Hello, Irana here!
Over the weekend, Father and I had to cover for Elizabeth-sensei in observing Onee-chan. Honestly, nothing particularly eventful happened—except for when Onee-chan had a rather unexpected encounter with a celebrity.
That celebrity was none other than Syena Fiolera, who, funnily enough, also happens to be our classmate. But what really confused me was Onee-chan's reaction to the whole thing. Was it really necessary to drag Syena away and sprint through the streets as if they were being hunted? Sure, there were some people following them, but there were only four. Four! Meanwhile, Onee-chan acted like an entire stampede was on their heels.
Anyway, the first day back at school turned out to be more eventful than expected.
First, we had a little run-in at the dorm. Ariana—the girl who was with me and Viola during our weekend mission—turns out to be our dorm neighbour. Specifically, she's Kotori's dormmate. That was… surprising, to say the least.
Secondly, Syena seems to have left quite an impression on Onee-chan. I could tell because the moment we got to class, she was subtly looking around for someone. She tried to brush it off when I asked, but Viola immediately cut in and told her Syena wasn't coming today.
Apparently, according to Kotori, Syena is off-shooting a movie.
I wonder what's on Onee-chan's mind…What's so special about Syena, anyway, that Onee-chan keeps paying attention to her? Sure, she's a celebrity, but it's not like Onee-chan has ever shown any interest in famous people before. I never took her for the type to chase after stars.
Well, putting that aside, the rest of the day was uneventful—just the usual routine. Then came the next day… and the next… and the next.
Three days passed, and Syena was absent the entire time. She didn't show up to class even once.
It wasn't until recess on the third day that Kotori finally spoke up about it.
"Weird… Syena's shoot should be done by now," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone in particular.
That immediately caught Onee-chan's attention. "Are you sure? Maybe there was a delay in the shooting?" she asked.
Kotori shrugged. "Maybe… That could be the case."
But the uncertainty in her voice made it clear—something felt off.
Apart from that brief mention of Syena, the rest of the day passed without anything particularly noteworthy happening. Classes went on as usual, filled with lectures, notes, and the occasional side chatter among students.
After school, just as I was about to head back to the dorm, I received an emergency mission notification. My heart skipped a beat. Emergency missions weren't common, and when they did happen, it usually meant trouble.
I quickly found Viola, who was already checking her own device. "Viola, do you know what the mission is? Why is it labelled as an emergency?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Viola glanced at me, her expression unreadable. "Apparently, there's an Esper rampaging somewhere in the city," she said, her tone calm but serious.
A rampaging Esper? That was bad news. The Esper Association had strict regulations in place to prevent incidents like this, and if someone had lost control of their powers, it meant the situation was already out of hand.
"Do we have details?" I pressed.
"Not much. Just that it's happening near the entertainment district," Viola replied. "They want available personnel to assist in containment."
"Let's just head over there now," I said.
Viola nodded briefly, then grabbed my shoulder without another word. In an instant, the world around us twisted. The sensation of teleportation was brief but always a little disorienting—like my body was being pulled through space faster than my mind could process.
When the world came back into focus, the sharp scent of smoke filled my lungs. The temperature around us had risen significantly, and the sky was tinged with an eerie orange glow.
A blazing building stood in front of us, flames licking up its sides like a hungry beast devouring its prey. The crackling of the fire and the occasional shouts from people filled the air, creating a chaotic scene.
I took a step forward, assessing the situation. The Esper causing this—were they still inside? Were they even aware of the damage they were doing?
Viola clenched her fists beside me. "This is worse than I expected," she muttered.
Before I could respond, a loud crash echoed through the area as part of the building collapsed, sending embers flying through the air. The ground trembled slightly from the impact.
I swallowed hard. "We need to find the Esper fast."
I focused, summoning my power as a chill spread through my fingertips. Ice formed quickly, covering both my body and Viola's in a protective layer. The suffocating heat of the fire dulled slightly, the icy shield acting as a buffer against the relentless flames.
"Let's head in," I said.
Viola hesitated for a moment, glancing at the raging inferno in front of us. "You think the Esper is inside?"
I exhaled, the cold mist from my breath contrasting against the blazing surroundings. "Well, if they're not, you can always teleport me away."
She sighed but didn't argue. "Fine, but if things get too dangerous, I'm pulling us out, no questions asked."
I nodded in agreement before stepping forward into the burning structure. The moment we crossed the threshold, a wave of heat slammed into us despite the ice shielding our bodies. The air was thick with smoke, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. The wooden beams above creaked dangerously, some already collapsing under the weight of the flames.
Coughing slightly, I pressed forward, scanning the surroundings. "If there's anyone in here, we need to find them fast."
Viola stayed close, her eyes darting around for any signs of movement. "We need to be careful—if the Esper is in here, they might not be in their right mind."
Just then, a loud crash came from deeper inside the building. A shadowy figure moved amidst the flames, its form flickering like a mirage.
"There!" I pointed, picking up my pace.
Then…
"Where is she?!"
A sharp, furious voice cut through the roaring flames and the crackling of burning debris. Its sheer intensity sent a shiver down my spine.
No way… it couldn't be…
"I-I don't know! We haven't heard anything from her in the last three days! I swear!! Please, don't kill me!" The man's desperate voice wavered, thick with fear. His legs trembled beneath him as he clawed at the hands gripping his collar.
As Viola and I moved closer, the flickering light of the fire cast ominous shadows over the chaotic scene. Then, through the smoke and heat, I saw her.
A girl stood in the midst of it all, her grip unrelenting, fingers digging into the man's clothes as if she could squeeze the truth from his very soul. Her wild and untamed red hair flowed like fire, swaying with every breath of heated wind. Her eyes burned with barely contained fury, an inferno reflecting in the depths of her pupils. The sheer energy surrounding her seemed to distort the air itself, a force barely restrained.
The Esper causing all this destruction was—
"Ariana?!" I blurted out, my voice almost lost in the chaos around me.