Makima was focused on her studies, her brow furrowed as she filled the pages of her notebook with complex calculations and equations. She whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. "I dismissed this idea because I wouldn't have time to get to safety… literally, it would be a suicidal technique to try something like that," she murmured, as if speaking only to herself. She paused, pondering as she ran her fingers over the formula. "Although, considering my death is no longer an issue... I could execute it, but I'd have to calculate the exact percentage of energy and the amount of matter involved. Otherwise, the damage could be… well, beyond the physical."
Rika, who was watching her without understanding anything she was saying, sighed and returned to her books, trying not to get distracted. She'd had a frustrating morning: her sensei, Shoko Ieiri, had allowed her to try healing a sorcerer for the first time. It was a privilege she had never been granted before, but she hadn't been able to succeed. When she tried to release the energy, it destabilized, and in the end, the flow broke and dissipated before it could take effect. She could only heal herself, but hadn't managed to control the reverse technique on another person. Shoko tried to reassure her, but her explanations were vague as always, leaving her even more frustrated. Rika sighed, returning to her studies with determination; she wasn't going to let this technique resist her, no matter how difficult it was.
Suddenly, the silence was broken when the door to the house opened with a distinctive creak. Both girls knew who it was: only one person would come to bother them at that hour.
"Where did you go off to?" came the unmistakable voice of Gojo Satoru, his carefree tone always carrying that characteristic confidence. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, approaching the room where Makima and Rika were, and then he opened the door with his characteristic smile. "Oh, what studious little girls I have here!" he exclaimed, looking at them with that expression of fake pride.
Makima, without missing a beat, quickly closed her notebook and rested her head on the table, pulling her phone out of her pocket to pretend she was occupied. She ignored Gojo completely, with the phone in her hands and without even bothering to look at him.
"Eh, don't be like that," protested Gojo, placing a hand on his chest as if his feelings were hurt. "I'm supposed to be your sensei, aren't I? So inconsiderate!"
Makima didn't even lift her gaze, much less utter a word. Gojo let out a sigh, resigned, but he wasn't going to give up so easily. "Anyway," he continued, "I came to give you some news." He paused for a moment, waiting for any reaction, then added, "Your cousin, Maki, is my new student."
The comment finally caught Makima's attention, who lifted her head with an expression of surprise. "Maki? Here?" she asked, in a disbelieving tone. It wasn't that she cared too much, but the idea that her cousin, whom she considered useless, had managed to get into the sorcery school was hard to believe.
Gojo nodded, enjoying her reaction. "Yes! You should go say hello; she's in one of the rooms. Although it's past curfew now, so you'd better wait until tomorrow. Besides..." He paused, looking at Makima with a conspiratorial smile. "This is a bit out of the ordinary, but I managed to convince the elders to let you accompany the second-year students on their next mission. Just as an observer, of course. I'm not teaching them, so I won't be able to go, but I trust you won't do anything too problematic." Gojo paused, with a smile that Makima considered a bit suspicious. "You know what I mean, right?"
Makima tilted her head, letting Gojo's words settle in her mind. It was highly unusual for him to allow her to leave campus without his direct supervision, and that concession seemed suspicious. She looked again at Gojo, who continued with his eternal smile, his expression carefree and seemingly kind. But Makima wasn't easily fooled; she had learned to distrust that smile as much as any other threat.
Gojo turned to Rika and winked at her. "Oh, and Rika, sorry, but I couldn't convince Shoko to let you skip her classes." He made a theatrical pout. "She's so mean, isn't she?"
Rika let out a frustrated sigh, though she already knew Shoko wouldn't relent easily. If Makima asked her to go with her, she would anyway, but having permission would have made things easier.
"Well, that's it, I'm off. Got some things to do," announced Gojo, and in an instant, before either of them could respond, he vanished from the doorway, leaving only a faint echo in the air.
Makima observed the empty space he'd left for a moment, processing every word she'd just heard. Maki's arrival, the unusual permission to leave campus and accompany the second-year students on a mission… it was much more than she expected to receive in a simple evening visit from her sensei.
Finally putting her notes away and closing her notebook with a dry snap, she glanced at Rika, who was still watching her intently. "Do you want me to go with you?" Rika asked, mentally preparing herself to ignore any restriction Shoko might impose if her mistress decided she needed her company.
Makima shook her head, her expression cold and focused. "No need. Focus on your own thing for now. I still have to find out what exactly this mission entails. It may be days before it takes place."
Rika nodded, and, resigned, began to put away her own books and notes in silence. Though she would obey, she couldn't help feeling a slight unease. Something about Gojo's demeanor seemed to contain a veiled warning, and if Makima was going to go out without him, she wanted to be prepared for any eventuality. The young sorceress meticulously organized her things and looked again at her mistress, who continued staring at the door, lost in thought.
Once they had both finished gathering their things, they headed to the closet to change into more comfortable clothes. Makima took off her blouse and, with careful movements, chose something light and simple, as if she were just preparing for an ordinary night. However, her mind kept turning over Gojo's words and the enigma represented by the sudden change in her routine.
Finally, they lay down on the bed. Rika turned off the lights, and darkness covered the room, wrapping the silence in a deceptive calm. Though Rika tried to relax, Makima's head was still active, filled with thoughts and ideas that formed and dissipated quickly.
Rika, sensing the tension in the air, slid closer to Makima in the darkness, seeking the slight comfort of her proximity. With gentle movements, she nestled beside her and rested her head delicately on the pillow, pressing her face close to Makima's. Her breathing was calm and slow, and each exhale softly brushed her mistress's cheek. Feeling Rika's warmth so close, Makima allowed herself a brief pause in her thoughts, barely relaxing her expression. Rika, in an affectionate gesture and without a word, placed her hand on Makima's shoulder as if she wanted to convey calm and reassurance.
"What could Gojo be plotting?" Makima thought to herself, though now, with Rika snuggled beside her, her thoughts seemed to lose some of their urgency. It was unusual for him to let her leave unsupervised, especially for a request from the elders. Something about Gojo's smile seemed out of place, as if he were hiding an important piece of the puzzle.
Rika tried to calm herself, closing her eyes in an attempt to relax, but the unease kept her alert. This would be the first time she'd be separated from Makima on a mission, and the thought filled her with some fear. The idea of being far from her mistress, without the closeness and guidance she'd always had, made her chest tighten with anxiety. Each time she tried to fall asleep, her mind returned to the same worry, wondering if she'd be able to fulfill what was expected of her without Makima by her side.
She tried to move a little closer, as if the contact could dispel her fears. She gently stroked Makima's shoulder, seeking in that closeness a security she didn't feel.
Makima, on the other hand, was absorbed in her plans and mental calculations, imagining the possibilities and ways to maximize her technique if the mission turned out to be a hidden test. A barely visible smile appeared on her lips when, in a barely audible whisper, she murmured to herself: "Boom."
Finally, after a few more minutes, she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be carried away by the anticipation and power she had built up in her mind, while the comforting warmth of Rika beside her managed, if only for an instant, to quiet the storm of thoughts that filled her mind.