Miracles at World's End

Lila woke up to her cat sitting on her face.

She shot up, sending her Companion yowling as it leapt off her face and onto a desk. Lila tried to cough out the furball that accumulated over the night. Strands of fur fluttered out between coughs, but were sucked right back in whenever Lila breathed.

Lila was quick to displace the panic bubbling within her chest so she could concrete on spitting the furball out.

She inhaled sharply and reached inward to grab that feeling when she first transformed. She wasn't looking for a complete transformation, but to channel enough magic into her muscles to strengthen them. Lila latched onto that feeling like one could only remember parts of a dream and focused on it. This time, though, rather than thinking of transforming, she thought about making her lungs and associated muscles stronger.

The next thing Lila knew, the furball lodged in her throat was gone and splattered on the wall clear across the room.

Lila let out a strained exhale. She frowned at her Companion to which it started licking one of its paws.

Again, out of all the Companions she had to bond with, it was a cat. Ah well, it wasn't the worst of things. If anything, dealing with the feline's quirks was better than the name calling and backbiting at school. Who knows, maybe the bullies will back off since she was a Miracle now. Oh the look on their faces when they see her cat will be wonderful! If she, uh, decided to go to school today or skip the day for practice. She still had incomplete homework, after all.

But first, breakfast!

Lila got out of bed and opened the curtains to a grey sky. Rain pattered against the window and thunder cackled in the distance. The corner of Lila's lips twitched. Joy, she had to go to school in the rain. She whipped about and walked out of her room whilst grumbling all the way.

A light thud followed by the pitter-patter of paws alerted her that her Companion was trotting behind. She didn't spare a glance for it. That darn cat decided her face was an appropriate heating pad. That alone was annoying, but the furball could have actually suffocated her!

And did her Companion feel any remorse for it? Nope! The only feeling Lila got from the it was cat-satisfaction. Like it had accomplished something it had worked on for years on end and lived to see it bore fruit. Urgh, now she had to figure out how to prevent her Companion from using her face as a heating pad or suffer more furballs.

Maybe she really should skip the day.

Lila stepped out of her room and headed to the living room. The smell of steamed rice and fish invited her to pick up the pace. The crackle of fire grew louder the closer she got. Lila entered the living room to see Yang sitting cross-legged on the sofa. She held a plate of rice and fish above her palm. A flame danced about in Yang's hand. Streams of heat distorted the air as it warmed the plate of food.

"Hey Lila-chan. You, uh, got hair all over your face." Yang smiled.

Lila rubbed her cheek and saw that her hand was covered in fur. Her right eye twitched. Anger bubbled within her, something she allowed to shimmer before wrangling back into its place so calm could take hold. Her baleful gaze slowly turned upon her Companion which stared into the hateful abyss with a smug smile.

"Can you heat up my food while I wash my face? And brush my cat."

The feline's eyes went wide. It looked at Yang with pleading eyes as if begging to save it from its horrid fate.

"Sure, sure, you lazy bum." Yang answered.

The feline let out a subdued meow as if to say, 'I have made a mistake.'

Lila snatched up her Companion into her arms before it could even think of escape. She held it close against her chest. Lila did feel something bat the inside of her head. Not like a physical sensation, but more like a phantom paw. That paw kept batting her until she glared down at her Companion.

"Stop or it's the bath for you."

The cat slumped into her arms and gave a few more subdued meows as if it resigned itself to its fate.

Lila headed into the restroom while balancing the cat in her arms. Her Companion squirmed and wiggled about not to escape, but to prolong its fate for as long as it could. And to annoy its bonded human too.

How unfortunate that Lila tightened her grip to arrest all of the feline's movement while wearing a strained, twitching grin.

The door to the restroom was ajar, enough to slip a foot or hand through and push it open. Lila kicked it open with enough force that it slammed into the wall. She ignored the shout from Yang warning her to treat the door nicely or get burdened with more debt. Well, it wasn't like she used any magic to kick the door open, just normal human rage.

Lila closed the door with her foot and deposited her Companion onto the sink counter. She looked into the mirror to see wads of fur stuck to her brown skin. A part of her questioned how so much fur stayed on her face in the first place, but the answer to that was simple. Magic. Which also brought up another question of how she was going to brush her cat so she didn't wake up covered in fur again. Even normal cats were difficult to brush as Lila learned when she was a volunteer at a local shelter. So many scratches, so many bandages.

But brushing a magical cat with the intelligence on par or beyond that of a human? Lila already felt her hands ache. Yet it must be done.

Yowls and hisses filled the air as Lila equipped a brush and did battle with an angry, eldritch cat. Blood and fur was shedded, carpeting the restroom floor. The battle raged for minutes on end with neither side backing down. Outside, Yang and Fly looked at one another, wondering if they should intervene. After a couple of seconds, Yang shrugged. Lila and her cat needed to sort out their own issues like how she resolved her issues with Fly. And so the battle went on for several more moments before the door finally creaked open.

Lila stood in the doorway, covered in more fur than before. Her strained smile was gone and was replaced by a deep, hair-ridden frown. Her Companion slinked out with a proud smile. Lila shook a handle bereft of its brush at the cat, but otherwise did not pursue further battle.

"I should get a camera and text dad to get popcorn for next time." Yang said.

"Quiet you." Lila shook the broken handle at Yang.

"Better get your food before it becomes more lukewarm. First reheat was free, subsequent ones will cost you."

Lila rolled her eyes before sitting down and used a pair of cracked chopsticks to eat the rice.

"Mom and dad went to the shop?" Lila asked.

"Yep. Though they had to leave early. Something about a meeting. Hopefully it's not another shark trying to wrangle money out of them. If there is, weeeeell." Yang cracked her knuckles and grinned, fiery sparks leaping out from her hands.

Fly flew into her ear and Lila swore she heard the angry buzzing all the way from across the table.

Yang clamped a hand down on her ear. "Okokok! I won't knee cap them immediately."

Seemingly satisfied, Fly buzzed out of Yang's ear and returned back to nestling in her hair. Lila frowned at Yang while the older sister rubbed the inside of her ear.

"You shouldn't resort to violence against another human so quickly. It's unbecoming of a Miracle. As Hope once said-"

"Yea, yea, I know. If only she strolled around our neighborhood, her 'never kill a human' tone would change right quick." Yang waved a hand dismissively.

"She never said anything about hurting another fellow human."

"That I can agree with."

"But please don't hurt anyone as a first resort. Mom and dad already have enough to deal with, they don't need the trouble the police always bring."

Yang winced at that.

"Ok, message received. Again."

A silence fell between the two sisters as they ate their breakfast. Their Companions were nearby, Fly nestling in Yang's hair and Lila's cat purring intensity as it vacuumed rice and fish that fell onto the floor. Lila would glance at the feline, eyebrows furrowed in concern at how utterly gluttonous her Companion was.

She had read and watched horror stories unfold with such gluttonous Companions. One such incident inovlved a pink and round plush Companion clearing out an entire bakery. Its bonded human watched the entire scene unfold with a blank expression, Like all hopes and dreams he ever had were drained, burnt, and ejected into outer space. The amount of money he owed was still being paid off to this day a year. Lila shuddered at the thought of racking up such a debt. Hopefully she could discipline her Companion before such a thing could happen.

But that thought would sink deeper and deeper into Lila's mind throughout breakfast. Eventually, the two sisters finished eating and walked into the kitchen to deposit their dishes. Yang began cleaning them, washing them then drying them with a small flame.

While Yang did the dishes, Lila glanced at the clock to see how much time she had left.

7:19. Aw crap, it took an hour to walk to school! And in this weather, it was going to take longer. B-but she was a Miracle now. Maybe she can abuse her status to get a free bus ride? Wait, no, that wouldn't be good. Certainly unbecoming of a new Miracle. There had to be another-

"Worrying about school?" Yang asked as she put the dishes away.

"I'm gonna be late and the teachers are going to kill me!"

"Weeeeell, I'm meeting up with a friend for a patrol in an hour or so. Yokai attacks have been on the rise in the rural areas so I'd appreciate it if I had a third partner watching our backs. Chance to gain some experience, but I understand if you decide not to go, since you're still getting used to being a Miracle and all."

Lila scratched her cheek as she debated on what to do. Her grades were good enough that missing one day wouldn't hurt them and it would give her a chance to finish her homework. But there were multiple exams today that would be a headache to reschedule and take at another time. Not to mention Magic Club was meeting today about some big thing that the club president was being secretive about. Showing her Companion off to them would be so awesome!

But patrolling with Yang and her friend would be a valuable experience, not to mention a chance at connecting with another Miracle. Lila might not get another opportunity because of some weird happenings down at the Kyushu Observation Outposts. Lila could only assume it was Yokai-related because Miracles had been called in from all across Japan. Yet a recent J-Alert warned that dangerous Yokai have been leading attacks. So if she and the others got caught up in such an attack, her inexperience might prove to be a burden… Lila didn't want to burden Yang or anyone else.

O-of course, she could just skip school altogether and join Yang on another patrol once she felt confident in her abilities. Though that meant she had to do something that would benefit Japan.

Hm, what should she do?

[ ] Go to school

• Gain a determinant amount of experience in certain proficiencies based on roll checks(Affected by Lucky Charm and High Spirits)
• Magic Club will help you with Miracle-related matters
• Be bullied, especially by Uyemura
• There have been dog sightings near the school. Hopefully they won't cause problems

[ ] Patrol with Yang and her friend

• Yang's friend will provide advice and details about Miracle-related matters
• Chance for positive and negative events(Affected by Lucky Charm)
• Near-certainty of encountering a Yokai of low to middling danger, but moderate chance of encountering a dangerous Yokai or even a mix

[ ] Don't join Yang and skip School

• Can choose from a selection of actions for today
• Because of the rise in Yokai attacks, there is still a possibility you may encounter or be pulled into an encounter with Yokai

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A/N: There is a 24-hour voting period.

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Lila imagined going out on her first patrol with Yang. Of fighting side by side through a Yokai-infested town to purify it from their corruption. The people coming out to cheer them as heroes. Lila restrained the smile that wanted to erupt onto her face.

But a doubtful, fearful voice whispered 'what if you fail because of your inexperience?'

She banished the doubt, but the question lingered and with a calm mind, Lila pondered it. She was indeed inexperienced, barely a Miracle of three days now. Yang and her friend would have to go the extra mile to accommodate her. Make sure she doesn't screw up things or misjudge how dangerous a Yokai truly is. Even ones that were killed in the dozens could become dangerous if a Miracle underestimated them such as the canine-like Inugami, who could grow in size after each kill.

Lila wanted nothing more in the world than to go out on patrol with her nee-san right now. But the more she thought about it, the more her doubt was proven right. Perhaps it would be better to hold off going out on patrols and fighting Yokai. Not until she felt confident in her abilities.

"Thanks Yang, but I feel like I would only be a burden."

"I understand." Yang smiled, though Lila saw the corners of her lips twitch."Better go get ready then."

Lila nodded before rushing off into her room. She maintained her calm as she put on her dark school uniform and slung her bag over her shoulder. It was nothing fancy, just a tattered leather bag with long-faded English on it. And apparently her Companion decided it was its bag now because it immediately snuggled into it much to Lila's dismay.

The few attempts at coaxing it out only resulted in the cat batting her hands away. No scratches, thankfully, but the feline made it clear the bag was its now. Thus Lila walked out with homework under her arm, an umbrella in one hand, and heaving a bag full of cat.

Yang was waiting by the door when Lila entered the living room. Huh, weird, she should've left by now.

"I see your cat is being a cat." Yang gestured at the purring feline to which Lila huffed."Hold still for a moment, I'm gonna give you some yen for a bus ride."

"Uh, you don't have to. I can just-"

"Shush you, I can give money to my imouto if I want and free of charge!" Yang smiled and slipped a handful of yen into Lila's bag. Or would have if the cat didn't nab the yen with its mouth and placed the money underneath its body. It then meowed as if saying the cash was safe with it.

"Well, that solves that. Anyways, have a good day at school." Yang said and exited the house, walking in the direction of the abandoned shrine.

Lila waved her nee-san goodbye before opening her umbrella and walked in the opposite direction.

Her walk took her through the worn down neighborhood. Few were out at this time as they relaxed on chairs and enjoyed the rain or struggled to patch leaky roofs and walls. Lila picked up the pace when two men with cameo bandanas and skins covered in tattoos watched her with narrowed eyes from a porch. Her Companion glared at them, even going as far as hoisting itself up to show its purple fur and stars. The two men shuddered as Lila seized the opportunity and stuffed her homework underneath her cat.

The feline yowled at her for the betrayal, but otherwise nestled back into the bag and Lila continued on as normal.

Lila would reach the edge of her neighborhood. The cracked and overgrown road leading into it would connect with another road that, while cracked, was free of any vegetation. Lila waited by a bench for the bus to arrive. It took a few minutes before one did and she climbed aboard with her cat digging out the yen.

However, when the driver noticed Lila's cat, he asked if she was a Miracle to which she nodded. He told Lila she didn't need to pay and turned to ask if someone from the front could give up their seat. One young man was quick to rise up and offer his own seat to which Lila smiled and sat down, thanking him for his kindness. After all, it would be impolite to deny such generosity.

Lila sat down, placing her bag in an empty spot next to the window. Her Companion glared at her with its mouth still clamped onto the yen and Lila got the distinct feeling of disappointment from it. Though it would die down once the bus started moving into the city proper.

The ride was uneventful aside from people bugging Lila to show them her Companion and pestering her with questions about her powers.

Lila basked in all of the attention she was receiving. Normally no one paid any attention to her or outright insulted her and told her to get out of Japan. But since she was a Miracle now, no one would insult her! W-well, not the average person at least. Some had dense skulls so they'll still mock her anyways. Nothing a little, uh, show of force wouldn't resolve.

And so Lila tried to show off her Companion when asked, only to be batted away or clawed every time and she'd be forced to apologize. Embarrassing to be treated like a scratch post in public, but people were understanding and excused it. She answered questions to the best of her abilities. Though some of them put her on the spot like what was her most dangerous battle. Lila cut down any assumptions by stating she was only recently bonded. They would nod and wish her luck(heh) in her upcoming battles.

However, Lila began to notice a trend among all of the questioning. Few bothered to ask her name. Instead the most common questions were if they could see her Companion and what her powers were like. When she failed to answer their questions, she heard the restrained frustration from several as they wore smiling masks and exaggerated their movements like awful actors.

But dealing with those people was still much easier than the nationalists.

Lila maintained her calmness when she dealt with those people. The people who narrowed their eyes at her brown skin, the men who praised her yet clenched their fists tight, the women who gave beaming smiles, but pulled their children in close as if shielding them from some horrible Yokai, and the people with the Japan Unity armband or pins who greeted her in manufactured pleasantries.

A part of Lila wanted nothing more than to punch them in the face. They always went on and on about how Japan did not need foreigners, how it could be strong so long as the Japanese people remained pure and strong of heart. Bah to them all. But why did it feel like so many others didn't care about her, but her Companion and powers? Was she just another Miracle to them?

Maybe that's why. Most people were just trying to survive day-to-day so they didn't have the time and energy to get to know a Miracle well, not unless they really proved themselves. Well, she would just have to prove herself then! She would prove to those stinking nationalists she was Japanese, a Defender of Japan. Maybe then the jerks will rethink their whole 'Japan strong alone' thing.

So as the bus rolled to a stop near her school and she stepped off, Lila looked at the sky with determination.

Prepare Japan, for Luck Lila has been unleashed!

Lila's face turned into one of terror when a bell tolled in the distance. Oh no, that was the warning bell!

She rushed like her life depended on it. And to be honest, it did. Teachers didn't take kindly to late students no matter the reason. Her status as a Miracle could cushion the blows, but it wouldn't stop them from coming.

Lila weaved through the sparse crowds, her muscle memory alerting her to old cracks and potholes in the street. Lila moved around or hopped over them so she didn't trip over them. She absent-mindedly wondered if any of her blood was still caked on the asphalt from the last time she tripped over a pothole.

… Uh, focus on getting to school!

The young girl ran faster. Her Companion yowled in protest from being jostled around so much. Lila was too absorbed in getting to school so its protests went through one ear and out the other. The cat's yowls grew in intensity at the malicious negligence of its bonded. It empowered her superhuman status and this was what it got in return? The audacity!

But the Companion did nothing other than yowl its discomfort. It ceased as Lila slowed to a stop in front of her school.

Hanami Junior High is an ancient school, having been built before the Eve of Blood. Its walls had long weathered into a faded grey. Only specks of the original russet clung onto the bricks. Sickly brown plants crept out of every crack and crevice, spreading across the school as if nature sought to break down the school with diseased vegetation. The windows of the east wing were encrusted in such grime that only the glint of glass allowed Lila to know they were windows and not bricks.

Lila gently pressed her Companion down into her bag as she walked into the courtyard. A trio of masked students glared at her from under the solitary tree in front of the school. Two of them looked the exact same with dark hair and a piercing glare. The third, however, clutched a leather-bound book. Glyphs were inscribed into the cover and crackled with thunderous energy. Their unkempt uniforms remained dry in spite of the water dripping down from the leaves.

She wasn't sure how Soda Keitaro would react to a Miracle walking so brazenly into his 'turf'. He and his jerks wouldn't bully her, but Soda was rather aggressive for a Miracle and kept trying to wrangle others into spars to prove who was the strongest. She really didn't want his sights on her right now. Not when she narrowly won her own spar through a spur of the moment decision.

Unfortunately, one of the jerks catcalled her and she shot a glare back at the catcaller. Though, much to her amusement, Soda slapped the catcaller alongside the head and threatened to do so again if they harassed another girl. They may be trouble-makers, but at least the leader had some lines he wouldn't cross.

She reached the front doors and had to pry one open with all of her strength, careful not to activate her powers so she didn't break off the handle. The school would forgive her, but her parents would make her work it off. That would only add to her ever-growing debt. And Lila didn't want to be paying damage-induced debt till she was in her nineties!

The door opened with a creaky groan yet remained opened when Lila retracted her hand from the handle. She huffed when she tried to close it behind her, but it didn't close. Darn door always refused to budge whenever it wasn't oiled. Well, uh, she wasn't the last person to enter since the delinquents were still out there. They or another late student could close it!

Lila stepped into the genkan and deposited her umbrella onto one of the bins. She hurried towards a row of dull lockers, her eyes searching for a dented locker speckled with rust. It was one of the topmost ones in the middle of the row. Whenever she looked over a similar enough one, Lila would glance at the number so she opened up the correct one. After a couple of seconds of searching, she found her number and honed in on the lock.

She turned the dial to the correct series of numbers and tugged to open the locker. Yet it did not budge much like the door.

Wha-

Silly Lila, you must've dialed the wrong combination!

So she tried to unlock it again, but it remained locked. And she tried again to the same result. Lila yanked on the locker because it was clearly busted! She entered the password correctly so why was this happening?! Walking around inside school while wearing her shoes would subject her to stern lectures and the gloating of the jerk. And the image of Uyemura sneering at her made Lila grind her teeth.

She throttled her locker in an attempt to force it open, but all she got was the locker clanking in protest. Lila pulled and yanked even as the ringing of the final bell barely registered in her mind.

Then a cat's little paw darted into her vision and Lila stopped throttling the locker. The paw tapped the locker and it opened shortly after.

Lila glanced up to see her Companion staring down at her, a smirk on its face and purring in smug radiance. She shook her head before taking off her shoes to put on the school slippers. Questions of why her locker refused to open despite entering the password at least a dozen times were pushed aside. She was already late enough and besides, she'll just report the issue and tell that her Companion helped her out.

When Lila finished putting on the slippers, she looked up to see her Companion was gone. A glance at her bag revealed that her cat was back in her bag without her noticing.

A sobering thought entered her mind as she walked into the school proper.

This is going to become a regular thing isn't it?

She passed by faded and peeling posters that warned of suspicious activity, stopped briefly by the water fountain to see if it was finally fixed after all these weeks(no it was not), and endured stern stares from cranky teachers looking to vent some of their stress onto her.

While she walked, Lila thought up of how she would explain to the homeroom teacher why she was late. Of course she'd be truthful and abuse her status as a Miracle, but how to put it all together into a proper excuse?

Hm, the spar did leave her rattled despite winning. Weaving a tale about how Yang hit her hard could gain a bit of sympathy. No, no, that was dependent on the good will of her fellow students. Most had a low amount that was already burnt through by the time they got to class.

How about putting extra emphasis on being humble and apologetic? Throw in a little bow while asking for patience as she learns how to be a Miracle. Uyemura would be grinning ear to ear seeing her in such a humiliated state, but it'd also shut her up since the jerk would be too high on her sadism.

Yea, that'll work!

But she froze when she neared the door of her classroom and saw a man straightening his tie. His eyes snapped to Lila, looking her over with nary a change in his stony expression. She felt a chill run up her spine like she'd been caught out after curfew. Her bag rustled and her Companion popped out to see what had frightened its human so.

The Companion's and man's eyes met, holding each other's gaze as if testing who had the greater will. After a moment, the man spoke without breaking eye contact with the feline.

"You're a Miracle?"

"Uh, yes. Recently bonded, actually!"

"Have you informed the school yet?"

…

Drat, she forgot to inform the school! There was a whole process she had to go through so the staff could accommodate her, but it slipped away in the excitement and subsequent events. W-what lie could she come up with on the spot that was believable?

Duh, the spar with Yang! Just twist it a little and it'll work… hopefully…

"N-no. My nee-san is also a Miracle and she's been training me. She's a rather strict teacher when it comes down to the basics of being a Miracle."

"Then she clearly failed in the more important basics." The man stated without regard.

Lila smiled and kept her calm lidded over the boiling pot of rage at the low fucking blow at Yang. As much as she wanted to argue or fight over it, all it would do was waste their time. Ergh, such was the price of lies, Lila supposed.

"I'm Luck Lila and my class is right through this door."

"Oh? I'm Takaki Shoko, I will be stepping in for Iwasaki-san from now on since he's no longer with Hanami Junior High."

"Ah, I see." Oh yes, she did see. Iwasaki was never shy about making his opinions about the Emperor and his Generals known. Guess he finally said something that earned him a visit from Public Security…

"Then I apologize for being late, Takaki-san. I'm still settling in as a Miracle and getting used to the behaviors of a Companion." Lila said through clenched teeth as she bowed slightly.

"No need, I understand how Companions behave, but improve on your attendance, otherwise there will be repercussions."

"Of course!" Lila let slip a little cheer into her voice. Takaki-san was already opening up the door so the creaking and chattering of the class covered her slipup.

Nonetheless, Lila stepped into the classroom with a ghost of a smile. Only for it to be wiped away when she saw a certain brown-haired girl with a green-feathered bird sitting on her shoulder.

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A/N: Welp, this took longer than it should have. Thank you for your patience and sorry for how short this update was. Originally this was going to be longer, but I began losing interest in writing this update. Not the story itself, just that I kept getting stuck at several points in writing this and figure out how a Japanese school might adapt to murderous monsters and magical-empowered heroes. This is not helped at all by me having only experienced American schools so despite my research into the Japanese school system so if I got anything wrong, let me know and what is the correct info so I can edit that in.

Uyemura Maiko soaked up the adoration and praise she received from her fellow students. She humbly thanked them for their kind words and offered her own kind words in return, even if some weren't Japanese. Like the Chinese girl pretending to read in the back of class. That girl was a friend of that black-faced Lila, but so long as the communist kept to herself, Uyemura would tolerate the girl. If not, then that was an issue for the future. Because right now, Uyemura was high in the clouds where all those under her sang her praises!

Then the stern voice of her father chided her for allowing herself to have such thoughts. She shook herself out of it. It was improper to think so arrogantly for one of her station. Especially now since she was a Miracle, a Defender of Japan.

She glanced at the green-feathered bird nestled in the crook of her neck. Its beady eyes stared back at her and Uyemura smiled. She didn't know why Tori bonded with her. All she did was punch that thug in the neck when he was pestering a group of girls. Her nose scrunched up at the phantom acidic odor from the thug. Really, why do people drink so much?

Regardless, the next thing she knew, Tori had landed right on her shoulder, the same one where it nestled on now, and a-how best to describe it? Like your inner self asking permission to think a thought, she supposed. And Uyemura knew what it all meant and accepted on the spot. Now here she was, a magical girl! Just like in her favorite animes.

The school bell rang its final warning and all students scrambled to get into their desks before Iwasaki-san stepped in. But the teacher did not step in. There wasn't even a shadow over the glass panel of the door.

As the minutes passed, Students started murmuring. Iwasaki must've been late again. He would talk the ear off of anyone who would listen to his rants about how 'unfairly' strict Japan had become, especially against the non-Japanese.

Yes, Iwasaki could be late at times because he'd often shared his rather controversial opinions. Not the most noble thing, but Uyemura was one not to argue. She was simply a student and he was a teacher, after all. Yet even a teacher had superiors he must answer to. A letter from a concerned student informed them about Iwasaki encouraging the more… free-spirited students to express their distaste for the curfews imposed upon all of Japan.

Uyemura never understood why people hated the curfews and sought their removal. Thieves, murderers, and other ne'er-do-wells prowled the streets in search of their next victim. Yokai became more active when it was dark out as well. No one quite knew why and theories were abound as to why, from there being fewer people keeping watch to the night empowering them or other such nonsense. Regardless, many of her friends and family made the mistake of going out at night. At best, they were robbed and at worst, were never seen again…

Which was why curfews were important and people who complained about them should really ponder why they were there in the first place. It's just that some needed a gentle reminder at times.

But enough about that, with Iwasaki most likely busy for today, the class will be missing its teacher. Thus the student leaders needed to step up. If they did not-

The door creaked open and the students became silent. A man stepped in, his stern stare falling upon the class. His gaze lingered on each student for a second with Uyemura freezing up completely when his eyes loomed over her. She pushed up her glasses when they moved onto the next hapless student.

Jez, what was with this guy? She felt like some criminal in a lineup. And how had Iwasaki been replaced so quickly?! Wasn't there a teacher shortage in Nagoya?

Her musings were stopped when a certain dark-skinned girl stepped into class. But Uyemura did not focus on Lila, but on the purple-furred cat resting inside her bag. Its bright eyes snapped to Tori, the two chirping and meowing respectively. Yet Uyemura and Lila stared wide-eyed at one another, a maelstrom of emotions raging inside of them.


No. No. No.

---

Oh boy, was Uyemura fun to write. I never got a chance to write about a school rival before so being able to flex my creative muscles on this while coloring her thoughts with the usual nationalism crap some folks are eating up was a good exercise. Hopefully I did ok with Uyemura, especially on her thoughts without it coming across as too cartoonish since this Quest, while being about Magical Heroes, is intended at being more grounded.

Also, this was intended to be a part of the next update proper rather than an interlude, but the POV switch back to Lila broke the flow of things, but I also wanted to show Uyemura and her inner workings so I just opted for an interlude.

Next update will involve the government's favorite form of torture for teenagers. Standardized testing!

Edit 1: I reread the Interlude after Eternal_0observer commented Uyemura came off as a little strange and decided that some parts needed to be edited to better fit with the character I have in my head vs the character that is written. Nothing was rewritten or added beyond simple additions so hopefully Uyemura comes off as less strange. Of course, I'll need to rethink some parts of the character and do more research into Japanese nationalism in the future since I'm only familiar with the basics.

A fire raged within Lila, fed by her smoldering thoughts. It bellowed with each shovelful and the fire grew ever more rageful. To see her tormentor with her own Companion, one that was chirping so merrily with hers burnt Lila. All the years of torment, the name-calling, and mudslinging from her torturer. Yet that-that bitch had a Companion to call her own when she deserved none of the joy that came with it?

A concerned meow dragged her out of the fire and back to reality. Lila took a breath and doused the flame. She nodded ever so slightly towards her Companion, thankful for the ability to calm herself with a focused thought. Uyemura, though, did not have such an ability nor the restraint.

"HOW?!" Uyemura rocketed out of her seat, her desk shuddering from the blast. Students around her shrank back and even those in the back made themselves small yet Lila remained calm under Uyemura's glare.

Uyemura choked on whatever words she was going to say when Takaki loomed large over the class. He stood by the teacher's desk, but his shadow enveloped all. Lila's focus slipped from how suffocating his presence became and her heart fluttered in fright. It was as if a Yokai had entrapped them, savoring their terror as the seconds ticked down until it attacked.

Takaki attacked not with bloody claws or eldritch chants, but with scolding words.

"Sit back down, now." Takaki's command was final and with the promise that if Uyemura did not obey, the consequences would be dire.

"I-I apologize, that was out of turn." Uyemura bowed her head, but her glances at Lila signaled that this was not the end.

Yet a ghost of a smile crept onto Lila's face. It brightened her day up like nothing else to see the jerk humbled in such a manner. Oh sure, Uyemura wasn't going to let this go anytime soon, but at this moment, Lila was pleased. Then her cat nipped her and she threw that feeling away.

But as her mind became clear, an idea came to her. Uyemura humiliated herself in front of the new teacher and the class by reacting with explosive anger. Such rage was unbecoming of a Miracle. They were the defenders of Japan, after all. People empowered beyond human limits who could handle any situation with stoicism and grace. Yet Uyemura was neither graceful nor stoic at the moment. Why not pounce on this opportunity?

"I know we disagree on many things, Uyemura-chan, but I hope our past grievances with one another does not hurt our ability to cooperate with each other should the situation call for it."

The class held their breaths. Was Lila extending an olive branch to Uyemura even after the flower incident? Uyemura basically wished her rival dead. So no one would have blamed Lila for not wanting to let her grudge go. Yet here she was trying to, if not make amends, then at least offering to end their rivalry with one another.

"Yes, indeed." Uyemura's response was hollow. She kept her glare squarely on Lila as if to melt her into goo. It did not and everyone saw through the smiling mask Uyemura wore upon her twitching face.

"If that is settled then, go to your seats and do not disrupt the class. This goes for everyone." Takaki said. He watched over the class while Lila made her way over to her desk.

Lila hooked her bag onto her desk and plopped into her chair. The tension leftover from the rush bleed out, her muscles relaxing. Honestly, she wasn't expecting Uyemura of all people to be a Miracle. It was like finding out the person you hated the most won the exact same lottery alongside you and now you had to split the money.

She was thankful once again for the ability to control her emotions, otherwise she might've been seething all throughout the class. Something Uyemura apparently lacked given how the jerk kept giving her the stink eye. Lila met it with a polite smile each time.

A tap on her shoulder startled Lila. She glanced over to see Qin Mei who gave her a smile. Qin was much like her, a girl born to foreign parents fleeing from the hellscape that is China.

"Way to put Uyemura in her place." Qin's smile twisted into a sneer.

"I aim to please, but we should keep quiet, otherwise Takaki-san might notice."

Qin simply nodded and brought her book back up. Lila took note of it being yet another textbook on pre-Eve economies. She never got the appeal of studying such things, especially since the Yokai razed all economic foundations down to the ground, but hey, if Qin was interested in that stuff then who was she to judge? She certainly wasn't Uyemura.

Lila turned her attention back to Takaki explaining the new situation. Though, it was more out of a desire not to blunder into an avoidable mistake and then get chewed out for it. Takaki explained that he was the new teacher and that Iwasaki was no longer working with Hanami Junior High. One boy asked if Iwasaki had been arrested. Takaki's glare silenced the boy and made it clear that no one should ask such questions.

The class remained quiet as Takaki went on about his qualifications. Apparently he graduated from some pre-Eve university that no longer existed. Some broke their silence to protest the new rules Takaki would impose, effectively immediately. The threat of additional homework ended their protests. The rest of the class meekly accepted the new changes as Takaki went on.

But he made one announcement that united the class. They let their displeasure be known in a collective groan.

"I know tests are stressful, but it is necessary for gauging your level of knowledge and understanding of materials. Now, the sessions will be scheduled throughout the day with meal and rest periods between them."

Lila groaned alongside the rest of her classmates. Helpful as her power may be, the might of the standardized test overcame any magical ability. Though, she might be able to get some practice for maintaining her focus. Who knows, maybe it'll help her mind remain clear of any distractions throughout the day.

Nonetheless, dread grasped its cold claws around her heart and squeezed when the tests were handed out.


The first test that befell the class was about the history of Japan. Some students breathed a sigh of relief that they would start on something simple. Others, though, slumped into their chairs as their very souls left their bodies. Lila neither breathed a sigh of relief or slumped into her chair. History was a mix bag for her. All too often Uyemura and her fellows mocked the non-Japanese so Lila studied history just to shoot back with some obscure fact and then lord over them for not knowing it.

Now it was time to put all of that trivia to the test. And after an hour of digging out memories, Lila completed it. The questions were simple enough, even though all of them were open ended. Just jot down dates and names and describe the event a little. What could be hard about that? W-well, besides that some events were shrouded in vagueness, like how the Emperor and the Four Generals disposed of the corrupt National Diet before replacing it with a more honorable system. A whole bunch of reasons ping ponged between people, from the Diet embezzling much needed resources to it simply being too divided and slow. Some even suggested the whole thing was just a power grab by the Generals. Lila didn't dig too deep into that otherwise she might wind up a conspiracy nut.

Lila vibrated with excitement when the next test was passed out. The students around her pulled away from her, knowing how excitable she became whenever something even tangentially related to Miracles and Magic was taught. Oh sure, the test was about the Yokai and their types, but they had their own system of magic. And she was a Miracle now so knowing what the Yokai were and their abilities were all the more important. She was the first one done among the class, having drawn upon her knowledge of all things magic.

But she did wonder about the magic of the Yokai. Unlike Miracles who draw magic from their bonded Companions, Yokai used something else. Some suggested that they used souls, but Lila and just about the whole scientific community disagreed. No, no, the source of the Yokai's magic was… unknown. One would have thought that twenty years of research would have given humanity an idea, but to this day, Lila could not find a single scrap that confirmed the source of Yokai magic. It was frustrating, especially since she was a Miracle now! How was she supposed to fight Yokai without knowing all there was about them?!

So engrossed Lila was in her own thoughts, it took Takaki clearing his throat next to her just to snap her out of it. A light blush spread over her face and she mumbled out an apology, but he did have a ghost of a smile on his face when he looked over her work. Then the teacher handed her the final test.

The light faded from her eyes when she read the title of the test.

The Duties and Responsibilities of a Citizen.

This wasn't like the last two. Failing either history or the Yokai tests just meant receiving a failing grade. But failing the Duties and Responsibilities test? That meant a call home and getting put into remedial classes until she learned how to be a proper citizen. Lila wouldn't fail this, not like how Yang failed hers.

Lila double and triple checked each and every one of her answers. The harder questions were quadruple checked even as her fingers twitched from how tightly she clutched her pencil. Even barely passing was not an option, not with how Uyemura would rub it in her face. The jerk would ridicule her for not being Japanese.

She was born here, damnit. Even if she wasn't ethnic Japanese, she was still one by spirit and Lila wouldn't let anyone, not even the Emperor, tell her otherwise.

Lila finished just before Takaki told the class to put their pencils down. Some of the students despaired at their unfinished tests and their condemnation to the remedial classes. A few just huffed as if they didn't care, but were nonetheless annoyed that their free time would be spent studying.

"Since tempers have cooled down, I would like our two Miracles to talk a little about themselves." Takaki said while the tests were collected.

Lila froze up at the announcement. Her mind had melted from an entire day of questions and her fingers ached. Pretty sure she developed carpal tunnel from all the writing. Now she had to talk about herself? What would she even talk about? Her goals maybe. How she became a Miracle?

While Lila debated, Uyemura seized the opportunity and walked to the front of the class with her head held high.

"Hello everyone, you know me as Uyemura Maiko, daughter of Uyemura Ryuu and the late Asami. My beautiful Companion is named Tori-"

Lila blinked at the name while Uyemura rambled on.

Wait, her Companion is named bird?

Oh sure, Tori had a few different meanings in Japanese, but translate it into English and it was simply bird. So her bird was named bird. Hehehe, oh she was going to have so much fun teasing the jerk with how uncreative it was. A nip from her Companion caused her to drop that idea, though.

"As a Miracle, I aim to protect the people of Japan not just from the Yokai, but from those who would seek to do them harm. Many criminals remain free even in our good city of Nagoya. With backing from the Japan Unity Party, I will help put these scum behind bars and make Japan a safer, better place."

Uyemura received a smattering of half-hearted clapping from the class. It was the same old promise any Miracle or government official would make. Oh, how they made grandiose speeches about making Japan a safer place in due time. Yet criminals remained free to do as they pleased and the Yokai grew in numbers while humanity plummeted towards extinction. Wasn't it just the other day they heard about how the remnants of the People's Republic of China finally collapsed? And not even by the Yokai, but by humans!

Uyemura strained a grin through it all nonetheless. She bowed, muttering her thanks before walking back to her desk.

Now all eyes turned towards Lila. She squirmed in her seat from all of the attention. Normally, whenever she got this amount of eyes on her, it was because the students wanted to cheer on the drama between her and Uyemura. Considering both she and the jerk were Miracles now, no doubt the class expected epic drama.

Ugh, she became a Miracle to protect her family and those she could, not some character from a melodramatic anime! Yet people had to fit her into some stereotype or cliche because of course they would. Now she scrambled to find something to say as she made her way to the front of the class.

Should she fall back on her dream of becoming a Magiologist? The entire class knew her love of magic so it wouldn't surprise them and it was a life-long dream of hers. One could say such a career was fated for her. But could she really share her dream with such an apathetic class? Should she even mention it since the jerk just hound her for it? There were other options.

Aiming to become one of the highest ranked Miracles was vague and popular enough that no one would really care. Well, except Uyemura, but her opinion didn't matter. And making strides to that goal would net her friends and popularity alongside opportunities. Yet people, both well and ill-meaning, would be drawn to her. This wasn't to mention how tough it was to reach a high ranking and maintain it. Popularity was a fickle thing and even misspeaking could see her plummet all the way down to the bottom.

Or she could give a vague and non-committal statement like protecting the people of Japan. She would have to improvise, but it wouldn't be the first time. Worst thing that'll happen is that she'll embarrass herself before the whole class and give Uyemura ammunition…

There was also the choice of investigating the Yokai! They had their own magic system and information on it was scant. That was something she could focus on. Except those who studied the Yokai long enough always had something bad happen. They mishandle a Yokai specimen which ends in them dying or worse, start suffering from emotional and mental issues, or any number of problems. It was as if the Yokai knew they were being studied and hindered research in any way they could. But that implied certain things about their nature and such implications was… horrifying to say the least.

So, as Lila took a breath and smiled before the class, she thought of what she would say.

What would be her goal in the near future?

Pick 1

[ ] Become a Magiologist

• Lila sets out towards becoming a Magiologist, a relativity safe though difficult goal.

[ ] Become a high-ranking Miracle

• Lila aims high to become a high-ranking Miracle, but the competition is stiff and the path dangerous.

[ ] Give something vague and non-committal

• Delays Lila's goals until another time.

[ ] Study the Yokai

• Lila treads a path few others are willing and intends on expanding humanity's knowledge of the Yokai, but there is a saying, "Stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back."

[ ] Write-in

• There are many goals Lila can set out towards, but do keep in mind of her character and the setting. As such, certain write-ins will be vetoed in keeping with the character of Lila and the spirit of the setting.

Lila can set out to achieve a goal upon a majority vote which can then be worked towards. Every goal has certain requirements that must be met before that goal is reached and doing so will net a special trait, item, or ending. However, some of these goals can be locked depending on Lila's actions or are mutually exclusive with another goal.

Upon reaching an ending, players can vote to either end the Quest on that ending which will create an epilogue detailing the outcomes of peoples and places influenced by various factors. However, players may also continue the Quest beyond the ending which will influence other endings. Most good and bad endings are like this. Do note that continuing beyond a bad ending will cause penalties and maluses, though some can be overcomed or even turned into bonuses with the right choices and patience.

There are a few bad endings that are permanent. Getting captured by the Yokai or hunted down by the special Yokai and failing to resolve Lila's confinement will see Lila's soul consumed. There will be warnings in case of a permanent bad end, though the situation might call for having to deal with the potential of a bad end.

Current achievable endings are:

Renowned Magiologist: Lila becomes a renowned Magiologist, expanding humanity's knowledge on Companions, Yokai, and their respective magic systems greatly.

Famous Miracle: Lila is widely popular and sits high on the Ranking which has secured her position as one of the top Defenders of Japan.

Freed: Lila frees a certain someone from the control of the Yokai and helps them on their journey to investigate what happened to their home as well as the changes that have happened to them.

The Truth of the Yokai: ???

Slain Family: Lila loses all members of her family.

Forever Lost: Lila is captured by the Yokai and has her soul consumed. Permanent Bad End.

Severed Bond: Lila's bond to her Companion is severed, rendering her a normal human once again.

A/N Note: This system is subject to change because I'm still learning how to do Quests. Any feedback on this system is appreciated.