“You chose an interesting time to join us.” Hishi Amazon chuckles as she makes her way back down the path. Her voice is lighter now - no megaphone, no crowd, only the rhythm of footsteps on gravel. “But hey- at least it wasn’t during Summer. Everyone would be at camp.”

  Norm lets out a small breath that barely resembles a laugh.

  “I… didn’t really get to choose the timing,” She replies quietly. Her eyes drift across the courtyard, trying to catch wisps of cheers and chatter fading behind them.

  “Mm. Figures.” Amazon replies. “You made one hell of a ruckus, though. I’ll say… you’re a lot tamer in person than the news made you out to be.”

  “Wh-? That… that so?” Norm stiffens. Her face goes flush for a split second, tail curling between her legs.

  “Ah- Ahaha!” Hishi Amazon bursts into a hearty laugh. “Well, what exactly did you think was going to happen?”

  “I… well, I don’t know.” Norm rubs the back of her neck, eyes turned slightly away. Her ears droop, shoulders hunching in resignation. “It just… came out of me. I wasn’t in the right state of mind at the time.”

  “Yeah, I figured as much.” Hishiama says. “Some ambitious declarations, those were. Let’s see if you can stick to your word, eh?”

  Her hand tightens against the strap of her duffel bag, feeling a heat rise up in her chest. Her heart was really protesting now- thumping, thrashing, threatening to jump out of her ribcage. She felt… small.

  The silence stretches on in the echo of footsteps, casting a shadow longer than the one trailing behind her. If Hishi Amazon was talking about the Triple Tiara declaration, then she almost certainly knew what came next. It was the weight of that which made her cringe even harder, practically folding her shoulders into her chest.

  “So. I see you’ve found yourself a buddy already.” She snaps to as Amazon’s voice cuts through her thoughts. “Danon’s a good kid. I think you two’ll get along.”

  “I… we’re not…” Norm stutters frantically, her mind racing now. She almost blurts that they weren’t friends just yet, but her mind couldn’t find the right word to describe their relationship. Acquaintances?

  Nothing felt quite right.

  “…We met twice. That’s all.”

  “I’d say two’s more than enough.” Hishiama replies. “Sometimes, you know you can trust someone after meeting them even once.”

  Norm doesn’t answer.

  Rounding the path, the two dorms slowly come into view, the two coming to a stop before the Miho building. A faint scent of detergent greets her through the air, with shoes stacked in neat rows along a rack.

  Hishiama spots a patch of dirt and lets out an audible sigh.

  “How many times do I have to tell them not to… Whatever. I’ll deal with it later. Welcome to Miho.”

  She pulls open the large glass door and leads her inside. The air is different - quieter, fuller, devoid of movement but somehow brimming with life. Norm lets out an exhale half a second too long, tension draining out of her like a balloon. There was a sense of peacefulness that she couldn’t quite explain.

  “Right then.” The two put away their shoes, before Hishiama leads her up the stairs. She takes a left and stops before a plain looking door. “Your room.” She then raises a hand and gives two soft taps on the door.

  Silence.

  “Oh! Right.” Hishiama lets out a laugh. “She’s still in the infirmary. Well then.. Make yourself at home.”

  “She..?” Norm blinks.

  “Your roommate.” Amazon fishes out one key after the other, trying two before the third one slips in with a click. “There we go.”

  The door swings open with a soft metallic creak.

  Two beds, side by side, come into view. Three knee-high cabinets join the two sides of the room, the center one with a Monitor on top. The curtains are half drawn with a table and cabinet pressed towards the close side of the room… yet almost none of it recognizable given how much of a pig pen the right side looked to be.

  Dirty linen and clothing were scattered across the floor like discarded toys, some draped hastily over the chair and table. Half-open books were strewn across the table, the desk lamp knocked askew and turned the other way. The bedding was completely undone, thrown into a fold to the left with the covering left bare; and a pair of soccer cleats were strewn across the floor with fresh turf still between the studs. Lastly, a black-and-white patterned soccer ball had seemingly rolled across the room, annexing the underside of her bed in the process.

  “This…”

  Her words catch in her throat. Her ears, once twitching in anticipation, simply flattens. Her gaze crawls across a mountain of laundry and filth, the air faintly sweet with detergent and… something sharper. At least her teammate was using deodorant.

  Her throat tightens.

  “…is against regulation, yes.” Hishiama murmurs, pinching the bridge of her nose. There’s no anger in her tone, only a tired, resigned familiarity; like someone who has fought this war many times before and long ago considered the territories surrendered.

  Norm nudges her way in, knocking over an empty sports drink bottle in her way. She lets out a sigh and sets her sights on her half of the room.

  The difference is astounding.

  Her bed is untouched. The sheets folded crisp. The pillow sits square in the center, undisturbed. The cabinet beneath it has no scuffs, no scratches, no marks- save for a layer of dust that had gathered on top.

  Her hand grips the duffel strap once more.

  “...What’s with the soccer stuff? I thought we were a school for runners?”

  “She has a hobby.” Hishiama places her hand on her hips. “One that she’s… rather enthusiastic about.”

  Norm crouches down, brushing the dust from the top of the cabinet with her thumb. The faint gray smear gathers across her skin. It felt wrong, like stepping into someone else’s memory.

  She slowly rolls the soccer ball out from beneath her bed and sets it softly on her roommate’s bed. She then lowers her duffel bag and sits on the mattress. It dips softly beneath her weight, a soft puff of stale air escaping beneath her thighs. She presses her palm into the fabric and feels it strain.

  “So she’s in the infirmary?” Norm asks.

  “Yup.” Hishi Amazon leans against the doorframe, her arms crossed. “Went for a bad tackle in a pickup game this afternoon. She’ll be back tonight… or tomorrow at worst.”

  “…What’s she like?” Norm asks “Anything I should expect?”

  “Well, that’s for you to find out.” Hishi Amazon smiles. “Make yourself at home. Dinner’s at six. There’ll be a bell- you can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks.” She mumbles. The door slides close with a click, followed by the sound of retreating footsteps. Norm takes another look around… and finally starts to unpack.

  She pulls the zipper open with a deep sigh before retrieving her tracksuit, the same one she had thrown off herself and onto the floor at the Unicorn Stakes. With a soft grimace and a pang of cringe, she slides the cabinet open and tosses it in.

  Her movement slowly turns rhythmic. T-shirts. Socks. A spare towel. She carefully folds them, pressing them into the depths of the cabinet, as if afraid the drawer will spit her stuff right back out for making sudden movements.

  A small puff of dust lifts when she wipes the top of the cabinet with her sleeve. The surface gleams gently, like the brushed coat of an eager puppy.

  “It’s getting stuffy here.” Normcore sighs, her nose scrunching from the miniature hurricane she had just unleashed upon herself. “I should really let some air in.”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  She slides the curtains open, and a beautiful amber glow fills the room to its brim. The glow settles across her face and collarbone, tracing the faint curves of her chin and neck, then sneakily slips beneath her skin a subtle warmth. Dust motes drift lazily in the air, each one catching the light like tiny floating embers.

  The colors speak louder than sound.

  A deep orange melts into a color of copper in the horizon, bathing countless rooftops in a brilliant golden blaze. Long, soft shadows are cast across the lawn in its wake, like ash left behind in the aftermath of a world that only knew how to glow.

  For a second, she freezes like a deer in headlights, the sight slowly burning itself into her memory. A tree branch rattles in the wind, the open window carrying with it a fresh breeze and the sound of laughter. Two girls hastily put on their shoes by the entrance before darting off into the courtyard.

  “...Wow.” She manages to make out a breathless gasp that’s just barely audible.

  BRRRRRRRRING. A shrill bell rings through the air, cutting through the silence and making her jump. Seconds later, doors slam open in the hallway, followed by brisk, quick footsteps.

  “Dinnertime!” A cheer echoes down the hallway. Instinctively, a loud growl runs through Norm’s stomach, loud enough for her tail to bristle.

  “Well, I suppose I should grab a bite first, then.” She turns away from the window and pulls open the door. “The unpacking can wait.”

  She scurries her way down the stairs, pulling on her sneakers. The door’s already open, a tidal wave of bodies rippling past her in waves- some in twos, some in packs, others in gaggles; most of which she doesn’t recognize.

  “Well, isn’t this a pleasant coincidence.” A familiar figure comes around the corner as she stands. Her ears perk up almost immediately.

  “Danon?” Her brow slightly furrows. “Are… Are you stalking me?”

  “Hm?” Danon comes to a stop with her mouth slightly agape. “The bell just went?”

  Heat rushes straight to Norm’s face. Of course it did. The realization lands with all the grace of a falling brick, causing her to stammer out a quiet “right…” lost in courtyard chatter- she wasn’t quite sure she could even hear it herself, much less Danon. Needing something—anything—to do, she leans down, unties her laces, and then redoes them as slow as she can, letting her silver hair drape along her face like a curtain.

  The silence only drags on longer despite the commotion.

  “What’s the hold up?” Another familiar voice, this time deeper and far more impatient, cuts through the silence. “Cricket catch your eye again?”

  Le Vent Se Leve’s figure brushes past Danon, her sun-kissed skin glowing a distinct creamy chocolate hue in the sunset. She spots Norm as she brushes past Danon, her eyebrow giving a faint raise.

  “She’s new. It doesn’t feel right, leaving her alone.”

  “Suit yourself then, I’ll go on ahead.” Leve’s tail gives an impatient swish as she continues down the path.

  “Sounds good. We’ll catch up.” Danon replies, watching her make her way down the path. Norm straightens, more relieved than anything else.

  “Are you two… roommates?” The two fall in step, hurrying to keep pace with the thinning crowd. “I didn’t do anything to make her angry, did I?”

  “We are.” Danon gives a subtle nod towards Le Vent Se Leve’s silhouette. “Don’t mind Leve-chan. She’s got priorities; but she’s warmer than she looks, once you get to know her.”

  “I guess.” Norm sighs, her ears drooping slightly. Leve had barely slipped her a second glance. “She doesn’t think very highly of me, does she?”

  “You’d be surprised.” Danon hums. “She’s mentioned how she hasn’t seen many girls with a drive like yours.”

  Norm blinks.

  “You had her quite worried when you didn’t let up your lead till the third bend. That final spurt of yours caught everyone off guard.”

  Something warm fizzles up inside her heart. It was a sensation hard to describe- bubbly, foamy, filling her up from the inside out with almost a prideful glee. Her ears give two involuntary twitches and her tail kicks up into a wag, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips and forcing her to bite it back.

  “S-Seriously? I-” Her voice comes out half a pitch higher than usual. She squeaks, coughs, and stops to clear her throat. “-It wasn’t a good showing, you know… Stumbling and hitting the floor in front of everyone like that.”

  “Quite the opposite, I think. I think it was the most dignified showing you could’ve had in those conditions. You didn’t look too good going into the gates.”

  She opens her mouth to respond, only for a waft of creamy, savory scent of fried rice to drift through the air, followed by a generous ladle of gravy and the sound of sizzling steak.

  Grrrrrrrrowl.

  The sound is loud. Embarrassingly loud. It erupts from her stomach as if protesting the mistreatment of convenience bread and bullet train catering it had been fed earlier in the day. She could see the doors already- half open with a trickle of students making their way in. The sound of trays, chatter, and forks clinking against porcelain is next. Her ears, drooping, perk up with an even greater fervor.

  “Well, I suppose we should… save the rest for later, then?” Danon lets out a soft laugh, picking up her pace. “It does sound like you’ve got more important matters to attend to.”

  “...Yeah.” Norm gulps.

  The two beeline for the doorway, Norm’s eyes bearing a small glimmer as the two make their way through.

  The dining hall unfurls before her eyes the exact same way she remembers it- a large, lavish building that far surpassed what Iwaki had to offer even on its best day. Rows upon rows of large, round tables were scattered about; large, broad windows lining the walls. A warm glow filled the place from lanterns hanging off brick pillars, with students scattered- bustling- around, filling almost every seat like a crusade of purple-and-white ants.

  Most importantly, however, she spots the serving table.

  Rich curry simmered in deep steel vats as workers scooped out ladles to pour onto rice. Steaming white rice was being given out by the bowl, each and every grain pristine like they were made of Jade.

  Then she spots a row of steaks lining the far wall- glimmering, freshly seared, topped with melted butter, pepper, and trickles of gravy coating the surface. A golden, almost transparent puddle of melted fat oozes from beneath the wagyu, letting off an aroma of what she could only describe as liquid gold. Above it all, atop the beef, was a singular stick of carrot, innocently placed in its center.

  A trembling whimper makes its way out of her throat.

  “Come on.” Danon softly tugs on her sleeves, snapping her out of her trance. “If you don’t hurry, we won’t be able to find a seat.”

  The two grab their food, but it’s a few more moments before they can find open seats by the edge of the dining hall. She frantically snatches up her pair of chopsticks, clipping the edge of the tray as she does. Her fingers tremble as she fumbles the bamboo apart.

  “Let’s eat!” The first declaration is a hurried gasp of impatience.

  “Let’s eat.” The affirmation is as elegant and composed as ever.

  For a moment, there’s nothing but silence as Norm descends upon the steak with everything she has. The slab of beef slides apart elegantly as she pulls her steak knife across the fibers, the glistening sear coming apart almost effortlessly and exposing the juicy red interior. The prongs of a metal fork press to the meat, then slide in with a squish as she brings the slice to her lips.

  It’s heaven. An explosion of richness explodes between her tongue, the slightly salty flavor of gravy mixing in with a flood of juice exploding from the lush softness of wagyu. There’s a soft, delicate crunch of the crust before the beef practically melts onto her tongue, coating the inside of her mouth with the faint taste of butter and slightly bitter herbs.

  “Mm-!” A high pitched squeal leaves her. Her entire body shudders in delight as her head shoots straight back; the top of her tail smacking the back of her seat with a loud crack, then starts to wriggle frantically. She swallows without hesitation, then flies back to the steak as if it would escape had she left it alone any longer.

  The buzz of the cafeteria fades into the background as she shoves slice after slice into her mouth, again and again until her tongue becomes numb with flavor. Only when the steak is three-quarters finished does she finally let off with a loud gasp, speckles of gravy splashed about her cheeks and tracksuit.

  “Norm…” Danon finally says, staring with an almost reverent admiration of her spirit. “Have you considered what team you’d like to join?”

  “Mm?” Her ears flicker. It takes a few seconds for the sentence to land and she finally straightens, pausing from the carnage she had been inflicting on the beef. She pauses, gulps, and puts a hand to her chin.

  “Isn’t it… obvious? Probably Rigil if you ask me.”

  “Selections are already finished, Norm.” Danon replies, scooping up a chunk of rice with her chopsticks. “I seriously doubt Rigil’s got any open spots right now, especially with all the girls they’ve rejected at the start of the year.”

  “Crap. You’re right.” Norm furrows her brow and pinches the bridge of her nose. She dreamt of joining the same team Rudolf had been a part of- but that dream lasted for but a fleeting second, and was now little more than smoke. “I dunno then. Probably anyone that’ll take me, so I’ve got no complaints as long as I get a good trainer.”

  She lifts to take another bite of her beef, then pauses.

  “Unless…” For a flicker of a second, the thought of training herself comes to mind… but there was practically no way the Academy would allow it. “Yeah. Nevermind.”

  “You’re pretty behind. I’d personally try and find a team first thing tomorrow.” Danon replies as Norm moves onto the carrot. “Well… After classes, of course.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll try.” A loud crunch echoes across the table as Norm takes off half the carrot in a single bite. “Not that big of a deal- It’s only September. I don’t think I’ve got much of a choice, so as long as I don’t end up with Canopus, I’ll be…”

  She halts mid-bite, the taste of steak crumbling to ash. Now that teams had been mentioned, her mind skids to what probably should’ve been her first thought about it all.

  “Cygnus. What's happening with Cygnus?”

  Danon’s expression, once composed, falters almost instantly as if she had invoked a taboo name. “I… it’s not a good time for them. They’re going through a change of administration.” For the first time, her response sounds evasive.

  “Right. Because of what happened… after the Satsuki Sho?” Norm asks, yet there was no curiosity in her eyes. She already knows the answer- after all, that was what had started it all.

  “Yes. It’s not a good time to join them right now.” Danon’s voice drops to a hushed whisper. “They’re still dealing with Kaibara-san’s passing.”

  A loud, high-pitched ring echoes through her head as her world starts to fold inwards. Memories come flooding back like a broken dam.

  Sky. Railing. Floor. Then, a sickening crunch followed by silence.

  “Norm? Are you okay? You look… pale.”