4 Volume One | Chapter - Thank You Part One

It was bad enough trying to not make a bad impression on your first day at an academy.

But there was something truly terrifying about being a victim of some form of ritual.

Aiko had to admit, she never really believed in such stories at first when she was first told about them. She always thought of them as scaremongering tactics or just friends having a laugh.

But after witnessing such an ordeal at first hand, on her first day had shaken her up.

Her hands and arms shook as she waited for a new corset, collar, tie and sleeves, sitting on the edge of medical wing bed topless she wrapped her arms around her stomach in order to stop the shaking.

It wasn't long before the doctor returned with a fresh set of clothing.

With her long white coat and t-shirt unbuttoned at the top along with a black skirt and high heels.

Her hair colour had a strong resemblance to Aiko's brown hair colour.

However, where Aiko's just hanged past her shoulder blades, the doctors were just past her ears.

As Aiko put on her new set of clothes.

The doctor sat at a desk typing on a touchpad holographic keyboard that was wirelessly connected to the monitor before her.

Aiko noticed how weird it was not having a bra on, thanks to her corset was just tight enough to keep her breasts in place.

"To think that on your first day, you got yourself into such a conundrum..." the doctor spoke casually.

She noticed Aiko freeze at the thought of what she said "...don't beat yourself up over it too much it always happens to girls like you every year" she finishes off trying to reassure Aiko.

To be honest Aiko just wanted to forget the whole thing but also needed to know why such people would do this kind of thing.

Especially for people like herself. "Why do they do such things?" she asked without thinking properly beforehand.

The doctor sighed, "Well, it's like with everything..." she turns to Aiko slightly "...somebody always wants something either through negotiation or force".

She brushes away a strand of hair hanging in front of her left eye. "And that saying applies here, older Familiars want the younger Coordinator because they have more promise when they develop compared to an older one"

Aiko could see that, she saw her fair share of people in the past taking what isn't there's by force.

But looking at the doctor now she could tell that there was something else she wanted to get off her chest. "There's more to it right?" she asked.

The doctor nodded, "The most popular reason why the older Familiars choose younger Coordinators is for the intimate side of things, they seem to like sharing such things with younger girls, don't get me wrong it most certainly improves the Spiritual Link between partners..."

She coughs before continuing "...however, not every pair is comfortable with a random partner so they settle for either a close friend or sisterly figure"

Upon hearing the term intimate, Aiko blushed with embarrassment.

The doctor continued talking, "Just make sure when it comes to certifying the Blood Contract it's with a girl that you can at least get on with, there's nothing worse than having a Spiritual Link with someone you despise".

And with that, the doctor left the medical wing to attend to her own duties informing Aiko she was allowed to leave whenever she felt ready to do so.

Aiko just sat on the bed for a few minutes thinking about the events that occurred within the last hour.

She felt relatively sick at the thought of what those girls may have done to her, if the other girl never showed up she wondered what may have happened.

She made a mental note to thank that girl personally whenever she had the chance to.

***

Sachika sat on the stone cold floor of a detention chamber all the walls were a bland grey.

The ceiling had see-through glass to allow sunlight to shine through.

The only thing that wasn't a mundane grey was the black steel door that was both the entrance and exit to the room.

She looked up as she heard the loud clanging of bolts and metal screeching as the door slowly opened.

Mistress Daiki along with two Armiger guards entered the room, "What am I going to do with you?" she asked bluntly as if chastising her own daughter.

In response, Sachika just scoffed then looked away. Sachika had been locked in the detention chamber since yesterday evening for twenty-four hours as punishment for breaking the rules of Essentia Japan Academy.

Crossing her arms the Mistress continued speaking, "Anyway your twenty-four hours of detention are up, you're free to leave"

"Just like that?" Sachika asked, her white collar and red tie were on the floor next to her, which in turn revealed more of her cleavage than before.

Mistress Daiki just looked back at her, a look of irritation becoming ever present on her face, "Look Sachika, you're lucky you didn't kill those girls..." shaking her head "...cell regeneration of tissue and limbs can only go so far"

Upon saying those words the Mistress quickly departed the room leaving the two Armiger guards with Sachika.

As for Sachika, she tidied herself up to look more presentable.

As she left the gloomy complex where the detention chambers were situated the first person to greet her outside of the building was none other than the student council president.

Ashina Corrigan, her dark purple hair mixing in beautifully with the dusk sky.

As was Sachika's too, with her pure silver hair.

"So I see that the Phantom Queen has been let out?" Ashina said with a cheery smile on her face.

Sachika ignored her walking past placing her hands inside the pockets of her corset.

Ashina's overly happy smile vanished when she got no response, she sighs, "You know Sachika you can't pretend the past never happened" she called out.

That comment made Sachika angry, who spins around directing that anger towards the student council president, "If you're here to make crude remarks, I suggest you get lost!".

Ashina just giggles in response to Sachika's statement, "I'm not trying to be rude, I just want you to see the error of your ways" she simply replies.

Sachika's face scrunches up, as anger continued to fuel her desire to hurt her, "What have you got planned, student council president?"

The last few words fuelled by hate, which wasn't uncommon for Sachika when it came to Ashina.

"What makes you think I have something planned," Ashina asked, acting all innocently.

"Well, they don't call the Devil Trickster for nothing" was Sachika's response.

Upon hearing that nickname, Devil Trickster, Ashina's mood changed from that of energy and happiness to that of disdain and anger.

Suddenly what looked like pixels started to swirl around her mature yet young body, she gave Sachika an expressionless look that sent chills down her spine.

Sachika stood there gulping as she saw the pixels continue to slowly swirl around Ashina.

"Now I don't know why everyone is so intent on referring to me as, the Devil Trickster..." Ashina's persona quickly changed from that of a girl intent on killing to a girl playing the shy girl card "...I just so happen to think of myself as a cute, innocent teen" she walked past Sachika, who was unnerved by what she saw, with a smile on her face.

All Sachika could do was stand there trying to calm her nerves, as her arms shook from fear ever so slightly.

***

As Ashina walked through the courtyard of the academy she was met by other members of the student council.

One of them, in particular, was the vice president.

Her name was Wendy Florente, she was a French student at the Essentia Japan Academy.

And one of the many hundreds of thousands of refugee's that came from Europe.

Her brunette hair colour and short spiky hair were unique among many of the students at the academy.

"Ashina, where have you been?" she asked, Ashina and Wendy were best friends since high school the two of them pretty much went everywhere together and reconcile on pretty much everything between them.

Ashina smiling, "Oh, nowhere in particular just attending to a personal problem" she replied.

"Well we're almost late for the student council meeting" Wendy hastily spoke leading Ashina down the corridors of the academy as the two of them holding hands.

Before Ashina forgot, she mentioned something to Wendy, "Before I forget to make sure to inform the disciplinary committee to increase patrol and security details by tomorrow"

Wendy paused for a moment wondering what Ashina was talking about, "Why? Is something happening?" she asks in earnest.

A small but kind smile appears on Ashina's face, "Not really, I just have this sinking feeling that things are going to get...interesting...in the next few days" she replies to her friends' question.

As for Wendy, she gave Ashina a curt nod, "Consider it done student council president" with a hint of over-eagerness in her statement.

Sighing Ashina shakes her head, "How many times Wendy do I have to tell you, call me Ashina!" she called out as if she was getting tired of constantly saying those exact words.

Wendy stammered for a moment, "O-Oh...sorry...I've just been so used to calling you by your title now, it's become second nature to me"

She had a habit of forgetting that Ashina wanted to be called by her given name not her recently acquired title.

When the rest of the student council constantly referred to her as the student council president it very much became the norm for Wendy since joining the student council herself to call Ashina by that very title.

Ashina scoffed at Wendy, the latter at first thought Ashina was annoyed with her.

Wendy attempting to explain herself, soon realised afterwards that Ashina was playing with her.

So the two of them laughed it off as they continued on their way to Essentia Japan Academy's student council room.