The Phantom and the Angel

The Phantom and the Angel Part 13

"And five...four...three...two...and...one! Ok, you can stop now Safira! Good job, it might not seem like it, but you are getting faster." Sarah congratulated as Safira stumbled to a stop, the Faunus trying to hardest to fill her lungs back up from zero, her limbs feeling like very light lead, but lead all the same. Signal's track was almost never empty, even this early in the morning, but the other students were so far away that Safira didn't bother to hide the glare she was giving her spectral sister. The Faunus rubbing her arms to try and warm them back up despite the chilly autumn air.

"And how...exactly...do you know that?" Safira couldn't help but ask as she got her breathing under control and stood back up, the faunus crossing her arms as she did so. "'Cause unless your using your Aura to hold a stopwatch behind your back, there's no way you could know that." The younger girl continued, only to receive that look in response.

"Safira...For the last ten and a half or so years I've done nothing but look after you nearly every second of every day and night. I think at this point I've got a fairly good grasp on how fast your sprinting times are at this point." Sarah answered in a no-nonsense tone, both girls staring at each other for a second before both broke out into giggles. "But seriously, I know it doesn't always seem like it, but you are improving. Slowly but steadily."

I guess, now if only my grades were so easy to improve. Safira thought back as she started to stretch out her legs in order to keep herself from cramping. I don't have any tests I need to study for...right? The Faunus questioned tentatively, not really all that thrilled at the prospect of spending yet another weekend in the library. Thankfully receiving a shake of the head in response.

Three months into her first year, Safira was finally starting to learn the horror of actual school, something she had been mostly spared due to her various forms of homeschooling back on Menagerie. Even with the total brain power of two teenagers, Signal's curriculum was so hard that almost all of Safira's free time that wasn't devoted to training was spent studying...with the notable exception of the time she spent hanging around with Yang.

Speaking of her blonde friend, Safira couldn't help but feel immensely grateful for how much time she was willing to spend with Safira, especially when she had plenty of other options of people to hang around. Yang was popular, probably one of the most popular students of their entire year, and Safira could completely understand why. No matter where she was or what they were doing, Yang would have a grin on her face that was downright infectious, nothing seemed to get her down for long. She was constantly pushing Safira to go out with her and do things, from hanging out around in the tiny town of Patch that Signal was on the outskirts of, or just going out and exploring the forest around the campus...or the occasional prank pulled on whatever student earned her ire for the week...this week's unlucky recipient being someone who made a comment about Safira being her "pet bird" so Safira didn't exactly feel too bad when she saw the jerk with fake glasses and a mustache drawn onto his face with permanent marker. She was even too sure how Yang had managed that one, but she was grateful nonetheless.

In short, Yang had saved Safira from six years of having no one to talk to but Sarah...and the Faunus already had enough trouble what with her fellow faunus putting her on a pedestal. She really didn't need for people to start thinking she was talking to herself too.

It was then, almost as if summoned by her thoughts, that Safira heard someone call out her name, the blue-haired teen turning to see Yang casually walking over to her with her usual grin on her face.

"Out here again Safira? You know, there isn't anything wrong with sleeping in on occasion like a normal person. You should try it sometime." Yang commented, Safira smiling slightly at her slight ribbing.