May 12, 2025

“What are your thoughts?” Aoi asked after Shiningreel had left the room, free from her interview.

Takeshi glanced at her CV. “The best scores of all fellow classmates, top-class skills in water and ice magic, good health. Calm and reliable team player. Perfectionist. The impression she has made is extraordinary. She is your cousin, from what I can remember?”

“Second or third... or my third cousin’s daughter or whatever. I have so many relatives it’s impossible to remember them all.”

“I do believe it to be extremely felicitous. The Omnious are reluctant to be engaged in public service, straying father and father away from our society—but it still lacks their expertise and knowledge.”

“We are very lucky to have one here as our Commander,” stated Shadow, the third participant of the discussion, not moving his eyes from an e-book.

“And another one; the most talented healer,” Aoi half-smiled at him.

“Thank you. We are short of Elementalists now, so I vote for her.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Shadow flicked away his long silver hair and tilted his head on the side.

“Shouldn’t we ask our teammates first?”

“I am fine with you two,” Aoi replied sourly. “My beloved nephew and my best student. I don’t need any more opinions.”

“Do you still consider me your student, sensei?” Takeshi asked, and the three of them laughed.

“Would you like some tea, Aoi-sama?”

An android approached the table-gathering. Its figure was feminine, with all its distinctive curves, and two eye marks were lit on a pure white helmet. Her body was covered by the smooth fabric of superlight plastic, imitating a two-piece.

“Yes, Midori, two cups of tea and one cappuccino for Takeshi-kun,” Aoi nodded.

“Understood,” the robot answered without any intonation and left the room.

“I am being captivated by a somewhat peculiar thought right now,” Takeshi said as he resettled his spectacles. “It is kind of fortunate that Murasaki-san didn’t want to join us. It would be hard—and perhaps even most unpleasant—to choose between two skilled mages of Crimson blood.”

Shadow doubted, still tapping the screen in a lazy manner. “I don’t know either of them well enough, but I’ve figured out that this Shiningreel girl is stronger, even with her powers being less destructive than Niji’s fire energy.”

“However, Murasaki-san strikes me as more mobile and quick-reacting in an unfamiliar environment,” said Takeshi. “This matters a lot in our work, if not everything.”

“You are just a fan of old samurai families,” Shadow chuckled and lost all interest in the conversation.

“By the way, why did you ask Shiny about Murasaki?” There was a slight hint of emotions in the typically professional and cold voice of Aoi. “Why are you interested in her plans so much?”

“Her fate does not concern me in a way you are heavily hinting at. Don’t you consider it strange that this hard-working and diligent student refused her prospects so abruptly?”

“I have no idea. I always thought of her as a fishy type, though not entirely dangerous. Maybe her ambition was so struck down by her poor qualification work that she decided she’s not worthy enough to work in PRISM.”

“My intuition could not possibly fail me. There is something in it. What’s more, her Lackluster friend, Rem, has become reluctant to join the supply division. I consider it highly suspicious.”

“Hmmmm… it seemed to me that Shiny was scared by your sudden question about her friend’s whereabouts.”

“Indeed, but I trust that Shiningreel Phelomena Karen Omnious doesn’t know a single thing about Murasaki’s plans. It is perplexing, taking into account their strong connection.”

“Could she be just covering for her? If their friendship is a thing…”

“I’ll just say that I am sure there are no lies in what she says.”

“You know best; you’re the Sage here.”

Sensei laughed. “A lot of people overestimate Viridian mages, because we are a rare type nowadays. Not counting the Azures, of course,” he made a barely noticeable pause. “But I’m not able to read minds, Aoi. It is not possible to violate magic laws and invade the thoughts of others.”

“But you actually make me feel this way.”

“I was meditating upon the topic, just theoretically. Reading people’s minds would define me as a Violet, as it is the only spectrum cell type which infuses enough power to break the Immutable Rules. But the color does not change after it’s finalized in a teenager.”

“Okay, I’ll try to believe you don’t live inside my head.”

“You are an open book, Aoi,” Shadow sighed. “I’m sorry, but you don’t have to be either Viridian or Violet to understand what you are thinking about.”

She blushed instantly and gasped, but failed to say anything in reply. Shadow was quick to add, “And if Murasaki’s behavior bothers you, what should we do now? Some stalking?”

“I doubt that there is anything criminal. Yet I have substantial grounds for believing that...” Takeshi cleared his throat, “she is heading to M.A.G.E.”

“In that case we are going to have a lot more trouble,” Aoi gave out a worn out sigh.

May 13, 2025

The apartment she rented was way more spacious than her room in the Academy Campus. Upon arrival she went straight to a balcony behind a big sliding door to check the outside view. The western side provided the best way to observe gorgeous sunsets. Pity that the sun was too quick to hide behind huge skyscrapers.

Spring air, even polluted by the endless traffic, was thrilling. The 20-story apartment block was situated in the city center, so Niji could enjoy everything she loved—hectic traffic movement, bright multi-colored ads, lights coming from the windows in the vicinity. The district was crowded with tall buildings, and the dominating one—a white and bluish radio tower—was shining like a distant star, accompanied by PRISM HQ about a mile away. This one was a pure kingdom of glass and projectors, looking especially impressive at that time of the day. Green parks with garland-decorated trees popped here and there through the fence of skyscrapers. The river which flew through the downtown was covered in different crossings, with Sora-no-Seki being the most famous of them as the largest suspension bridge in the whole world. It was glowing in all rainbow colors, well-known not only for bravado of futurist design, but also its magnetism for suicide attempts.

What an apartment indeed. Niji was lucky to get it so quickly.

She returned to her room, pulling the sliding door back. She saw the gleaming reflection of the pierced metal ball in her lip, and the mage girl slowed to glance at herself. Despite her Eastern family name, she carried no Asian blood. Murasaki, a former samurai clan, had consisted of Caucasians for a long time. She looked like a stranger to her own self, after switching from the Academy uniform to dark trousers and a burgundy shirt with a short-sleeved bolero shrug. However, she kept her waist-long white hair gathered in a tall ponytail as her last remaining trademark.

She didn’t have much time to stick around. The girl put a black leather fingerless glove on her left hand and a belt with slots. They were then filled with three bulbs, one carrying distilled water and the other two full of blue, mildly-glowing substance. Niji hid her everlasting lighter in the pocket of the shrug, laced up her high military boots and left the house.