Part Two - 06 | Turn Tail And Run

"She's not here," Linia says when you step into the classroom. Both of you stare at Pursena's empty desk wearing panicked faces. Were it not for the signs of struggle cluttered around this area of the room, neither of you would be worried. But you see it — a chair knocked down onto its back, abandoned papers strewn wildly about, jars of ink spilling black puddles into their wooden harbors.

"This can't be happening," Linia says and with frustration, palms a tuft of her own hair. "This can't be happening! These assholes!"

"Calm down," you tell her. "Freaking out isn't going to help us."

"But Boss! We don't know what they're doin' to her! When she's stuck, she does not fight back, I'm telling you."

You watch Linia pace back and forth, tugging on her hair all the while. A look of raw fear and distress lies upon her face, one that is strikingly similar to the time she gazed fearfully up at you, certain you'd be her murderer.

Seems there are more ways to scare this girl. Regardless, you stand by what you told her and grab the girl by her shoulder, shaking her. "Snap out of it!"

On cue, Linia blinks and stares attentively at you.

"All we need to do is find someone who knows where Pursena is. It's that simple," you add. "Quit throwing a fit and calm down."

"R-right. Sorry, Boss."

Although you reassure Linia to the best of your ability, it goes without saying that even you're a little shaken up. You have no clue what most of these students are capable of. That doesn't apply only to their magic skill. Assuming most of the student body is corrupted, you think of how many disgusting freaks might get their hands on Pursena. Even now, she could be somewhere fearing for her life. Her innocence. Whatever's left of it, at least.

You stop and take a look around the room. Empty, aside from the mess by the desks.

"They're serious about this little rebellion thing," you mutter. Linia's ears twitch.

"Pisses me off. Who do these rats think they are?"

"Your victims, that's who," you say firmly. "How do you not understand that yet? They all want you gone."

"Nya, not like that's happenin'! Not with you around!"

You narrow your eyes at the girl. She still doesn't get it. So you lay it on thicker.

"Everyone you've bullied and tormented wants you out of here, one way or another," you say to her, yet she still wears a smug, triumphant grin.

"Like I said, not happenin', nya! You're like some kind of guardian angel, Boss. A real powerhouse! I ain't scared!"

"That's not... that's not the point."

You pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh. No use trying to make her understand when all she sees this as is a challenge. The true gravity of the situation is unknown to her — the fact nearly every student wants both sisters gone, scarred for life, beaten, or dead. Anything works as long as the sisters taste pain.

"Oh shit, it's them!"

A male voice startles you out of your frustration. You turn quickly to find three students peering into the classroom, all of them panicked when they catch sight of you and Linia.

They try to run.

"Heeeey! Get your asses back here!"

Linia calls out to them and hops to it, sprinting after them. As for you, you don't see the point in her trying to catch them when you can easily take care of it. You raise your hand, close your eyes, letting magical particles flutter in between your fingertips.

"What is this?!" someone screams.

When you open your eyes, you are met with the sight of a bright white light glaring in from the hallway. When the light settles, your magic barrier manifests into thin air, blocking the trio's path.

This grants Linia an opportunity to rough them up. You let it happen, although hesitantly because you know just how much she wants to pound some faces in. The halls are bound to be bloody after today.

Once the bloodcurdling screams of the three students fade out, you walk into the hallway and stand by Linia's side. She proceeds to stand up straight and dust off her skirt, her tail flicking to and fro spastically.

"Got 'em, Boss," she says, pointing out the beaten trio.

"I see that," you sigh and kneel in front of one of the students whose face is now dotted with his own crimson blood. He whimpers like a lost puppy when you flicker into his line of sight, but he lacks the energy to fight back or scurry away.

You speak in a low voice. "Where is she?"

"Who?" whines the boy. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"Don't play with me." You summon a jagged icicle and poke the sharp tip gently into the boy's cheek. He whimpers again. "Where is Pursena?" You raise your voice this time, making the boy cower further.

"I-I..."

"Tell us before I kick your teeth in, twerp!" Linia shouts.

"A-aah! Okay! They took her to Ms. Lovell's old classroom!" Finally the boy spills. He guards his face with his arms, looking as if he'll start weeping. "Just don't hurt me anymore!"

Linia turns to you. "I know where that is, Boss. We gotta hurry."

You wave your hand and dispel your barrier, stepping over the boy and speeding through the hall alongside Linia. Naturally she is far faster than you, so you allow the girl to be your guide as you break through the school, praying you aren't going to be too late.

*            *            *

"Screw this! Just run!"

...

Funny. These people barely know you, yet they're scared of you. No one puts up a fight as you approach the classroom where Pursena is being held.

The halls clear out just for you. Linia carries on zooming ahead and crashes into the classroom, clashing against the door with a squared shoulder. Immediately after busting in, she pauses.

You look to see what she's freezing for. You, too, feel the urge to stop as a wave of disgust and disdain slither down your body. There in the dark of the room, it's Pursena and the quiet boy from your class. You are certain your face has contorted into a scowl when you realize the boy is groping Pursena's body, pulling up on her skirt...

"Hands off!" Linia shouts and springs into the air. The boy turns around, letting out a gasp. He is far too slow to match Linia's angry pace. In the blink of an eye, the boy is knocked to the ground by a steel kick.

You don't care for his safety. Let him suffer!

You step further into the room, listening to Linia beat the boy to a pulp. Your eyes settle on Pursena instead of the bloody scene, and knowing she's safe and unharmed for the most part, you let a smile fill your face.

She looks at you, her lips quivering. "Boss..."

"Thank God," you say and rush to her side. With a little bit of magic, you tear her binds to shreds. Once Pursena is released, she flexes her wrists and knees, a look of embarrassment upon her face.

She stands and calmly fixes her uniform. Respectfully you avert your eyes and focus instead on Linia as Pursena buttons her shirt back up.

"Boss..." Pursena starts to say but you begin calling out to Linia, drowning the girl's voice out.

"That's enough, Linia! We gotta go!"

Linia's ears twitch while she continues beating the boy's face. A second passes, then two, then five before she finally stops herself and gets off of the boy. It's no shock to see the boy scared for his life. He doesn't even try to fight back.

"Yes, Boss," Linia says. Before she turns away, she kicks the boy one last time in the ribs. Then she comes over to you. But she doesn't stop to chat — she surprises you — Linia opens her arms and pulls her sister into a bear hug.

"I gotcha now," is all Linia says as she cradled the girl. Even Pursena herself is surprised to be embraced, but she does not shy away from the gesture. In fact she returns it, holding onto her sister like it's the last thing she'll ever do.

Never thought you'd ever see the sisters share a moment like this. Typically they're always at each others' throats. Maybe they do have hearts after all.

"Better not leave me alone again," Pursena says, her voice muffled because she's pressing her face gently into her sister's shoulder. She lets out a tearful chuckle. "I'll... I'll kill you if you do."

You don't want to ruin their connection but something has just become very clear to you. This school is no longer safe for all three of you. You face the girls and let out a stressed sigh.

"We have to go," you say. "We can't stay here anymore."

The sisters look at you, appearing confused at first but this is a certainty — they understand what has to be done.

Pursena is the first to speak up. "I... I know. I wanted to leave anyway. Someone's... after me."

"Already?" Linia seems to know who this 'someone' is.

You cock your eyebrow. "Who?"

Linia shakes her head quickly, dismissing the subject as though it's too sensitive to bring to light at this moment. "I'll tell you about it later, Boss. Just know that we gotta dip, nya. And maybe lay low for a while."

You don't quite understand what they're getting at but you don't pry. Now's not the time anyway.

Putting aside your bout of curiosity, you leave the girls' side and approach an empty wall in the room. In no time, you cast a spell and blow a hole in the wall, creating a reverberating BOOM.

"B-Boss!!" Linia cries as the shockwaves blow past both her and Pursena, making their hair and ears flutter. Linia clings to her sister to keep them both upright.

"Get going! If someone's really after you, I'm not trying to meet them," you demand.

The sisters exchange a brief glance before booking it out of the hole you created. It leads conveniently to the courtyard, granting all of you easy access to a way off of the campus.

Though you've been brave up until now, all you are doing now is tucking your tail between your legs and running. And not even for your own sake. This thought haunts you.

You're doing this for their safety.