Chapter VI - The Arrow

As the forms of Lily and Minuet walk away, the tension finally leaves my shoulders, but still on guard.

"I suppose you have met our resident student council president! No need to look so tense, we are all friends here."

I startle slightly at the sudden voice behind me, resisting the urge to whip around in a combat stance. I silently remind myself, 'No fighting...not enemies...rules of the mission.'

I turn my head calmly to see the speaker, only to be met with a metallic glint in the corner of my eye.

ZLING!

I instinctively hold up my hand to protect myself, catching the arrow shot past my head between my fingers.

The archer lowers her bow, grinning brightly as the sun makes their blonde hair glow gold in its rays.

"Those are some quick reflexes! I'm impressed." Tucking the bow under her arm she claps, "Not every day you see a new potential on the field," Her sharp eyes reflect the color of volcanic soil, eyeing my appearance with curiosity.

Immediately I notice her horns, twin white peaks poking out of her hair.

'An another non-human at this school...who would have thought.'

I dare not let my guard down, I warily examine the projectile in my hand. A dull point practice arrow.

"Reo!"

Another girl, dressed almost the same as the white horned archer, like how traditional archers do. Knee-length skirt, white robe top, and breastplate. She walks toward us, a load of boxes in her arms.

"Gods Reo, why don't you help with the equipment instead of scaring students by shooting at them…"

Reo puts a hand on the back of her neck, laughing sheepishly, "Sorry Naomi! Couldn't resist!"

I push the arrow back into her hand, walking past her, "Well good game...but I have other places to be now."

With the excuse, I walk myself out of there.

I find myself at the sakura tree, looking up its trunk.

"Seems climbable enough…" Without thinking I heave myself up onto the bark, finding small footholds as my hands grasp at the rough wood, slowly but surely I pull myself up onto the first big branch, sturdy enough to hold my weight.

I breathe in the crisp almost sweet smell of the leaves, as the shadows of them play across my surroundings, I felt at ease.

Watching as students ran, played sports, and the sound of lively chatter and laughter once in a while, my mind returns down the memory lane, nostalgia settling all over again.

"Hey! Girl with white hair!!"

The shout snaps me out of the memories, and I look down at my feet to see North, with another guy next to him, hands cupped around his mouth he yells at me again.

"Could you uh, come down?! Not easy to talk!!"

I look down at them for a moment longer, before I prepare myself to go down.

"Here-!"

I jump down from my branch with no warning, startling the stranger as I land perfectly in front of him. I stand, brushing off my clothes.

He looks stunned for a moment, "Whoa damn…" Then he shakes his head, putting on a smile, "I don't know how you managed that but kudos to you!"

North gestures to his new friend, "This Kyle Yuuki, one of the guides we were supposed to meet up with that I ran into."

Kyle bows, " I am Kyle Yuuki, son of the Emissary of Nikos, Jeremy Yuuki. And you must be North's sister I have heard about." He stands, his height similar to mine, his head of light brown hair grew unkempt, much unlike his politeness.

I raise an eyebrow at North, and he shrugs, gesturing at me next.

"And yeah, this is my sister, Raven, ever so flighty with strangers."

I narrow my eyes at him, before nodding at Kyle in acknowledgment, "Pleased to meet you."

Kyle claps his hand together, "Well then! I will be the one giving you a tour of all the available extracurricular activities you can do, and all the outdoor campus stuff! President Mizuki will provide you a tour of the school buildings sometime tomorrow! You transferred not too long after the start of the school year, so this week is just full of getting used to campus life club recruiting, and the placement tests." He grins, "So let's start."

He leads us around the courtyard and the fields, introducing each part and its uses.

"Those are the storehouses, sometimes no one had cleaned them in so long over the summer that things other than sports equipment and project materials are housed in there", He shudders, "Feeling bad for the ones on cleaning duty…"

North speaks up, "I doubt this is your first year here Kyle, since being trusted as our guide and such- how long have you been attending here?"

"It's my third year! You have five years at this academy, you get your adventurer's license in the third year and your diploma and specific major's license once you graduate."

North nods, "Ah okay okay…"

Kyle spreads his hand towards the building next to us, "That's the archery range, also where the archery club does its activities, Reo- the captain, is pretty renowned in this sport. You might have heard of her as the Sunset Archer. Two-time champion and runner-up of the national tournaments."

"Whoa.."North looks at the archers practicing, most of them in hard concentration as they test the wind and aim for the bullseye.

Reo was among them, but was also aside speaking with the other girl- Naomi I believe.

I see Reo sigh, closing her eyes briefly, before firing off three arrows in succession, all of them form a perfect ring in the middle, in the bullseye. She catches sight of us, and waves.

"Oh hey Yuuki! And you have the new students with you." She leaps off the platform and walks toward us.

"Hey Reo, seems like you still got it, been off winning any more championships lately?"Kyle said, greeting her with a smile.

Reo brushes aside his comment, "Not yet, though I wouldn't count it, we will have to see..." She clears her throat turns to me and North, "I don't think I have officially introduced myself, I'm Reo Whiteshade, and you two are?"

"North, and my sister Raven," North said.

Reo grins, "You two better be ready! Because it's time for some archery!"