There's been so many scammers pretending to be comic artists in my reviews and inbox, it's honestly ridiculous. Get a real job. I don't want to see my demons have sex or get eaten alive in your shitty art styles LMAO
— ML
Chapter 22: The Scarborough Fair on Deaf Ears
Year X802
"The rain! One of nature's greatest treasures!"
"The air is purified!" one inmate yelled as he rushed to get outside.
Emaciated and filthy creatures funneled out into the courtyard. Bare feet and old shoes splashed deep red puddles without a care. Crimson Bellow had clashed with the last remnants of the warm Black Qora. The changing seasons brought a thunderstorm that hammered rain onto Purgatory's surface for many days. No one cared about stripping naked in front of creatures of another sex or gender. When it rained, there was a strong sense of unity that temporarily cleansed the world within the walls.
Shugo, Takeshiro, Ryouichi, Ushizumo, and I always raced into the biggest, deepest puddles. It was so much fun.
Me and my friends sometimes joined hands and sang and chanted those rhymes other children used to play. We yelled "Ring Around the Rosy" so loud as thunder rippled across the sky. Mom said even the sky wanted the children to be quiet. It was impossible to be quiet. Reiji was so happy, she could die!
I mean, I could fly!
I could die too.
I guess I don't mind...
"Rain is kind of like a long sponge bath from Heaven," Mom would say.
Mom also said that Reiji would turn seven soon. However, she did not want that birthday. Her real birthday would come when she and her small tribe got to go home. Reiji didn't want her old birthday. Sometimes she didn't want her body either. Being perceived by other creatures made her feel sick.
When I go home, I'll get my real body and my real birthday. Maybe I'll get real magic too. Mom said that I could be anything I wanna be when I go home. I can't wait to go there soon. We'll all be safe.
Loner Village Town Hall, 01 November X820
Reiji stood in the hallway beside Mystique and Minerva. Most of the doors and windows in the town hall were kept shut, but the soft patter of rain still channeled through her ears.
Between guilt over poisoning a guild master and anxiety about the next assessments, Reiji did not bother with grounding techniques. It felt so much better to drift a thousand miles away until the next assessment began.
She was unsure why a random rainy day from her childhood resurfaced. She rarely thought about that old life unless something triggered her in a bad way. With that in mind, she supposed it was obvious. It was that strange language. Why did it look so familiar? How did she know what to say in response? She couldn't remember who taught it to her or when.
"Reiji... hello... Miss Sagara!"
Reiji snapped her attention back to reality at the sound of the Guild Messenger's voice. She looked at him with mild panic in her eyes, fearing she had missed something important. He crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. The dark green-haired demon turned towards her surroundings.
She and the councilman were in a completely new room. Every curtain was open, letting in the nimbostratus light. All four single-hung windows were also opened to let in fresh, humid air from outside. The desks, chairs, shelves, and other furniture were placed against the walls on either side of the room.
Minerva stood across from Reiji with Angelica sitting in one of the office chairs. In Minerva's gloved hand hovered a rotating golden sphere with four rings rotating and spinning slowly. Reiji could feel the magic radiating off of that little device in calming waves. Kyôka finished securing the two curtains on the last window to Reiji's right. Her automail looked so polished and shiny despite the limited sunlight.
Today, the olive green-haired mage wore black like her guildmate—virtually the same outfit as the secret meeting Reiji spied on—but with her hair let down in a wolf cut instead.
The Snowblood representative Angelica had straight black hair with frosted tips, unlike the purple from days ago. She also wore her white fur-lined green poncho, a light green gown, and a tall purple hat with a red ribbon tied around the base. Together, they were both gorgeous and terrifying to Reiji.
Grey Forrester walked into the room moments later to stand with Mystique. He whispered something to the messenger. Whatever Grey said made the corner of Mystique's mouth almost twitch with a smirk.
"The, uh, song assessment for Snowblood," Reiji murmured before clearing her throat. At that 13 October meeting, she remembered Angelica mentioning a music box that belonged to Minerva.
"Good observation," Angelica affirmed. "Before that, allow us to properly introduce ourselves."
"Kyôka of Tartaros Fairy!" the buxom bird demon said as she bowed in a curtsy. Angelica covered a light titter. Reiji's ears twitched subconsciously at the faint sound of Kyôka's talons tapping the floor. Her tail feathers spread out in her bow as well. Some of them appeared black, purple, and pink, most likely from hair or feather dye.
"Great craftsmanship at the first assessment, by the way. I was honestly expecting Jerza to fail you like the others," she snickered. "You already know Minerva Orland from your potion creation assessment," she added, gesturing to her shy guildmate, who looked at her golden sphere instead of Reiji. "It's a pleasure," the humanoid mage said, her tired eyes never leaving the device. Kyôka's smile was wide with a rather strong-looking jaw. The slight curve in her lower canines created a subtle underbite. Reiji had half a foolish mind to feel some form of attraction to that.
Riki, no! Not a chance!
Humph. Not me.
It's always you, you... temptress!
Reiji returned her greeting with a bow, folding her hands behind her back.
"Likewise, Kyôka and Minerva."
Reiji felt ambivalent about seeing Tartaros Fairy members in the flesh after so long. They didn't appear to have aged a day in 16 years. They once saw a scared little kid who barely knew what was going on around her because of her poor eyesight. And now, she was good enough to become a mage on their level. The mere thought of being equal to someone like them reignited a childlike wonder in Reiji. On the other hand, the idea of meeting or exceeding their expectations made her nervous. She just recently started transforming into Riki's form at will. What if she wasn't good enough for these older mages?
Angelic stood up, bowing with her hands at her sides. "My name is Angelica Realight of Snowblood, the conductor of your song assessment."
"It's nice to meet you, Miss Realight."
Kyôka clapped her hands together.
"Great! Now that that bullshi—uh, can I say bullshit?" she questioned, glancing at Mystique.
"I don't really care," he shrugged. Reiji couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
"Bet. So, with that introductory bullshit out of the way, let's get started! Do you need to warm up?" the aviary female asked.
"Warm up to what?"
"Warm up your voice, duh!"
"I-I don't think so..." The dark green-haired demon probably would have exhausted her voice by the time of her summoning if she hadn't stopped to relax. Her voice was probably more than warm enough.
"If you say so. Minerva, the thing," Kyôka ordered, pointing at the golden sphere and its rings. The humanoid nodded, walking over to Reiji. The aviary demon came forward as well, leaving Angelica alone to sit and watch.
The taller demon tilted her head to the side. What exactly was this "thing" in her hands?
"You're probably wondering what this thing is," the buxom female said as if she had gone over this topic multiple times before. "This is Minerva's magic music box, although it's clearly a sphere. But I digress," she shrugged with a poker face. "For this assessment, she is casting a spell called Song of the Heart, which will kind of read your heart, in a way. It will automatically play the song you're most drawn to. One that pulls at your heartstrings, makes you feel good about life—all that fun stuff!" she explained in a rather animated fashion, using her hands to illustrate and emphasize her words.
"All you have to do is place your palm near the sphere..." She did not hesitate to grab Reiji's hand, holding it up to the glowing device. The dark green-haired demon shivered at the electrical sparks so close to her palm. Then again, the aviary demon's metal hands were also quite cold.
"Be gentle, Koko," Angelica said.
"Don't worry, this is totally normal," Kyôka reassured the vampire witch. Minerva held her palm to the floating device as well, closing her eyes.
Yes to Heaven, Yes to Heaven, Reiji chanted inwardly. It was literally the only song she knew by heart. Music hardly interested her as it was. She expected the slow rhythm of that guitar to automatically play by now. However, nearly a minute of complete silence passed.
Why isn't it working yet?
Reiji closed her eyes, scrunching up her face in intense focus. Kyôka puffed out her cheeks, clearly suppressing her laughter. Angelica facepalmed at the aviary demon's reactions. Minerva was also too busy with her spell to notice anybody else.
Let eipa (Let me).
Really? You can't sing.
Kluse. (Please.)
Reiji opened her eyes, looking past the duo at the falling rain outside. Her mind drew a long blank. For once, everything was quiet, save for the steady rainfall outside. Song of the Heart finally came to her, or something like that.
No words, just pitter-patter.
...Are you going to Scarborough Fair...?
She glanced at Minerva, Kyôka, and then Angelica. Kyôka's eyes lit up with an encouraging smile. Otherwise, they waited patiently for her to continue.
Parsley, sage... rosemary, and thyme...
Kyôka nodded a little. Minerva still kept her eyes shut, her brows etched with concentration.
Remember me to one who lives there...
Reiji paused again. She had never tried to sing that high before. Was this Riki's voice? No, she doubted the entity could take over her voice.
She once was a...
It was as if she and Kyôka took a breath at the same time. Their melodic voices drowned out the rain altogether. At least that was how Reiji registered their harmony.
True love of mine...
Grey Forrester placed his hands on his hips, his expression curious and mellow, unlike his usual resting grumpiness. Some kind of string guitar filled in that gap of silence, waltzing into a rhythm Reiji had never heard before. She was half tempted to sway to the beat. One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three, all the way to eight-two-three—
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine...
Reiji avoided eye contact, worried her awareness of their watchful gazes would break her confidence. Kyôka and Minerva came together in harmony with her over the next verse of whatever she sang. Even Angelic stood up to sing with them. How did they even know this song? She practically made it up out of nothing.
Minerva and Reiji duetted. Kyôka and Angelica harmonized on the back vocals. It was hard to describe exactly what they were doing. It was marvelous.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Without no seams nor needlework.
Ooh, then she'll be a true love of mine...
Then the third verse. Or was it the fourth? Reiji stopped counting as it was not important anymore. She was too preoccupied with the fun and thrill of the moment.
Have you been to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me from one who lives there.
He once was a true love of mine.
Reiji became lost in the romantic waltz of "Scarborough Fair." Minerva, Kyôka, and Angelica respected her avoidance of eye contact, also opting to look elsewhere.
Unbeknownst to them, Mystique recorded the audio of their singing from a small device in his chest pocket. The Mission Secretary's sister Mina loved music and would probably be delighted to know that one of her previous employees was a singer at heart, no pun intended.
Grey noticed but said nothing. It was none of his business what these country bumpkins did in secret as long as it did not affect the rest of the day.
Ask him to find me an acre of land.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Between the saltwater and the sea strand.
And then he'll be a true love of mine.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair...?
Reiji and Minerva echoed one after the other as Angelica duetted their third phrase in a lower octave. Kyôka and Angelica harmonized, then Reiji and Minerva. They went again and again until the string instrument began to fade in volume. Reiji knew then that the song was nearly over. Her head felt light from the overwhelming magical energy filling the room. How was that even possible?
The brightness in the room also faded back to the dull grayness of real life. It was as if Song of the Heart literally filled her life with otherworldly light and joy, only to disappear like an illusion once the spell was broken.
Gid mob (Good job).
Thanks to you.
No, us.
Riki was right. Angelica, Minerva, and Kyôka were incredible. Although his host was not physically present, Trevon was near. The goblin creature had to be near as well. Assuming all of the guild representatives were present, that creature's host was also here now, whoever it was.
The dark green-haired demon stiffened at a light pat on her back. It was only Kyôka. Phew.
"That was fun! I haven't sung like that in weeks," she laughed a little.
"We don't usually engage with music of that artist. It's a very old piece. You did wonderful," Minerva gave a small smile as usual, cradling her magic music box. Reiji thought Angelica Realight just looked happy to participate in something with her crush by her side.
"I think we have ourselves a second pass!" the Snowblood mage proclaimed. Reiji jumped in joy on the inside. A second pass, despite the harsh results of the first test.
"Thank you so much!" Reiji exclaimed, bowing to the three mages. Perhaps becoming one of them was not as impossible after all.
"Finally, the easy stuff is out of the way," the aviary demon cracked her neck.
"Don't say things like that," Angelica pouted.
"W-wait,that was only the easy stuff?" Reiji almost forgot this was only the second assessment out of about five. She still had hand-to-hand combat, endurance, and probably more spell-casting to worry about.
"Now all we have left is hand-to-hand combat with Pheasant Peak and physical endurance with Desirée Cavalry," Angelica added. Reiji looked at her in confusion.
"What about the spell-casting assessment for Tartaros Fairy?" she asked.
"You already did that with your poisonous martini," Kyôka answered. "The potion was a mix of an unspoken spell. You passed both when Jerza dropped like a bag of bricks. We still plan to test your other abilities, though, so don't even think of letting your guard down," she smirked, nearly poking Reiji's shoulder.
"C-can't wait," she croaked, forcing a smile. It's getting hot. Oh, jeez...
"Don't scare the poor girl, Koko!" Angelica scolded the aviary demon again.
"She's just shy, not scared!"
Definitely a little bit scared! Reiji mildly tugged her shirt collar underneath her neck guard. Her body was soon overcome with a sweltering wave of heat. Her armor was both heavy and tight around her limbs and torso. Was the fatigue from her irregular sleep already catching up? There was no way she could continue like this. Reiji was doomed if merely talking about the rest of the day was this stressful!
Reiji fell to her knees, groaning in pain. Her head was spinning. The magic from that music box might have drilled into her skull all the magic she lacked. Mystique was quickly at her side. He and Kyôka helped the woozy female try to stand. She managed to get on one knee, but any more effort was pointless.
"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Grey facepalmed, shaking his head. Something always happens when those two come around, he dreadfully thought of Minerva and Kyôka.
"Shit," Kyôka hissed. "Minerva, the thing! Vous savez comment la magie affecte les pouvoirs comme le sien!"
"Ah, sorry!" she exclaimed. The sphere began to shrink into her hands, then vanished. A weight freed itself from Reiji's head and shoulders, sending shivers down her spine. It was much easier to stand after that. Kyôka and Mystique let go of her arms before their feet left the floor.
That language again. Kyôka told her guildmate something important. What did she say?
"D-did you say something...?" she trailed off, catching her breath. Fatigue had a funny way of knocking the wind out of her.
"I just told her it was hurting you," the aviary demon replied, her eyes darting between Minerva and Reiji. "It was nothing, really."
"The music box drained a little bit of our magic in order to work, so you just need time to recharge. Do you need to see a nurse?" Angelica asked.
"I-I'm a little sluggish, but I can keep going, I promise," the dark green-haired demon insisted. One moment of weakness was nothing! Her magic could handle that and more.
"Sweetheart, you don't need to push yourself," the Snowblood witch said in a softer tone.
"Enough chitchat!" Mystique interrupted. "Reiji, you have a one-hour break. That is not a request. You look like you're about to faint. The rest of you folks will follow me."
"Can we teleport?" Kyôka asked. Mystique gave an agitated sigh.
"Yes, we can teleport."
"Obviously. It's so much faster," Grey rolled his eyes.
"Hell yeah!" Kyôka fist-pumped the air. Angelica and Grey touched the councilman's shoulders. Before Mystique could protest, the aviary demon slapped a hand on his back, nearly knocking him off his feet. Minerva held her guildmate's hand. Reiji looked away from the genuine pain in the Guild Messenger's eyes. Kyôka had a big smile plastered on her face as if she hadn't nearly knocked the wind out of someone.
Guild Messenger immediately came back alone as soon as he teleported. He held his hand out.
"I'll drop you off wherever you prefer. I wouldn't recommend taking a nap on your break."
"Okay. And home is fine," Reiji replied, taking his hand.
In a flash, they were gone from the town hall.
Not Too Long Later
Reiji stumbled over a brick in an alley, covering her mouth with a sickened look. She grabbed the nearest trash bin, immediately spewing vomit. She failed to make it home before the bundle of nerves and magic deficiency fully kicked her arse.
Her head was spinning all over again by the time she ran out of junk to empty from her body. Her walk, staggered and sluggish, was thankfully short since her apartment was just around the corner. Her armor felt suffocating even though she had plenty of breathing room. The trip up to her door was especially taxing for her body. She practically dragged herself up that long flight of stairs.
What the hell did that music box do to her? This couldn't possibly be the extent of her own magic stamina!
The door across from hers opened suddenly. Reiji immediately hid her sickly face behind a curtain of hair unraveled from its braid. No one could see her like this, so weak and pathetic.
"Miss Reiji, it's been a while!"
No, not now, Ruu!
Reiji glanced at Ruu from the corner of her eye, forcing out a meek hello. The tall, jet-black-skinned female cocked her head with a worried look in her bright yellow eyes.
"Are you okay? You look ill."
"Y-yeah, I'm... I'm just tired," she rasped, turning away to unlock her door. Please go away. Leave me alone!
"I hope you feel better!" Ruu said just before Reiji shut the door behind her. She sighed in relief.
A saccharine, aromatic spice wafted around her apartment. Reiji made a straight charge for her bathroom, easily nauseated by that sweet smell.
The unique smells of her friends were over an hour old, so nobody had returned to her apartment after she left. The dark green-haired demon's hair shifted out of her face as she hunched over her toilet bowl. She grabbed the edges, dry heaving. Nothing came out.
Time was ticking. She had to get this wretched thing out of her system, assuming it was just her nerves.
Cark dien. (Calm down.)
Reiji sat up from the toilet, unclasping her armor. Her torso was either the coldest or hottest part of her body. Was it her breasts? Her belly and back? The temperature was too much!
Her armor fell to the floor with a loud clang. The female demon sighed in relief once the layers were off. She instantly felt lighter. That armor had a strange way of weighing her down after enduring too much of anything, assuming it was the armor.
She brushed her teeth with a foamy, chewed mint. Once her breath was back to normal, lunch had to be eaten.
Huh. Even food seemed edible. Sickness never fell off this easily before the rosary came along. Riki had a strange therapeutic presence to her when she wasn't threatening or seducing anyone.
An. Lond. (No. Wrong.)
Don't be silly, Riki, Reiji shook her head. Many things got better after Riki showed up. She finally confessed to Michele. Her anxiety was so much easier to manage. She slept longer despite the occasional nightmare.
Stupid.
I think we're both kind of smart, Riki.
You stupid.
Hey!
.
Reiji freshened up and ate a delicious stew for lunch. At some point in her absence, Ryouichi brought a small pot with a generous serving of stew and boiled Komodo dragon eggs. She could tell by the soft blue yolk.
After dishes were washed and dried, Reiji went to pick up her mess of armor. She gently placed them in her closet. She looked down at herself, thinking. To change, or not to change? That was the question.
Then, she noticed a small smudge of something on her sleeve. She sniffed it, recoiling at the faint odor of vomit. Change it is.
Now that she thought about it, laundry had not been washed in a while. Maybe later, after the end of her assessments. A small part of her actually hoped she might fail so that she could return to her usual daily routine.
She quickly undressed. She grabbed something random from her closet. Upon buttoning her light blue dress shirt, she noticed the buttons were a bit stretched.
"Tsk! Too small." She took it off, then tried another button-up shirt. Once again, her bosom made the shirt just a little bit tight. Even her biceps stretched the material just a little bit. How could that be? These shirts were perfect for several years.
She finally settled on a midnight blue turtleneck and cargo shorts. It had been a while since she wore that particular pair of shorts. They were just a little bit loose on her curved hips. Before the sweater, she put on a second sports bra and the tightest tank top she owned. In the bathroom mirror, her chest looked somewhat flatter but still big.
Many years ago, binding was so much easier. Alas, nobody nearby was making affordable binding options for a large chest like hers, so that phase had to end.
You look so pretty...
Ryouichi's words came to mind. For a split second, she did feel pretty when the right creatures—friends, coworkers, nice customers—paid attention. And then it was back to singling out the voluptuous, annoying proportions that slowly stretched her clothes every so often. Sigh. The duality of female.
Reiji Sagara, it is time to return from your break.
Ah, the hour is up, she noted, looking at her small bedside clock. 13:00. Before leaving, she put on comfy socks with her combat boots. She would rather ruin these dusty shoes and clothes than scratch up the armor Michele worked so hard on.
Reiji spread her Hair Shower wings to fly straight to the town hall. A quaint smile was shown on Reiji's face as she opened the double doors. Who needed knocking when they already expected her return?
As she stepped through the doorway of the main entrance, she immediately noticed a significant change on the inside. The second-floor balconies, the stairs, everything—it was all gone. The space was too bright. It obscured the blankness around Reiji, as well as the brown sand beneath her boots. She winced a bit at the yellow lights above that nearly rivaled a flashlight directly in her eyes. If this was supposed to be a makeshift sun, it was not a sun she ever wanted to see outside.
Once her eyes adjusted to the unnatural amount of light, she saw a petite blonde female in a distinctly militant uniform. Her cream-colored suit consisted of a long coat and puffy pants folded into black leather boots. Purple aiguillettes decorated her left shoulder, and multiple pins of some kind were placed on the right side. Her boulder grey waist armor was polished with the carving of an eagle head emblem in the center. It matched the symbol on her cap, which she tipped in greeting before taking it off. Her pupils were narrow due to the artificial light but dilated with her smile.
Isabella Goldberg of Desirée Cavalry, Reiji thought, stepping forward. She was no longer nervous. That would simply slow her down. She needed to remain calm for the physical endurance test. I wonder what she'll have me do.
"Miss Sagara."
Reiji nearly shivered at the sound of a whisper so soft, it rivaled the volume of a pin drop in her ear. She bowed to the young mage, and she did the same.
"You're very tall and built for your age," she murmured. Reiji would typically cover her chest in a feeble attempt to shield herself and mumble some self-deprecating nonsense to deflect from her body. However, the mage's brown eyes did not wander from her gold-bronze stare.
"Thank you, Miss Goldberg. I spent a good amount of time training for this exam."
"Yes, I am well aware."
"What will you have me do first?"
"Ah, very eager," the mage replied softly.
Reiji glanced to her right. Two males—one with a stopwatch and the other with a clipboard and pen—observed. The stopwatch holder was taller than the petite mage and quite muscular, clad in the same uniform down to the black leather boots and purple aiguillettes around his right shoulder. In contrast to Isabella, he had no pins or armor. His eyes were blackened by a strangely dark shadow beneath his cap.
The male with the clipboard wore circular glasses with thick lenses rimmed with a purple, pink, and black design. He wore a white lab coat, a grey blouse, a tie that matched his glasses, and dress shoes definitely not suited for a walk in the sand.
"These are my guildmates, Isaac Douglas and Yuichi Misono. The clipboard Misono is holding contains a list of traits he will grade as we go through your tests. Douglas is using a stopwatch for, well, you will find out," Isabella explained. Reiji leaned towards the blonde mage to listen closely. Even with a long ear angled a certain way, her voice came out as a whisper.
"Goldberg, you are mumbling again," the doctor-like mage chuckled lightly.
"Is this better?" Reiji jumped at the sudden spike in volume. Her heart pounded with a tinge of fear at the sudden ear scare. What the hell was that? Isabella barely spoke any higher than before.
Her head snapped to her right when Kyôka suddenly snorted. She had entered the room through the main double doors just as the Desirée Cavalry mage belted with too much might. Even those doors were suddenly white like the rest of her surroundings. This had to be an illusion or a pocket dimension.
"You'll make her ears bleed, Isabella! Are you nervous, or something?"
"I'm quite alright, Kyôka."
"Kid, your legs are shaking," Kyôka tittered. Reiji looked down. Indeed, they were. Her whole face flushed, making the olive green-haired demon awkwardly clear her throat.
"It's just Isabella's Sound Curse. No need to be afraid of anything."
"I-I am not afraid!"
While Reiji recovered her senses, Isaac carried a foldable metal table over, having borrowed it from the town hall. Isabella took a seat on one side, gesturing for Reiji to sit across. She did so, and then Isaac added another table behind the dark green-haired demon. Isabella rested her elbow on her table. Isaac took a seat, mimicking his guildmate with the opposite arm. Reiji looked between the two Desirée Cavalry representatives in confusion.
"This test was picked by yours truly. It is my favorite sport: arm wrestling," the petite mage whispered.
"W-wait, both? At the same time?" Reiji queried. Her right arm might not be as strong as the left. She could easily lose to both of them!
"Victory is not the end goal, in case you were wondering. What we intend to find out is how much you've strengthened certain muscles in your arms, chest, and back. If you endure this challenge for ten minutes, you pass. Questions?"
"Will my arms break?" Reiji blurted out before covering her mouth. Damn it, Riki. Private thoughts. Isabella's laughter was so soft and humble, unlike her screaming just minutes ago.
"No, not at all. We know to hold back if we detect that you're in too much pain."
Reiji rested her elbows on the tables, grasping Isaac's and Isabella's hands. Isaac's hand was as big as hers but slimmer. Reiji honestly felt guilty holding Isabella's petite little hand. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes, preparing mentally. For all she knew, a beastly mage hid under that dainty exterior.
"Stopwatch begins... now," Yuichi said as Isaac clicked the device with his free hand. In an instant, Reiji clenched their hands, tensing up to keep from faltering. She was taken by surprise when her right arm began inching towards the table in seconds. Isabella looked like she hardly used much effort to send it. On the left side, Isaac and Reiji were locked right in the middle.
Her golden eyes darted between the two, her breaths coming more deep and labored. Isabella began to inch her way closer to a swift win. Although victory was not the goal, Reiji already felt like a loser with arms like hers. She clenched her jaw, grunting in frustration as she fought back against Isabella's power. Isaac was too balanced with her. When she pushed his arm back, he pushed even more in return. Her left arm was a struggling seesaw. Her right arm was simply struggling. The burning in her muscles ensued in no time. Reiji might have broken a sweat by then.
Had five minutes passed? Two? Was she in Hell instead?
"Come, don't falter now, you've got eight more minutes," Isaac teased, his deep voice cutting through her concentration like ice.
No. I'm not done yet!
Reiji nearly cried out in pain as she pushed with all her might against Isabella's force. Her muscles screamed for relief that would not happen yet, no matter how hard she tried to slam her opponents' hands on the table.
Riki, help me! It hurts!
Dol'k. (Don't.)
PLEASE.
AN!
Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision just before she blinked. She hunched over, stomping her foot. Her upper arm muscles burned so much. Ten minutes was absolutely brutal. Reiji was unsure of much more her poor arms could endure. Between the built male on her left and the small female to her right, she thought something would give out if she let her guard down.
How much time had passed? How much? How much?!
Focual. Sorkar. (Focus. Surpass.)
Reiji's body felt light as a feather in Riki's control. She knew it was the entity taking over just a little bit. The tension in her arms melted away with the flow of disturbed thoughts. Her mind was empty and buzzing with energy. She could have sworn her palms felt a warm liquid. It made sense that the entity finally stepped in. The host was in pain and probably—
"LET GO!"
An angry yell rippled through the buzzing silence. Reiji heard nothing but a constant ringing and muffled voices mixing in the background. Something warm touched her; that much she confirmed. What she least expected was scarlet on both her hands. Isabella struggled to pull her arm away with a look of agony Reiji had never seen before. Why couldn't she hear anything?
To her right, Isaac was also trying to pull his bloody hand free from her grip. The grimace in his eyes was evident through the darkness overshadowing his face. They're bleeding. Her nails... What the hell had Riki done this time?
Yuichi Misono hadn't moved a muscle. He wrote on the clipboard, observing every little detail.
Kyôka and Minerva were gone from the room. They either went away for help or protection from Isabella's Sound Curse. Regardless, Reiji felt eerily relaxed.
Touch of Chiron. Touch of Chiron. Tiath fier Thuron.
The healing spell eased their pain-stricken faces. Isaac's broad, stiff shoulders relaxed with the subsiding pain. Isabella must have stopped yelling at her. When her hearing returned, Reiji was not overcome with any side effects from the petite mage's voice.
Their panting was the only sound filling the silence of the open space. That, and a moving pen on paper nearby.
Suddenly, Isabella stood, glaring darkly. Reiji's aura of confidence dropped in an instant. The mage was angry, and that appeared more scary than her mental blip.
"You used your curse demon to injure me!" the Desirée Cavalry accused her. Reiji gasped in shock. Riki did not just relieve her of the struggle; she had intended on hurting them in return. How could she do that? They're not bad people!
Pain bad. Only fair.
Reiji opened her mouth to speak and defend herself, but Isabella cut her off.
"The end goal was enduring a simple match for ten minutes, which you excelled at with ease!" she bellowed. Reiji covered her ears, cringing. "Before your inner demon emerged, you held on to the flight for over 12 minutes. I commend you for acting immediately by healing us, but the fact that you retreated into yourself in the heat of conflict is unacceptable and dangerous!"
"Easy, Goldberg. She probably does not know better," Yuichi commented.
"You may be young, but you clearly still lack the ability to completely control your demon. In the heat of battle, any room for error is room for death. The moment you become weaker than that inner demon, you will lose yourself! Do you understand?!"
Reiji flinched when she raised her voice again. Every other syllable was met with an inner monologue chanting the healing spell for her ears. That did not stop the tears from continuing to fall. Isabella's words cut so deep it physically hurt. Reiji hated many things, but very few were more hated than moments like these: horrible, awful criticism.
Mystique teleported himself and Grey out of the room to protect their own ears (Mystique already knows Reiji can heal herself). Yuichi Misono and Isaac Douglas wore ear plugs to guard themselves as well.
It was only a scratch, Isaac thought, flexing his healed hand. He noticed scarred tissue where Reiji's nails stabbed him. In the heat of the moment, Yuichi had witnessed her nails threaten to grow right through her opponents' skin. It was a fascinating sight.
"S-sh-she w-was... try-trying to help..." Reiji whimpered, shutting her eyes tight. Riki, you didn't help at all!
Boo-hoo. Nobody died.
Oh, now you speak English to patronize me!
"I am not swayed by your excuses. You failed the first round the moment your demon resorted to aggression," Isabella frowned.
Reiji stared up in disbelief. Failed? But she lasted longer than the ten-minute duration. It was only one slip! The taller demon stood up.
"B-but I... I surpassed my limit b-before I slipped!"
"That doesn't matter!" she barked. Reiji yelled in pain, falling to her knees. She covered her ears, doubling over.
"Will you accept one failure and continue this test, or retreat like a coward before the finish line?"
Hoke an lok. Kak gand. Drial sipa fina. (Hope not lost. Keep going. This is fun.)
This was only the first round. Isabella was offering another opportunity to pass. This was just one round. Reiji healed her ears once again. Goldberg waited for an answer. The dark green-haired demon wiped her eyes, meeting the guild representative's gaze with resolution. It felt like magic immediately dried her eyes, replacing her dismay with a strange aura of determination. At least Riki did that much correctly.
"I'm... n-not done yet."
That took longer than expected. I guess that's what happens when I pretty much only edit/write in bed where no one will bother me lol.