The peace of the morning was shattered by a loud, commanding voice.
"ASHER STARLINE! GET YOURSELF OUT OF THAT TREE!"
Startled, Asher jerked up, losing his balance and tumbling off the branch. He landed on the ground with a solid thud, his phone slipping from his grasp and the last grape rolling away. Groaning slightly, he glanced up, only to be met by the fierce gaze of **Mika**—his longtime friend and classmate.
Mika stood there, hands on her hips, her striking golden eyes flashing with frustration. She was tall for her age, standing at 5'9", with a lean, athletic physique. Her long, curly purple hair fell in waves over her shoulders, catching the morning light. She didn't look pleased.
"Hey, Mika," Asher mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. But before he could get another word out, Mika grabbed his cheek with her fingers, squeezing hard enough to make him wince.
"Don't you 'hey, Mika' me!" she snapped, eyes narrowing. "Break time is over, and we're supposed to be in class right now! What are you even doing up in that tree?"
Asher grimaced but didn't pull away. "I was just... relaxing."
Mika's gaze drifted to the ground beside him, where his copy of **Magical Girls Monthly** lay open, the pages fluttering in the breeze. Her eyes widened in fury.
"You've got to be kidding me," she growled, reaching down and snatching the magazine. Without hesitation, she bopped Asher on the head with it.
"Reading this instead of coming to class?!" Mika fumed, dragging him to his feet. "We're training to be Ranger Officers, Asher! How are you going to defend the city when you're hiding in trees, reading this... stuff?"
"Hey, I'm more than capable," Asher protested, rubbing the back of his head where she hit him. "And it's not just 'stuff'! It's got some pretty cool articles, you know?"
Mika rolled her eyes, grabbing Asher by the arm. "Come on. You're tall and strong, but that won't get you out of training. We're supposed to be preparing for our next mission, not slacking off."
Asher, towering over her at 6'2", gave her a lazy grin as she pulled him along. "Alright, alright. But you know, you could go a little easier on me. No need to get all riled up."
"Riled up?" Mika shot him a glare, dragging him across the city streets. "I wouldn't have to if you'd just take this seriously for once! Honestly, I don't know how you manage to keep up with everything. Do you even care about becoming a Ranger Officer?"
They entered the sleek, futuristic building of the **Ranger Academy**, its walls a blend of shimmering magic-infused glass and cutting-edge technology. Asher glanced around at the other students, most of whom were busy preparing for their next training session.
"I care," Asher said with a shrug. "I just don't see why we need to train so hard. It's not like the devil monsters are banging down our doors."
Mika released him, crossing her arms. "That's exactly why we train. So that if they ever do, we're ready. Stop being so lazy."
Asher grinned, following her into the building. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with."
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