5:25 AM.
Tomorrow came.
And Akashi's signature burnt toast wasn't there to bless her nostrils.
Yay.
She got up, stretching before her eyes landed on the stuffed bear that had been keeping her company all night.
Bravey.
He sat on the floor, tiny legs folded over each other unnaturally, yet natural enough for an inanimate object.
She picked him up, dusted him even though he didn't need it, and set the plush toy back on her nightstand as she began her daily routine.
Make her bed.
Brush her teeth.
Stare at her ceiling before remembering she still had a life to somewhat continue.
And then eat some breakfast. A banana or two.
The morning air was crisp and colder than usual. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, a telltale sign that it was probably going to rain again.
She loved Autumn.
More specifically, she loved the gloomy weather that came with it because usually, whenever the sky was gray, she didn't feel alone.
Like the world was darkening itself to relate to her too.
Of course, the cold itself wasn't something she enjoyed because of how utterly sensitive her immune system was, but that was a different subject altogether.
Today's objective was quieter.
Just make it through the day.
She tied her laces by the door, tapping the handle once before it shimmered with a soft clink.
Right.
Let's go.
The neighborhood was always quiet at 7 AM.
Especially on Saturdays.
Normally, she'd be asleep by now. However, last night, Akashi had received a text from the school's principal-just before the emergency he rushed off to-that she had to go to campus to receive her 'new schedule.'
Part of her didn't like the idea of waking up on a day meant for lazing around. However, if it meant she might get some sort of normalcy in her life, then she had to at least try.
She got to the usual corner by Teio's workplace.
No sign of the green-haired girl.
Probably not working on a weekend.
Her journey continued anyway.
She didn't notice that one of the customers inside-a tall redhead-was eyeing her as she walked past with her headphones on.
They smirked a little.
Not that she saw it. Her attention was now on the distant, gray architecture behind the children's park a few blocks forward.
Kyata University.
Older than most of the people who were probably still alive during the Tokito Calamity, it became a symbol of perseverance and strength for the people in the Setagaya region.
For all its quiet status, it was one of the most respected schools, though it didn't quite compare to Junji University or the highly respected Hayaku University.
She'd read about its history before being transferred here.
How a brilliant professor had settled down there in hopes of finding new talent.
None of that mattered anymore, though.
Not even the Dean knew the school's Founder's name.
She finally arrived at the rusty metal gates as she looked up at it, drinking in its complex infrastructure.
"Just make it through today," she whispered to herself.
Her black gloves made contact with the cold steel as she took a cold breath.
"Okay..."
...
Campus was quiet.
A few students, probably having some illegal extra tutoring classes from veteran student lecturers, moved in and out about the open expanse of the main building's square.
She hadn't noticed it until now, but...
school was pretty.
The silver-lily trees bloomed like sun-kissed ash in spring.
The butterflies that mingled with the birds nestling in the ancient walnut tree landed on the floral greenery, covering most of the large area's floor.
Rocks that hummed quietly as the color shifted from withered ancient gray
to a lighter, younger turquoise that rippled into the air as tiny energy particles, all of which got filtered through the biggest spectacle at the square's center.
A fountain.
A large cherubim fountain spat out crystallized particles of energy on one side, drank water from the other, and was one of the most confusing yet oddly soothing things she'd ever seen.
She walked, trailing off the large corridor into the large area to appreciate its complexity better.
Her hand trailed over the metal fence before she turned the hinges of the gate.
But less than five steps in, she was stopped by a familiar voice.
Flat.
And stale.
"You're supposed to be walking in this direction, Akira."
She turned.
Ponytail.
She bowed out of habit.
"O-Oh, Mrs. Ju—"
{ "My name is Mrs. Kisaragi Juri." }
The hybrid's hair slid over her ear, hiding her face.
The older woman's bruised hand rested on her hip before her eyes narrowed.
"Yes."
Akira remained like that for another two seconds.
She didn't know why, but...
she stopped herself after remembering that-
"Don't just stand there. Come. You can play with the birds after your lesson."
Akira's eyes softened behind her violet veil.
She bit her lip.
"It's rude not to greet someone."
That's what she thought.
That's what she kept replaying in her head.
"I should've greeted her."
Guilt.
"Why didn't I?"
Shame.
"Why—"
Her eyes widened a little as she finally looked up.
"Hold on..."
"Did she say..."
The older woman was already walking away, fully expecting the young lady to follow before she decided today was a good day to be an impatient prick.
"My office. You'll be told what happens when you get there."
Akira watched her disappear behind two pillars before the sound of her heels gradually reduced.
She snapped out of her daze.
"Oh, right. Yes, ma'am."
And followed her to the north side of the quiet campus.
...
Akira's mind constantly replayed the earlier interaction as she followed Juri.
She glanced at her hands every so often, wondering if she came off as rude.
She probably did.
She thought.
How could she have not?
No one would like it if someone suddenly stopped saying their name halfway because of some silly—
"I spoke to your brother earlier this morning," Juri said, never glancing back.
Her brain took a moment.
Pay attention.
"O-Oh, okay..." she replied.
What was she supposed to say after that?
"What did you talk about?"
No.
Too invasive.
What they spoke about was none of her business.
"How is he?"
Then she might think the siblings don't get along.
And that'd be a misunderstanding she didn't have the capacity to—
"He told me you're a very talented individual," Juri said as they walked into a smaller open area, where some students sat in a circle practicing some sort of art project.
Akira's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh."
The word slipped.
"Yes."
As she opened the door to her office, a separate building with various broken windows and a small gap in the wall that looked like it had been carved there since the Bronze Age, Juri glanced over her shoulder as she said with an unreadable expression,
"And I look forward to unveiling that potential."
Akira didn't know what to say to that one either.
She just followed the older woman inside as the door shut behind them.
The inside of the older woman's spacious office was...unexpectedly empty.
There was only a table at the very front with a whiteboard that had complex formulas that appeared half-finished.
Everything else was simply empty space with a single bright light on the high ceiling.
Juri removed her jacket as she placed it on the table.
The door at the very end of the room opened as a young man with blonde hair walked in.
He noticed the hybrid almost immediately as he struggled with the stack of books in his grasp.
"Oh. Akira. It's nice to see you're doing okay," Graham said, peeking aside to watch his footing.
Akira moved before she consciously registered it.
"I'll help you," she offered.
"Oh, thank you."
She gently took the entire stack into her arms as she turned to face Mrs. Juri.
Graham adjusted his glasses as he sighed, looking at his arms.
"Why can't you be like that?"
Akira didn't understand what was going on.
Why was she here?
And why did Mrs. Juri say "lesson"?
"U-Uhm..."
Juri undid her ponytail as she let her hair cascade down her shoulders.
She looked...younger.
"I know you're confused. I'll explain."
The older woman removed her heels as she let her leggings press against the cool floor before settling into more comfortable black sandals.
Her fingers pushed the metallic frames up the bridge of her nose as she finally stood in front of Akira, Graham standing a distance behind her.
"As of this moment, you will no longer be taking regular classes like the rest of the students."
...
Eh?
"I and Mr. Graham will be teaching you from this moment on."
...
Eh?
"I understand this is a major change for you, but this is what the staff has decided to do for now until further notice."
...
The older woman's voice remained professional as she told her with the most stoic expression that this room was her new classroom.
Graham felt uncomfortable at the hybrid's stunned silence as he watched her pupils tremble when he walked forward.
"Mrs. Juri...don't you think that was a little bit too...blunt?"
Mrs. Juri's eyes slid to the blonde as she cleaned the board.
She only stared.
"I mean...couldn't you have put it more lightly...?"
"I asked you this morning. You refused."
"I thought you'd do a better job and—"
"I'm not..."
Akira's voice slipped in.
"I'm not...going to learn with everyone else?"
Graham's brows loosened at the tone of her voice.
"Yes," Juri replied evenly. "You and I will take the normal course of Quantum Energy Mechanics and have an additional special course tailor-made for you—"
"Is it because I'm a Hybrid?"
...
The question bled out of her, raw and shaky.
Because if that's true.
If what they said was true...
Then it was the only reason.
Juri observed her.
The way her violet hair, neatly tied in a cross-bun, splayed across her face.
The way her eyes refused to look at anything that wasn't already on the floor.
The way her body quietly refused the idea of being alone again.
Juri turned to face her fully as she set the whiteboard duster on the table before she stood in front of the lofty young woman.
"Akira."
She flinched.
Please.
Please don't say it.
Don't let it be true—
"Yes."
...
"The staff had multiple complaints from several students about discomfort at being close to someone like you."
That hurt her.
No theatrics.
Just plainly.
"They were honestly considering you being transferred to a new school, one that would've been more...lenient with Essentials of your type."
Oh.
"Mrs. Juri," Graham eased. "She's going to—"
"I won't sugarcoat the truth," Juri replied, never looking away from the girl's teary expression.
"If she's going to grow, she'll need to learn that most people will see her as a threat first before they see her as a person."
The statement was as cruel as it was true.
Not because she was naive enough to believe they wouldn't.
But precisely because she already knew that.
She had already accepted it too.
Deep down.
She knew she wasn't going to be welcomed.
But none of that mattered because for the first time in a long...
long time...
Akira had something she thought she didn't deserve.
Friends.
Yui.
Geisha.
James.
Even Ren.
Those people, for what it was worth, saw her and didn't hate her completely.
But she was a fool, wasn't she?
An idiot to believe that maybe, justmaybe, things could be a little bit different this time.
She wiped her tears, though new ones foiled her efforts.
Graham watched uncomfortably as he watched Akira cry.
And Juri didn't say anything else as she dispersed energicules from her palm, golden motes slowly drifting into the room.
"I understand this is very unfair on your part, Akira. But believe me, I made sure to do everything in my power to—"
"No, you don't..."
Silence.
Juri's brows furrowed a little.
"Pardon?"
Graham caught the subtle shake in Akira's shoulders as she clutched the strap of her bag tighter.
"How could you possibly understand..."
Juri's hand lowered as the unfinished filtration hovered in the air around them.
"Ms. Hashinada, I believe I might be the only person in this room who could understand how unreasonable it is to judge someone based off who they are."
Akira...laughed.
It was wet.
Soft.
Weak.
That made both teachers' expressions tighten.
The room suddenly had the faint scent of lavender.
But it was...sharper around the edges.
Jagged.
"You understand...me...?" she whispered.
The memories of her nightmare slipped into her mind.
Dirty.
Wrong.
"Do you...even understand how much...pain..."
Juri's eyes darkened instantly.
The floral scent deepened.
"Graham. Leave."
Just as the younger professor obeyed, a deep, resonating thrum shook the room as the golden motes evaporated into distant silver.
Akira's body froze.
Her hands, which had nearly broken the strap of her bag under their grip, suddenly loosened as she swallowed the bile down her throat.
And yet.
Thrrrmmmm...
The metal in the building curved as the light in the room suddenly popped.
Akira's irises shimmered as both Juri and her felt the tidal shift in the air.
Something's here.
And then the shift came.
A deathly high screech pierced their eardrums, shattering the windows to bits, the force of the scream loud enough to disorientate the human in the room.
BEEP!
BEEP!
A loud siren toppled into the silence as a robotic voice made an announcement.
| "Emergency Announcement. Please standby."
| "Emergency Announcement. Please standby."
| "Emergency Announcement. Please stand—"
Static.
{ "Hello. This is Captain Sonoya Kishima speaking..." }
Akira's initial internal thoughts were drowned out by the sounds of screams that echoed from the outside as another deep, pressurized simmer shook her bones.
"Mrs. Juri, I—"
"I know. Quiet."
Her expression was dark and serious as she glanced at the broken windows.
{ "If you are hearing my voice, it means you are in very immediate danger and need to be evacuated from the area immediately." }
{ "I repeat. Evacuate the area IMMEDIATELY, this is not a drill. A Class 3 Shrill has been detected in your area and you must leave to your nearest Ayanaki Deport Bunker." }
{ "I repeat..." }
The hybrid's eyes were wide with panic.
A Shrill.
An actual, dangerous Shrill.
Her body trembled, afraid to move as she looked at Juri for guidance, for safety.
Juri didn't waste time.
She immediately took her hand as she led her to the far east side of the campus.
"Ma'am, I-I'm sorry—"
"Now is not the time for apologies, Akira. Move." she commanded.
The sky above them fell dark for a split second before the announcement suddenly cut off.
An eerie silence settled as Juri's eyes dilated.
"Shit."
Graham held the bunker door open as he screamed,
"JURI!!"
Juri pushed Akira with enough force to send her body hurtling straight into the bunker, crashing into—
The bunker door shut.
Graham's eyes shot wide in panic—
"JURI!"
in the next heartbeat.
only moments after he screamed her name.
The sound came before the Shrill.
And with it.
The world disappeared behind a violent roar of soot and ash.