I sigh, leaning back and letting Chihaya resume her slow brushing. I let out a gentle hum as the older girl’s fingers worked my locks into a loose, high ponytail. Opening my eyes, I muse, “I hope I can get through this training camp without any drama… getting stronger would be nice, too… and spending time with you, and Kaho, and make some friends…”

  Chihaya blows on the nape of my neck, and I squeak and shudder, shooting her a look. She grins and puts the brush away, winking. “Time for bed. We’ve got to be ready to leave early, okay? Make sure you have some clothes and stuff, the basic necessities. Goodnight!”

  The next morning, just before sunrise, I take my medicine for the still-healing wounds on my back, and join the group of first-years, many of them yawning and clutching disposable coffee cups. I spot the girl named Pandora, her blonde hair puffed out as she rubs her eyes. Jogging over, I bow slightly. “Good morning!”

  She turns, and then blinks several times in surprise. “O-oh, hi. Sorry, are you a first-year too?”

  I nod. “Shimizu Akari, from Japan. My first name is Akari, so just call me that.”

  “Pandora Bradley, I’m from the USA. Yeah, my parents were so proud of me for being born with great compatibility that they named me Pandora…”

  I smile. “That must get confusing. Why not go with a shorter name? Like… Dora?”

  The busty blonde stares at me, her mouth hanging open. “Wait… what?? I didn’t think about that!”

  Her accent becomes more apparent, and I detect what the TV might refer to as a ‘Southern twang’. I tilt my head. “Well, would you like me to call you Dora?” I ask, since she seems a little distracted. When I make my offer, I get a beaming smile in return.

  “Yes!”

  I giggle, and check my phone, wondering where Chihaya is. She wasn’t in our room when I woke up, so she must’ve gotten up earlier in order to go get things ready for our departure. Sighing, I rest my suitcase against my knees. The crowd of students grows rger until all the first-years have arrived.

  According to Chihaya, there are several camps taking pce at the same time, in different locations. Ours, taking pce at Mt Hotakadake, is the only one I’m really concerned with. The second- and third-years arrive, accompanied by a trio of teachers, and we load our belongings into the academy’s tilt-engine jets, embarking and taking seats.

  I cim a little spot in the middle of the aircraft, and close my eyes, letting the bustle around me go. I quiet my mind, allowing the hubbub to wash over me like water as I breathe in, then out. In, then out. Slow, meditative breaths. Kaho slides into the seat beside me. I can tell it’s her because I opened an eye to check.

  The engines whine as the aerial vehicle begins its take-off procedure, the craft rocking slightly, and I sink back into the comfortable seat. I can hear Chihaya ughing at something, and smile. This is going to be amazing…

  The arrival of our group at the spot where our group will set up is a rge, ft clearing in the foothills, where we offload all the supplies we’ve brought with us. West Genetics has provided tents, as well as a trio of rge awnings to provide shade and make a sort of outdoor kitchen, along with all the things we’d need to cook. Dr. Elise even has a portable medical centre set up for any injuries, too!

  Ms. Yu-Mi cps her hands as she assembles us. “OKAY, students! Find your assigned partners and third-years! Get acquainted, and then begin your training camp activities! And, for the dinner assignment… Akari, Kaho, Arthur, and Kazuya!”

  I nod, and Rana Linchen, the Tibetan Pandora, scampers over, her dark blue hair neatly pited.

  “Akari, we are to pair up with a third-year, yes?!” She questions eagerly. I can’t help but smile. She’s so cheerful, a far cry from myself. I nod.

  “That’s right. I was told our trainer would be a miss… Miyabi Kannazuki, if I recall?”

  A sultry, husky voice comes from behind me. “You have a good memory, boy…”

  I freeze, before refusing to react. As if no-one had said anything, I simply remark, “Anyway, Rana, what do you think I should make for dinner? I’m wavering between curry rice, or something vegetarian.”

  The voice comes again, sounding a little piqued. “Don’t ignore me, BOY. Now, are you going to introduce yourself, or do I have to get… angry?”

  I compose myself, closing my eyes for a moment, before turning with a little more force than is strictly necessary, making my uniform skirt fre out slightly.

  “May we help you, miss? There are no boys in this group, as far as I’m aware. My name is Akari, and my friend is Rana. And you are…?”

  Standing before me is a pretty girl with cropped blue hair, slightly shorter than me. She’s got a nice figure, but I can sense a sort of… wrongness… coming from her. A trio of handsome boys in Limiter uniforms stand arrayed behind her. She curtseys, somewhat mockingly.

  “My name is Miyabi Kannazuki, better known as the Liberator of Virtue! And I will be whipping you… into shape. Now, show me your volt weapons!”

  I pause for a moment, but Rana deploys her weapon, a set of metal gauntlets and greaves, the gleaming steel fshing fire in the sunlight. “This is Shinen, the Four Senses!”

  I follow suit, deploying Odin, holding it by my side, sheathed and still. “I use Odin, a katana.”

  Miyabi nods thoughtfully. Maybe she’s just awkward?

  “Okay, I see. Anyway, what kinds of guys do you two like?”

  I blink, and Rana colours, shooting a look over at Kazuya. I groan internally. Is THAT moron her type???

  Miyabi’s eyes focus on me. I look back. “I’m not interested in anyone right now. I’m more concerned with improving my strengths and honing my skills with my bde.” That… is an outright lie. If there’s anyone at all I’d be interested in, it’d be Chihaya…

  She rolls her eyes. “Ugh, boriiiing. Anyway, what can either of you do?”

  I shrug. “Not much, other than my family’s sword-style. I never expected to even get in when I applied to the Academy.”

  Rana expins that she’s actually the leader of a cn of Tibetan monks, due to having been born with a Stigmata already a part of her. She refers to them as the ‘Tears of Kunlun’, in reverence to the goddess her people worship. I’d love to know more, but Miyabi seems less than interested.

  “Alright, we’ll start from the basics. The SIMPLEST and EASIEST manoeuvre is the Acceleration Turn. Watch this!”

  Miyabi performs an Accel Turn, but it’s not as fast as I thought it would be. Maybe I can see it more clearly thanks to being able to do it too, or maybe she’s just sloppy. Rana seems impressed, though.

  “Alright, newbies, you try. I don’t expect you to get it so easily-” Miyabi starts, before a sudden, short-lived wind rushes past her. I skid neatly to a stop a few metres away, in a ready position. Rana cps her hands, and Miyabi splutters in shock as I straighten up, her eyes wide.

  “What the-?! How did-?! You-!” she fumes, her Limiters looking a little wary of her sudden burst of anger. I shrug. “You asked me to try the Acceleration Turn, so I did. It’s not unlike a technique my family uses in our sword-style.”

  She settles back a bit, her expression showing clear displeasure. “And what about you, mountain girl?” she snaps at Rana. The Tibetan Pandora has a little trouble, but, when I demonstrate again, she catches onto the trigger, and manages to do an awkward, but serviceable Accel Turn. I give Rana a high-five as Miyabi grinds her teeth.

  “Well, bully for you! Looks like you managed to do the most basic technique!” she almost snarls, and I shrug. I can see why Chihaya said she wasn’t a nice person. Her Limiters seem a little awkward, but I ignore them. They clearly aren’t willing to risk drawing Miyabi’s ire. Instead, I give Rana a few tips, hoping they’ll help her with making the Accel Turn as natural and easy to perform as possible.

  As Miyabi fumes, I see Kaho, Arthur, and Kazuya gathering in the kitchen area.

  “Sorry, but Ms. Yu-Mi put me on dinner duty, so I need to go help. Please excuse me!”

  I leave, and join the rest of the catering crew. Kaho smiles shyly at me, and Arthur grins. “Ah, thank GOD someone else is here! Akari, do you have any idea what we should make? I’m not great at cooking, so you can leave the ingredient prep to me! Kazuya, you think you can help me with that?”

  I smile. “Well, I was thinking curry rice, but I don’t know if anyone’s a vegetarian, or has any special requirements?”

  Kaho shakes her head. “I guess we can make a vegetable curry and a pork curry? That way, everyone can make their own choice!”

  I smile and nod. “Okay, Kazuya, can you handle dicing a whole bunch of onions and garlic? Arthur, I’d like you to dice these pork joints!”

  I hand the blonde boy a couple of rge packets of refrigerated pork, while Kazuya grabs a rge onion and deftly begins peeling it. Kaho blinks. “And what about us?”

  I smile. “Well, we’ll start making curry paste! I think we should go on the milder end. While I like it spicier, I can’t assume everyone will. So, I’m going to teach you my grandfather’s recipe for curry paste!”

  I forage among the dry ingredients and collect everything. “Now, this would be the recipe for a small batch of the paste. We need:

  2 cloves garlic

  5 cm piece of ginger

  ? teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1 teaspoon garam masa

  2 tablespoons groundnut oil

  1 tablespoon tomato puree

  2 fresh green chillies

  3 tablespoons desiccated coconut

  2 tablespoons ground almonds

  ? a bunch fresh coriander

  2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds

  And 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds!”

  I watch approvingly as Kaho begins making notes. She nods and puts her pencil down. “So, we need to make much bigger quantities, yeah?”

  “That’s right. We also need to make rice in enough quantities for everyone, too. I’ve noticed that people often find themselves hungrier during training camps. A combination of fresh air and prolonged exercise gives them a greater appetite than usual.”

  Kaho nods, and I quickly check on the boys. “Nicely done, Kazuya, just like that. Arthur, make sure that you trim off the fat and rind, okay? I’m going to use the skin for something for tomorrow’s breakfast!”

  I begin to walk Kaho through the process of making my grandfather’s curry paste. “Make sure to keep the right proportions, otherwise the fvour profile will be wildly different.”

  “Yes, chef!” Kaho giggles, and I stick my tongue out at her, working on my own batch of paste. My hands settle into a routine, having begged grandfather to teach me when I was younger.

  Once I’ve gotten Kaho squared away on what she needs to do, I head over to check on the boys again. “Nice work, Kazuya, that’s enough onion. Can you begin with the vegetables? We need carrots, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, fresh chillies and ginger!”

  “Okay!” the dark-haired boy nods, and I watch him for a few long moments. He doesn’t seem to be aware that I used to have a totally different identity. Ah well. If he doesn’t know or want to bring it up, I’m not going to start stressing.

  While he handles that, I head over to make sure Arthur isn’t having trouble. He’s doing okay, but I take up another bde to give him a hand. Once he’s got a slightly easier workload ahead of him, I take the pork skin and keep it to one side in a bag, fttened out and pced in a cooler. Once my own batch of curry paste is ready, I pce it to one side and get the rice underway…