"Fuck. I'm running out of mana".
Blood ran down Domino's lips, breathing in large gasps as she wiped her lips, her eyes felt heavy as if she was about to drop at any moment.
"Audrey, blame yourself for not training yourself properly, honestly, I give up, just take over". Domino's voice, though internal, was sharp, tinged with a frustration that bordered on petulance. "This seems to be all I can do. This is what being 'normal' gets you, gang. Hopelessness." A sudden, forceful mental shove reverberated through Audrey's consciousness, a cold command to reclaim what had been borrowed. The pitch-black eyes, which had held such calculating intensity, began to waver, the edges softening, blurring back into a familiar, troubled green.
Her vision swam, body still burning with the residual heat of Domino's last burst of mana, but the distinct pain of her own battered form quickly asserted itself. "W-what the hell!? Why did you place this task on me"!?
[Your commotion seemed to have alerted the authorities and possibly her little friends]
"The fuck do you mean by 'my commotion'"? Audrey's teeth gritted, her eyes widened. "It was all you"!
Malachite intertwined her fingers together, her hands merging into black sludge, directly firing a large black pellet at Audrey.
Audrey held one hand in front of another, she screamed as loud as she could, trying to draw as much as she could from her mana pool.
"Vigil Hexa"!
A flicker of a translucent hexagon appeared in front of her, shattering instantly as it met up with the black pellet. Audrey collapsed to one knee, clutching at her chest as she gasped for air.
"Shit, I'm not some fuckin damsel that needs help, I won't die, not here at least".
[Suit yourself then Audrey, if you die here then I die too. So try not to die]
"Shut the fuck up Domino, I don't need you in my ear right now, damn it"!
"I wonder where that confidence of yours went"? Malachite's voice dripped with condescension as she took another slow step forward, her shadow falling over Audrey. Her arms were crossed, her amber eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "One little poke and you're already on your knees. Is that all you have in you? Pathetic." She slowly extended a black, sludge-formed claw, preparing for a final, leisurely strike.
Audrey limped towards her, dragging one knee across the school courtyard, then with a sudden burst of speed, she dashed towards her even surprising her before she had a chance to transform.
Her fist launched towards Malachite, the moment her fist landed on her, mana flared up at the last possible second, like a spike piercing through her. It was a single, desperate, unchanneled burst, fueled by sheer, unadulterated will rather than technique, aimed at the same point Domino had exploited earlier Malachite's head. The impact sent a jarring shockwave through Malachite, launching her straight through the school gate, which shrieked and splintered under the force. Audrey's fist was a painful red, throbbing with residual mana and the agony of bone-deep impact.
The recoil had hit her hand hard, she felt the bones in her fingers shake, like they were stung by bees while having lava poured all over them. "Shit, there goes all my mana, I feel like I'm going to vomit". She stumbled backward, clutching her mangled hand, the world tilting precariously.
Her vision started to blur, her eyelids felt even heavier than before, she felt aching in every single muscle in her entire body, her breath came out in quick gasps, her body reaching out for oxygen. She was on the verge of collapsing, her legs giving out beneath her. The cold night air, once a discomfort, now felt like a desperate balm against her feverish skin.
She looked up at the moonlit sky, her eyes unfocusing as sweat poured down her back, instantly cooling down. The stars swam above her, a dizzying, uncaring canvas. Just as her knees buckled, a familiar, comforting warmth enveloped her.
"Hey, Audrey, you okay"?
A pair of hands grabbed onto her as she fell down, it was warm, comfortably so, solid and unwavering as they steadied her. She saw the two pair of floating violet pupils staring softly at her and smiled, a weak, crooked thing that was more relief than amusement. Hoshimi, completely invisible, had arrived, his mana signature faint but undeniably present, holding her upright as she slumped against him.
"Hoshimi you didn't do shit". She gasped, her voice came out in a whisper as she punched him in the arm, but she couldn't get any energy out of her, it seemed more like a weak poke.
"I was a little busy, you know," Hoshimi murmured, gently easing her to a sitting position against a nearby wall. His invisible hand brushed her forehead, checking for injuries, his violet eyes still glowing with a soft, protective light. "But I was watching, you're really admirable".
"Wh-where did that rogue go"?
"You don't have to worry anymore Audrey, she isn't here anymore". Hoshimi's voice, calm and reassuring, was like an anchor in her storm of pain and exhaustion.
"You fuckin lied to me". Audrey's brows furrowed. "There was no way she was just a level 5".
Hoshimi smiled, this time she fully saw his face. The same smile as always, one that never really reached his eyes. "Maybe I was underestimating her a little bit, but you managed to squeeze out the victory anyways didn't you"?
"You're a bitch, I fuckin hate you". Audrey started chuckling loudly. Audrey's laughter cracked halfway through, dissolving into a pained wheeze. She slumped harder against the wall, sweat dripping down her temple. "God… my whole body feels like shit."
"You look like shit too, anyways what happened to Domino"?
"Hey Domino". Audrey lifted her head.
[What do you want Audrey]
"You said that you'd kill everyone, does that still hold true now"?
[The hell do you think I am? A monster? When I gained control over your body, the change in souls caused an influx of adrenaline to rush over the body. I could care less about killing your little friends, we share the same body, if you feel happy then so am I]
"She said that she couldn't care less about killing you".
[At the very least just let me out sometimes so I can get some fresh air. I feel holed up staying in the back of your mind the whole time. And tell your little boyfriend that I'm gonna fuck him as soon as I get out]
"Are you kidding me? I'm not telling him that"!?
[Maybe if you weren't such a bitch and more glorious like me, maybe you'd get some dick]
"Shut up, you're annoying as shit"! Audrey's voice squeaked. "Do you have no filter"!?
"I guess you seemed to have regained your energy". Hoshimi covered his mouth with his hand, hiding a smile behind it. "It's really funny seeing you argue with yourself, you just look schizophrenic".
"Shut up". Audrey looked away from him, her cheeks slightly flushing, her breathing became loaded. "I'm going to sleep now, carry me back".
"You're heavy".
Audrey's eyes narrowed, staring daggers into Hoshimi. "You're not being funny, I'm not even that heavy". She stared blankly at him for a couple seconds. "Real ten out of ten motivator".
"I try my best".
"Hahaha—ow—fuck—." Audrey clutched her ribs, wincing. "I'm seriously gonna die."
A pause.
Then Audrey whispered, barely audible.
"…thanks for catching me."
"Your welcome Audrey".
"I would prefer it if you carried me like this back to the estate rather than carrying me piggyback ".
Hoshimi looked around the empty courtyard, his eyes wandering slowly. "I'd rather not, it's embarrassing, can you stand up"?
"No, my ass is gone. I can't move anything".
For a moment, neither spoke. The courtyard was quiet—eerily so—wind brushing through the shattered gate. Then the air started to tense up, a rapid influx of mana poured over the courtyard, a cold shiver went down Hoshimi's spine as he froze holding Audrey in his hands.
"Shit".
"What is it"?
"Someone I didn't want to see".
The moonlight shone behind a small figure.
A small girl with long flowing hair, a pink puffed up jacket on top of a touched up black sailor uniform with a golden emblem attached to the chest.
She stood on top of a floating steel broadsword, her hands in the pockets of her hoodie and golden eyes that stared down.
"Rejoice before my appearance"!
Her coffee brown hair came down to her shoulders, ending up in large tufts as it clumped on her shoulders, her voice came out like an echo that came throughout the night.
"Reina called me to help you,you should be glad that someone of my caliber is aiding you once again".
Hoshimi clicked his tongue, one hand went under Audrey's thighs as he carried her in a bridal position.
"We're going now".
"Wai-"
Hoshimi's footsteps hammered against the courtyard stones, each impact sending a sharp crack through the quiet night. Audrey's limp weight dragged in his arms, her breath a weak, trembling warmth on his collarbone. He didn't dare look back, he could feel the mana presence stalking them, coiling like a blade suspended above their necks.
"Tch… of all people," he muttered, jaw clenched. His eyes flicked toward the shadows ahead, calculating every turn, every blind corner.
Audrey groaned. "Who… who was that girl?"
He sighed through his nose, sharp and irritated. "Her name's Sophia Miller. Reina's little golden child".
"That Sophia Miller"?
"The one and only," Hoshimi said, his voice utterly flat-no awe, no respect, just mild contempt. "And before you start freaking out, yes, she'll be the one handling the rest of the rogues, and yes, she'll also smooth things over with the authorities. There's no one that'll not listen to her".
He picked up speed again. Audrey shook in his arms. "Then why're we running from her!?
"Because I have beef with her," he shot back.
A soft, melodious voice drifted over the courtyard, filtering past the wind like silk.
"Running already?"
Hoshimi's shoulders went stiff.
Sophia Miller floated with ease beside them, sitting on top of a floating broadsword as if she were out for a Sunday train ride. The sword hummed beneath her, a smooth, resonant vibration that seemed to hum directly into Hoshimi's spine.
Sophia's golden hair fluttered behind her like a banner, her jacket sleeves dancing with the wind. A faint, silvery hum emanated from her floating broadsword, an almost melodic thrum that seemed to vibrate in Hoshimi's very bones. "Reina mentioned that you would somehow get into trouble, I guess that maybe she was right, no wonder people call her a prophet, people's lives are like books to her".
"Good for her," Hoshimi muttered. Mana swirled violently around his legs, an instinctive reaction, a defense, a warning. The air bent around them as their bodies blurred, dissolving into wind itself, turning practically invisible to the naked eye.
Sophia's sword stopped mid-air. She narrowed her eyes slightly.
Her sword stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowed. "He's always running from me". She leaned her gaze toward the sky, not bothering to give chase. She rose higher, standing upright on the broadsword, balancing on the edge of the steel as though born in the air. She lifted her hand, watching the cluster of witches gathering in panic across the school grounds far beneath her. The wind curled obediently around her wrist.
"Troublesome," she murmured to no one, and disappeared in a blink of silver light.
"We're back now, Audrey, get down".
Within a flash, Audrey and Hoshimi came back to the estate, he dug into his pants and pulled out his phone, the brightness shining through the darkness of the night.
"4.46, I guess we had some time left, but it sure went by in a flash".
"I still have some questions regarding Sophia Miller".
"Come on, really"?
"You can't drop someone as famous as that and not explain." Audrey's eyes narrowed. "Why haven't you mentioned her before?"
"I don't really like her all that much". Hoshimi commented.
"That's it?"
"That's why." His tone was blunt to the point of almost echoing.
Audrey stared at him.
He sighed. "Fine. She walked out on the Miller family when she was young. No support, no resources, no one willing to take her in. My stepmother–Reina, she offered her a place to stay."
"Meaning?" Audrey prompted.
"She's basically like a sister to me," said the reluctant Hoshimi.
"TYou don't sound like you like her at all". She sat down next to the fountain as the water trickled behind her.
"Because she's a bitch." Hoshimi said it so simply, it almost sounded like fact on a government form. "She's lazy, selfish, loud, has the maturity of a nine-year-old, narcissistic and just annoying".
"I never knew she was like that, well at least the records never mentioned her personality to be like that at the very least".
"The school records don't mention everything, even it only has her magic listed in them-telekinesis. Because of her bloodline." Hoshimi tilted his head toward her. "Reina refused to disclose the rest, Sophia's Merlin's reincarnation for fucks sake, someone like her can take over the entire country singlehandedly".
"Damn it Hoshimi, I want her autograph! Couldn't you be the least bit useful and ask her"?
"Did you- did you not hear what I said about her personality".
"Dude, you know how much her signature goes for online"?
"Aren't you rich"?
"..." Audrey stared at the ground awkwardly. "You're right, I forgot. Um… but it's not like I get any of the money anyways, they refuse to let someone like me handle a big sum of money".
Audrey opened her mouth, closed it, then looked away as if the fountain water suddenly became very interesting. "Umm"...
Hoshimi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Audrey, go to sleep. You're delirious."
"Nu uh, you're delirious".
"You can't even stand."
Audrey attempted to push herself up, managed approximately half an inch, then immediately fell back onto the fountain edge with a pained grunt. "…okay maybe I'm delirious."
"Right."
The faint glow of dawn was only beginning to creep above the estate walls, a soft blue bruising the sky. Birds were waking, chirping faintly in the hedges, oblivious to the fact that Audrey had nearly died twice in the past hour. Her heartbeat finally steadied.
Then Domino spoke.
[By the way, tell him I meant what I said about fucking him.]
"NO." Audrey slapped her own forehead.
Hoshimi blinked. "What did she say?"
"Nothing. Mind your business."
[Hoshimi, sweetie—]
"NO, SHUT UP," Audrey said out loud.
Hoshimi's brow lifted. "You're still schizophrenic."
Audrey groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hope you choke."
[Hey, Audrey, we share the same body. That means that we share the same brain and the same feelings, I know extremely well that you're a horny bastard Audrey, just tell him that you like him]
"Yeea, n-no way in hell that's happening".