Lessons to be learned

It has already been a month since I got into Air-Battle. I prefer to think I am pretty good at it, as a runner. Another thing I like is that I am not alone, as Tom is also in the game. He is in the defending squad.

"Ray, level up." speakers announced as I completed my level, "Tom level up, Robin level up. Evan level down."

The game was divided into five levels, each team having two squads. Raiding teams, who capture each level, members are called runners. Each level of each team has to be protected; work of the defending squad, each member is called blockers.

My job is to collect flags of the opposite team from each level and place my team's flags. Tom's job is to protect our flags, original and ones I placed. He can also take away the opponent Runner's flags. The team with the most flags remaining in the end wins the match.

I also have several friends from practice. Robin is a blocker, like Tom, while Evan is a runner. Robin uses his brain to win while Harry just runs in without any proper plan in mind. He often loses points and levels down.

"Team A gets all the flags, every level has been conquered. Everyone get down." the teacher blew his whistle.

"Good job Tom." I high-fived him, "how can you defend three floors at the same time?"

"Just like how you captured two floors without getting hit once," he replied.

"Hey, have you seen Rose?" I noticed she wasn't watching our practice. She usually stays in the audience after class. {Maybe she is in class.}

"Nope. I haven't seen her since literature class. She probably left." Tom sat down, wiping his face.

Rose can't go home; she can't fly properly, so she couldn't have left the grounds. I went around the building looking for her but didn't see her once. Her bag was in the class, so she was in school. I changed into the indoor uniform and started to look again. I asked a few classmates about her.

"Saw her leave after art's class."

"Who?"

"She was in the cafeteria an hour ago."

These were the only proper answers I got. She had to be inside the campus, so I started to look outside. I moved around the building, and eventually got to a usually isolated area at the back side of the changing rooms, which had no windows.

"Still standing? Impressive." I heard a girl's voice. It came from behind the school building. I slowly flew up and peeked from the roof.

There were several girls, in front of one girl. This place was just behind changing rooms and had no windows or doors. They blocked only the exit and had ganged up on this one girl and injured her. {Are they bullying her?} I thought of helping the girl, but even the two of us can't face all of them. That's where I was wrong.

That one girl began attacking the group. One by one, she knocked down half of them in less than a minute. In just one minute, most of the group was down on the ground or stuck to walls, except one. The single survivor looked confident even after watching what just happened.

"You are strong." she said, "but you can't take a hit from plasma and survive." I saw her casting a circle.

I had to step in now, using plasma requires a lot of energy, and even a slight touch can burn through skin. When she held out her hand, I dived in. I kicked her arm and stood in between the two girls.

The girl screamed from the pain and then looked me in the eye and asked, "Where did you come from?"

"There." I pointed up. As soon as she looked up, I took the girl behind me and flew to the roof. I felt shocked; the girl below me used electricity to attack me. My uniform was burnt, but we were safe.

I looked at my pants, which were charred and some amount of smoke was still emanating from them. Then I turned to look at the girl with me, she was Rose. {Who else could it be?} She sat there like that for a few seconds, and then glared at me. "When did you start watching?"

"About when you started beating down the girls."

"Then why didn't you help me then?"

"Because you didn't need it at that time."

"And I needed your help with that one girl?" she asked mockingly.

"Yes. She was going to use plasma to attack. Even if you protect yourself, you will still get injured. And let me remind you, you have poor mana output." I screamed at her.

"Sorry." she apologized, "How did you find me?"

"I didn't see you at practice, so I went around the school. Then I heard that girl, and well, found you kicking ass. Who are they anyway?"

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked, not answering my question.

Why was I looking for her? This question confused me. The more I thought, the less logical it seemed for me to go look for her.

"Hey, Ray. Are you still here?" Rose was waving her hand in front of my eyes.

"What? Yeah. I was spaced out." I got up, "let's leave before we get told off."

"You two, get down here." a teacher saw us. "To the principal's office, now." {Well, shit.}

We were asked for an explanation. As going to the roof without permission was not allowed to students. "Some girls attacked me. Ray just helped me, and we got to roof to save ourselves.'' Rose started explaining.

"And where are the girls you say attacked you?" the principal asked us. Robert was with us, but he just stared at the principal.

"She knocked out a few of them, and the rest were injured in the fight. The last girl tried to use plasma to attack. When I defended Rose, she used lightning to attack me." I showed my burnt uniform.

"So, you two fought a group. And came out without any injuries? None at all?" the principal asked us, he probably didn't believe us.

"Sir, they were injured. Their uniform resists mana attacks. Plasma is no joke." Robert defended us.

"Very well." The principal said, "Are you two holding any kind of grudge?"

"No sir. They attacked Rose; I just stepped in to stop the fight. If she is fine, then I am too." I answered.

"I am fine sir. They started it , but I was one who went overboard during the fight." Rose said.

"Okay then, Robert, take them." The principal motioned for us to leave.

We followed Robert quietly. He walked to the infirmary and motioned for us to go in. "Here are the girls you fought today." Robert pointed to a group inside. "They informed the school that you assaulted them, Ray."

"But I was at practice, how can I-"

"I know. You went around asking for Rose everywhere after your practice. I also saw you walking outside minutes before they got into the infirmary." Robert interrupted. "Most of them had fractures. You two really went overboard."

"Sir, only Rose fought them. I only kicked one girl."

"Yes. And her arm has multiple fractures. Her forearm bones were snapped in two by your kick."

The girls looked at Rose with fear, I finally knew why. Both of us had injured them seriously even though the damage done to us was minimum, of course they'd be scared.

"Hey, don't get down. You were defending; you didn't hurt them deliberately." Robert tried to comfort us, "You all were the same when you started this year, yet you are stronger now, remember that."

"Sorry sir." we both said.

"Don't be. Now, go back. Wait, before that, get a new uniform issued, change designs if you like, plain ones don't suit you. You still have about twenty minutes left."

Just as Robert had recommended, I customized my jacket design and made it lighter. Then I changed the material of my pants, so they were more comfortable. After that, I went back and changed into the jumpsuit. The class was empty, only Tom there, with my bag in his hand.

"Took you long enough." he threw my bag, "let's go."