Chapter 5: Nightmare

Ninako suddenly wakes up and finds herself in darkness with no idea how she got there.

Ninako: "Huh? Where am I? What is this place?"

Suddenly shes sees Akira and approaches him, but she suddenly sees him all bloody and bruised.

Ninako: "AKIRA! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?"

Before she can get near him she falls into the void with her screaming after the nightmare. She finds herself in her bed panting, sweating, and turning pale.

Ninako: "That wasn't real right? Akira isn't d-d-dead? There's no way that's real right? RIGHT!?"

Before she could think of the nightmare, her mother suddenly call her for breakfast. Her mother notices that she was sweating heavily and feeling very tired.

Kira: "Hmm? What's wrong, Ninako? You seem rather pale. Did something happen?"

Ninako was trembling from the nightmare and begins to tell her mother.

Ninako: "I-I-I had a nightmare, mom..."

Kira: "Oh my, what happened in that nightmare of yours?"

Ninako explains what happened.

Kira: "This Akira kid seems special to you, since he showed up in your nightmare."

Ninako: "S-s-s-special!? I-I guess so, he is my friend in the academy after all. But why did the nightmare show me that? Akira please don't die."

Kira: "Its good to know that she now has friends in school. I'm proud of you. I hope you're proud of her too honey. But I'm worried what her nightmare showed."

Ninako arrives in school still looking a little pale with Hazuka noticing it.

Hazuka: "Ninako, you alright? You seem rather pale."

Ninako: "E-eh!? H-Hazuka, you scared me there."

Hazuka: "Did something happen?"

Ninako: "I just had a nightmare, that's all."

Hazuka: "What was the nightmare about?"

Ninako explains the nigthmare.

Hazuka: "What!? That's crazy! Still to think that Akira would appear. Despite only five days, you already have a close bond to him. I'm glad that you've opened up to us."

Ninako: "Thanks."

Hazuka: "But what was that nightmare telling you? I mean sure, we're all gonna get bloody and bruised up once we experience some missions in the future, but why would it show you Akira being a more terrible state?"

Ninako: "I-I don't know as well to be honest, I'm worried..."

Hazuka: "Hmm. Oh yeah, I heard there's gonna be an annoucement later in our class."

Ninako: "Really? Wonder what's the announcement."

Unaware to both of them Yumi was listening to their conversation and was also worried about what Ninako dreamed of.

Yumi: "Hopefully it won't happen."

Ninako and Hazuka arrives on class with Denji and another instructor arrive shortly.

Denji: "Now, I'm sure most of you aren't aware that there's gonna be a change today."

Zaule: "So we'll go straight to the point. Everyone will now be learning BOTH Offesive and Supportive spells as of right now."

Everyone was shocked by the announcement which the two weren't surprised by.

Hazuka: "So we're gonna use both magic types now!? I mean, I'm not against it but it feels too sudden!"

Ninako: "If I can use support magic, the I might be able to prevent my nightmare from happening!"

Gaki: "Ugh! I'm now forced to use Offensive magic!? THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

Chu: "If it means getting more attention, I guess I'll accept this. Ohohohoho!"

Ninako: "These girls..."

Hazuka: "They're from Taki's squad right? Compared to Yudo and him, his teammates are complete jerks!"

Denji: "Students who use Offensive magic, come to me to learn Supportive magic and Zaule for the oppopsite!"

Everyone approches their respective instructor with most feeling angry due to them forced to use both types of magic today.

Ninako: "Denji sensei, if you don't mind me asking, why the sudden change?"

Denji: "Oh that? Well, from what I've heard, supportive magicians have been declining lately due to them being powerless when going alone, which is already an odd move for them, since they're supposed to be going with others, not alone.

Ninako: "I see. Should I bring up my nightmare to him?  Umm... Sensei?"

Denji: "What is it?"

Ninako: "Err... Its... Nothing... Forget what I said."

Denji: "Hmm?"

She then returns back to Hazuka feeling a little bad.

Ninako: "I don't wanna worry him considering he's his son. If I did, he definitely would panic." She thought to herself.

Hazuka was struggling with using Offensive due to her focusing on Supportive magic when she was young, while Ninako was learning Supportive magic easily due to her learning both types of magic during her training at a young age.

Hazuka: "You're really lucky you get to learn both magic types, while I struggled to even learn Offensive magic."

Hazuka puts her face on Ninako's chest due to her frustration.

Ninako: "To be fair, I was trained to use both types of magic, but I just prefered Offensive magic, thats all."

Hazuka: "You better help me learn Offensive magic from time to time okay?"

Ninako: "Of course I will, we're teammates after all."

Both of them continue to talk other stuff with Gaki and Chu in the distance hearing them.

Gaki: "Ugh, what do they know about teamwork? All thats matters is our skills!"

Chu: "Obviously, cause if we depend on others, we'll just be ignored!"

During break both the girls announce what happened in Magic class.

Sora: "Seriously? I mean they aren't wrong, but, isn't gonna be a little tiring for both of you?"

Hazuka: "For me, at least. Ninako can handle it no problem."

Akira: "Makes sense. She did train under many magicians including my dad."

Yumi then goes near Ninako and whispers to her.

Yumi: "Hey, are you feeling any better?"

Ninako: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Yumi: "About your dream?"

Ninako: "H-how did you-"

Yumi: "I heard you and Hazuka talk about it this morning. Ninako, don't let it scare you okay? You can prevent now since you can learn Support spells now right?"

Ninako: "I guess, but what if its not enough? I-I-I'm scared..."

Ninako's hands were trembling due to her doubting her abilities. Akira noticing it grabs her hand and looks at her with a very worried look.

Akira: "Hey, you alright?"

Ninako: "A-Akira!? Y-yeah I'm alright! There's nothing to be worried about!"

Akira: "My dad told me what happened earlier, don't lie to me. Please what's the matter?"

Ninako: "I guess there's no point of hiding it I guess. I um... had a nightmare about you..."

Akira: "E-eh!? Me? That's... Weird... Wait a minute, nightmare? Did something happen to me!?"

Ninako explains what happened in her nightmare. Sora and Akira was shocked by what they heard.

Sora: "WHAT!?!? THAT CAN'T BE REAL RIGHT!? RIGHT!? DON'T JOKE WITH US NINAKO!"

Akira: "Calm down Sora. It's gonna happen to all of us someday. But I will admit, me being a horrible state is quite concerning..."

Ninako was tearing up a little bit.

Ninako: "I-I'm scared... I need some time for myself..."

Akira: "Alright, just be careful okay? Don't get yourself worked up about it."

Akira gives her a reassuring smile to make sure she feels a little bit better. Ninako smiles back making her a bit relaxed.

Ninako: "He's right, I can't let myself get worked up about it. I have to stay strong!"

Ninako decides to skip the Group Activity with Rengoku knowing about what's happening to her, due to Akira.

Rengoku: "I see. I hope she can rest easy today."

Ninako heads home early with her mom being a bit surprised.

Kira: "Ninako, home early?"

Ninako: "Yeah. I just to rest today. I'm still bothered by that nightmare."

Kira: "I see. Well rest well today, okay sweetie?"

Ninako: "I will."

Ninako gives her mother a smile. She goes to her balcony and looks at the sky.

Ninako: "The skies very clear today. It's very beautiful."

She then cries.

Ninako: "Dad, do I have the strenght to help my friends? I don't wanna see them hurt. It makes me extremely frustrated!"

Sai: "Don't let your fear take over. You can fight back."

Ninako hears her fathers words.

Ninako: "He always say whenever I feel negative about myself."

Ninako stops crying and goes inside her room.

Ninako: "But Akira and dad are right. I can't let my fear take over and I can't get worked up! I need to be strong! For my parents, for my teammates, and especially Akira!"

Ninako goes down for dinner with her mom waiting for her.

Kira: "Feeling any better?"

Ninako: "A bit, but I'm doing fine."

Kira: "Thats's good to know."

After dinner she immediately goes to bed.

Ninako: "I can do it, I can do it!"

Ninako goes to sleep and once again faces her nightmare.