Chapter Text
The beautiful city of Evergarden lay beneath a clear sky, its white stone buildings sparkling in the afternoon sun. The central square was filled with the cheerful hum of voices as the Valkyries of St. Freya's Academy joyfully discussed their upcoming mission. The air was filled with the scent of blossoming trees and freshly baked goods from the nearby bakery. The ringing laughter of the students echoed between the houses, interspersed with the occasional footsteps of passersby.
A solitary figure stood out against this festive backdrop. Tori Walker stood a little further away, as if cut out of another world. Her chestnut hair, gathered in a neat ponytail, lay over her shoulders, and her blue eyes, full of longing, were directed downwards. She mechanically fidgeted with the hem of her uniform, squeezing the material in her fingers. The soft rustling of the fabric was almost lost in the general noise of the square, but for her it was the only sound she noticed.
A woman with dark blue hair pulled back into a severe bun and violet eyes filled with determination approached her. It was Raiden May, her mentor and the legendary Lightning Queen. Her footsteps glided softly across the stone pavement, barely audible yet breaking the silence that surrounded Tori. May stopped next to her, her presence itself as powerful as a gathering storm.
"Hey, are you sad again?" she said in a soft but confident voice, in which there was still a hint of worry.
Tori didn't answer right away. She only squeezed her hand tighter, her nails turning slightly white from the strain.
“No… mentor,” she finally managed, her voice quiet but trembling, as if she was afraid someone might hear her true thoughts. “I just…” She trailed off, at a loss for words.
May placed her hand on Tori's elbow, her touch warm but firm. The gesture, simple but meaningful, made Tori flinch. She squeezed her hand lightly, as if trying to stop herself from doing something.
“Hey, stop it right now,” May said more sternly, her voice growing louder, drowning out even the distant voices of the students. “You’re my student…”
Her words echoed around her, and Tori jumped involuntarily, as if she had been pulled out of deep thought. She jerked her head up, her eyes meeting May's violet ones.
"Tory Walker, pull yourself together this instant!" May cried, her voice now ringing like a thunderclap.
Tori shuddered even more, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. But then, as if awakening, she smiled widely, her face lighting up with a genuine light. She quickly raised her hands up, as if trying to reach the sky.
“Okay, I get it!” she blurted out, her voice now sounding confident and ringing like a silver bell.
May shook her head, her dark blue hair bouncing slightly as she moved. Her voice was soft, but there was a firmness to it, as if she was trying to instill confidence not only in Tori, but in herself as well.
“It’ll be okay,” she said, pausing briefly to emphasize the importance of her words. “I don’t think you’ll lose control. Just… be careful.”
Tori nodded, her blue eyes meeting May's violet ones for a moment, and in that moment, something invisible but tangible passed between them. But the calm didn't last long. Suddenly, a quick stomping sound was heard from behind, rhythmic and energetic, as if someone was running, not really caring about being careful. The sound of footsteps grew louder until it became a full-on roar, echoing across the square.
Before Tori could turn around, something—or rather, someone—jumped right onto her back. She staggered, but managed to keep her balance, instinctively throwing her arms out to the sides. A joyful, slightly shrill voice followed, making her ears ring:
- Hello, friend!
It was Houraiji Kyuusho, the first Herrscher of this era. Her slightly maroon hair, disheveled and unruly, fluttered around her face, and her bright pink eyes glowed like two small beacons. A purple streak in her hair, contrasting with the general disorder, swayed slightly in the wind. She sat on Tori's back as if it were her own personal throne, and smiled widely, showing a carefree attitude that was so at odds with the seriousness of the moment.
"Oh, Horaiji..." Tori hissed through her teeth, although her voice sounded more cheerful than irritated. "Get off right now!"
Kyuusho only gripped Tori's shoulders tighter, her laughter ringing like bells in the wind. The sound, so bright and shrill, echoed around the square, mixing with the surprised exclamations of the other students who began to turn around at the noise. Mei rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a small smile. She folded her arms over her chest and shook her head, as if to say, 'What can you do with her?'
The air was now ringing not only with Kyuusho's voice, but also with the soft rustling of her hair as she, sitting on Tori's back, turned her head to look at Mei.
"Oh, are you here too?" she exclaimed, as if she had just noticed her mentor. Her voice was so loud that even the sparrows sitting on the branches nearby took off in fright, their wings rustling as they disappeared into the sky.
Mei stood there with an unperturbed expression, her arms folded across her chest, and her violet eyes watching the scene carefully. She tilted her head slightly, as if assessing Kyuusho's behavior, and spoke in a calm but slightly reproachful tone:
- Horaiji Kyuusho, you surprise me more and more.
"Uhhh… I can't help it!" Kyuusho exclaimed, her voice sounding so cheerful that it seemed like she was completely oblivious to the seriousness of the moment. She giggled.
Tori merely shook her head, her chestnut hair swaying in time with the movement. Her gaze held a mixture of weariness and warmth. She knew that Kyusho was the Herrscher of Reason, but at times her friend seemed so carefree and even silly that it was hard to believe in her true strength. However, it was precisely this carelessness that made her special. Tori smiled at the corner of her lips, although a shadow of sadness flickered in her eyes.
Despite her eccentricity, Houraiji was the only one who wasn't afraid to interact with Tori after she accepted the Herrscher Thunder Core. The other students avoided her, their gazes filled with fear and disdain. The whispers behind her back, the quick steps that tried to avoid her - all of this became part of her new reality. But Kyuusho never paid attention to such things. She was simply there, her wide smile and unbridled energy reminding Tori that she was not alone.
However, when Horaiji learned that Tori had taken the Core to save Mei, she scolded her for a long time. Her voice was loud and angry like thunder, and every word echoed in her ears.
"You shouldn't sacrifice yourself like that!" she screamed, her pink eyes sparkling with indignation. "It's too dangerous! You know how it could end!"
At that moment, her words rang out so loudly that Tori couldn't help but wince. But now, sitting on her back and swinging her legs carefree, Kyuusho seemed completely different - alive, bright, full of energy. And that was what made her so important to Tori.
The voice from the loudspeakers broke the silence of the square, its mechanical notes echoing throughout the city. Each word was clear and loud, even above the sound of the wind that played with the fluttering flags on the nearby buildings.
— Attention all students of Freya Academy! Please split into groups of two. Our training assignment will begin in a minute.
Kyuusho, still on Tori's back, jumped up happily, causing her to almost lose her balance. She smiled widely, her pink eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I'm with you!" she cried, so loudly that her voice almost drowned out the last words of the announcement. Her burgundy hair flew up as she raised her arms dramatically, as if this was some kind of celebratory moment.
Tori rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched into a weak smile.
“Of course you wouldn’t be with me…” she muttered, shaking her head. Her voice sounded soft, but there was a slight irony in it.
May, who had been watching them all this time, took a step back. She smiled, and that smile was full of confidence and support.
“Good luck with your mission,” she said, her voice soft but loud enough for both girls to hear. Then she turned and walked away, her footsteps barely audible over the new announcements coming from the speakers.
- Attention! Attention! - the metallic voice sounded again, more insistent now. - I will ask all students to come to the task execution point.
Kyuusho finally jumped off Tori's back, landing with a soft thud on the stone pavement. She quickly fixed her wild bangs and purple streak. Her eyes were ablaze with excitement, and her smile was so wide it seemed like it was about to break.
"Well, my friend, are you ready to show everyone what we can do?" she said with undisguised enthusiasm, her voice ringing like a bell, and this sound merged with the last seconds of the announcement.
Tori nodded, her blue eyes serious but still determined. She took a deep breath, her brown hair bouncing slightly as she straightened her back.
“Readier than ever,” she answered confidently, although her voice still sounded a little quieter than usual.
The two girls looked at each other, and in that moment, a spark seemed to fly between them. Then they both rushed forward at the same time, their footsteps echoing in unison across the square. The wind caught by their movement played with their clothes, and somewhere in the distance, the hum of other students could be heard, who were also hurrying to the starting point.