LiBERA (Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Fanfic)

10. This is a party. (Beware of dog #2)

The day of the Battler Party Eve is lively, just as expected.

The tremor shakes Soyo right off his feet, and the road before him is shorned off by an invisible barrier wall.

"Soyo! Soyo, tune in right now!" Ameri's voice crinkles through the walkie on his waist. They decided to use that during the festival.

"Yes?" Soyo holds it up.

"The Student Council will be following the lead of the teachers, but you'll be separate," Ameri says. Around her there's the loud crinkle of Grave calling for help in picking up fallen structures. "Find out what's going on."

Soyo hums, "that would be difficult."

"What. Why?"

"Because," Soyo puts a hand on the wall before him, tracing it to the side until he finds a corner, and continues to trace it in its quadrilateral shape. "The barriers. I'm boxed in."

Kirio's smart. His ability to intricately customize this labyrinthine structure he's made— that's a vital skill that he's using to its full potential. He identified Soyo to be the biggest threat to his plan, so he's restricting him.

"There's barely enough space for me to stand. I won't be able to break out myself," Soyo says, laying a hand on the top piece. Are these things airtight, or...? Well, it should be fine. Soyo won't be in here long enough for air consumption to be a problem.

Ameri curses under her breath. There's a switch of hands, and the voice that speaks surprises him.

"Hey, Soyo. Where's your location?"

It's Veer.

"Northeast of the bell," Soyo says. "On the roof."

"Good. Stay there."

The walkie-talkie clicks right off, and Soyo is left disconnected. Veer didn't ask for anything— not even a hint. And among Vassagos, that meant something very clear— this is my case, and you stay out of it.

Soyo wonders if he could dial back. Tell them what he knows about Ami Kirio, about the secret room, about the plot to gather the whole school in the courtyard and blow it up at countdown.

But Veer wanted to figure it out himself.

So Soyo summons his little Aries Pixie to keep him company, and simply waits. He takes out his phone and excitedly texts Van, telling him of how he's managed to talk to Veer for the first time in years to months.

-

"Hey, what's that about?" Ameri turns on the teacher.

Veer sighs, handing her back the device before swiping a hand through his hair, taking a moment to deeply think. Then he steps forward, setting a hand on Ameri's head. Seeing as Ameri's taller than him, it comes as a surprise to the girl.

"You kids focus on crowd control. Let the adults handle the investigations."

He walks off.

Ameri is left dumbfounded, as he contacts Kalego in an earpiece, and proceeds to slowly meander his way through the invisible halls.

A demon looks up when Veer puts a hand on their head, and a girl squeaks when their hair is touched in passing. Veer doesn't stay in their sights long enough for them to identify the perpetrator. The second they turn around in surprise, Veer has found the rest of the road forward, and he's well on his way out.