The next day Ayumi arrived at school, she was greeted by an unfamiliar energy surrounding the place. It was not the anxiety of having an upcoming exam, or the tension of walking into where you had a fight with your friends, still pondering how to reconcile with them. Neither was it her perplexity and restless thoughts about what transpired between the two princesses of fire and wind the other day. No it was not something related to her, most of the students seemed distressed, apathetic, bored, or irrationally anxious, some did not return the usual good morning, others were crying for no reasons while a different group looked too angry to approach. Everyone appeared ready to jump the other's throat for no apparent rationale.
"Good morning, Yuki!"
Ayumi ran to her friend, whose reply was flat, unlike her usual characteristic loud joyful tone.
"Good morning, Ayumi."
"Are you all right?"
Yuki did not even look at her, but prompted by the caring question, she replied merely lifting her eyes to meet Ayumi's for less than a second before returning to preparing her books for the first class. Ayumi was so worried she needed to know if anything wrong was going with her friend, but she felt she should not push it now, seeing how upset the short – haired girl seemed. At this moment, Chisato walked inside the class, with a stern face and pursed lips.
"Oh Chisato, good morning!"
The latter did not reply, dumping her bag on the chair. Ayumi was not bothered as much as surprised, but she went on cheerfully, moving her gaze between the two girls:
"You know, I waited for you two at the usual corner for so long, but you did not show up! I was worried but I did not want to get late to school!"
Ayumi tried to initiate a conversation and break the ice that froze out of nowhere , but the reply she received shut her up completely.
"Yeah, you should always arrive first."
Chisato's voice was so laden with critical judgment and meanness Ayumi could not believe it was coming out of her best friend's mouth. Chisato had never spoken to her like this, even by way of joking or teasing. Ayumi chose to remain silent and not talk about what's going on right now. She figured it was wiser to wait until the recess, till the two would clam down and she could understand what are they upset about, or more precisely, what everyone seemed to be upset about.
The teacher entered the class room, and apparently, even the teachers were not immune to that sudden gloominess that filled the place like a dark cloud hovering over the place and penetrating through every window and door. The teachers' faces were solemn, as if trying too hard to stick to their lessons and preventing any side comments from snapping suddenly out of control and ruining their career. The rate of detentions sky rocketed and it was still only the first morning class, the day had not arrived at its middle yet.
Finally, the break bell rang, and the students rushed out of their classes like swarm of locked beasts, and the teachers released long sighs of brief relief, as if they have been performing hard labor, yet avoiding each other at the same time.
At the school yard, Ayumi approached the lonely sitting Yuki and sat carefully beside her. Yuki's face showed a light flash of irritation that was quickly replaced by a breifer smile that quickly dissipated as well.
"Yuki, please tell me if there is anything bothering you, maybe I can help…"
Ayumi spoke calmly, not even thinking about using her power. It was not in her intention to pry into her friend's private life or purify her heart because she felt she needn't to. Her hunch told her that the matter was about their friendship and she would never try to amend it using tricks or magic, even if they were pure and bore good intentions for others.
"Are you mad at me…"
Ayumi spoke once again when she received no reply from the girl who was sipping from her juice box silently. Ayumi did not budge from her place, and at that the girl finally replied:
"I am surprised you did not go to see what's Chisato's problem first."
"What?!"
Ayumi answered not getting what Yuki meant by that, it did not make sense, but she clarified nevertheless.
"Well, Chisato seems far more moody and easily irritable today…"
Ayumi chuckled a little, but the girl she was sitting next to did not find it this funny, it brought a soft frown of disappointment on her face.
"Of course, that is why."
"What do you mean by this?"
Ayumi asked directly, tired of this hide and seek game that was unexplainable. If her memories served her right, nothing bad had happened between the three of them recently. Yuki fidgeted in her place for a while before finally speaking her mind:
" It seems, no it is the truth… that I am always second place to Chisato regarding our friendship!"
"That's not true! I like you both the same!"
Ayumi defended herself, feeling hurt but not more than Yuki who stood up, anger showing up on her face. At last, a readable expression.
"No, it is true! You share more secrets with her, spend more time with her, and you two have your own Friday night tell and hide!"
Ayumi was baffled, Yuki's words were true but only because she had knew Chisato longer, but that did not mean she loved Yuki any less. And what spurred this sudden jealousy and hurt? What was this kindergarten nosecone about? Yuki had never showed any signs or hinted at her frustration about it before. Did she had a fight with Chisato? Did the latter say something insensitive using Ayumi as a winning card?
"I am sorry Yuki, I did not notice you were upset about this… but you have to believe me… I don't…"
"Of course you would not notice! You only care about her although I am certain she doesn't harbor toward you half the care and love you show her!"
Now Yuki was truly enraged, standing all of a sudden and stumping with her feet like a little child.
"What did Chisato say to you to make you this upset?!"
Ayumi stood as well, only to receive the empty juice box in her face.
"Yuki!"
"She did not say anything, it is obvious but you are blind to your true friend! I really hoped we could be real friends, and grew closer because I liked you despite your irritating nerdiness at times! But I never sought to compete against you, your friendship was all that mattered to me!"
"Was?"
Ayumi's voice dropped so low, anticipating the worse. In her life, she had only two close best friends, and she never wished to lose either.
"We can work on that…"
"This is stupid, it is like you are compromising me! I am not a kid! I have one thousand other friends you know, others who truly care!"
Yuki yelled, like a kid in tantrum despite denying this being the case in her argument. She took a deep breath and said in a tone so serious one would think she was ending a marriage.
"It is over Ayumi, I feel so outcast and stupid, like an extra for a worst case scenario! It is over, I don't wish for your friendship anymore!"
"Yuki, wait!"
Ayumi ran after her desperately, and Chisato came across their way.
"What? The little adoring friend finally discovered her true place?"
Yuki ignored the comment and went her way. Ayumi wanted to keep chasing after her but Chisato's comment was so mean and uncalled for. She did not own Ayumi, who, herself, did not believe they were fighting over the friendship of someone like her.
"What was that about Chisato?!"
"Hell if I know, but it is good she finally discovered who you idiotically lean for more."
"What did you say to her?"
"I did not say anything since this morning to anyone."
"Oh, I could tell. You did not even return my good morning!"
Yuki was still standing few feet apart, with sad eyes witnessing Ayumi immersing in the conversation with Chisato and forgetting about her already so she continued walking away to some other group of girls.
"Should you be surprised about that?"
"Yes, I believe so!"
Ayumi replied with a puzzled face, what's wrong with these two all of a sudden?! Chisato did not seem to be the slightest offended or caring. She smiled like a Cheshire cat shaking her head in ironic disbelief.
"You are such a fool Ayumi, believing I am you real friend."
"You are my real friend..."
Ayumi countered her with a dead serious tone, but the curly haired girl went on without dropping her mocking smile.
"You know I am not! And if you believed otherwise, then you are truly stupid and don't deserve anything you have accomplished with that simple idealistic mind of yours!"
Shocked by the unprompted insult, obviously stemming from a log simmering jealousy, words were lost from Ayumi. She merely whispered.
"Is this how you actually feel toward me?"
"It is how I have been feeling toward you the whole time, not just now!"
Chisato said, laughing at her presumed "friend" idiocy and blindness. Ayumi did not want to believe what she was hearing, from both girls. And why, all of a sudden? Why today and not before did these feelings surface if they had been brewing inside them for years? Ayumi turned around her, and she became shocked by the sight; everyone was fighting among each other, with words or firsts. Even the sound of the teachers, loudly arguing from their rooms could be heard from the windows. There was something truly wrong with the place, as if placed under a curse. She kept searching with her eyes for any hint of magic or evil aura and indeed, as if on purpose, the aura exposed itself and a dark sky encompassed the entire school. Ayumi knew by now what this meant; it was a barrier set by someone who possessed some natural elemental power. She looked again trying to spot its caster who did not bother to hide her presence anymore. A girl, more akin to a woman, stood on the school roof waving at Ayumi, her dark long hair flowing beneath the dark sky she had summoned.
"I am surprised you are shocked, for a smart girl like yourself you should have figured all of this a long time ago."
The girl with the black hair announced her presence, tilting her head to the side in a genuine surprise at Ayumi's own lack of previous apprehension regarding these simple matters. The girl yelled at the top of her lungs:
"WHO ARE YOU? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO EVERYONE?!"
The girl jumped down from the roof, making Ayumi hold a breath she did not intend to, coming between her and the angry Chisato who suddenly stepped aside like a stringed marionette. The strange girl laded on her feet perfectly and safely like an alley cat, her long ebony locks fluttering like a satin curtain. Her eyes were wide, like a newborn child eyes, though their childish quality was toned down by their sharp edges and the silvery black eye - shadow carefully applied. It seemed ordinary, more like a fashion statement more than magical marks. Her lips were also full with a rosy gloss contrasting the dim eye - shadow yet complementing the silver hue it contained.
"No need to yell, I can hear you fine!"
The girl, older than Ayumi, closer to edging on womanhood, clarified while scratching her ear like a stray feline. She even grinned cutely yet charmingly like one. Dressed in modern black knee - length jeans and high heels, a silver top crop revealing obscenely her budding bosoms and alluring curves. She even wore a straw hat to make her fashion statement even louder and weirder. But one element was unfitting to that seductive fashion. A huge something was warped in a white veil and fastened to the woman's back, most certainly a weapon. The size of that hidden thing was so big, towering over the dark locks, pointed toward the heavens as if challenging them and Ayumi found herself unconsciously analyzing every piece of revealed flesh and clothes choice before she snapped back to her senses by the kiss the girl threw her way.
"I asked; what have you done to everyone?"
Ayumi repeated angrily, knowing she was dealing with some elemental power, yet her fury over what she's just heard took the best of her wisdom.
"I did nothing, I just let things run their natural course."
Ayumi frowned not getting what the dark haired woman was trying to imply. The latter caught Ayumi's perplexity and explained again as if she had done nothing wrong, seemingly proud of what she had just accomplished.
"I just released their repressed emotions, I freed the little caged feelings!"
"What freedom are you talking about?! You…"
Ayumi gritted her teeth, wishing so badly to ambush the girl in front of her and tackle her to the ground, but she tried to control her anger knowing without the light items, she would only harm herself instead of the one who deserves it.
"Do not act like you don't get what I have done! You are not stupid, you clearly and plainly understand what's happening! And that is why you're so furious!"
Ayumi was at loss of words for the elemental creature or whatsoever was utterly right. However, Ayumi refused to believe that what she was hearing from her two friends was their real hidden feelings.
"Oh really? So how come I am not affected?"
"You are! Are you not angry at yourself?"
The long haired woman replied with the patience of a mother tutoring her child, maybe that particular teenager was stupid after all.
"I am angry at you for turning everyone …"
"I am not turning anyone against you or converting them to the dark side if that what you want to say, and you know that! You have long known that!"
The elemental woman cut the angry girl off, her smile widening, as Ayumi was sinking more and more into the realization she had refused to believe or act upon.