Chapter Text
Magic is both the harbinger of progress and destruction. With magic, people found a way to heal wounds in a matter of seconds, summon animals made of pure energy, and aid plants in their growth. Unfortunately, good is always accompanied by evil, such as light must be followed by dark. Some found a way to create spears and bullets out of their magic and kill their fellow humans without remorse. Those who harnessed the power of dark magic fell into corruption- a phenomenon that mankind soon learned of.
The Hinomori Kingdom was the first to fall due to a terrible siege of corrupted Dark Magic users. They stormed the city and the castle without a moment's warning, not even a day had passed since the second daughter's joyous birthday. The king and queen were celebrating when they were told they needed to escape. They were just barely away from the castle when the intruders burst into the room they were just in. They wanted power, and their bloodlust knew no bounds. They caught up to the family, and they were separated. The youngest, Shiho Hinomori, was rescued by a woman by the name of Hoshino, a rogue who had a child just barely older than the youngest Hinomori herself. Hoshino tried to save the queen, but she couldn't reach her in time- Shiho's mother was killed by the corrupted magicians right in front of her eyes.
The oldest, Shizuku Hinomori, wasn't any more fortunate than her sister. Her father held her close while he ran as fast as he could, the horses and the knights tasked with escorting them long dead. The magicians were close enough on their heels that the king could hear their screams- sounds that would plague Shizuku for the rest of her life. He was gravely injured right as he reached a stronghold, where two women were putting up a protection barrier. The king reached them just in time to make it through, but it was entirely too late for them to save his life. Magical wounds were harder to heal.
"Take my daughter, please. She's all that's left of the Hinomori family, of our kingdom... take care of her," he shoved the girl into the arms of a woman with brown hair as he uttered his last word, and soon died on the steps of the stronghold. Shizuku, who was somehow unscathed, watched her father die before her eyes.
Luka and Meiko, the two women who saved her that night, became her adoptive parents. She was the Guild's daughter, and everyone there was her family. Meiko called her that sometimes, usually with a loving smile (but sometimes with a disapproving look). Shizuku knew close to nothing about the night she became their daughter since she was only four years old when it happened, but she often had nightmares that caused her to wake up screaming.
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In a land of Once Upon a Times and Fairy Tales , magic operates within every fibre of life. Magic is the very fabric that holds together the lands, the people, and everything in between. It has been this way for centuries, millennia even— since before any living soul can remember it.
An endless dream of enchanting melodies, and blooming love all around.
It may come with the wildest twists and the most absurd hindrances but it is the world Airi Momoi has come to love, ever since she was a kid.
Airi always dreamed of living the tales that she had been told, to be a legend that spans across the ages, to be special in her own right. All she ever wished for was a happy ending, no matter how strange or far fetched they were. However, ignorance like that could only last through childhood; eventually, she will come to terms with reality. There are things in life she cannot control, some things happen just because fate wants them to. Sometimes, her greatest wishes do not get granted at all. Who was she who claims to have lived happily-ever-afters?
She would say that she was cursed. Whether it was healing magic, summonings, or elementals, Airi couldn’t do any of them. She wasn't even good enough to make friends. The moment she stepped foot into another world, she knew she'd never fit in. No one wanted her anyway, s, she ran away from everyone else's troubles as well.
Airi had such a short temper and she was blunt with others. Even if someone offered help, she refused their kindness outright. But deep inside, Airi was afraid.
Afraid of being alone.
Afraid of hurting others.
Afraid of failing again .
She felt like she was sinking into an ocean where the light barely breaks through. The rain comes crashing down, violently into the tides.
It was cold, dark and lonely.
She was a failure, with no hope of looking up at the rippling surface. Yet, she saw her as her equal. Regardless of how many mistakes she made and how likely she is to become a witch. When she met Shizuku, she never once looked down at her. Not when she failed time and again, nor when she made a mess of everything.
Perhaps because she understood Airi better than anyone else. Or perhaps because she found a kindred spirit in Airi herself. Whatever it was, she must have been a fool to befriend a failure like her.
From then on, she felt like she could do anything with Shizuku by her side. In fact, she might as well say that she is holding her back the entire time. Shizuku was an exceptional witch, with talents that went beyond her skills- but no matter what, she has always stood by her. She just hopes someday, she’ll be the one partner Shizuku can count on— to pay back everything she felt indebted to.
The girls were inseparable from the moment Airi joined the Guild. They were often paired together for missions and assignments, due to their friendship and their proximity in skill level. This morning, right before their afternoon classes, they were tasked with cleaning the outdoor training deck. Luka and Meiko said they had an important mission to tell them about when they were done, and they would be leaving as soon as their classes were over. Shizuku was eager to finish everything and find out what their mission was. "Airi, I'm done," she called her friend with a cheerful tone as soon as she was finished with her part of the cleaning.
Airi chatters her teeth while vigorously forming warmth by rubbing her exposed arms. "I-I think I need a little more time with this, Shizuku... The cold is killing me.”
Earlier in the day, the girls had been tasked to clean the patio. She had already done a half-assed job of cleaning it and now Airi feels guilty for letting her friend down. She didn't mean to let her down, after all. It was just too much work for her. It was an embarrassing look as well- she was all snotty nose and red eyes while wiping off the equipment with a rag.
Shizuku got a better look at her friend and gasped softly. "Oh, dear! Let me get you some tissues," she hurried inside and grabbed a box, then made her way to where Airi was by the equipment. "I can help you clean if you'd like," she offered with a smile. She knew Airi didn't like to receive help from others, but she offered anyway. She held the box of tissues and waited for Airi to take them.
Shizuku truly admired Airi. She was hard-working, passionate, and straightforward. Of course, Shizuku loved all of the other students at the Guild, but oftentimes, they put her on a pedestal she didn't want to be on. There goes the Guild's daughter - perfect in every way, she'd heard someone whisper. If there was one person who thought that way, surely there were others, right? She tried to ignore them. Sometimes, she'd even purposely mess up a spell or make it known she struggled with something, just to make them see that she wasn't perfect. Though there were only one or two students who spoke this way about her, it was hard to go about her day knowing there were people here who hated her.
Airi wasn't one of them, though. She truly felt like they were peers, and she could always count on her. She loved Airi- in more ways than one. Her crush on Airi was a revelation Shizuku stumbled upon one day, but she kept it secret. It could damage their relationship, or cause a detriment to the Guild itself. Thinking about the subject caused nervousness to creep up her body, so she quickly dismissed it.
Airi feels all stuffy in the head, in more ways than one. She wonders what could be the special assignment Meiko and Luka had prepared for them. Honestly, she feels like she isn’t entitled to something as grand as what they teased.
Shizuku returned and offered a box of tissues. Her smile is the brightest view she has seen, even if they are outdoors. There are many instances where Airi thought she didn't deserve such kindness and yet, who was she to deny it after all this time?
She finally cleared her nose, relieving her temporarily of this damned season. Airi is nearly done with the work anyway, it would be best to take Shizuku’s offer to get this over with. “Thanks! It’ll be over in no time together! Now if we move this here...” Airi hastily shuffles the equipment around to give the place a thorough sweep.
Shizuku was happy when her friend accepted her help. Once Airi was finished with the tissues, she put them aside and picked up where Airi left off with the equipment. "Yes! Teamwork is always much better than working alone," she replied. She tried to concentrate on cleaning, but her excitement made it difficult.
“Anyways, I don’t think it’s anything special. I still think Meiko and Luka might surprise us with more chores...” Airi looks defeated considering that one of Luka’s critiques was to work on her patience. If this ends up being another one of her cruel tests, she might collapse out of exhaustion.
"I don't know, it could be special! I heard them talking about sending a pair on a mission to the village nearby," Shizuku didn't want to get her hopes too high, especially since she knew Nene and Rui would also be receiving a mission today, and the one her teachers spoke of could very well be theirs. Even so, the thought of going out on another big mission soon- today even- made her chest tingle with anticipation. "More chores won't make much of a difference for me, though," she said with a small giggle.
Airi kept a mental note to try and focus on their duty while they spoke. Ideas like these tend to drag on a lot longer than the progression of their work. It’s funny, she would listen to her voice all day if given the chance. In fact, she had already forgotten about her stuffy nose altogether. Unfortunately, internal morale quickly faded the moment Shizuku made that comment.
“Aah... I really hope not. We’ve worked to the bone to get where we need to be. It would be a waste of our efforts if we go out to do laundry.”
Airi may not be the best when it comes to magic but Luka had taught her another option to battle. She knows her way around a sword. In due time, she might be able to use both magic and a blade. For now, she could only use her magic as a trump card when things get rough. Regardless, a big mission would be perfect to test out what they have been training for years.
“Some exploration would be nice. We can reach out to so many people if we know our way around the city.”
"Oh, right! I agree. I hope we get to go out, too," Shizuku was a bit embarrassed at her comment in hindsight, but she tried to shake it off. She knew Airi wouldn’t be upset with her- not for long, anyway. She continued to straighten everything up and made sure it looked neat. Sometimes, in the evening, the combat trainees would come out here with Miss Luka and have an intense practice session. Shizuku always stood close by with another healer in case anyone was injured, but she loved watching them train. They all moved so gracefully.
Soon, the equipment was polished and clean. "Is there anything else we need to do out here?" Shizuku asked, eager to get inside and talk to Meiko and Luka. She glanced at the time and noticed that afternoon classes were set to start in about twenty minutes- more than enough time for a mission briefing.
Airi does one last check-around as per Shizuku’s request. “It looks good over here, and just about time too,” she proudly places her hands on her hips as she grins a wide fangy smile. “I’ll be right behind you!”
Shizuku was snapped out of her reverie when she heard Airi's voice. She turned and gasped excitedly as she listened to her speak. "Yay! Let's go, I'm sure they're waiting for us," she said with a clap of her hands.
They made their way inside together. It seemed like everyone was done with their afternoon assignments or chores and were resting before classes started. Mafuyu, Kanade, Mizuki, and Ena sat in a group together, chatting in hushed voices about something. Mafuyu caught Shizuku's eye and smiled sweetly as the two passed. Shizuku smiled back and looked up to see An and Toya as well. Shizuku was happy that Toya was here today- he wasn't able to come every day due to the nature of his family.
Airi and Shizuku hurried along through the corridors of the Magic Guild. Across the marble floor, they passed many students bustling about with their books or scrolls, resting after the laborious work Meiko and Luka probably assigned. It was tough getting comfortable here, but she had the best support she wholeheartedly values- like Shizuku, of course. She was there from the beginning, always offering that bright smile on her face. Ena Shinonome is another one, the fashionable hot-head who stood up for her while the other mages spread rumours. She got in trouble for being reckless, but it is one of her heartfelt moments with her. Someday she wishes to repay her for that. Not to mention her brother could be so sweet sometimes, but she has a feeling Ena had probably forced him into giving them snacks when she used to visit.
There was so much to explore, so much to experience. Airi dreams of having an adventure when she is acknowledged as ready. That is why this special mission could mean so much to her. If she ends up going on a journey on her own, the destiny she desires is within her reach. But first things first, they have to deal with their afternoon requests.
Shizuku and Airi made it to Miss Luka and Miss Meiko's shared office space. Shizuku took a deep breath as she knocked twice. Meiko's voice answered, "Come in, Shizuku and Airi!" Shizuku never knew how Miss Meiko always knew who was at her door.
She opened the heavy door and let Airi in first before walking in and closing it behind them. "We're here for our mission briefing," she said as she clasped her hands together and rested them on her stomach. Excitement and nervousness mixed to make a strange and shaky feeling that caused a tremor to pass through her body.
Miss Luka held her cheek and slanted her head to the side. “Ah, girls. Thank you so much for cleaning up the patio. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble?”
Airi half-heartedly chuckled, still feeling the little tingles in her nose. “No no! There was no trouble at all!”
"No trouble with the patio!" Shizuku said after Airi spoke.
“That’s good.” Meiko nodded, her eyes glancing over both of them.
Luka smiled at Shizuku, then looked at Airi. "Airi, you'll be bringing your enchanted sword- the one we started yesterday. Please make sure to equip your sword for your afternoon training. I want to spar with you to see your progress before you two leave," she said. She did not doubt that Airi could handle herself and protect Shizuku or the goods if needed, but she felt it was her duty as her teacher to make sure.
“Yeah, haha! ...huh?” Airi’s cheerful smile was instantly struck by a boulder of Earth Magic with that news like that.
Did she say, spar? But that would mean she would have to fight Luka.
Airi immediately crosses her arms and drops her jaw. “H-Hold on a moment! You want to spar with me? You’re kidding, right? Riiiight?!”
But Luka wasn't laughing at all. Instead, she smirked innocently as she leaned her cheek against her palms. "You’ve worked really hard these past few days perfecting your form and posture. Your assignment is going to test all your abilities— and yes, that includes magic. But that wouldn’t be a problem for you, would it?”
What the hell?
Airi felt a chill down her spine when she teased her, but she is getting no signs of her being playful. She forced her lips to part ways into a grin. “N-No ma’am... I’ll do fine.”
“We’ve also got a job for you posted on the bulletin board. The General Goods Store asked if you could retrieve some items from the village over West Street. Be careful with the monsters out there, they can be dangerous. Make sure to bring back what you need from there without any damages,” Meiko explained while glancing between the two of them.
Shizuku listened intently to what Miss Meiko said and nodded to show she understood. As soon as items were mentioned, she knew Meiko meant a package of potion items, maybe an empty spell book or two. She knew there were some younger trainees who would start their books soon. They have lots to get through first and she wouldn’t say it is the easiest task, but she was so happy to finally be here. "Understood!" Shizuku said when Meiko finished speaking.
Meiko grabbed something from her desk and handed it to Shizuku. "This is the ticket for the item. They should give it to you with no questions asked if you present it to them," she said.
Shizuku took the ticket and put it in the small purse wrapped around her waist. "Thank you, Miss Meiko! I'll make sure to keep track of it," she patted the purse once it was fastened, then asked, "Will we be taking horses or a carriage?"
"A carriage. We've already arranged a driver, so don't worry about that," Meiko said, then turned to indicate she was talking to both of them, "Now, you two have about ten minutes before your classes start. Rest up!" She dismissed them with a clap of her hands.
“Thank you Miss Meiko, and I’ll see you soon, Miss Luka! We won’t disappoint!” Airi bids them farewell before following Shizuku out the door— immediately holding her hands as she cheerfully giggles.
Luka waved them goodbye as Shizuku left the room,who was holding the door for Airi once again. Once the door was shut behind them, Shizuku squealed in delight and took Airi's hands. "We're going out on a mission," she exclaimed excitedly. She was happy for herself, but she was also happy for Airi- she knew how much the other girl longed to go out.
“I really can’t believe it! Look how far we’ve gone! We’re officially bonafide Witches!” Airi was barely holding her tears but they don’t have a lot of time left before their classes. “I gotta get my sword! Dammit, I’m up against Luka! She’s merciless on the battlefield,” at this point, she might as well spill tears for different reasons. “C’mon, Shizuku! Maybe we could catch up with Ena by the lockers.”
Shizuku gave Airi's hands a comforting squeeze before walking alongside her to the lockers. "You'll do great , Airi! Don't worry. If Miss Meiko and Miss Luka are giving us a mission like this, they must have faith in us," she smiled at her as she finished speaking.
As Shizuku gave some words of encouragement and some physical assurance with her hands, Airi could not help but feel all tingly on her face. Her hands were as soft as clouds and her smile rivalled the sun itself- exactly the kind of thing she needed to help loosen up the tension. “You’re right! This is a good thing! We’re finally getting the recognition we deserve."
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Let's see... what did she need for her class? She should grab her spell book, a pencil, and probably some other miscellaneous spell supplies. They reached their lockers soon, and sure enough, Ena was there. "Hi, Ena!" Shizuku greeted her as she opened her locker to get her things.
“Enaaa! It finally happened!” Airi’s voice rang proudly through the room.
“Airi? Oh! Shizuku’s here too. Woah-!” Ena gave them a small wave before Airi plunged at her with an embrace. Shortly after that, she explained everything that happened in the office.
Shizuku noticed Nene at her locker. "Hi, Nene," she greeted her warmly.
Nene seemed to almost jump out of her skin when she heard the other girl's voice. "Oh, h-hi, Shizuku," she replied. "... I heard you got a mission. I'm excited for you," she added quietly.
Shizuku nodded as she spoke. "Yes, me and Airi did! I heard you and Rui were supposed to get one soon, too- I hope it's a good one," she gathered her things and closed her locker.
"Yeah, we hope so, too. I'll see you in class," Nene closed the conversation and left the locker room.
"Bye!" Shizuku replied. The exchange put a smile on her face. Nene always seemed so shy, and having even a brief conversation with her made Shizuku happy.
"You’re kidding?!” Ena exclaimed with glee. "That's amazing! I knew you guys could do it! Look at you, worried over nothing. Honestly, Airi...” she scolded her lightly as they shared a hug.
“My heart was racing the entire time...” Airi broke the hug before letting out a groan at the memory. “That’s not even the worst part about it, apparently I’ll be fighting Miss Luka.”
“Erp-! You lived a good life,” Ena presses her palms together as if she was praying.
“Oi, I’m not dead yet!” Airi gave her a playful jab to the shoulder with a warning glaaaare .
Ena laughed as she shook her head, "You’ve gotta be the most worrywart person out there. Have more confidence in yourself, and get her ass!”
Airi slides her blade into its sheath before clapping her hands against the side of her face. "Y-Yeah! She’s probably not as scary as she looks."
"Exactly!" Ena nods enthusiastically, "We might be young, but we're still full of potential! If anything, we are way stronger than her."
“Maybe... oh, I gotta get going! Hopefully, I’ll see you after school, but if our carriage arrives before then, we’ll meet again in the dorms,” Airi said as a hasty goodbye.
Shizuku glanced at the time and decided she needed to leave. "Airi, I'm going to go to the healer's wing. I'll meet you at the front when we're done! Good luck," she waved and left to go to her class.
Airi turns to her partner with a playful salute. “Take care, Shizuku!”
Shizuku made it to class with plenty of time to set her station up just how she liked it. Other students filed in, and then Miss Meiko arrived with a huge book in her arms. She stood at a lectern in the middle of the room and gave everyone a big smile before starting the lesson. They were working on antidotes today, which seemed to excite Rui. Shizuku knew that potions were his forte, and she was happy for him.
Shizuku did her best to concentrate on her work, but all she could think about was her impending mission. She got almost completely lost in her thoughts until Miku caught her almost putting in the wrong ingredient and lightly hit her shoulder to get her attention. She gasped softly and nodded in thanks to her. After that, she decided she would just stop thinking about the mission altogether.
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This is the moment she has been training for. She had to train twice as hard just to stand by her peers. Even with the considerable disadvantage of being unable to use magic, Airi is determined to show her resolve.
She stepped onto the battlefield with a new set of clothes. It‘s a white blouse that tugs around nicely like a hug from the heavens, accompanied with a small brown belt wrapped around her waist. The red cropped jacket accents nicely with the white, as a deep blue shoulder pad snugs on top of her sleeve. On her hands, she has a pair of crimson fingerless gloves with soft cocoa padding on her palms to have a better grip on her sword. A little red pleated miniskirt and thigh-high raven stockings fit around her waist for full mobility with her athleticism. The outfit is topped off with brown boots, and a bag that hangs over her hips. She usually carries her blade in a sheath behind her.
Airi withdraws the enchanted blade, ready to confront Miss Luka. The air feels thin under her breath; the heat radiates off of her body.
She is anxious, in proportion, she didn’t even know it was possible. But she came so far to stand here. The pinkette held her sword in front of her, its glowing edge gleaming in the sunlight. She felt the magic coursing through her veins, ready to be unleashed. “I’ll not let you down, Miss Luka. I want to be at a place where I can stand by Shizuku’s side,” Airi gets ready to lunge forward, as she displays a fangy smirk on her face. “Don’t hold back, because I WON’T EITHER !”
Luka didn't bring her own enchanted sword. She'd been imbuing that one with magic for decades, so it was leagues stronger than Airi's- her sword would probably break upon blocking any strike Luka made against her. She made sure not to tell her students that, though. She unsheathed her own sword. The blade was black and glinted in the sunlight; the hilt was golden with a small chunk of opal in the center.
Luka chuckled at Airi's words. "I don't expect anything less, Airi. Remember your stance, and remember to call upon your magic. Trust your magic- it is part of you," Luka said. With a deep breath, she spoke again, "Let's begin." She took a proper stance and held her sword in a blocking position since she knew Airi would start with an attack.
Airi struts around cautiously with eyes of fire, and immediately after they commence, she lashes a fierce strike at her opponent. The toughened steel clashes upon impact, with no sense of strength belonging to Luka at all. In fact, Airi could feel that she could push through.
However, the enchanted edge chipped as she pressed on; it redirected her swing to a dangerous opening for her opponent. There is no mistaking that Luka read her attack before they started- it was a trap.
The student warrior moves backward in a small retreat to regain her balance. She might as well consider harnessing some magic, just as Luka advised.
Both girls stand in silence for a moment, then Luka charges forward to attack once more.
Airi dodges to the right, evading the incoming strike. It only lasted a second, but it was the opening she needed to land a hit. “Red Flame Cannon!” A ball of energy gets collected in the palm of her hand and fired at Luka's face.
Her teacher was quicker, though, and cut the ball in half to let it blow back at Airi.
She wasn’t expecting such a prestige counterattack, she couldn’t hold her ground either. Airi fell on the grass on one knee before noticing a shadowy swing at her opponent, defending herself by swinging her sword horizontally in an arc. "Ha!" Luka taunts her, "That's a pretty good move but I’m faster.” As she makes her comment, Airi realizes Luka has already cast an art. She is moving so fast, that it almost feels like she teleported across the field. There is nothing left for Airi to do but watch as Luka strikes vicious blows all over her body.
“Ugh... stupid magic...” This was something Airi hadn’t seen before but it was definitely a support art that had been cast beforehand.
Luka comes into view again, and she delivers another heavy blow. This time, the force was like boulders, sending her body flying against the wall.
“I need to be q-quicker,” Airi clenches her jaw as she concentrates on casting. She can hear the air shift just as Luka draws closer.
As soon as she sees the shadow coming, she launches a spear of ice toward her enemy. Luka shattered the javelin with one swift move. “And BIND!” Airi exclaimed as the broken shards glowed blue and bound Luka in place with the grass underneath her feet freezing solid.
“This is my chance!” She cried as she sprinted to Luka, but just before she could land a blow, Airi entered right into Luka’s range.
Luka was thoroughly impressed by Airi's fighting skills; she had improved wonderfully since their last class. The binding took her by surprise and knocked the breath out of her, and she almost dropped her sword, which would have ended poorly for her. She decided she'd let Airi have this move, and braced herself for impact. She could always have Meiko heal her later. The blade lands a hit on the armour, a strike she would have never believed happened if she was simply told about it. There was a satisfying clink upon contact that she made no mistake in her ear. On the one hand, Airi was worried that she might have gone too far hitting her but Luka is so much stronger than that.
The blow hurt . Luka gasped for breath before she spoke, "That's good! Great job, Airi. Consider me defeated," she let herself drop to the ground as the binding wore off. "Don't worry, I'm okay. I've dealt with far worse," she reassured Airi with a quick smile.
“You’re incredible to shrug off a wound like that, Miss Luka! I still have lots to go if I’m ever going to reach your level,” Airi was a lot more humble than Luka complimented her for. She had a rocky start trying to find an opportunity to work her magic— it made her realize that she would be inevitably facing opponents just as strong as that. But there was something about its competition that gave her heart a huge relief. She finally got to a level that she could be proud of.
"Well, I think you're ready. You'll do great on this mission- I have complete faith in you and Shizuku," she said as she stabbed her sword into the ground and lifted herself up. "You've really improved. I'm proud of you, Airi." She put a hand on the girl's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "Before I could let you go... I have something for you." Luka closed her eyes as she thought of a blissful time that had a warmth that was long gone.
She is so much like you... I'd like you to go with her.
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Shizuku stood outside with her travel cloak pulled tight about her. The December wind was quite harsh, which made the dry air even colder. She made sure to wear her fur-lined cloak and a thick sweater. The skirt was a bit thin, but she wore her fur-lined leggings underneath. She had double and triple-checked the bag on her shoulder as well as the one around her waist for everything she needed, and she was confident that everything was there. She turned to the building to watch for Airi.
“Shizuku! I made it alive!” Airi exclaimed happily as she brought her own maroon hood for the mission. The coat flutters in the wind as she sprints toward her partner. “She didn’t hold back either. It was exhausting...” her comment exemplified a deep sigh that released a warm vapour in the winter air.
At the sound of Airi's voice, Shizuku turned around to see her coming toward her. Her face lit up and she clasped her hands together. "Airi! Congratulations," she exclaimed with a smile and a tilt of her head.
Just before Airi left, she made sure she brought everything, including a couple of potions from the store within the Guild- she needed something to heal up after that fight. "Oh, and look at this, Shizuku!" Airi brought out her new hand-and-a-half out from its sheath and revealed it to her partner. It is a majestic white blade with a peachy-like gemstone added to it that sparkles a strange monochrome. The metallic hilt may be old, but the steel flowers and vines that make up the sword live on through eternity. "Luka gave me this as a reward for defeating her... the look in her eyes made it seem really special."
Just as Airi was recalling that sombre memory, the weight of the hilt grew heavier. She wonders what kind of blade it was to make her teacher have that look on her face. "It's called the Elysian Jadeheart. Though... The gemstone looks very gray to me."
The sword that Airi drew from her hip was breathtaking . Shizuku gasped softly as she gazed at the blade. "Oh, wow, Airi..! That's such a beautiful sword," she reached a hand out and ran her finger along the smooth, monochrome-peach gem fixed just above the hilt.
"This sword is so well loved..." she said with a smile. "Did Luka tell you where she got it?" she asked. This wasn't any old armoury sword... this sword was special, and the powerful magical aura that it emitted was enough to prove that. Maybe it was specially made for her..? The possibilities excited Shizuku.
Airi's eyes softly float down to the blade as Shizuku's words ring within her heart. Indeed, there is a certain compassion emanating from the blade; however, it is a surprise to her how she could sense that. "No... but Luka told me that this blade holds synergy," she replied as she held it up. "There must be a reason why she worded it like that. This... Elysian Jadeheart holds something very important to her. It honestly feels like this weapon is way above my league, don't you think?"
Shizuku held her hands out as a silent ask for permission to hold the sword. Airi handed it to her, and she held it gently in her hands like she would break it if she held it any other way. The... synergy that this sword held was amazing. Who did it previously belong to..? This was someone's sword- there's no doubt about that. The previous owner even got so far in their Magic Guild schooling that they started to imbue their weapon with magic.
Shizuku looked up at Airi and shook her head with a smile. "No, it isn't above your league," she said as she handed the sword back, "I think it's just right." She continued to gaze at the beautiful blade for a moment more. She didn't mean to stall, but this mission had her nerves in a bunch, so this moment with Airi was nice to have.
Airi wrapped its hilt around the floral hilt once it was returned to her. " Just right? Luka kept insisting on that as well. Sure it feels light and it fits in my hand very nicely but..." There has to be a reason that she entrusted the Jadeheart to her, the shimmering silver blade that sits on her hands.
"Luka isn't the type to do this without logic. I'll do my best to take care of it then," she said before returning the blade back to her belt. “Are you all set for our first mission, Shizuku? You still have that ticket Miss Meiko gave you?”
At Airi's question, she nodded. "Yes, I checked both of my bags and made sure everything was there," she said, and withdrew the ticket from her waist bag to show Airi before she quickly put it back. "Let's board the carriage," she said as she began walking toward the big horse-drawn carriage. It was sleek and dark, with the golden emblem of the Guild painted on it. It took Shizuku's breath away. They were going on a real mission!
“I can’t believe the Magic Guild could afford something like this. This is exactly the sort of carriage a princess would ride,” Airi joked with a small smile. She stepped inside and held the door open while she offered a hand out to give Shizuku leverage— in a way, it is to repay that small gesture she did in the office. She recalls being a kid, watching the carriages go by as she dreams of her happy ending. She would come up with the most fantastical daydreams of the world unbeknownst to her.
If only her younger self could see her now.