Namuko Academy

Chapter the Eighteenth

Chapter the Eighteenth

Yayoi's door slowly creaked open. The young ginger wizard looked away from her checkers games with Miki to see Iori in the doorway. Yayoi waved and Iori stepped inside.

"Sun Mage. Out," she demanded.

"But Miki is busy playing a game with her student! Look, Deko-chan. It's checkers," Miki pointed out, pouting slightly.

"I'll take over for you! Now out!" Iori ordered. Miki frowned, but she sighed and stood up.

"Bossy-boots," she muttered on her way past Iori. Iori huffed in annoyance and took Miki's seat. She continued the game in the Sun Mage's place. Yayoi stared at her.

"…I'm sorry, Iori-chan," the light wizard said at last. Iori moved one of her pawns.

"I said I'd never forgive you if you died," Iori murmured quietly. "…but since you lived, I guess I can forgive you."

Yayoi felt herself tearing up, but she quickly wiped it away. "I do really love you, Iori-chan," she admitted. "You're so friendly and kind, and I know you were just trying to protect me. It's my fault for trying to put Dark Makoto-san ahead of you." She moved a pawn.

Iori examined the board for a moment before performing a double jump with one of her pawns, landing her one space away from being a king. "As long as you admit it," she began slowly, "I guess I can look past your idiocy and become your friend again. Next time, though, make sure to show me that the great Flame Mage Minase Iori-chan is more important to you than a stupid Ice Witch—"

"She's not stupid!" Yayoi cut in. She searched for ways to block Iori from reaching her side of the checkers board. "…honestly, Iori-chan, if you understood her feelings then you'd understand mine."

"She tried to kill you! Like…more than once!" Yayoi's attempted move was unsuccessful. "Now queen me!"

"It's king."

"I am a queen! Queen me!"

Yayoi obeyed. "…I'm not really scared of dying, though," she murmured. "Rather, I'm scared I won't be able to see Iori-chan again."

Iori was silent.

Yayoi made a move and then sighed. "I don't want to leave this academy," she said quietly. "I love training with you guys, and being around such amazing people, and…and I want everyone to be able to have this kind of happiness! That's why I want to be friends with Dark Makoto-san! I want her to be just as happy as me!"

"That's a weird way of thinking." Iori jumped Yayoi's second-to-last pawn with her "queen". "But I guess it's normal for you."

"You can be really mean, Iori-chan," Yayoi whined.

Iori smiled. "I know," she stated. "But you'll forgive me, right?"

Yayoi blinked, then let a smile spread across her lips. "Yeah," she agreed. "I'll forgive you, if you'll forgive me."

"Then it's settled. We're friends."

"Best friends."

Iori giggled. Yayoi grinned. They continued their game of checkers, Yayoi making a surprising comeback and crowning her last remaining pawn. She was just about to enter an intense battle against Iori's first (and last) king (or queen) when the door flew open. Makoto was in the doorway.

"Emergency meeting," she announced solemnly, her hands folded in front of her and her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Everyone is to gather in the Grand Mage's chamber. Please do so quickly." This said, the Wind Mage turned and zoomed off to the next room. Iori blinked confusedly, then stood and went to the doorway. She waited for Yayoi before both of them walked over to Chihaya's room. When they walked in, they found they were the last ones to arrive. Everyone else looked over and waited for them to get all the way inside before the doors were closed. Makoto and Yukiho were crying, and Chihaya had tears in her eyes as well. The others seemed just as confused as Iori and Yayoi.