"Alright, break up into partners," Cross called out from his desk, shooting a subtle look at Makina. "Be sure to come up with at least two examples from history and their significance on the present landscape of any of the kingdoms."
Makina glanced to her left and eyed her partner before fixing her eyes firmly to her desk. Lexi had ordered her to befriend the girl. Makina wasn't exactly sure how one went about doing such a thing. Though it pained her to admit, ordering the girl around like a servant probably wouldn't be the best course of action, no matter how well it worked with Cross.
She bit her lower lip, deep in thought.
"Excuse me?"
Makina looked up and found the girl awkwardly holding her hand out.
"Hi, I'm Lara," she greeted timidly. She gave Makina's hand a limp shake. "It's uh it's a pl-pleasure to meet you."
"Oh." Makina composed herself. "My name is Makina, Spi-" Makina managed to cut herself off before she finished her usual introduction as a Spirit Goddess. She felt Cross's eyes hanging on her. With a flick of her wrist she sent a small breeze of frigid air in his general direction. "Just Makina. Nice to meet you."
"Your have very pretty hair," Lara said, twisting her hands back and forth. "Are you a mage?"
The praise, nervous as it may have sounded, left Makina practically glowing. "No, but my family was well versed in magic during the Old Time." Servilia had been sure to prepare her a backstory.
"That's really cool." Lara gave a small smile and pushed her golden bangs out of her eyes. She glanced down at Cross. "I don't really any real experience with this stuff. I'm sorry."
"That's quite alright," Makina said lightly. "I have met a clairvoyant before. It's not so special."
"Were they a fake, like the professor was talking about?"
"I wouldn't say a fraud. The talent was there. However, he was, unfortunately, an idiot," Makina said, loud enough for Cross to hear. "I doubt he will go down in history as anything but."
Lara giggled softly. "That's too bad, but I guess that puts us on about the same level. We had a girl here last year who said she was a card reader… but…" Lara's smile slipped a few notches. "…Well, she left suddenly."
"What caused her to leave?" Makina said.
Lara's hand came up to her mouth and she chewed on her thumb before answering. "You're new, right? I don't remember ever seeing you last session."
"Yes, I transferred in this session," Makina answered. "My mother insisted I get a more formal education." Another line from Servilia's cover story.
"Well," Lara glanced back and forth before leaning in close. "There have been some… things happening."
Makina ducked her head closer. "What kind of things?"
"People keep getting hurt," Lara practically whispered. "I've had a few friends get injured really badly."
"How?"
"Well the thing is… I mean… I think… that maybe…"
"Yes?" Makina asked softly.
Lara's shoulders hunched together and she opened her mouth to speak when the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Instantly, Lara pulled away, shaking her head rapidly. "Sorry. I've got to… Sorry."
Lara gave Makina a weak smile and pulled away from her desk. From her seat, Makina glanced at Cross. He gave her concerned look that she dispelled with a wave of her hand. Nodding, he returned back to some papers on his desk as Makina frowned, staring after the Lara's retreating figure.
xXx
Lexi's feet pounded against the ground, propelling over the still dew-slicked grass, the ball on a controlled roll only a few feet ahead of her. A defender from the opposing team was running towards her to challenge and another was chasing from behind. A small smile played across Lexi's face as she juked left, forcing the defender to commit to a side. The girl took the bait, going left, and Lexi sidestepped to the right and around her. As Lexi passed, the defender lunged for her, desperate to stop her advance, but Lexi was too quick. Popping the ball up into the air, she raced ahead with only the goalkeeper left to beat.
Time slowed as the ball hit the ground and bounced once.
Twice.
The Keeper took an uncertain step forward and Lexi pounced.
Her small foot connected with the ball just before it hit the ground for its third bounce. The Keeper leapt to make the save, but the ball was already screaming passed her outstretched fingers and into the net. Lexi came to a sliding stop as her teammates exploded into cheers. The nearest few ran up to her, excitedly patting her on the back as whistle blew.
"Alright!" The coach, whose name escaped Lexi, called out. "That's game for today. Hit the showers." She blew the whistle again for good measure before heading off the field.
"Alexis! Hey!"
Lexi stopped and turned to look at the girl whose name she had come to learn was Anna, the girl who had been the first on the scene when the victim was found. While she had been unable to initiate contact during Cross's class, she had been much more successful during PE.
"That was amazing! You've really never played before?" Anna asked, wiping a hand across her glistening brow.
"Nope. I mean, I kicked a ball around with my sister when we were younger, but never with a team or anything," Lexi said with an unnatural brightness to her voice. Her usual manner of speaking, according to Servilia, would likely not be as well accepted. Forcing a smile onto her face, she followed Anna back towards the locker rooms.
"That's crazy, you're really talented." Anna shook her head. "You could make the team no problem. We could really use someone like you."
The steam from the showers was a welcome relief as Lexi peeled off her clothes and tossed them into a waiting basket. The Academy maids would wash, fold, and return the clothes to the student's rooms later in the day.
"Plus, nothing beats a shower you've earned." Anna sighed as the hot water washed over her.
Lexi couldn't argue with that.
"Hey." Anna tilted her head and stared at Lexi.
"Hmm?"
"Do you have a tattoo?" Anna lifted a hand and pointed at Lexi's side.
"Oh." Lexi lifted up her left arm, exposing the stylized black heart she tattooed on her ribcage. "Yeah."
"Don't let any of the professors find out," Anna warned, looking around to make sure the coach wasn't around. "They're really strict about stuff like that."
"Thanks, I won't." Lexi said with a small nod and a smile.
"Does it mean anything?" Anna said.
"It's just a family thing." Lexi said smoothly. It was true. Every member of the Hart family had a similar tattoo done somewhere on their body once they discovered their first magical ability. That said, Lexi did not want Anna peering too deeply into her family background. As a rule, the girls of the academy were discouraged from giving their last names, in order to dissuade unfair treatment or prejudice due to family background or pedigree. In the same manner, Professors were forbidden from using a student's last name during class. While Lexi was sure her true family background was more than honorable enough for the academy, it still wouldn't do well to have anyone at the school pry into her past lest they find inconsistencies.
"Ah." Anna clicked her tongue. "I was hoping for something more dramatic or romantic. Getting a tattoo for your boyfriend would just be amazing, don't you think?"
"Sorry to disappoint, but no boyfriend here." Lexi rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the steam of water and toweled herself dry before taking the time to comb out her precious hair. By the time she was finished and almost dressed Anna finally left the shower.
"You're a fan of Midnight too?" Anna asked as she began to dress.
Lexi gave her a confused look as she wrapped her black scarf around her neck, fingers running over the tassels. "Midnight?"
"Oh. Never mind, I thought because of the scarf," Anna said as she buttoned up her shirt. "I have one just like that too, so I figured."
Lexi gave Anna a blank look.
"Right, sorry." Anna shook her head. "Midnight is this Bounty Hunter that's kinda famous around Voy and some parts of the other Kingdoms too."
The quizzical look on Lexi's face was not an act. "Oh?"
"Yeah. For a couple of years now he has been popping up all over, always taking out, like, really high profile people. Thing is, no one knows what he looks like. Midnight always wears a cloak with a hood and a scarf wrapped around his face and only appears in the middle of the night."
"Hence the name Midnight," Lexi said slowly. This nickname was news to her, but it did have a rather nice ring to it, even more so when paired with her sword, Nightmare.
"Yeah. So but like, everyone thought Midnight was a guy until a few months ago. Now people are saying Midnight might be a girl, but no one really knows. From what I hear people don't even know how to actually hire Midnight, you just have to put up a bounty and hope they take it."
"I see." Lexi toyed with the tassels on her scarf. "And the scarf?"
"People like to look like their idols," Anna said with a small shrug. "I know I'd love to be like her."
"You want to be a Bounty Hunter?"
"Well… I don't know about that part, but I'd like to be strong like her. She's apparently a master swordsman too. She's probably not scared of anything or anyone."
"Not scared of anything…" Lexi gave her head a small shake and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. "That would be nice."
xXx
Back at the guild Servilia filed through the weeks mail. A few requests, along with a handful of bills made up the majority of the postage, but one cream colored envelope made her pause. A smile lit up her face as she read the sender's name and she quickly tore the letter open. A quick scan of the contents only made her smile grow ever larger.
"Well then," she said softly to herself. "This could prove to be very interesting."