Chapter 79: Training for the big day
It was eight sharp in the morning, Arthur, Dorothy, Saya, Carla, Patrisha and Sir. Charles were already there but the others haven't arrived yet...
"Arthur, did you contact Atalanta and Aiden to watch over Anna for us?."
"Yeah they're with her now, they just sent me a photo.. here."
Arthur shows Dorothy a picture of Anna and Atalanta placing cotton candy on Aiden's hair, the two laugh as Anna seems to really enjoy herself out there, they're smiles turned into frowns very quickly as they were disappointed they won't be able to spend much time with her for the next days until the School war.
"Don't be sad Dorothy, after this.. we're going to buy her a gigantic ice cream."
"Really!?!?!."
Her eyes were shining, showing her inner child self wanting to come out.
"Ehh?? why are you the one getting excited from this? HAHAHAHA."
As Patrisha called Dorothy for something Arthur went to their teacher who was simply sitting in a chair and asked him,
"Hey sir, about Zack does he not really have a class?."
"Well I'm sure he has his reasons but he does have a class I guess it's something he wants to do by not telling you guys about his class."
As they were chatting Zack and Gray have finally arrived at the gym, they seemed tired.. it was obvious for Zack but for the other one.. they kinda knew he was pretending to be tired to avoid this.
"With everyone finally present let's begin.."
Sir. Charles snaps his fingers as the stage barrier activates around them.
"Alright, the first step in the school war is to build our base with simply magic.. meaning this is for the Mage's job."
"B-But Sir? I can't do it on my own." she responded with fear.
"Don't worry I know you'll be able to pull it off."
While Sir. Charles was busy teaching Dorothy how to build their base using her mana and Patrisha was with her to give her confidence while.. Arthur and the others were talking to Zack and May to know them better.
"Hey Zack where have you been all this time?." Arthur asked.
"Well I was at my room for the majority of the tim--!."
"Don't believe what he says Arthur!!."
A feminine voice could be heard coming from his pocket, Zack grabbed the phone and placed it in his side pocket in his uniform.
"He often goes out sometimes to buy food at the convenience store, and we often meet each other from time to time but since we didn't know each other that time it makes sense if you don't remember us hehe."
"So Zack and May what is it that you two do?." Gray asked.
"Well all we could do is help put up the defenses in our base.. and act as a navigator to the front liners.."
"So basically you're like a hacker right?." Gray's eyes shined bright filled with hope.
"Well we do that from time to time but that's different from what we're going to do now in the event."
As they saw the enormous base Dorothy made they were all at awe.. it was a huge normal base.. with walls surrounding it to protect it from all sides but it was fazy.. it looked like the base was about to fall off.. like she said her alone isn't enough to make a gigantic base.
[I'm hoping you'd do your thing now.] Sir. Charles thought to himself.
She was hesitating when she was building the design of the base which resulted her mana to go to the other interior of the base without completing it's texture or strengthen it's hold and now it's unstable and would fall apart..
[No.. I don't want to give up..]
Dorothy then waved her staff towards the base and yelled out,
"RESHIGI SHANA!!!!."
Sir. Charles freaked out since she said the same chant when they were fighting with the villain a few months ago.. and he knew what that spell could do..
[Is she serious!? If I remember correctly that spell boosts the subject's power.. so what happens if that power stays in a unstable base.. will it fail? or will the immense power strengthen the base even more so?]
As the base lit a reddish glow.. the base was starting to feel more solid as it was starting to have texture..
[Well I guess I don't have to be shock since these two have always been extraordinary since the very beginning.] Sir. Charles thought to himself.
Patrisha then plunges herself towards the panting Dorothy and gives her a warm hug..
"You did it! You did it! You did it!."
Sir. Charles then claps numerously and says,
"Good job ms. Ritsu now.. let's see how strong your wits are when it comes to being attacked."
After a few minutes Dorothy was inside the base.. it was huge.. and she was simply amazed with herself..
Sir. Charles used a microphone and said,
"Alright Dorothy, your teammates here will try to attack all around the base.. this way we can see how long you'd be able to hold it okay!."
Dorothy took a seat and was simply waiting for their attack.. she was nervous but at the same time excited.
Sir. Charles turns off the microphone and said,
"Okay now guys don't go easy on her alright we need to know for how long she can hold out on her own.. sustaining a huge base with mana isn't easy so we need to know her limits."
Everyone: Alright!
Zack and May were simply watching since their job is to make the base's defenses from the perimeter and inside.. so the two were busy plotting about the best places to put traps and such..
Arthur and Saya aimed at a random wall and slashed it multiple times.. Dorothy was still fine from the inside and she noticed their presence right away while sensing multiple hits from the west side of the base..
Carla and Gray firing their long ranged weapons from a safe distance.. since their bullets and arrows were the one hitting the walls Dorothy couldn't sense them.. but could sense the arrows and bullets upon impact on the walls.
Even with four people attacking at random places.. she was still fine at the moment.. no problems here or there.. She wasn't feeling any pain or a sting but she was able to hold it out for at least three minutes..
But something was on her mind.. [Where's Patrisha?] she thought to herself, Gray and Carla were at the west side of the base while Arthur and Saya were at random places in the east, she was starting to get nervous where could Patrisha be..
Her hands were starting to get sweaty, her heart was beating faster and faster by the minute she still isn't found, she was starting to loose concentration..
[Where is she? Where did she go? She couldn't have infiltrated the base did she? No, otherwise I would've sensed her footsteps upon entering anywhere inside the base.. so where could she be?]
Her heartbeat was the only thing she could hear very loudly at the moment.. she was starting to doubt herself.. but a short reaction and she immediately slapped herself as hard as she could..
the stinging pain brought her back to reality and because of that her concentration was back.
"Now.. I can do it!."
Fully motivated now the walls from the outside have been hardened, and she could now sense where Patrisha was..
"So you were right above me huh? Patrisha."
She smiled as Patrisha then remembered what Sir. Charles instructed them to do..
"Alright Arthur and Saya you attack at random places in the east while Carla and Gray you two fire at the west walls from a safe distance... Oh and Patrisha.. you need to infiltrate the base and stay there for the remaining time until she senses you."
"Huh? why Sir?." her brows furrowed as she asks.
"Well we may not know what the enemy has in store for us.. and if they're able to enter the base and take her down for any reason whatsoever we loose.. so I need you to help her prepare for that situation."
And in the present Dorothy found her confidence and concentration to increase her capabilities in protecting the base..
Patrisha came down from the ceiling and gave her a warm tight hug yelling out,
"You did it again Dorothy! yeeyy!!!."
"Wait was this supposed to be a test!?." she exclaimed.
And after that Sir. Charles made them try out combo moves, new spells for attack, defend or offense.. while Zack and May were still planning out the best places to lay their traps and defenses it lasted at least the whole morning and half of the afternoon.
"Alright since everyone's gotten a hang of things.. why not all of you try to work as a team now."
"But who will we be fighting Sir.?." Arthur asked.
"You'll be facing us for this mock battle."
Alex and the other student Council members came in the gym,
Everyone was astonished to see the entire student council appear right in front of them and to top it off be their opponents for this battle.
"I called them here, since three of them would join you in the actual event so why not at least practice your methods on them." Sir. Charles said as he leaves and the barrier activates.
"Well looks like we see each other again mr. Ackerman, ms. Ritsu." Alex greeted them.
"Yeah, we know for a fact you'll be joining us as the eight so who's the ninth and tenth?." Arthur asked.
"Well the ninth is the Vice President, while the tenth is the female treasurer."
"Hmm so that's ma'am Abigail and ma'am Jazmyn huh?." Dorothy said to herself.
"No need to call us Ma'am ms. Ritsu, we're all on the same team here you can call us by our names only, no need about the honorifics." Abigail said.
"Alright then Abigail, we're looking forward with working with you." She bows her head with gratitude.
"I agree.. but first we're going to have to face each other alright." She winks at her while giving her a smile.
As they were all in their marks, Miko was the one who made the student council base... while Sir. Charles with the microphone said,
" Three.....two.....one.....Go!!!!."
The field was silent while inside the base of Dorothy and the others they were planning their move..
"Alright so we're facing the student council now... we're gonna loose this for sure."
Gray was already planning on giving up by the minute things seem impossible to him until Patrisha grabs his ear and won't let go of it.
"Well what do we do from here Dorothy?." Patrisha asked while holding unto Gray's ear.
"Ouch! you're gonna tear it off Patrisha." He exclaimed.
Dorothy was still thinking about what good decision would benefit them..
"Zack any of the sensors you and May placed outside the base got anything?."
"N-No as of yet.." He stuttered.
[I'm not good with this.. I'm not good with this...] Zack was panicking in his mind.
"Oh? he's breaking down." May said to herself while staring at Zack.
"Arthur and Carla.. I need you to go outside and check the perimeter.. Carla you stay from a safe distance while guarding Arthur's range alright that way you can be able to help him from a far." Dorothy said.
"Alright.. let's go my king."
"And Patrisha I need you to try and sneak into their base.. if things seem like you can't it's alright you can fall back here.. is that okay with you?." Dorothy said.
"Yes it is Dorothy.. I'll be off then." Patrisha said as she leaps through the open window.
"Zack I need you and May to go to the side of the walls and check if they plan on attacking the sides.. if you see anyone suspicious contact the others.. don't try to face them head on alright."
"Alright, Alright."
"We'll do it Dorothy! you can count on us." May was filled with energy as they left.
Dorothy was the only one left in the room.. as she waved her staff around and closed her eyes saying...
"Let the game begin."
While Arthur was walking calmly outside Carla was already aiming her pistols towards the spot Arthur was heading.. even without a sight Carla can see very far up to 50 kilometers at best and is very accurate with her shots.. but it depends whether the enemy is that skilled in dodging or able to sense her from a far away distance as well..
Arthur stood frozen in his tracks as he grips his sword tightly preparing to defend or strike the enemy in his sights..
Carla from a far noticed Arthur stopping and was preparing to pull the trigger at any moment.
"Looks like we've been detected.. get them.."
A voice from the other side was heard and Arthur drew out his sword and two ghost familiars came out both sides.
He dealt with the familiar on the left while Carla made her shot and dealt with the one in the right, He faces behind him and waves to her for thanks..
"Never face your back from an enemy you know is present."
Alex was behind him but Arthur already knew that and blocked his strike, Alex leaps behind and summons his main familiar and ordered it to fight Arthur.
When Carla tried to shoot Alex's main familiar an arrow would parry the shot.. everytime Carla fires, her bullets would just be countered by someone's arrows..
"This is not going to end well." Carla said to herself.
Arthur kept on dodging the familiar's strikes from left to right.. without end it wouldn't show an opening.. Carla drew out her second pistol and aimed at the source where the arrows where shot from but they would be countered yet again by the same arrows, Two bullets were fired.
while Arthur was having a hard time keeping his ground a bullet managed to hit the familiar's head dispersing it out of thin air..
"With this.. I can!." Arthur rushes towards Alex who won't be able to summon any familiars for the time being..
Meanwhile Damian who was in contact with Alex was in peril..
"What do you mean she defeated your main familiar!? Impossible I made sure her bullets wouldn't hit their mark!."
That's where he realized.. Carla fired two shots with her left pistol while she fired another bullet with her right.
She fired at the same time at her second bullet.. making it sound like she shot two bullets but in truth she shot three..
"Pretty smart for a kid." Damian said praising Carla from a far.
while from below Damian's nose Patrisha was slowly making her way to the inside of their base..
[I hope they don't notice me anytime soon now.. I just need to take out their Mage and It's all done]
She noticed something when she was crawling.. the floor isn't cold anymore.. it seems warm for some reason and smooth..
She backs away from where she was crawling on and the ground suddenly rises.. two ribbon like snakes appeared in front of her.
"Abigail huh?." she readies her blades and rushes in.
meanwhile Arthur has found Alex's whereabouts and is not giving him any time to react.. he swings at him unendingly without rest..
"That's good not giving the enemy a time to react.. but.."
Alex manages to leap towards a tree branch and draws his sword out,
"I'm not some random enemy." Alex said.
He rushes in and the two exchange blows, Arthur blocks and strikes whenever he gets a chance while Alex does the same thing the two are in a lock to see who messes up first.
Patrisha manages to tear off one of the ribbons while the last one plunged itself towards her, she dodged it's strike, she found an opening and took it.. she slashed the thread and it was all over.
"Well I'm almost there.. I should at least try to finish my tasks."
While inside the Student Council base..
"Vice President, are you sure you wanna leave her be for now?." Miko asked.
"Yes, I'll be the one to deal with her." Abigail replied as some ribbons surrounded her face creating a mask.
her eyes were as bright red while the white ribbons covered a part of her mouth like a mask and a sword made out of ribbons formed.
Meanwhile at the base..
Dorothy was using via telepathy to contact the others..
[Carla, what's going on over there?]
Carla was still at the roof waiting for Arthur to come out after he dove right into to face Alex.
[Arthur dove into the area Alex was in and hasn't come out yet.. I'm afriad they're still fighting over there]
[I see, anything else to report?] Dorothy asked.
[None so fa--!]
Carla stopped right at the moment she saw something shining from a far she immediately fired to counter the shot from the enemy.
the impact from Carla's bullet and Damian's arrow occurred right on top of Arthur and Alex as they fought each other, Alex took advantage of the terrain and leaped around the tree branches while Arthur was on the ground following him with his eyes.
Alex was still leaping around until he disappeared out of nowhere.. the whole area was silent, Arthur could hear the sounds of bullets making collision with an arrow.
He then came up from behind and tried to slash Arthur... but he predicted this is where he would pop up so he managed to dodge it.. and used a tree trunk to catapult himself towards Alex with more speed and focus all his one strike unto Alex's chest..
throwing him unto a tree Alex was unconscious.. knowing this Arthur went back to their base..
As he was gone.. Alex opened his eyes and said to himself,
"Well looks like this is going to be a fun School war."
meanwhile Patrisha was still slowly heading towards the enemy base.. so far so good and she could see the entrance to the enemy base..
She noticed and dodged the ribbon projectiles heading for her..
"Vice President aye?." Patrisha said.
"I'll have you know I won't hold anything back." Abigail said.
Patrisha rushed towards her opponent with her blades while Abigail launched multiple ribbon projectiles towards her..
Patrisha sliced the ribbons left and right while heading towards her without hesitation.
[She doesn't have fear? she just charged straight at me.. then I'll give her my all]
Right Abigail was about to launch multiple ribbons Patrisha jumped out of nowhere and retracted her blades.
[What is she doing!?]
Patrisha then grabbed her bow and fired a barrage of arrows unto Abigail.. not giving her a time to react she immediately made a shield out of ribbons in which gave time for Patrisha to go inside the base..
[Dorothy.. I'm in]
[Alright be careful over there Patrisha]
Arthur got back inside the base and said,
"Hey Dorothy don't you think it's too easy?."
"Yeah.. sitting from here.. and watching over everyone.. I'm starting to sense something's going on under our noses.." Dorothy placed her finger under her nose.
[Dorothy! Dorothy!]
[What's wrong Zack!?]
"Zack?."
Zack sounded in distress.. when they asked what was wrong the two never responded back..
[Carla, you have eyes over there what's going on?]
[Well Jazmyn, Drake and Lance are here! and they took out Zack!]
[What!?] Dorothy exclaimed.
The three were seen entering a window when Drake grabbed a pillar and used it to block a bullet from Carla..
"Go! I'll deal with this one." Drake said as he charges towards Carla with the pillar.
"I've been a fool to believe things were going our way without thinking about them launching an invasion... that is if I wasn't expecting this already." Dorothy said
Jazmyn and Lance try to find their way towards the throne room when the two intruders take a step back and were on their guard.
"One more step and that could've been dangerous."
Saya was waiting for them to enter the building, she launched multiple missiles and the two were ready to intercept the incoming missiles but it evaded them and aimed the entrance in which they came from..
It now became a dark room, the sound of Saya's scythe echoing in the halls, Jazmyn activated her fiery wings to give them light only to notice the tip of the scythe at the ceiling.
"Lance! over there!!."
He leaps towards the shining tip of the scythe only to be kicked by Saya but even with the surprise attack he knew all along Saya would attack and so managed to block her kick, throwing him off but was able to receive minimal damage.
Jazmyn appears behind Saya ready to land a punch when Saya gave the treasurer a glare and her scythe automatically went towards it's owner, spinning like a wheel it could prove deadly when it collides with her opponent, Jazmyn dodges the scythe and notices a chain tied to her leg.
"Huh!!? when did you!?."
Saya was reeling herself in towards Jazmyn using the chain and spun herself like a wheel with the scythe in hold.
"I'll go deal with them!." Arthur said as he goes towards their invaders to deal with them.
and then Sir. Charles using the microphone said,
"And that's done! Team L1 wins!."
Everyone from the Student Council all says the same thing,
"WHAT!?."
It seems Patrisha managed to knock out Miko cold thus winning the game, although this is just a practice it's nice a way for them to know what to do in times of situations and what not.
After a few minutes everyone was praising each other's skills.. but it was more like the student council members praising the L1 members.. Sir. Charles then says,
"I'm proud of everyone's teamwork and for Zack and May.. you guys need to be more wary of your surroundings alright."
"Yes sir."
"Yes sir."
"Anyhow I enjoy everyone's role and teamwork for today's mock battle.. and for the remaining three days we'll be doing more training like these so be ready for anything got it everyone!."
Everyone: Yeahhh!!!!!
Atalanta and Aiden enter the gym with a cheerful little girl with them,
"Mama! Papa! Good job!!!."
Anna plunged herself towards the two, they caught her and gave her a big warm hug.
"Looks like you got some good participants for this year Sir." Atalanta says with a smile on her face.
"Oh I got the report from the Student Council I thank you for saving my students during that droid invasion."
"Just doing my job sir."
Atalanta looks at all them on the stage and smiles to see them enjoy their youth.
"That reminds me, didn't you entered the school war when you were young too?."
"Yeah, that was a long time now.. I kinda miss it myself.. but seeing them here makes me want to think of how happy I was then too practicing with everyone."
"You're going to stay and watch the event a few days from now right?." Sir. Charles asked.
"Yeah, I mean I look forward to it every year, but I'm more excited for this year's match.. I'm sure they'll put up a fight." Atalanta stares at them one more time.
And Imagines herself and her team back then, tears were filling both eyes, those were tears of joy.
End of Chapter 79: Training for the big day