He struggled as the vines tightened around his neck. Although the thorns were now piercing his flesh, their poison had long since numbed him.
So he made no sounds, but the blood loss was getting to him.
Just before he lost consciousness, the announcer yelled:
"Alright! That's ten seconds. The winner is our school's reigning champion—Aura!"
Once that was announced, she released her opponent from the ensnaring vines and reached out her hand to help him to his feet.
"You fought hard," she said with an encouraging smile.
He was a bit awestruck by her expression, then, after regaining his senses, took her hand and stood.
The crowd cheered for both combatants. Although the boy had lost, he and Aura both waved triumphantly to the audience.
"You're never going to get a boyfriend if you don't show some restraint," Aura's older sister, Mirror, chastised with a sigh. Knowing Aura wouldn't respond, Mirror continued, "Guys like a girl to be frail and cute..." Her nose wrinkled as she saw Aura putting back on her tattered school uniform. "If you want, I can help you."
"No," Aura finally replied. "Graduating is my only goal. Everything else is an unnecessary distraction."
Mirror started to protest, but Aura ignored her and headed to her room.
"Good job again, Aura," one girl congratulated.
"You were awesome like always, Aura!" A boy yelled from down the hall, and a few of his friends laughed at his enthusiasm. Aura gave no response; she simply continued on her path to her dorm room, unlocked the door, and gave herself a much-needed nap.
Only two hours had passed when the bell rang for night training courses.
Since she had already fought earlier, Aura would be exempt, but training, especially at night, was extra credit.
That meant she could graduate faster, and Aura wouldn't pass that up, no matter how tired she was. Without taking the time to do her hair or wash her face, she headed out.
Janx was the sparring class instructor.
He was only around a decade older than the students, younger than his peers, so he had a very relatable and understanding personality and was probably the most beloved trainer in the school.
"Welcome, everyone. Please engage in your personal stretches. You have ten minutes. When your warm-up is over, the training will begin."
His eyes found Aura, who was already staring at him attentively. He sighed, then gave her a tired-looking smile. Aura began stretching without saying a word, but before even a minute had passed, Janx strode in front of her.
"Remembering to rest is also important for a warrior." He noted, his voice heavy with worry.
"I don't have time," she retorted bluntly.
Janx frowned and squatted down in front of her.
"No time for what?" He inquired, seemingly confused.
Aura leaned down, extending her fingertips far past her toes. Then she stood and twisted to loosen her hips.
"I have to become an ALPHA Soldier... as soon as possible."
Janx frowned more deeply.
"Don't push yourself too hard," he said, ruffling her hair affectionately, only to be pushed away by an embarrassed Aura.
"Don't do that," she grumbled.
He laughed softly and went to check on the other students.
"There's no time... I... have to graduate as soon as possible. Or everyone will keep suffering..." she mumbled to herself.
Her muscles ached so much that even making it back to her room felt like a chore. Aura thought about the reason she wanted to graduate.
"I'll prove I'm not a cursed child… I'm a blessing; I'm my family's savior."
Forgetting to close her door, Aura passed out face down on her bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The alarm rang one hour before class started. Aura had to rush to take a shower. On the way to the bathroom, she stopped and sniffed herself to see if she could skip it… The answer was clear—no, she CANNOT skip, she definitely needed a bath, immediately.
Reluctant and a bit disgruntled, Aura hurried to clean up. She scrubbed herself as quickly as possible and dashed out of the bathroom, almost tripping. But when she ran back to her room to grab clothes from the bed, she realized her door was carelessly left open, and a stranger stood in the doorway.
There were no walls between the entrance and her bedroom so she had no place to hide.
She froze, too startled to move. They silently stared at each other for a few moments when the stranger sent a smug smirk in her direction.
"I wasn't expecting such a wonderful display on my first day transferring into this school," he said, covering his eyes with a wide smile, then pulling the door closed.
Aura was unsettled, but realizing she could be late to class, she shoved her embarrassment aside and got dressed quickly.
She tied her hair into a ponytail, towel-dried it until it mostly stopped dripping, and rushed off to class.
Dodging bodies and weaving through the crowded hallway, Aura made it to class five minutes early.
While no one was watching, she pumped her fist in victory and took her seat, quickly pulling out her textbooks.
That's when the boy who had seen her earlier entered the room. Ms. Emerald removed her glasses, the way she always did before a serious announcement.
"This is Fenix," she said, pointing to the new student.
He was tall, with multi-colored hair that resembled fire. His left eye was crimson, while his bangs concealed most of his right eye, a golden iris that seemed to glow peeked through.
"Hi," Fenix said, smiling radiant confidence.
Aura looked down at her desk, hoping not to be recognized. She didn't want any distractions from her studies, especially one caused by her own carelessness.
"Fenix is an honorary student. As you know, some children are not here by choice. Fenix is one of those students. His power is very unstable, so keeping a safe distance is advised—at least until he learns to contain his energy. Please be kind to him, but don't forget to exercise caution."
While Ms. Emerald spoke, Fenix stood beside her, giggling, covering his mouth.
"Please take the empty seat in the third row."
Aura looked up to confirm it—regrettably, the desk next to hers. Their eyes met for a split second, but she quickly broke the gaze. Fenix looked amused. He never stopped smiling, which made Aura slightly uneasy.
To her relief, he didn't speak to her—not even after class ended. (Maybe he's already forgotten or doesn't recognize me), She thought. That eased her nerves, filling her with a small sense of relief.
As the day went on, Aura realized Fenix was in all of her classes. It was a bit troubling, but since he didn't talk to her, it wasn't enough to ruin her mood.
"Alright, I hope everyone stretched before class today," Cleaver, the martial arts instructor, announced. "There's no time for warm-ups—we're having sparring matches. As you know, abilities that aid in combat are not allowed, and of course, no weapons. Now, who wants to go first?"
As usual, Aura raised her hand—not because she liked fighting, but because she preferred to get it over with.
"Aura? Alright. Who wants to be her partner?"
Moments passed. No hands went up—until Fenix volunteered.
"I might as well, since no one else seems willing," he said, hopping to his feet and stretching.
Cleaver laughed. "You're brave. Must be because you're new here—I usually have to pick someone at random to fight this fiery girl." He glanced at Aura. "She looks happy someone volunteered."
Aura blushed lightly. "I'm just happy we can begin sooner than usual," she argued.
Cleaver led them to the sparring field.
"Remove all jewelry. Aura, take the west side. Fenix, east. When you're ready, raise your hand."
They took their positions. Aura removed all her clothes except for her shoes and sports underwear (spandex shorts and a bra). Fenix simply loosened his tie.
They raised their hands, but Cleaver pointed at Fenix.
"Remove your ring."
Fenix frowned. "This ring is my seal. I don't want to put my cute classmate in danger."
Aura sighed and put a hand on her hip. "Just let him keep the ring!"
Cleaver sighed. "Alright. Your report did say you must keep your seal on at all times—I didn't realize it was a ring. Anyway... you may begin!"
Aura got into position. Fenix, however, looked distracted, staring into space.
She charged.
He dodged.
She quickly followed up with a roundhouse kick. This time, he jumped back and grinned.
"I wasn't sure at first... but you're definitely the girl from before. I'd recognize that flat chest anywhere."
Aura's face turned bright red. Furious, she unleashed a flurry of attacks. He dodged them all. She blamed herself for letting her emotions get the better of her.
While she was busy scolding herself internally, Fenix gently tapped her forehead.
Aura looked up—too late.
"Five points for..." Cleaver began, hesitating, "Fenix!"
The class erupted with whispers:
"He actually hit Aura."
"And he wasn't even trying!"
"Maybe she'll finally get knocked off her throne."
"Alright, separate. Five feet apart," Cleaver ordered.
Fenix backed up with that same constant grin. Aura, still stunned, followed the command.
A head shot is worth 5 points, an arm hit is 1, a chest hit is 2 points, a stomach hit is 3, and a back strike is worth 4 points. Anything below the waist is forbidden so worth—0 points.
Aura's head had never been hit before. She was furious.
She took several deep breaths before round two.
"Start!" Cleaver shouted.
Aura charged. Fenix leaned back to dodge her punch, but she immediately shifted to a low kick and knocked him off balance. As he fell, Aura punched him in the chest.
"Ah... That kind of hurts," Fenix chuckled, getting up and rubbing his chest.
"If you value your life, you'll forget what you saw," Aura whispered coldly.
"And what if I don't value it?"
She froze at his response; her threat was serious, but he seemed charmed by it.
"Alright, back up, you two!" Cleaver yelled.
They returned to their places.
"That's 2 points for Aura. Last round coming up—maybe she'll make a comeback."
Fenix dusted himself off and gave her a wicked grin.
"I think I value the memory more than my life, Aura!" he yelled so loudly that the whole class heard.
Aura's face went completely red. Her classmates whispered feverishly, wondering what he meant. Cleaver didn't seem interested and only yelled,
"Begin round three! Start!"
Unleashing more power and speed than before, Aura once again charged at Fenix, a punch aimed at his chest, but, to her surprise, he caught her fist in his hand and spun her away from him.
She remained disoriented for a moment before launching into a spinning kick, this time aimed at his head.
"My, my," Fenix said in a pleased voice as he back-stepped out of range of her assault.
"Let me hit you!" Aura yelled.
Fenix laughed and backed away, saying, "No thanks. That would hurt."
Aura growled and launched herself at him, punching as fast as possible at his face. Somehow, he dodged every attempt, remaining cheerful as if this was a game... until... her knee connected with his stomach. As Fenix hunched over from the impact, she followed up with a right hook to his jaw.
"Alright, 8 points to Aura, bringing her total to 10. The victor of this sparring match is Aura." Janx announced.
Her classmates erupted in cheers. They weren't used to seeing such an intense match during class.
"I knew Aura would win!" one said.
"I never doubted her for a second," added another.
Aura exhaled heavily, then extended a hand to help Fenix up. He declined the gesture, swatting her hand away and standing on his own. At first, he looked upset... his formerly permanent smile gone, eyes glaring at the floor. But a split second later, the smile returned.
"You got me," he said casually. "You did a good job, Aura."
Aura lowered her hand and replied plainly, "That's right. I did."
"Great match, both of you!" Cleaver praised, clapping his hands. "You're excused for the rest of class."
Aura bowed and thanked him humbly. Fenix quickly gathered his things and left. Aura, in contrast, took her time getting dressed. As she was leaving, she heard Cleaver announce the next pair of fighters, but didn't stay to watch.
Mirror was waiting outside Aura's room, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Oh, God. It's worse than I heard!" She rushed forward, grabbing Aura's arm. Aura didn't resist; she knew why her sister was upset.
Mirror dragged her inside and immediately began moisturizing her face. Then, roughly combing the knots and tangles out of Aura's hair.
"You really need to take better care of yourself! You're a girl, you know." She scolded,
Aura said nothing, so Mirror continued,
"You're really pretty too, so it's a shame when you don't take care of yourself."
Aura frowned and finally spoke. "But... It's a bother."
Mirror smacked her lightly on the head. "Ow!"
"This is something girls have to do! We make sacrifices to keep up appearances. Heck, even guys brush their hair most days."
Aura sighed. She knew there was no point arguing; Mirror wouldn't understand her point of view. Aura spent so much time studying and doing coursework that the thought of doing anything else mentally exhausted her. She was burntout but that didn't matter. Aura knew she couldn't rest anytime soon.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you... But I won't always be around. You can't depend on me to fix you up forever," Mirror added more softly, gently braiding Aura's hair.
"...Okay. Thank you," Aura mumbled.
Mirror scoffed."Your hair is tough—I was pulling with all my might, and not one strand broke. My comb lost a few bristles, though."
Aura laughed. "Sorry."
"Let's hang out today," Mirror offered, now combing more gently to slowly untangle the strands. "but first... change out of that nasty-looking uniform."
Aura pouted. "There's nothing wrong with it! I washed it two days ago."
"It's full of holes, it has stains, and to make it worse, it's the boys' uniform!" Mirror retorted.
"It's more comfortable! I couldn't possibly wear one of those skimpy skirts!"
"Says the girl who fights in her underwear," Mirror argued back.
"That's different! I just need maximum mobility when I fight!" Aura protested.
Mirror hit her again. "Just change!"
Aura held her head and grumbled, "Fine!" She ran to her room to change clothes.
Mirror dragged Aura to the shopping district and bought her a mountain of clothes, forcing her to accept them. Aura was a bit bashful about it. It made her uncomfortable to receive so much, so for every gift Mirror gave her, she bought something in return. Afterward, they stopped at a café, where Aura insisted on paying for two cups of tea with milk and honey, a slice of vanilla cake, and a slice of strawberry shortcake.
"I can pay for my own food, you know," Mirror grumbled.
"But you're always taking care of me... I wanted to do something for you, this time," Aura said, blushing slightly.
Mirror laughed. "You're so cute." She reached over and patted Aura's head. "If you don't start caring about yourself, no one but me will ever know how cute you are."
"I don't care."
Mirror sighed and pinched Aura's cheek. "You're at that age. You should be interested in romance by now."
Aura jerked away and ignored her, sipping her tea. (That's all Mirror ever thinks about) She thought.
"Oh yeah, I heard some new guy actually landed a hit on you," Mirror said, changing the subject for Aura's sake.
"That was just a lucky shot," Aura replied coolly.
"My friend said he had impressive reflexes, caught you off guard, and that you tried harder to hit him than anyone else."
" That's because! ...He was... annoying," Aura admitted.
Mirror's eyes lit up."You mean you were bothered by him? ~"
"Yeah..."
"You usually only get annoyed by people you're close to... but this guy managed to get under your skin on your first meeting?! There may be hope!"
"Go to hell, Mirror."
"Ha-ha, maybe later. Anyway, spill! Was he cute? Do you like him?"
"I didn't even look at him. And of course not! I barely know him. Stop being stupid." Aura vehemently denied what Mirror was implying. Even considering Mirror's questions made her feel unease and caused an unfamiliar feeling in her chest.
"That's the most you've spoken all day," Mirror teased, chin resting in her palms, smiling.
Aura facepalmed. "Can you please stop acting like an idiot?" She hoped that insulting her sister's intelligence would make her drop the subject.
Mirror shook her head, grinning.
"It's just... my situation with him is unique." Aura explained, "I don't care for him, and I don't want to talk to him more than necessary. He's a hindrance."
"Oh! How... unromantic," Mirror groaned.
Aura shrugged and took a big bite of cake, getting whipped cream on her face. She didn't care. Before they left, Mirror wiped her sister's face clean with a napkin.
They separated at the dorms, because Mirror had a friend to meet later.
Aura walked to her room with her bags of gifts, only to find Fenix standing near her doorway.
"Ah... you're back. I was worried I had the wrong room," Fenix said, his tone cheerful—something Aura had started getting used to.
"What do you want?" she asked, annoyed.
Fenix ran a hand through his hair. His hair was dark red near the roots, lightened gradually, and shone gold at the tips. When he moved his bangs, Aura saw that he had heterochromia, one crimson colored eye and one gold.
"I just wanted to apologize for embarrassing you. Your fists told me you weren't happy with what happened. I hope you can forgive me."
"I don't care enough about you to hold a grudge," she responded, not even glancing at him while unlocking her door.
"Oh, that's good! I was really worried." Fenix said, then he waved and walked away.
His lighthearted response caught her off guard. She was dumbfounded, paused a moment, then went inside, unpacked her clothes, and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning...
Aura woke up early, completed a quick workout, and took a shower, this time remembering to wear a shower cap.
Then dressed in a rush and shoved a chocolate Pop-Tart into her mouth as she ran to class. Fenix was already there, staring out the window with a blank expression. Aura considered saying something to him. For some reason, she wanted to greet him, but ultimately she decided against it and quietly sat at her desk.
Hearing her chair move, Fenix turned in her direction and smiled, saying,
"Oh yeah, I wanted to ask: why do you wear the boys' uniform?"
"That's none of your business," Aura replied bluntly.
Fenix's smile didn't fade. "You're right. I was just curious. Sorry if that annoyed you." They sat in silence for a moment, then he added, "You look better rested today. That's good."
Aura was surprised that he noticed her fatigue yesterday. "Yes... that is true," she said, staring at her desk. "Although your concern is... completely unnecessary."
Fenix hummed. "Yesterday, I was afraid to fight you... because you looked tired... and because you're a girl. But I was wrong to underestimate you. You're a very skilled fighter. The most impressive person I've ever sparred with."
Aura blushed. She knew that already, but the compliment still embarrassed her.
"Thank you," she mumbled.
Fenix nodded, still smiling. At that moment, Ms. Emerald walked in.
"Alright, shut up, you bunch of fucking brats."
Everyone tensed. She'd clearly been drinking again.
"I hope all of you did your damn homework, or else you'll be punished so bad you'll beg me to kill your miserable asses."
Papers flew out of backpacks as students scrambled to turn in their homework. Two who hadn't done it ran out of the room. Ms. Emerald cursed through every sentence during instruction, and the atmosphere during class was tense.
Aura felt relieved when the bell for the second period rang. She packed in a hurry and headed to their next class. It was Herbal Studies.
"As you know," Madam Cantarella began in her shy voice, "if you're ever lost in enemy territory without rations, you must know what is safe to eat and which herbs are medicinal. That's why this class is important. Foraging is something you may need to do if you're ever deployed for battle." She adjusted her glasses. "Can anyone tell me which herbs help minimize pain?"
Aura raised her hand, but Cantarella gently declined.
"Someone with an Earth affinity has an unfair advantage. Let's hear from someone else."
Fenix raised his hand.
"Yes, Fenix?"
"A few are cannabis, yarrow, cloves, and arnica."
"Very good."
Aura pouted, again denied the chance to answer in her favorite class.
She sighed heavily over and over, slumping in her chair. She laid her head on her desk only to see Fenix grinning at her, proudly. She flicked him off and stuck out her tongue.
He laughed.
Martial Arts Combat followed, but today was lecture-based. They discussed strategy and the importance of retreat.
"Your lives are important," Cleaver said. "Never discard your self-preservation instinct. It may be your best defense."
Aura took notes diligently, while Fenix was nodding off like most of the class.
Then came lunch, Aura's second favorite subject.
As soon as Mirror saw Aura, she waved her over to sit at the same table. Mirror was sitting with three of her friends, but the seat across from her was empty. Aura joined her.
"Is that the boy who annoys you here?" Mirror whispered, scanning the cafeteria.
"No," Aura replied flatly.
"Too bad. I wanted to meet him." Mirror's voice was full of disappointment.
Aura started eating, shoveling food into her mouth and forcing it down with water.
"Eww, Aura! We have company. Show some manners." Her older sister scolded.
Aura swallowed, then wiped her mouth with her sleeve. Looked at the other people sitting around them and flatly said, "Pardon me."
"Aura?" a familiar voice called from behind her.
No...
"Hey! Mind if I sit with you? I don't know anyone else... I sat alone yesterday..."
It was him... Fenix. He looked around the table. "Is it okay if I sit with you all?"
Mirror and the others nodded, so he took a seat next to Aura. For some reason, Aura suddenly felt self-conscious and couldn't take another bite of her food.
"Who is he?" Mirror whispered to Aura,
"Fenix," he answered for himself.
Mirror smiled. "...Oh! You're the annoying guy! It's him, right, sis?"
Fenix's smile faltered. "I suppose so." He muttered silently, glancing at Aura, who began clearing her plate in a hurry, hoping to excuse herself as soon as she was done eating.
"Aura," Mirror whispered again, "You should be more ladylike when he's around."
Aura ignored her, finished her food, and left the cafeteria.
Back in her room, she flopped face-first onto her bed. The awkwardness was unbearable. She'd never felt so mortified.
A few minutes later... there was a knock at her door.
She sat up and realized, again, she had forgotten to close her door. She'd been caught sulking by the very last person she wanted to see her like that.
Fenix stood in the entrance.
"Hey there." He greeted,
Aura looked down.
"May I come in?" He asked gently,
She nodded. Only then did he step inside, closing the door behind him. He sat beside her on the bed. After a pause, he said,
"Your room's a lot cleaner than I expected."
Aura puffed her cheeks. "What's that supposed to mean?! Are you looking down on me?"
Fenix reached out and brushed her cheek. "You've got a little spaghetti sauce here."
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned crimson. She slapped his hand away, then muttered, "Shut up."
Fenix laughed, "Honestly... I might be looking down on you a little." He admitted.
"Well... stop," Aura replied coldly.
"I can't... I'm taller than you."
Aura paused for a moment... glared and flicked his forehead.
"Ow. You're so violent," he stated, chuckling. Once his laughter died down, he continued by saying, "Your sister explained everything to me," he added.
Aura's stomach twisted. (What did she say...? Hopefully not any nonsense about me liking him...)
"She said that you get annoyed with me so easily because we're already close. So, me being annoying is a good thing."
"That traitorous sow!" Aura hissed, flustered.
"But... I know it's really because I accidentally broke through your defensive wall. Thanks to an unfortunate event... well, unfortunate for you..."
"Get to the point." Aura retorted sharply,
"I want to be friends with you, Aura. Is that okay?" His request stunned her. That wasn't what she was expecting at all.
"Friends are completely unnecessary," she replied dismissively, before looking away.
"That's true... but even so, I always wanted one."
Fenix sat patiently, waiting for her response. While she fidgeted beside him, quietly panicking inside.