Soul Academy (Chapter 2)

Over the course of a few weeks since the demon attack on Sanctum, Miku had found as much out about Sariel as she could, which admittedly wasn't much. She knew she was the suspect of several angel killings, though none, as far as she knew, were actually confirmed. She was disappointed with the lack of information, but she would just have to live with it because of the upcoming ball. All third years were expected to attend, though second and first years had a choice.

Lily had mostly recovered from her illness, and was finally starting to catch up on all of the school work she had missed. She was glad to be able to focus properly again, and had decided that she would go to the ball.

Rei's bullies had been caught and expelled from Sanctum, with the Archangel going so far as to take their souls, effectively removing their angel-hood. He had also given a speech on why the punishment was so severe, telling the students that this could get angel's killed outside of the Academy.

Jason's training with the Archangel had gone well, his stamina increasing thanks to the Archangel's somewhat unforgiving methods of training. He could now produce a larger flame with less of a negative effect.

-Jason-

Out of all the homework, tests, training sessions, and hell even the demon fight I now faced the toughest obstacle of my life: to go to the upcoming ball, or not? First years like myself had the option to go or not, so really it was all a choice I had no answer to yet. On the one hand, I've never been to a school dance before and it sounded like it would be fun and interesting, especially if I had my friends there. On the other.....crowds, lots of people, and dancing. The only dance I knew.....was the slow kind, with a partner, courtesy of lessons from my mom.

And since that required a girl, and I was awkward and shy around girls.........facing that demon again seemed preferable now.

Rei's cuts and bruises had healed. When Lily found her, she'd been happy. Things seemed a bit more normal, especially now that Lily was not sick anymore. The ball had her excited - she had packed her favorite dress, and...well...she was currently fighting for the courage to ask Lily to the ball. Yeah, she'd probably say no...but she'd try anyways.
Currently she was in the shower, enjoying the feeling of the warm water and the fact the bullies had been expelled.

-Rin-

The past few weeks had been quiet again, though things were becoming more enjoyable. Through Jason, I managed to become slightly better friends with Rei and Lily. When I heard what happened to Rei before, I wanted to beat those bullies to a pulp.....but it felt better in a way, watching them be humiliated as they were forced to stand before the school, crying and stripped of everything. Reminded me of something my uncle once said: the best way to punish a teenager isn't to threaten them with being grounded, but to humiliate them.

Anyway, I had been doing okay in class, scores were good and I was at the top of my game in weapons training. Oddly enough, Jason was becoming a rising star, turning out to have a natural talent for the sword.....when he found his nerve anyway. He wasn't that shy anymore, but he still got...awkward, now and then. I know this upcoming ball thing had him nervous, and he told me when it was announced that he wasn't sure if he needed a date or not. I had laughed and said there wasn't a need for one, just go and have fun. And if anything came of it, like a girl, then all the better.

Rei looked up at the men's dorms. She rubbed her head. A few bruises remained, but she was feeling better. Stepping inside, she followed James' aura to his door. Knocking, she waited, hoping he'd be here and it wouldnt be too much trouble to ask for a sparring partner.

-Jason-

While sitting in my room, I was in that precarious position of leaning back in my chair and balancing on two of the four legs. When I heard the knock, I was surprised actually fell back with a loud crash, letting out an "Ahhh!" of surprise as I fell. Getting up, I quickly said "I'm okay...." and walked to the door, opening it to find Rei. "Oh, Rei.....what's up?"

She giggled softly. "So...uhm....can...can I ask for your help?" She smiled. "I need a sparring partner. Since you've been a good swordsman recently, I could use someone that could keep up with me."

-Jason-

"Oh uh......sure, why not?" I said. "Give me a minute," I said, closing the door to change into sparring clothes and to grab my soul before leaving the room to join Rei. "Lily not feeling well?"

"No...." she paused. "James...I want to ask Lily to the ball. Im just scared..so...that's why I need to spar. To calm down and get my nerve up."

-Jason-

"Oh......OH......uhm, well then......uh, wow okay, guess I can see the problem." Yes, I had suspicions that Rei had a thing for Lily, but it was one thing to suspect, another to confirm.

"Yeah. Thanks..." she looked away. "...you wont judge me for loving her...right?" Rei looked nervous.

-Jason-

"I'm a brooding social outcast that killed a man in broad daylight, no judging here. Maybe a little.....jealousy, but not much else." I blushed a little, but it was true. Rei and Lily were both cute enough, and they paid attention to me. How couldn't I have grown affection for them?

She giggled. "Hey. It's okay." She held out her hand. "One war naginata two katanas and two wakizashis backed with complete battlefield awareness make jealousy a bad thing to listen to." She said happily.

-Jason-

"I guess.....oh well, guess that saves me the trouble of asking you two I suppose......I mean, if it all works out I mean."

"If it doesnt, feel free to ask Lily." She paused. "...I'll go alone like usual." She started to drag him away. "Now come on, not only is this sparring but you learn how to fight an opponent with multiple weapons.

-Jason-

"Or we can go alone together," I said. "I mean, I'm not that good talking to pretty girls so odds are I won't be able to get a date at all."

"...James..." she leaned closer. "If I was straight as a board, I'd be flirting with you." She told him. "Have some confidence." Rei dragged him more.

-Jason-

Going a tad red in the face, I regained some speed so she wouldn't have to drag me, and we soon reached the training field. "So....use our souls, or nah?" I asked her.

"Yes." She drew her naginata. "First one disarmed or the first one to admit defeat?" She asked, entering a combat stance.

-Jason-

"Uh......first one to admit defeat," I said. Adopting a new stance, I held my soul at the ready, prepared for whatever attack she had in mind.

=was sitting up in a tree overlooking the field when she saw rei and jason getting ready to spar while thinking to herself=

should be interesting

She breathed. She could see the subtle changes in his aura, where it gathered before an attack. It wasnt the most accurate, since aura could change the gathering area fast. But if he didnt do too many fake plays...
She stayed still, closing her rmeye. She calmly felt the aura between them. She took a breath, and waited until it moved.

-Jason-

Neither of us moved a step from where we stood, and I figured we couldn't stand here all day. Moving my right foot an inch to the right, the sound it made was quite audible in the relative silence of the field. She had her eyes closed, but that wasn't reason for me to get overeager; if anything ti made me more cautious, since during our sessions the Archangel would do the same thing. He used his ears to find me, and I had to guess she could do the same. So I darted forward, light on my feet and fast as I could as I moved towards her.

Rei didnt smirk outwardly. His aura moved closer, like a bright flame flying at her, blazing with fire. She raised her naginata in a one-handed attack style, and breathed.
Once he was a few feet away, so did something childish.

She dropped to her knees and cued into a ball...the perfect tripping ball.

-Jason-

I wasn't close enough yet to actually trip, and instead pushed off with my right foot to dart to the left, getting her out of my path before swinging the flat side of my sword at her.

The aura moved made her spring away, the blade barely skimming her rear. She landed and turned, naginata raised. He changed fast. So, she went for direct confrentation, hoping to more easily track his aura.

-Jason-

When she dodged and came at me, I went on the defensive, bringing my sword up to block her potential blows.

Aura shifted....there...
She went into a low sweep, aiming to trip him up.

"Nick stop hitting so fucking hard!" Yelled one of the kids who had wanted to train with me. "Well, now you know why some people don't want to train with me, I, y'know, actually hit you." The other kid was red in the face, he looked pretty angry. Pissed, even. I didn't even care at that moment. My mind was still on the history teacher, and talking to them about what Sariel had said.

He moved, and almost caught me off guard. I deftly deflected his attack and tripped him with my foot. He went a tumbling in the grass. I didn't need to turn around to see the look on his face. His anger was palpable. Emotional investment in a fight affected judgement calls, like the one he was about to make. "Hrah!" He yelled, and I knew he was going to use his soul. He lunged and let out a concussive force, I rolled out of the way, and kicked at his knees as he lunged passed me. Once again, he was sprawling in the grass.

"You know, we're not using sticks here, if I had chosen to not move, you would have impaled me." My voice was cold and matter-of-fact, uncommon. The kid looked back up at me, and I could see the fight was still in him. I shrugged, "suit yourself." He lunged at me again and this time I kicked him in the face, then walked away. I had other things on my mind. Some of the other boys laughed, I had beaten them too, so they knew what the other kid was going through, but at the same time, they found enjoyment in other people being humiliated by me -intentional or not. I was by no means the best, but I was a challenge.

I had improved a lot, and I was still looking for a way to learn magic, which was proving to be understandably difficult.

-Jason-

Stopping in my tracks, I changed my footing and stance, tightening the muscles in my leg and keeping it rigid to take the blow from Rei's kick.

She met the rigid leg, and then twisted, spinning to strike Jason in the sidenof the face. She dug her soul into the ground to keep balance, obviously playing to win.

-Jason-

Changing hands with my soul, I used my right arm to block the kick but damn did it hurt like hell, and it messed with my stance as I got pushed back.

Spinning up, she pushed off from her naginata and drew one katana. Landing, she rolled and slashed downwards at Jason without pause, not letting him get his balance back.

-Jason-

Regaining my balance in combat was becoming natural for me, all that training with the Archangel paying off. I managed to parry her blow before following with a blow of my own that could lop off her arm.

She danced out of range, drawing her second katana. He really had gotten better.
She smirked. Still. He hadn't figured out exactly how Rei was dodging his attacks,and she was sure he wouldnt so soon. But even forewarning wasnt enough.
She hoped she didnt have to remove the eyepatch.

Rei charged, stabbing with one before slicing down from the left.

-Jason-

I twisted my body to avoid the stab, like a fencer I guess, while bringing my sword up to block her attack from above. That left me one free hand, so I grabbed the wrist holding the stabbing sword to keep her from trying to cut me from the side.

-Rin-

It was starting to get boring sitting in my room, so I took a bit of a walk. Wondering what Jason was up to, I headed for his room to see if he was there, but there was no answer to my knocking. Sighing, I headed outside for some sunlight, walking by the sparring field where I found Jason.....fighting Rei.

Well. Not bad.
Letting gonof the stabbing katana, she easily sheathed the other one with a reverse motion, and as quick as she could, yanked her arm back, and quickly tripped Jason she kept amclose eye on his aura, tracking where it was going.

-Jason-

I fell forward, but didn't try to stop myself, instead rolling into it when I hit the grass before coming back to my feet, panting lightly,seeing her sword sheathed, I asked Rei "So, calling it quits?"

She unsheathed it.
"Nope. Just had to get it out of the way." She entered a more traditional kendo stance. "You?"

-Jason-

Grinning, I held Midnight Flame behind me, my own ready position as I said "If you think you can go a few more rounds, sure."

"I'm more worried about you." She held the sword overhead...and charged.

-Jason-

I just stood there calmly, waiting for her to make a true attack that went beyond a charge.

Rei stopped, lowered her sword, and walked. She just left herself wide open, and walked towards Jason.

-Jason-

Well, this was odd. Though knowing Rei, it was a trap so I held my ground and kept my sword at the ready in case she tried anything.

Rei spun and chucked her sword. The moment he moved tomamside she was there, Wakizashis out and ready to strike. He didnt lower his guard, but behaved the exact way the other end of the spectrum would. He apparently was amrising star.

-Jason-

Throwing her sword was a surprise and had me moving to dodge.....right into her follow up attack, which I managed to block but only barely. "Way to lose your best weapon," I said with a smile.

Rei only grinned.
"Look down.
Her second Wakizashi was pressing into his gut. Her smirk was just...not leaving.
"I sacrificed weapons. My best weapon is not metal, but mind."

-Jason-

"Yeah and you cheat by using that aura thing of yours," I said. "Honestly had you been using your eyes this fight might have gone differently." Honestly, I wasn't sore. Heck I was best friends with a girl who could kick my ass if she wanted to, so being beaten by Rei wasn't that much of a downer. Besides, even if it was.......rule one of losing: lose, with grace and don't give the ass that won the satisfaction of seeing you throw a tantrum.

Rei opened her eye.
"Yeah. I had to focus solely on where your aura was going. If I had sight, I probably would have only lost my soul." She retrieved all her weapons. "Or none at all. Butif you're not willing to take a risk and sacrifice, victory eludes. When someone is a walking armory, gotta be ready for anything. Not impossible to beat someone like me." She smiled. "Always know where your opponents weapons are. All of them."

-Jason-

"Didn't even know that using our soul abilities was part of the duel Rei......then again, wouldn't have been fair. Could have barbecued you." And made her hotter than she was not. Third degree burn hot, probably.