“Yue, what does it mean when someone you barely know can paralyze you with a look?”
The line had been perfectly timed and worded, leaving both Yue and Haruna coughing and sputtering, choking on their drinks. A now blushing Nodoka had been just outside the line of fire, with five or so other students packed into the train-car not being so lucky.
“W-w-w-w-what?!” Haruna stammered once she finally cleared her throat. “Y-you’re in love with someone?!”
“No,” Sunset replied, grinning. “But I knew that that was the conclusion you’d come to.” She sighed, the smile slipping into a confused frown. “It happened the other day, when the mob found the kid and Konoka. I let off a bit of steam, called them out for jumping to wild conclusions and harrassing Negi and, well…”
Yue coughed a couple of times, clearing the last of the juice from her throat. “Was it Ku Fei-chan or Nagase-chan? They can be terrifying when they want to be.”
Sunset shook her head. “No, not them. I mean, they were there, but I could handle their glares. No, it was… Makie, actually.”
“Eh? Makie-chan?” Nodoka asked. “I can’t imagine her glaring at anyone.”
“She wasn’t. It was… different.” Sunset rubbed one arm with the other, trying to figure out how to describe it. “It was like… Have you ever had a parent or teacher that you really look up to give you a look when they’re disappointed in you? The sort of look that says, ‘I forgive you and understand why you did this, but I know you can be better than that and it makes me sad that you’re living below your potential.’”
“Erk!” Sunset looked over her shoulder to find another girl from their class. Chisame Hasegawa, the bispecled, plain-faced shut-in, was looking pointedly away from Sunset, desperately trying to pretend she hadn’t been the one to make that choking noise.
“Ah,” Yue said, nodding. “That sort of look. From Makie-chan. There’s a very good explanation for that.”
“Really?” asked Sunset, deciding to spare Chisame the embarrassment for now and turn back to her friends. “And what’s that?”
“You’re delusional,” Haruna answered, slapping Sunset on the back. “Come on, Makie? Really? I don’t think she’s capable of anything that deep or complex.”
“Haruna-chan!” Nodoka scolded.
“She’s not wrong,” Yue said, taking another sip of her juice. “Makie-chan is a very straightforward person. I have a hard time thinking of her behaving seriously, much less mentorly. You must have misread her, Nichi-chan.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Sunset replied. Maybe when pegasi start shoveling mud. There’s no way I could misread a look like that. Makie’s hiding something, and I’m going to find out what.
“Next stop, Mahora Academy Central.”
Sunset looked up, hiking her bag further up her shoulder. “That’s us. See you girls in class.” The doors opened a moment later, Sunset dashing forward and quickly taking the lead of the mob of students who swarmed towards Mahora. She usually would have walked with her friends, but she was determined to be in class when Makie arrived so she could confront her.
Unfortunately, Makie didn’t show up. Sunset was the first one in the room and waited for twenty minutes as the rest of her classmates filed in. She traded smiles with her friends, gave indifferent stares to most everyone else, and smirked when she saw Mana and Setsuna enter. Both were wearing swimsuits, but at opposite extremes. Setsuna wore a school swimsuit which barely showed off anything, her face a solid red even as she held her head high. Mana had elected to go with a bikini which, showing off her stellar body, made her look even older than she usually did. If she was blushing at all, her dark skin and confident smile hid it well.
“Good morning, Nichibotsu,” she said, smiling at Sunset. “We’re sorry we couldn’t tutor you yesterday, but I’m honestly not sure how much more help you’ll need. I’ve never seen someone master a language as quickly as you do.”
“Oh, I’m a good distance from mastery,” Sunset said, looking Mana up and down and unashamedly enjoying the view. “It’ll be months before I have all of the vocab down. So, what’s up with you and tomato-head?”
Mana gave Setsuna a glance, chuckling as her face turned even redder at her classmates’ attention. “We lost a bet,” she explained. “Bet a few months ago on whether you would alienate the class or not. Since only about seven actually dislike you, Setsuna-san lost. And since the entire class hasn’t forgiven you, I lost.”
“And the loser has to wear a swimsuit to school?” Sunset asked.
Mana nodded. “It’s one of the more common punishments for losing a bet in our class.”
Sunset grinned and headed for her seat as Negi entered. “I think my appreciation for this class just went up a lot more.” She sighed as she sat down at her desk, leaning back and resting her hands behind her head.
And froze.
She kept her content smile and relaxed posture even as her heart started beating wildly. No way, she thought, repressing a shudder. No freaking way. That’s not possible! I haven’t felt something like this in years! It can’t be! She looked around the room, taking in her fellow students as they gossiped and chatted. Setsuna had regained her stoic demeanor, observing the class through a single open eye. Kazumi was chatting with Natsumi while Chisame waited impatiently for class to start. Nodoka was reading a book, Negi was ordering a few papers on his desk, and Evangeline was staring right at her.
It’s her. And she noticed! “Can I help you?” Sunset asked, keeping her voice calm and somewhat irritated.
Evangeline stared at her for another moment before shrugging, turning to face forward again. “Not really. Just thought I saw something.”
Sunset shrugged while inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. Good. Either she thinks it was nothing, or she decided I’m not worth her attention. She found it hard to focus as the class started, even with all the usual antics that made 3-A infamous. But there’s no mistaking what I felt. What I can still feel. I haven’t sensed magic this dark since I fought Raven Dower. Why didn’t I notice it before? Did something replace the real Evangeline? Sunset allowed her senses to open further as Negi started the class. No, it’s not that. It looks like it just isn’t that powerful. But that’s impossible; you don’t get magic that dark without a lot of work and effort. It feels like she could barely summon a gust of wind. Is her magic sealed? Then why can I feel it now when I couldn’t before?
“Negi-sensei!” Sunset turned her attention to the door where Shizuna stood, leaning into the classroom. “Today is the school health checkup. Please tell everyone in 3-A to prepare accordingly.”
“Oh no,” Sunset muttered, grateful for a distraction even as she dreaded what was surely about to happen. “Please kid, have enough self-awareness not to say-”
“W-well then, everyone. We’re having a health checkup, so, uh, er, everyone, please prepare to take off your clothes!”
Sunset’s face met her desk, and she heard the sound of Chisame’s doing something similar next to her. Huh. Maybe I should try to get to know her. She seems like a perfectly sane person. She looked up as Negi fled the room, her classmates for once not trying to seduce or harass him beyond a little teasing.
“Honestly, that kid,” Sunset muttered, standing up and starting to unbutton her shirt. “One of these days he’s going to say something that’ll actually get him into trouble.”
“I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet.” Sunset glanced over to see Chisame undressing as well, the long-haired orange-head glaring out at her classmates. “Honestly, what are they thinking? How can any of them take a ten-year-old kid seriously as a teacher?”
“Simple,” Sunset replied, relaxing a bit as Evangeline moved towards the front of the class. “Half of them are idiots, another third are either mature enough not to get involved or too good-hearted for their own good, and the rest are just indifferent.” She smirked. “And then there’s you and me: the only sane people in the class.”
Chisame scoffed, though Sunset noticed that she was trying to hide a grin. “Sane? You? You spent half a year living in the Library Death Trap.”
“And thus avoiding the insanity of the girls’ dorms.”
“...I think we might actually be able to get along.”
“KYAAAAH!”
Sunset and Chisame jumped, their eyes snapping to the Narutaki twins. “What the hell is wrong with them?” Chisame grumbled.
Sunset leaned forward, listening in on the building conversation. “I wonder if that monster got Makie-chan?” Sakurako asked.
“M-Maki-chan does look pretty tasty,” Konoka added.
“No, it’s not a blood-sucking monster,” Misa corrected. “It’s a vampire.”
“Oh, that old rumor.” Chisame rolled her eyes, turning her back to the class. “Just a stupid thing that’s been around for years. Apparently, there’s a vampire or something that haunts Sakura Lane. Ridiculous.”
“Yeah, ridiculous.” Sunset frowned, watching Evangeline. The usually uninterested girl was paying peculiar attention to the conversation, a small smile of amusement on her face. “Anyway, we’d better line up for the checkup.” She moved forward, passing Asuna just as Evangeline spoke.
“That’s right, Kakurazaka Asuna. They say the vampire in the rumors loves energetic, cheerful girls. You and Hikaru Nichibotsu should be careful.”
Sunset froze, her eyes slowly turning to Evangeline. The girl still wore a small smile on her face, her eyes on Asuna even as Sunset felt her attention being focused on her.
Crap!
“Sensei!” The whole class turned towards the hallway as Ako’s voice called out, saving Sunset from Evangeline’s attention. “Sensei! We’ve got a problem!”
“Ako-chan?” Madoka asked. “I was wondering where she was.”
“I didn’t even notice she wasn’t here.” Sunset winced as Asuna slapped the back of her head. “Okay, yeah. I deserved that.”
“Ako-san?” Negi asked from just outside the door. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Makie!” Ako cried. “She’s in the infirmary!”
“EH?!”
“WHAT?!”
“What happened to Makie?!”
The door and hallway windows slammed open, everyone jostling for position to ask what was wrong with their classmate. Negi turned beet red as he came face to chest with Asuna and Sunset, both still stripped down to their underwear. Sunset didn’t give Ako a chance to explain, tearing out of the classroom and down the halls towards the infirmary, ignoring her classmates’ shouts from behind her. I’ll bet every bit I’ve ever owned that I can guess her symptomes!
Sunset slid to a stop at the infirmary a moment later, slamming the door open and rushing inside. She ignored the surprised nurse and quickly found Makie lying in a bed. Her face was paler than usual, but she otherwise seemed to be sleeping soundly.
“Um, excuse me,” the nurse said, “but why aren’t you-”
“3-A is going to be in here in a minute,” Sunset said, interrupting her. “Make of that what you will.”
The nurse hesitated only a moment before muttering something about needing to speak with the headmaster anyway. As she left, Sunset lay a hand on Makie’s forehead and closed her eyes.
There’s no mistaking it, she thought, gritting her teeth. That’s dark magic in there. She moved her hand down, following the faint line of magic until it ended on Makie’s neck. She opened her eyes and leaned in close. “Puncture wounds,” she muttered. “Definitely a bite mark.” She tisked and stood straight, rubbing the bridge of her nose. That settles it; the rumor has at least a hint of truth to it, and Evangeline’s definitely involved. Horeseapples! I’m going to get drawn into this, aren’t I?
The infirmary door slammed open again, a huffing Asuna leaning in the doorframe. “Nichibotsu!” She shouted, holding up a bundle of clothes. “You can’t just go running around the school dressed like that!”
Sunset blinked in surprise, looking down and realizing that she was still clad in only her underwear. Huh, so that’s what’s taking everyone else so long. “Oh please,” Sunset scoffed, taking her clothes and beginning to put them on. “It’s not like I’m fully naked. Mana’s covering less right now than me.”
“Th-th-that’s different!” Asuna stuttered. “At least that’s a swimsuit! And besides, she lost a bet!”
Sunset rolled her eyes. The taboos in this world are weird. “Fine, fine. I won’t go streaking half-naked through the school again. Happy?”
Asuna sighed but let the subject drop. She walked over to Makie as Negi and the rest of the class arrived. “So how is she?”
“She seems fine,” Sunset replied. “A little pale, but otherwise fine.” She turned her attention to Ako. “Did she just suddenly faint on you, or…”
Ako shook her head. “She was found sleeping in the middle of Sakura Lane this morning,” she said. “She’s still wearing her clothes from yesterday, too.”
“Eh? Is that it?” Kazumi asked, leaning closer.
“I wonder if she drank too much amasake,” Sakurako suggested.
“Yesterday was hot,” Konoka reasoned, “so maybe she collapsed after being exposed to the cold.”
“You all seem to have a really low regard for Makie’s constitution,” Sunset griped. “She’s a freaking gymnast; she isn’t going to faint in the middle of the road for no good reason.”
“Ohoho,” Haruna chuckled, pushing her glasses up dramatically. “So quick to leap to her defence and run to her side. And right after what you said on the train today. Do you really think you can hide your true affections from-”
“You’re an idiot,” Sunset interrupted. “I was just concerned that something might have attacked her. Most rumors have some basis in truth, and if there’s some sort of wild animal around Sakura Lane, I’d like to know about it.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Sunset looked over her shoulder at Negi, who smiled reassuringly at her. “Makie’s fine. She’s just a little anemic.”
Anemic. Sunset’s gut twisted as her classmates began to file out. She followed them slowly, staying just long enough to overhear Negi tell Asuna that he would be working late that night. So, it looks like he’s come to the same conclusion. I wonder if he’s sensed anything off about Evangeline. She shook her head, puting it from her mind. Well, I’ll just have to find out tonight.