The grounds were loud with the usual chatter of students honing their skills. Kyo stood near one of the weapon racks, spinning his double-bladed scythe in his hands, more for boredom than actual training. On cue, Mei was diligently perfecting her swordsmanship a few feet away; her sword sliced cleanly through the air, the sound sharp and focused.
Kyo: Most said as an afterthought, he watches Mei: "You know you are going to wear out that sword if you keep swinging it like that."
Mei: Doesn't break concentration: "Better to wear it out in practice than fail in the field."
Kyo: Smirks: "Yeah, well, I like to keep things interesting. You know I'm extra."
Mei: Stops to glare at him: "Extra? You mean nearly get us killed? That is your idea of interesting?"
Kyo-greedy spinning his scythe with a grin-answered: "Hey, isn't that what it means, still being here? And so are you."
Before Mei could answer him, one figure appeared from the perimeter of the training grounds, the coldness of autumn air paling in comparison to her face. Black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, while the coldness in those eyes said she didn't come for a chat.
Mei: Notice her, lowering her sword, "Kyo, this is Oki. She just transferred to our class. Headmaster Kuroshi assigned her to train with us today."
Oki: Crossing her arms, her voice flat, "I've heard about you, Takahashi Kyo. Reckless. Impulsive." She glanced at Mei, her tone dry. "I don't know how you put up with him."
Kyo: Raised an eyebrow, clearly unamused. "Wow, just what I needed smart ass."
Mei-as she shot a warning glance at Kyo-"Oki's one of the top students in the Academy, Kyo. You'd do well to learn something from her."
Oki coldly, never once her gaze left Kyo. "I'm not here to teach. I don't waste my time with undisciplined fools."
Kyo still grinning though the tension was unmistakable in his voice. "Oh, so we're starting with insults? Fine by me. Let's see what you've got then."
Mei: Kyo, that's enough. She turned to Oki, We're supposed to be training as a team today.
Oki: Scoffed, "Teamwork? Does this guy even know what two plus two equals?"
Kyo: Angry, "fourty-four, but what does that have to do with teamwork?
Oki: A dead glance at Kyo as he says, "From what I've heard, he can't even follow basic instructions."
Kyo: Still offended, his grip tightens on the scythe, "I don't need instructions to win a fight."
Oki: Eyes narrowing, "No, you need them to survive. Which is why you're always on the verge of getting your team killed."
The smile vanished from Kyo's face as the tension between them was suddenly palpable. Oki's cold stare was a challenge-he felt himself tempted to take it up-but before he could, an unnatural gust of wind swept suddenly over the training grounds, inhumanly cold.
Mei: (turning toward the source of the wind, immediately cautious) "Wait… something feels off."
The air thickened, and the shadows about the edges of the grounds began to writhe unnaturally. And in the very next instant, three rogue spirits solidified from the Veil, their forms distorted and flickering with dark energy.
Kyo: Twirling his scythe into battle position, he smiled despite the danger. "Guess that's company for us."
Oki-already drawing her weapon, a slender spear that shimmered with spectral energy: "Stay out of my way." Her voice was cold, but her movements were precise and lethal.
Mei-unsheathing her sword, focused: "Kyo, Oki, stick together. These spirits aren't like the ones we've faced before. We need to coordinate."
The first spirit lunged toward them in a guttural screech, its long, shadowy claws slashing through the air. Kyo was the first to move, charging forward with reckless abandon, his scythe flashing as he swung it wildly.
Kyo: "Let's see how tough these things really are!"
Oki: "Dumbass! You're just going to—" The spirit retaliated with surprising speed, forcing her to leap back before she could finish.
Its spirit missed her by a hair's breadth, its claw raking along the earth where she had been standing.
Mei, jumping in to deflect another strike with her sword: "Kyo, knock it off, will you? You're just making this tougher on us!"
Kyo, gritting his teeth, swinging wildly: "I'm good! I got this!"
Oki with an edge to her voice: "You don't, you're getting in my way."
Kyo swung again, and Oki used her spear to flick the spirit off balance with smooth motions. Mei moved in tandem, her spectral sword cutting with practiced precision as the spirit's dark essence seemed to take the shape of its own body.
But even using his soul magic, Kyo couldn't keep up against their disciplined attacks. His chaotic fighting style was unpredictable, but it also left openings the spirits were beginning to exploit. Then one of the rogue spirits plunged toward the exposed back of Kyo.
Mei: "Kyo, behind you!"
By the time Kyo could even react, Oki was there, spear slicing through the air, pinning the spirit to the ground in one swift motion.
Oki-so her voice cold as ice: "You owe me your life."
Kyo-panting at her, glaring: "I didn't ask for your help."
Oki-without missing a beat, her eyes narrowing: "You didn't have to."
Before the tension could escalate any further, the last spirit lunged at them, larger and much more aggressive than their predecessors. Its form crackled with energy, and it shrieked, sending a shockwave across the grounds.
Mei: clenching her sword tightly, "That one is different. We have to end this quickly."
Guns brimming, the three of them stood. The spirit pounced, and in that instant, the three were matched against one another in a struggle for control. Kyo's brute force hit head-on against Oki's finesse and Mei's control, the three out of step, yet strangely able to keep their footing.
Kyo: It's just getting good!: Kyo grinned, slamming his scythe into the ground and sending a shockwave through the dirt.
Oki moved with quick, efficient strikes, her voice cutting, "If you don't stop swinging around like a maniac, you'll get us both killed."
Mei strained her voice as she parried the attack of the spirit, "We need to be working together, not against!"
As the spirit reared back to strike once more, Kyo, Oki, and Mei found themselves cornered. For one brief instant, the three locked eyes.
Kyo: determined, nodding slightly "Fine. Let's do it your way."
Oki: "Just keep up," glancing at him once, softening just barely
In perfect sync, the three launched a combination of strikes. Mei sprang forward in a flurry of flashing sword and sliced right through the spirit's defenses. Then Oki struck through with her spear, weakening its core. And finally Kyo brought his scythe down, shattering the spirit into dark wisps of energy with the raw power of the blow.
For a moment, all was still.
Kyo: "Hah! We did it."
Oki lowered her spear, her face unreadable. "You didn't mess it up. This time."
Mei caught her breath, smiling faintly. "That was. better."
Once the dust had settled, Oki sheathed her spear, her cold mask cracking ever so slightly.
Oki muttered under her breath, her voice quieter. "I didn't come here to fight spirits. Not like this."
Kyo raised an eyebrow at the tone in her voice. "Then why did you come here?
Oki: "I have unfinished business. Somebody I lost. to the Veil. I will do whatever it takes so that never happens again."
Upon saying that, Kyo piped down, and the weight of what she just said hung in the air. For the first time, Kyo found something inside Oki beyond the gruff exterior.
"I didn't know." Kyo said, quietly staring at her.
Oki shrugged and was cold again: "You don't need to. Just stay out of my way and business."
The words cut deep, but he instinctively knew she was more than she seemed. Perhaps, after all, there was one thing they shared in common.
In their walk back toward the Academy, Kyo cast a glance at Mei.
Mei smiled slightly: "See? Teamwork works."
Kyo: How nice, huh? Yeah, yeah. Don't get used to it.
Oki: Turning to him with a still icy tone, It won't always be this easy. Next time, try sticking with us from the beginning.
Kyo: Smirking, Stick with you? I was spearheading the attack!
Oki: Returning with a sharp glance, Spearheading us into chaos, maybe.
The tension between them had softened somewhat as they walked back toward the Academy. Their personalities butted heads, but he knew that for now, they made an okay team. And Oki—cold-heartedness aside—was someone worth keeping on a watchlist.
For the first time, Kyo began to realize that maybe this whole working together thing wasn't all that bad after all.
[Chapter's End]