Date A Mysterious Being

Chapter 18 - Diva

September 8 heralded the end of summer break. It was a sunny afternoon, still trapped in the summer heat, and a strange mood hung over the Raizen High School gym.

"Exactly one year ago today...we learned a great many lessons," his classmate at the podium, Yamabuki Ai, said into the mic, fists clenched.

Her best friends, Hazakura Mai and Fujibakama Mii, stood "at ease" to either side, like royal sentries or bodyguards. School flags hung next to them toward the edge of the stage. When taken together with Ai's weirdly intense tone and posture, the whole affair had the air of a country's leader about to declare war.

"The bitter humiliation of our loss... The icy chill as we crawled across the barren earth," Ai snarled, her hands trembling, and yanked her head up. "Ladies and gentlemen. Pitiful vanquished soldiers, I ask you this: Must we continue in torment? Are we worms? Will we forever be trapped in the despair of defeat?!"

Bam! Ai slammed her fist down on the lectern. Feedback from the mic squealed through the hall.
"No! We will not! They have made a fatal error! They gave us the time to sharpen our fangs! And now the appointed hour has arrived! Rise, Raizen! Onward to glory! We shall surge forward with all our combined might and tear out their throats!!"

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Ai thrust a fist into the air, and the students crammed into the gymnasium cheered as one. The windows shook, and the lingering echoes of this powerful shout almost made his ears hurt.

"Ha-ha! She's really getting into it." Itsuka Shidou grinned as he watched his classmate onstage giving this address. And it wasn't like he didn't understand her passion. After all...

"Shidou, what is Ai talking about? Are we going to war?" came a dubious voice from his right.
He looked over to see Yatogami Tohka standing next to him.
Waist-length hair the color of night. Eyes like sparkling crystals. She was so beautiful, it was hard to believe she was real. But the expression on her face was one of deep confusion.
And of course it was. Anyone who didn't understand the situation would undoubtedly be confused by this speech. Ai sounded like the triumphant hero in some war for independence or the leader of a self-help seminar.

"It's the month of the Tenou Festival."

A familiar voice came from the crowd behind them. It was way too crowded, and even looking back was difficult enough for the two. There didn't seem to be anyone there, and it might probably just be someone else chatting.
But that wasn't the case at all. Just as Shidou had first thought, he did indeed recognize that person. He felt a gentle touch on his left shoulder and reflexively turned that direction. Naturally, Tohka did as well.

"Yo."

"Lucas?"

Lucas, top student of raizen highschool who was deemed to be a master at everything and every skill there possibly is.

"The Tenou Festival?" Tohka frowned. "What's that?"

"Put simply, it's a super-huge school festival."

"School festival?" Tohka's eyes glimmered. "Ooh, I've seen that on TV. That's the one where your school sets up all the food stalls, right? It's like a magical dream come true!"

"Not quite. Tenou Festival's different from other festivals," Lucas explained. "It's a joint festival for ten high schools in Tenguu City."

"Joint...? Ten schools?" Her eyes grew wide.

"Mm-hmm." Lucas nodded. "Basically, they came up with this plan to celebrate all together since there weren't very many schools or students. And it just kept being held, even now when a lot more people live here."