Chapter 5

"Not HER again!"

She was visibly frustrated as Yun sighed, walking forward while holding onto her wrist. Suzuki noticed her wrist was being held still as they made it into the line. 

"You can let go Yun."

"I don't care, we need to eat Ayame."

"I—" Suzuki paused realizing he used her first name, flustering up a bit as she lightly smacked his shoulder.

"—Don't use my first name!"

"Fine, Suzuki."

"Better."

Yun sighed as they slowly went forward. Kimura stood two students behind Fujiwara, holding his plate as they kept moving up. Why can't this line go any faster!! he tapped his foot a bit as he finally got his food on his plate, noticing Fujiwara leaving outside. As he got the last bits of his food, he followed Fujiwara outside, walking out into the center garden of the building. Kimura finally got a good look at the academy building now, seeing that the building was a box structure, having a fountain in the center of it all.

On top of the fountain was a statue of the founder of the academy, exactly the same as the fountain in-front of the dorms. He saw Fujiwara sitting on a bench under a tree as he walked over. Fujiwara ate her food peacefully as she looked over before he could reach six feet to her. Keen senses! he was surprised as she glared at him.

"What do you want Kimura."

"Ahh...Is it fine if I can sit beside—"

"No"

"—Nearby—"

"The bench across from me will be fine enough."

YES!

He fist pumped in excitement as he sat down where she told him to sit, sitting on the bench across from her. He ate his food happily as she looked at him confused. "why are you so excited all of a sudden?" Fujiwara asked him confused, He looked up at her eating noodles. He raised an eyebrow as she repeated, "Why are you so excited all of a sudden.".

Kimura finished his noodles as he wiped his mouth with his jacket, responding, "Well, It's not every day I get to eat my food without a fight.". That response surprised Fujiwara, she was caught off guard by that as he went back to eating his food. Peacefully eating huh...I wonder what else you have buried in your past... She also ate her plate of food, now curious on Kimura and his background.

* * *

Takashi saw them eating in the garden as he sighed, sitting down in his chair as he looked at a student sitting at his table as well. This student wore a different academy jacket as he awaited on Takashi. "So? do you think you'll accept?" Takashi took a bit of time to think as he rethought about his current position.

Let's see here...Abiding to Territory rules we'll have to...So it'll be Me, Fujiwara and Kobayashi...and one backup...Problem is...we don't have a strong enough backup...

Takashi looked out the window once again, looking down at Kimura and Fujiwara eating peacefully. He looked intently at Kimura, thinking back to their reports.

'Takashi...The new student one shot Ito."

'What? But Ito's our most defensive Esper. He can't lose to someone who barely got here.'

'The new student's taking on Yamada..."

'The same Yamada who can throw pebbles strong enough to knock someone out?'

'Yes THAT Yamada."

'What's his name again? Kimura Makoto?'

'Yes, Apparently he's from the countryside, he was part of the Kanuri Academy Incident."

'Hmph...He must be strong then.'

A perfect candidate...Kimura Makoto.

"Yes I accept, we do it in the middle grounds." 

"You have my word Takashi."

A portal then formed right beside them as the student got up and walked through, hearing it collapse in on itself as it closed. Takashi sighed as he looked at the clock, seeing it was just about time for class to start again.

Five minutes before class ends the loud speakers go up, "Kimura Makoto, can you please report to the infirmary, Kimura Makoto, can you please report to the infirmary.". Kimura was confused as Vallance jerked his head to the side a bit to give him permission to leave. Kimura got up and headed out of his class as he walked down the hallway and headed over towards the infirmary.

Why do they need me at the infirmary of all places...?

Kimura was confused but abided by the speakerphone's call, walking into the infirmary as he saw a couple of individuals there. Takashi, Fujiwara, and Kobayashi were in the infirmary as they discussed something. Fujiwara was the first one to notice Kimura as she looked over, Kobayashi looking over as well as Takashi being the last.

"Hello again Kimura."

"What is it this time..." Kimura coldly glared at Takashi.

"Look We made a bad impression but—"

"Lemme guess, A territorial war."

"—You learn fast."

Kimura sighed, asking, "Do they even do it around these parts?" expecting a no response. To Kimuras surprise, Takashi responded "Yeah, a lot actually.". He got curious, unexpectedly hearing yes rather than no. Huh...I guess city people do have to get their hands dirty. Kimura popped his knuckles one by one as he asked, "Where is it going to be at?" as he doesn't know where it's held.

"It's going to be at a place called the Middle Grounds, a sturdy land where espers can duke it out."

"Middle Grounds? That sounds lame."

"Not like we can change about it."

Kimura analyzed them as he checked his watch, He then asked "Is it going to be us four going?" confused as Takashi nodded, walking out of the Infirmary with Kobayashi and Fujiwara following behind. Kimura also followed behind as he walked beside Fujiwara, they took off their indoor shoes in exchange for their uniform shoes. Kimura however, wore casual shoes as they just looked at him weirdly, "What? You guys don't have regular shoes?" he asked as if they're pinning something on him.

Takashi and his group walked out to meet the same student that had met up with Takashi hours before. "This your group?" he asked, Takashi nodded in response as The student smiled. He recognized the three of them, staring at Kimura a bit suspicious about it.

"Hey, Who's this kid?"

"Him, he's our back-up, showing him the ropes."

"Pssh, suit yourself."

The student turned around and snapped his fingers, opening a blue vortex portal for them to enter. They entered one by one as Kimura was the last person to enter before it closed. At the other side they walked out and saw the Middle Grounds. Other students from other academies were also here, camping out here as they awaited for their match. whoa... Kimura was amazed at the scale of the Middle Grounds, it seemed endless as Fujiwara broke off to meet some other students.

Kimura was going to go get her but he felt his shoulder being grabbed, he stopped and looked to see that it was Takashi, "She's just meeting some middle school friends, Our match hasn't started yet." He reassured Kimura as she turned to see that she was talking to a group of female students. He sighed standing by Kobayashi and Takashi. While everyone was still greeting each other, Kimura looked around the area, seeing the trees around them but hearing nothing but nature itself. 

It must be an isolated place for us to go wild on our abilities then...

Takashi brought back enough supplies to set up a small camp like the rest of the students here, Kobayashi and Takashi wasted no time setting up camp while Kimura kept staring where Fujiwara was. Fujiwara was laughing and smiling, nothing like how she acted at school where she was cold and serious. Is that how she really is when she's out of school...? he grew curious as Kobayashi caught onto him, getting up and lightly punching his shoulder.

Kimura looked at him confused, patting his right shoulder as Kobayashi had a smug smile on his face. "What?" He asked as he opened a bottle of water for him to drink. Kobayashi nudged him with his elbow saying, "You like her don't you." as Kimura choked on his water and coughed out some of the water.

"The hell you on about?"

"I know when someone likes someone else, I can tell."

"Pssh, yeah right."

"If I really did like her, I would have asked her."

Kimura drank his bottle of water once more as Kobayashi raised an eyebrow with his smug face. Just...play stupid me... he kept drinking his water bottle until he finished it, crumpling it down before throwing it into a trash bag. Fujiwara ran back as she smelled a pot cooking food. "Ooh! Stew!!!" She said delightfully, Takashi was cooking stew as Kimura asked, "WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET A POT AND FOOD?!!".

"Keep it down will you, They provide us food and drinks as well as cooking and survival tools."

"Yeah"

"That's pretty much it Kimura."

"I—"

Kimura was dumbfounded as he's never done anything like this before, only heard rumors about it. I guess it really is true...This kind of stuff does exist... He scratched the back of his head as he sat down near the fire. Kimura looked around as he saw students laughing and sharing stuff around with other academy students, unable to process how this place could be so peaceful yet destructive at the wave of a hand.

"Takashi..."

"Hm? What is it Kimura?" He kept swirling the pot.

"I'm sorry, for how I acted last time."

Takashi looked at him surprised but not all too familiar to him as well. He smiled, patting Kimura on the back, replying "Don't worry about it, As long as you don't get on my bad side I won't put you into the dirt.". I apologize and THATS your response YOU PASSIVE AGRESSIVE!! He chuckled smiling a bit as Takashi handed them White Stew as they ate as a group.