grains are sent billowing around her. As of yet their duel has been filled with feints and avoidance.

"Stop being scared of taking me seriously, Archmeister." Natsuki aims a revolver at her chest. "Didn't you once say to not be afraid to go all out?"

"Be careful what you wish for, Meister Natsuki."

The heat has seized them.

A/N: Thanks to Az7z here and Aleita on Ao3 I've had the motivation to work on this chapter. I was actually considering ending WiM next chapter but there's definitely more things that can be explored.

The Five Laws — this is something I've created myself, yes. It is faintly based on the Five Pillars of Islam (which the Columns are inspired upon). Recently I've been wanting to experiment with the Columns and this idea felt nice to work with. I've been playing with the idea in some other stories as well.

Now, here's a question for everyone: would you prefer I focus solely on WiM until completion or cycle between unfinished stories? I hope to continue receiving feedback so I can update faster!

P.S. I just realised I made Haruka the Brigadier General when Yukino should still be in university. That's been edited out now. Please mention if there's anything weird like this happening (note that some dates have been moved around for future experimentation).