I will show them!

✦ The Hidden Pond ✦

Aether had searched almost every conceivable corner of the academy grounds. He'd paced through the bustling main courtyard, peeked inside the training fields where clumps of students sparred and laughed, and even looped around the towering library twice. Yet still—no sign of Claire.

He ran a hand through his messy hair, exhaling in frustration. "Arghh… where could she have gone? Claire, you troublesome idiot…"

He stood there in the shade of a grand oak, closing his eyes to think. Then, like a slow bloom of memory, something stirred inside him—a conversation from months ago back at home, long before either of them had stepped foot on academy soil.

"Aether, you know… there's this place at the academy I go whenever I feel lonely or empty. It doesn't have anything special—not really. It's just a place where I can breathe. Be myself for a little while."

His eyes snapped open. "That's it. I know now—I know exactly where she's gone."

There was only one place Claire could retreat to. A secret nook behind the academy buildings, hidden by a natural curtain of thick bushes and towering old trees. Many didn't even realize it existed. But push past the green, and there it was—a beautiful, tranquil pond, ringed by small wildflowers and a single weathered bench. A place quietly tended by whoever happened upon it, so its small oasis never faded.

Aether had stumbled upon it once himself during his early days here. It had been maddening to locate at first, the path nearly swallowed by the undergrowth. But once he'd arrived… there had been a stillness there that made all his tight-wound thoughts loosen.

And he knew, with absolute certainty, that's where Claire would be.

✦ The Weight of Steps ✦

Guided by intuition and the faintest trail of memory, Aether wound his way around the academy's rear gardens, slipping between dense branches and ducking under stray vines. Every step felt unusually heavy, like he was walking into something deeper than just a hidden clearing.

At last he broke through, greeted by the quiet glisten of the pond. Its surface rippled with lazy circles from falling petals. Birds chirped somewhere far off, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and beyond all of that—silence.

His eyes found her immediately. A lone figure seated on the old bench, head bowed, silver-white hair spilling around her like a fragile veil. Even from this distance, he could sense it—the sadness coiling off her shoulders.

Aether drew a slow breath and walked forward, careful not to startle her. When he reached the bench, he didn't say a word. Just quietly sat down next to her, close enough their shoulders brushed.

Claire lifted her head slowly. Her eyes were red and glistening, tears carving bright tracks down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Aether…" she breathed, voice cracking. "It's all because of me this happened. If I'd just been more careful, paid better attention to who was around, none of this—"

He inhaled sharply, cutting her off with a small shake of his head. "Is that why you're sitting here crying? Over something like this?" His tone wasn't cruel, but it carried a firm weight. "Come on. Lift your head. Look at me."

When Claire met his gaze, he held it, unwavering. Then he said simply, "You're my sister. And I'm your brother. We don't need anyone else's permission for that. Not anymore."

The words weren't grand or elaborate—but every syllable was unflinchingly real. They landed like small stones dropped into the pond, rippling out deeper than anything else might have.

Then, without warning, Aether reached over and tugged hard on Claire's cheeks, stretching them out in a playful grimace. "Come on, smile. Isn't this what you always wanted? For everyone to know exactly who I am to you? Hehe."

Claire blinked at him, stunned, her tears halting for a breath. "After what's happened… how can I just—"

"I'll show them." His interruption was soft, but iron lay beneath it.

Her eyes widened. "Eh…?"

Aether tilted his head back, staring up at the gentle sway of leaves above them. When he spoke again, it was quiet, almost conversational—but it sliced straight through the hush around them. "I'll show everyone in this academy that I'm worthy of being your brother. So quit crying already. Or… what? You don't believe me?"

For a heartbeat, all the little sounds of the clearing seemed to vanish. The pond hushed, the wind paused. Aether's words sat there, bright and unchallenged.

Then Claire lifted her hands to scrub at her eyes. When she lowered them again, she was smiling—small at first, then growing into something bright and trembling. "No! I believe in you. Of course I do. You can do it."

"That's more like it." Aether laughed, the tension easing out of his shoulders. "Now that's the sister I wanted to see. Not this gloomy raincloud version."

Claire sniffed and tried to glare at him, though it lacked any heat. "Anyway, what's with you pulling my cheeks like that, huh?" She reached out and pinched his right back, harder. "Take that!"

"Ahhwwyy! Sowwy!" Aether squealed, squirming away from her grip. Then he slumped back against the bench with a theatrical sigh. "Anyway, Claire… you were right. This place really is peaceful. Feels like… you can just forget who you are, forget all your problems. Who knows? Might become one of my favorite spots too, hehe."

Claire's expression softened completely. She reached out to gently pat his head, her palm warm and familiar. "Yeah… go ahead and make it yours. I think you'll come to love it."

They sat there together after that, saying little. Just watching the pond shimmer and the tiny flowers bob in the breeze. Two siblings, united in quiet resolve, sharing a secret place that now felt like theirs in a way neither would ever forget.

✦ The Slow Burn of Resolve ✦

In the privacy of his thoughts, Aether's grin turned razor sharp. "That's right. A secret never stays a secret forever. They forced my hand this time—so I'll pay them back tenfold. I'll show this entire academy exactly what someone like me can do. Now… just how am I going to pull it off?"

✦ Weeks Later: The Tournament Looms ✦

The days slipped by, turning to weeks. Slowly, the relentless gossip that had once painted Aether and Claire in every whisper began to fade. Students found new distractions, new rumors, new minor scandals to pick at.

But something else was changing too. The way people looked at Aether. There was curiosity now. A wary kind of respect—or at least the beginnings of it.

Then came the announcement that would throw all of them into a frenzy.

Akabane-teach stood at the front of their classroom, hands clasped behind her back, her stern eyes sweeping over the seated first years. "I have an announcement. In three weeks, we will hold a friendly tournament among the first-year mages. This will be observed by upperclassmen up through the third year. It will serve to assess how far you've all come since enrollment."

The classroom erupted into anxious murmurs. Someone off to Aether's right groaned, "I heard from a senior that our contraptions are going to look like junk next to theirs. They've got magic—massive, flashy spells. We… don't."

Another student slumped forward, defeated. "It's over. We're doomed. Might as well pack up now."

But Aether just sat there, fingers drumming lightly on his desk. In his chest, his heart was racing—not from fear, but anticipation. "A perfect stage. They want to see what first-years can do? Fine. I'll show them. I'll show all of them exactly what a so-called 'non-gifter' like me is capable of."

✦ Claire's Calm Faith ✦

Across the campus, in the flower-lined path near the girls' dorms, Claire was walking alongside Lena when the topic inevitably came up.

"Did you hear about the tournament, Claire? Aren't you worried about Aether?" Lena asked, biting her lip.

Claire just smiled—soft, almost amused. "Not at all. I know he can do it. He promised me, after all."

Lena tilted her head, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "Ahh? What promise? You can't just say that and stop there!"

"Haha…" Claire only smirked, clasping her hands behind her back. "You'll see soon enough. Just wait for the tournament."

Inside, her thoughts were clear and bright. "Do your best, Aether. I'll be there, watching every moment. No matter what happens—you're already more than enough to me."

✦ To Be Continued

(Cue Jojo'z Theme dramatically swelling as the camera pans up to the academy under a blazing sunset.)