Hikaru burst into the hallway that led to the student council room with one-to-many worries on her mind. Although she did make the speech, she couldn't be sure that everybody heard her, and even if they did, she didn't really bring good news.
Letting them know where the other enemies were might have taken their minds off of that, but in comparison to bringing news of the defeat of one of them, it was nothing.
When Hikaru kicked open the door, the first thing that she saw was Shindo, standing over the body of Greed, in a noticeably damaged corridor.
Hikaru froze at the sight. She dragged her eyes down towards Greeds body. HIs arms had been cut off, and she could see the tears in his still open eyes. The eyes had no light in them. He was dead.
Hikaru's breathe froze for a moment as she turned her gaze up to Shindo, who was still covered in blood. He was staring at Greeds body, a well of emotions in his eyes.
Taking a moment to calm her heart, which felt like it would beat right out of her chest, Hikaru slowly walked over to Shindo-sidestepping around Greed's body.
She could only imagine what was going through his head right now. He was forced to take a life. That was something no one wanted to do if they were in control of it.
Although she could not imagine the depths of the emotions that Shindo must have been experiencing currently, Hikaru was a deeply empathetic person. So, she could very easily see the conflict in his eyes. The guilt.
Grabbing unto his arm she said, "You did what you had too."
Shindo clenched his fists. "Even that, is no consolation."
Hikaru stood in silence for a few moments, at a lost for what she could say to help him.
"Heh.' Shindo shook his head, before grabbing his spear and turning to face Hikaru.
"First, I should really apologize for what I did back there. I kind of have a bad habit of....."
Shindo stopped in his tracks when he saw the knowing smile on Hikaru's face.
"It's okay. Really. More importantly....."
Hikaru pointed to the P.A. system room. "We have a broadcast to make."
Shindo nodded, taking a moment to move Greeds body out of the way, and into one of the empty classrooms. Throughout the entire process, Shindo could not shake the guilt he felt.
As they approached, he took a moment to ready himself for what he would face when he stepped inside that room.
The fearful, hateful look of the students who had been trapped inside of Greeds vault.
When they opened the door to the room, they saw all of the broadcasting equipment, as well as a wide variety of confused students slumped over desks and on the floor.
Hikaru rushed to the side of the nearest student, kneeling down to check if they were okay.
Shindo did the same, with a bit of a hesitation.
The student he ran up too, her name was Cath. She was a third year and happened to be in Shindo's class. She was dazed, looking around as if she had just woken up from a nap. When she noticed Shindo in front of her, she froze for a split second, and so did Shindo.
Even embracing his new title, Shindo was still too worried that he would end up scaring off his classmates.
His hand hovered in the air for a split second, before he reached it out and asked, "Are you okay."
His voice was just as shaky as his hand, and thousands of situations where he was yelled out, or called a monster, ran through his head, but despite that, he still reached out his hand.
He didn't avert his eyes. If he was going to be cursed, to be blamed, then he would take it on the chin.
Thankfully, nothing of the sort would happen.
Cath would grab his hand, allowing him to pull her up and unto her feet. "S-shindo." She stuttered while saying his name, but she still said it. "There was someone here. A-A man in a black suit. He-" She was scared and spoke frantically.
Shindo placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look at him.
Then, he said, in the most reassuring tone possible, "It's alright. I handled it."
A momentum of silent shock, and then relief flooded her facial features. Her eyes stopped darting around, her facial features relaxed, and she let out a shaky breath.
In fact, an air of relief descended upon the entire room. Every single open of the still dazed students wore a relieved expression on her face, as they got to their feet.
"Really?" Cath asked.
Shindo nodded.
Cath then looked down, a complex well of emotions on her face. An awkward silence ensued before Cath broke it, saying, "Thank you. And, sorry."
Shindo's eyes lightened up at the thanks. In fact, that singular thanks served to help Shindo more than anything else could have. He couldn't believe it. He had been so ready to face critics, to be looked at with hate, or fear. Especially from the girl who had dubbed him with the title of "The Prince".
He had prepared himself for that seemingly inevitable outcome.
However, what he had not prepared for, was to receive thanks.
It wasn't only from Cath. It was from every single student in the room. They all gave their heartfelt thanks to Shindo.
For saving them.
Shindo stood in the P.A. room, in a bit of apprehensive awe at what was going on around him. The thanks, the warmth that he was experiencing, it all felt great, however Shindo did not think that he could except it. No, he couldn't. After all, in order to save them, he had to-
At that moment, Hikaru tapped on his shoulder. Shindo looked over, at her, to which she told him,
"They're thanking you. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Shindo opened his mouth to argue but he was not granted that chance.
"You did what you had to. The fact that you still can't get over means you didn't enjoy what you did. And you probably will never get over it. You should never get over it. However, don't let it collapse you on the inside.
And then, she clapped her hands on his cheeks, which was enough to jar Shindo back into reality.
"Heh." He could only chuckle at Hikaru's actions. She had actually slapped him. Told him to get his mind back into the game.
However, it was what he needed.
He turned back to the students inside the P.A. room, before bowing a bit.
"Thank you. Thank you all. I-I'm honored."
He stuttered slightly over his words, and he could hear the sound of Hikaru giggling behind him.
He would have said something, but at that moment, an explosion rocked the entire room.
It came from the direction of the Arena. Shindo chided himself for his stupidly. Even though one battle was done, the entire magic academy was under attack.
He turned, to go check out the situation, but Hikaru stopped him.
Shindo looked at her, his eyes saying that he didn't have time to stay here.
"I get you want to help, but we still have to make the broadcast."
Her point didn't click with Shindo. "Couldn't you do that on your own?"
Hikaru just shook her head and made a gesture with her head.
Shindo turned to look at all the relieved students getting their bearings. In that moment, he realized Hikaru's implied message, however he couldn't acceptr it.
"That wasn't on my account. It was just the news that they one who had captured them was defeated that did that-"
"If The Prince were the one to deliver the message about the victory over one of the attackers, don't you think that would inspire confidence?"
"Or fear. Besides, they won't even recognize my voice-"
"Then tell them. Make them recognize. Pour as much conviction as possible into your words and give them the hope they need to continue on fighting!"
Shindo looked at Hikaru with widened eyes. He couldn't believe it. Once again, he was left absolutely stupefied by this girl. Everything she said and did, it was with complete confidence, and absolute determination. She did not hesitate. She did not settle."
Still, Shindo was not convinced. It would take much more than that to destroy the isolation created by the title of Prince. There was just no way that he could accept the idea that his words would actually be enough to motivate others to take action. It was impossible.
"If anyone's going to do it, it has to be you, Prince." This was Cath. She looked at him with an indescrabable expression on her face.
Shindo still couldn't believe it. In fact, every other student in the room echoed the same sentiment.
"IT has to be you!"
"Do it!"
"Let them know were ready!"
At first, the shouts were a bit apprehensive, but soon the encouragement was being rained down upon him full force, and he just stood, stock still, unable to believe it.
In this moment, Shindo began to think.
When Cath had given him the nickname of Prince, she had not done it out of malice. In fact, it might have been done out of awe. Even now, Shindo could see the respect in her eyes. She had had that same look on her face, back when she had given him the title of Prince.
It had been their first year. Shindo had beaten Cath in a sparring match inside of the arena, and she had approached him after the match.
The interaction had occurred in a time when Shindo had completely isolated himself from others. After everything with Sayako, he thought that he should do everyone around him a favor and just stop hanging around others. After all, it could only end badly.
Cath was a bubbly girl, and she completely overwhelmed Shindo in their first interaction.
"Dude, what was that ability! It was so sick!"
"Whi-which one?"
"Well I can't really pick one, so all of them! Everything you did out there was insanely cool."
"Oh, we-, I-"
"And even with that, you're also insanely strong! Off the charts in every aspect."
"Thanks-"
"It was like I was fightining royalty. Maybe people should just start calling you the prince?"
She had not given him that nickname to hurt him, isolate him, or anything like that. In fact, it was an innocent joke, that transformed into something else. It was beyond her control, and she never intended it.
In fact, now that Shindo thought about it, his isolation, it was not as a result from the title of prince. The main factor behind that had been himself. He was the one who made the conscious decision to isolate from his classmates. It was him who was too scared to open up. It was him. And even though the title of Prince may have contributed to that in one way or another, that was only because he chose to let that be its definition.
Like Sayako said, it was up to him to decide how he would let himself be defined. Back then, he chose to let that title mean isolation, to mean Prince, to mean monster. However now, he could change it.
"Redefine it and make it into something that's true." Shindo muttered Sayako's message to himself.
With that realization, Shindo could finally turn himself to face everyone else in the room.
"I understand. I'll give that speech."
Hikaru's eyes lightened up, and she jumped up and down in a bit of out of place excitement. She the calmed down, laughing nervously, before giving Shindo a brief overview of the situation from what she managed to gather.
Shindo just shook his head and walked over to the microphone.
He stared at it for a brief moment, realizing all too late that he had no script prepared. It was too late to plan one now, and he had to get on with this speech in order to help out as soon as possible, so he steeled himself, and turned it on.
"Hel-"
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
As soon as he turned on the mic, he was met with a killer amount of feedback that nearly blew out his eardrums. It felt like someone was banging against the wall so of his head.
Great start, Shindo.
"To everyone listening, this....This is Shindo Miyamoto...." He couldn't bring himself to say the next part, even though he knew it was the necessary follow up. However, a strong hand landed on his shoulder. Without even looking, he knew it was Hikaru.
Behind him, Cath whispered, "You got this."
"Or as some of you may know, the Prince." With the hardest part out of the way, the words slowly began to flow from his mouth. He did not stop, because if he did, he would lose all of his moment, and his speech would flop.
"I'm making this announcement to you all form the P.A. system room, on the same floor as the student council office. Prior to this, the room had been compromised. By one of the many attackers currently within Theta Magic academy. However, as you may have already guessed, the perpetrator was slain. By my own hands..."
Shindo didn't know much about public speaking, and this was his first time even trying. He was quite literally a kid thrown into the pool and told, "Figure out how to swim." However, he just felt that a slight pause was needed after that part.
"There may not be a whole lot my words can do to assuage the feelings of doubt and hopelessness that I'm sure you must have, however, if there's one thing, I hope my message can do, it's inspired hope. This is the first victory. The first of an inevitable many. How can I say it's inevitable? Because there is no other option. We have to win. Nothing else can be considered, lest it become reality."
Shindo gripped the sides of the desk tighter, leaning in closer to the mic.
"Of five, the first has been defeated. A man who embodied the sin of Greed. He has been slain. And that won't be the end! This is just the first! The first win, the first one we need to defeat the rest! Let my words from this place be the encouragement we need to take the rest! Let this first victory be the one to show you that these people are not invincible. Do not give out hope! There are five. 1 lies with an army of attackers in the courtyard. Another inside of the arena. Another in the lobby. The last at the highest peak of the academy.
Shindo was caught up in the passion of his speech, and that carried its way through the ending.
"I'll repeat it once more! I am Shindo Miyamoto! Known as the Prince of Theta Magic Academy! One of the 5 attackers was slain by my spear. I claimed the first victory of this fight, and now, you all will carry out the rest! Without a single doubt in my mind, we will win!"
Inside of the P.A. room was filled with the cheers of the onlooking students. Shindo let their cheers ring out over the mic before turning it off.
Letting out a deep breath, he turned to Hikaru.
Her, Cath, everyone in the room. They were all beaming at him.
Shindo couldn't help but smile as well.
Hikaru walked over to him. "I could really tackle you with a hug right now. That speech was amazing! Who knew you had the talent for public speaking."
Shindo chuckled, shaking his head. "No, really, if wasn't that good. Anyways, we have to go back out there. Help out wherever we can."
Hikaru nodded, switching to serious mode. Clasping her hands together, she began to issue out directions. "All of you in here, I think that its best you to the courtyard and assist there in order to clear out the evacuation route. I need two of you to stay in here though. One to man the P.A., and the other to collect info. release scheduled broadcast on the situation. Kepp everyone's hopes up!"
Cath and a boy named Brennan volunteered for that job. The rest headed to the courtyard through the glass skywalk.
"What about me, Private?" Shindo joked, as they stepped out into the glass walkway in the rain.
Hikaru pointed to the very highest peak.
"I feel horrible for doing this, but without a doubt, the one that up there is the strongest magical signature here. If you don't want to do this..."
"No. I'll do it. Without fear. I'll fulfill the hope placed in me and strike them down with my spear."
Hikaru nodded at the determination in his tone.
"What about you?" Shindo asked.
Hikaru turned her gaze to the arena, where lighting cracked and slammed against the ground ceaselessly.
"I'm going to help a boy who refuses to help himself."
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Pride was still prowling the halls of the top floor of the magic academy when he heard Shindo's broadcast. He had been taking his time, as he was the star of the show, after all.
They couldn't start without him. He was the greatest, the one above all. They would be forced to wait for him to grant them with his presence.
However, his time was interrupted by the speech from Shindo. The boy called himself a prince. He had slain Greed. Although Pride did not care for the latter.
No, he was irked that there was someone here with the guile to try and claim to be royalty. All with him here.
As Pride walked down the stairs, he spoke to no one in particular.
"You and your hubris. I'll make sure to teach you a lesson in humility."
With that, two forces of nature would stalk towards each other.
Two who were the top of the food chain.
They would hunt, each other.