WARNING: Porn with Plot, Dubious consent, (extremely) Unhealthy Relationships and Emotional Manipulation.

This is your only warning, DL;DR

You must never enter the walled forest behind the school grounds under no circumstance."

On these days where the only thing left to do is stave off boredom, with the sunset hiding at the same hour on the same spot over the same hill, when the bells of the clock tower all toll together into a dissonant melody, the people pass over the endless hallways on each on the building all wave, smile, there are those who even stop to do some chit-chat.

"I've heard the school owner keeps fancy and rare but savage beasts inside of it."

The gardens are all blooming wondrously as they always are, the sweet scent of them all infecting the nearby classrooms and offices, the air, the clothes and hair, the very essence is imprinted on her skin by now.

Her nose scrunches at the sight of a fallen pillar, the putrid wood already festering vermin and contaminating the place… they will have to fix that.

"One of the seniors told me that the high trees hide a castle."

All flowers must always be pure and beautiful.

There is no place for anything unsightly here, she knows that as soon as she brings up the subject the mess will have been removed by tomorrow, no signs of dirt or a petal out of place.

As if nothing happened.

"Really? I've heard the place is haunted."

She passes the elevator, feeling like taking the stairs for once, the physical strain making her heart beat faster, her muscles ache and drops of sweat dribble down her neck and forehead, each step circling the flowerbed at the center of the greenhouse, her heels echoing in the metallic steps of circling stairway.

"By whom? There was nothing here before the school was built."

The door stands before her, simple, yet opulent on its design of white marble and classic engraving on the sides.

She knocks

"Don't know, but my brother went to school here too! He told me that a couple of classmates once ventured there on a dare… they never saw them again until a couple weeks after on the hospital wing, no wounds, no signs of malnutrition or recollection of anything."

"Please, have any of you ever met anyone who's actually went inside?"

"Nah, what about you Ray-sensei?"

"Enter…" A voice, his voice reaches her, the door opening in an agonizing slow motion, a decision conscious decision on his part no doubt.

The night sky is always a significant contrast with his silhouette all draped in white, green and gold, much like the absolute ruler he fancies himself to be.

"You're late."

"Are you trying to pry information out of your teacher? That's not really nice"

"Assistant teacher, you're practically a student just like us!"

"In that case why would you think I'm allowed to break the rules anymore that you are?"

Ray ignores him and drops her bag on the floor, and the invitations she's been working on the last month are left on the table along with her glasses, she doesn't miss the smashed shards of glass littering the rug, her shoes crush some of them while she walks exactly three steps behind him, no more and no less.

"I know, Chairman." She drawls out the word on purpose. "I felt like taking the long way."

On the window's faint reflection, he sees his golden eyes narrow, and as an answer there is the same sharp feeling at the bottom of her belly, unlike the aches result of a day of work Ray had already lost the ability or the interest on tracing the origins or the nature of the pangs.

What followed afterwards was nothing but tedious routine at this point.

There was nothing but them, nothing but this moment… nothing but the bile rising at her throat and the desire to attack him when he walks past her, his arm brushing against hers, she watches as he settles on the couch, no he sprawls all over it.

"Come, Ray."

There are no hesitations on neither of them, she walks over to stand in front of him, her hair clips are the first that go, knowing how much he enjoys pulling at her hair and scalp, then her dress and underpants fall onto the floor, making barely any noise thanks to the rug, the undergarments stay.

He will tear them apart either way, so she just stood at arm's reach, waiting for him to yank her into his body as he always did.

"Yes, Chairman."

The revulsion and desire to attack him persist, not with kicks and fists, but with nails and teeth; she has learned to breathe through her nose when those feelings become unbearable; instead she relishes on his grimace, because Ray knows what he wants: to call, whimper, sob, and cry his name.

And Ray will always make sure to dangle it out of his reach for as long as she can... until one of them breaks down … yes, this is their routine, him looking to draw the first reactions, and she looking for the taste and feel of his blood.

Nothing but a charade to one up each other, in a game they are both too tired to play, but too wedded into to abandon.

"Because Ray-sensei is the daughter of the Founder…"

"…And she's engaged to the Chairman."

-o-

Hatred grows old, wrath is bitter and consuming, even vengeance – the impulse that drove him to want people suffer the same way they did to him – no longer held any appeal to him.

"All of you have been chosen by the Seal of the Arc…"

Instead Zarc has found a new game to occupy himself with: play the villain, no, this wasn't a repeat of the lashed out anger toward an uncaring world, this was simply him putting on an act: once Ray found a group of idiots foolish and naïve enough to believe in something like 'The Power to Save the World' 'The United World' the 'Revival of Zero' or something as ridiculous as cards capable of summoning creatures and fight on their stead… Yes, once they were all assembled together, each one taking their preferred part, the stage set long before they were born and cleaned up of the… remains of the last function and all he had to do was rejoice into keeping on the dark, stringing them along and pulling at the strings.

"All of you answered to the call of the Guardian of the Arc…"

There was always the one who unknowingly or not played the part of the hero, then there was the one who always challenged and contradicted the hero's core belief, then from the conflict born from these two the key person to the group's bonds and hearts would assuage them while the last one strengthened the foundations of their morality and reason.

"She shall be your guide; she is the one who decided you are worthy of this mission…"

Ray? She was the observer, the one who choose the, the one who would provide them with motivation and a former authority figure whom they could trust…

"You shall collect the four keys to open this Gate for the United World to be born!"

The group's core belief may change, and different struggles would come from attempting to uphold it and in turn collecting each of the tokens to unlock the Arc Gate.

"But dear children, be courageous, be smart, be sensible and beware the Supreme King Servants… he still exists somewhere in this world, sacrificing the hearts of the young heroes for his amusement… be very careful, for he shall come for you…"

Then he would appear, standing tall and proud unable to keep a smile to creep into his features as it dawned into them that they were inside the school all along and that he had done this to them.

"It's you…"

"You've known that for a long time now,"

"…Why?"

"Why should I explain? Children like you wouldn't understand my motives."

Nothing could compare to the sight of the horror in their eyes when he revealed them the truth beyond the forest: that rotten flesh of the slain beasts where their food came from, the corpses of the warriors they had 'turned' into cards, all the fake keys hiding in plain sight and how they could have left any moment they wanted.

"Are you done now? The Game is over…"

"We never played a game here!"

Finally, he showed them the remains of all the people that had gone before them, their tombs, their bones littering on the ground, feeding the rose fields, their lost weapons laid broken and filled with moss and rust.

"You keep saying that, and yet everything here was nothing but a board I, the Supreme King, set for you to play with, until you were ready to face a true monster…"

Sometimes though… sometimes he got bored, when everything would just go so well that he dropped little crumbs, either tiny and subtle; or rather obvious and large, hints that the world around them was nothing but an illusion, that the 'Professor' sending them into their mission had been long dead and buried on some hill below an unkempt burial mound, hints that their beloved aide and guide was a complicit piece on the board.

"The letters, the timing of the gate's locking behind you, the messages sent by a dead man… all of it was my doing!"

Hints that he – the Supreme King, the 'dragon' that ought to be slayed – was the one leading the play, the one who wrote the script and the one whose lives depending on his mood and how well they had entertained him, he would decide whether to spare or feed to his servants.

"You should have used those phone booths, or those beds to rest or at least get a shower on those bathrooms… I suppose they would have broken the illusion of an adventure…"

"We weren't trying to have an adventure you trapped us here!"

"Then why didn't you try to use your monsters to flight above the trees? Why didn't you skip the routes set and went right ahead for the Arc Gate?"

"…"

"You all were so eager for a break out of your normal boring lives, loved feeling special and important? The taste of power, you all enjoyed crushing your opponents like vermin! Didn't all of you have fun?"

Most of them were too idiotic to even notice, the few who did notice – the ones he usually spared… but not always – were either ignored or hid their suspicions from their friends, sometimes they just brushed them off because who would be sick enough to play this twisted game with a bunch of children?

"You never even hesitated to use your dear Ray as a vessel every time you needed a summon…"

And even those observant ones fell to their knees when he pulled the last string and let them see the true state in which Ray's body truly was after so many summon rituals... the sight of the rose petals turning into her drops of blood and the thorny vines growing inside out from her body were often enough for them to run away.

"Are you saying that you didn't used the gifts they and Ray bestowed on you for that exact reason? That you weren't willing to sacrifice the last drop of her magic to open the Gate? Do you pretend to be better than myself, chasing ideals you couldn't possibly understand doesn't compare to your game…"

"No! We're just not playing a game!"

"No, playing games is the only thing you know how to do… none of you know anything about real suffering, of how terrifying true combat can be, but if you give me the keys I will spare you the experience…"

"No! We're going to defeat you, and when the Arc is open and teacher Ray will-"

So he cared none for their little lives, their fighting prowess, their words of hope and determination, he cared none for their threats, he cared only to catch the look in their eyes.

"What a noble heart you presume; such heart is the one that has lead you this far in order to obtain this power… But that type of power is not for you to play around with…"

Their eyes where their true self showed, because after a while all their crying and tears all meshed into the same boring sight, their agonizing screams annoyed him, but their eyes, that's where the hope, the defiance, the terror, the hope all vanished to leave a simple vacant look of despair.

"When the Keys are put into place, the gate to a new world will be open and then everything will be possible but… It's too much for a mere child like you… The only ones who should hold this power are…"

All mirroring Ray's eternally dead eyes, the only glint product of her glasses – sometimes he still couldn't believe those had been her idea – the ones she always took off before she delivered a finishing blow and the last one standing fell to their demise, for them to look at her smiling and waving goodbye and realize just how misguided they had all been.

"I told you this isn't another game…"

How he loved the look in their faces when they came to this realization…

.

.

.

Zarc stared at the broken keys, the little gems on each one of them all turned into a dull color grey, the pieces all banishing into thin air along with the gate, the arena and the cocoon that held Ray's body inside.

"...Another failure." He muttered, the bitter disappointment on his chest already a second nature to him.

No sooner than he said this he heard her steps behind him, when he turned Ray was there once more, it took her one flick of her hand and her dress materialized into her body, wounds healed, there was a rosy tint on her skin as if she had not spent the last couple of weeks bleeding into a prison of thorns.

Her eyes were as cold and unmoving as usual.

With a simple nod, the scenario disappeared leaving once more their top floor on the Clock tower, the Projector System turning off allowing the stars to shine through the windows, his clothes are also back to normal, he unbuttoned his shirt in no time feeling constricted in it.

Zarc needed a freaking drink and he turned to look for the wine only to find Ray sitting on the couch, the bottle in her hand, already one glass served on the table.

"None for you?" He asked, even though he already knew her answer: a small smile and a tilt of her face, he grabbed the glass and drank its contents in one long sip.

"I've found a new type of flower growing in the garden." She started not really talking at him, her damned eyes lost into thought. "But I won't put a name on it, I want to keep the secret for myself, just a little longer…"

Zarc dropped the glass on the carpet and took the bottle taking one long chug from it, the edges of his vision already becoming less defined and tiny lights danced through his vision.

"…But flowers are just that: flowers, they don't really have names other than the ones we gave them anyway, at the end of the day they belong to no one…"

"Mmph, is that what you tell to yourself?" He said the bottle in his hand already empty, "so you can make it through another day?" He said looking at her through the foggy lenses of the effect the alcohol was already giving him.

Ray looked radiant, her hair flowing in the non-existent wind, donning a white armor shining in the middle of the night, in her eyes he saw the forest, the flowers, the ferocious spirits of every wild animal, the colors of every season and the unmitigated force of nature into one look.

"What about you Zarc?" she asked in turn. "What pulls you through another day?"

No sooner than she spoke, with that infuriating smile on her lips he had her laid out on the couch, each of his hands were on both sides of her head, his knee separating her legs, and his hand had already snapped the front part of her dress.

Her eyes went back to look as frozen as two jewels and he almost missed the previous sight… That is until he saw it: the glint of pure contempt dancing in them, who needed a pure, detached and perfect goddess untouched by the hands of anyone when he could have Ray succumbing to him like this?

How he would enjoy turning that glint into a blazing inferno, burning for him and only him.

So he did what he knew she hated the most and grabbed her face and forced her jaw to keep her mouth open and crushed his mouth against hers, he held her like this for a while, his tongue rubbing at every nook on her mouth, when he lapped at her tongue then entwining it with his, a whimper escaped her mouth and his hold on her face wavered.

Her nails were digging into the fabric below her, so he let go of her, it took her a moment to notice giving him a last taste of her before a sharp pain made him go still, she used the chance to tore her face away from his.

Her nails were digging into the fabric below her, so he let go of her chin, it took her a moment to notice giving him a last taste of her before a sharp pain made him go still, she used the chance to tore her face away from his.

There was a dribble of blood on her chin, his blood, the pain mixed with his excitement when she had no choice but lick her lips clean, he licked his own almost in a daze.

"The Dragon always abducts the fair maiden..."

Ray must have noticed because she looked away exposing her neck to him, his chest heaved at the sight of her creamy skin his eyes trailing from where her hair met her nape all the way down her shoulders and the valley of her breasts…

"…the valiant knight always running short on time but somehow always made it before the beast devoured her."

He trailed his mouth all the way path down right until he was in between the luscious flesh of her chest and he bite down, hard.

"…Had he or anyone ever wondered how they always made it in time? Why is she always in one piece for the knight to save?"

"Aahh…" that tiny moan was almost enough for him to want to take her then and there, his clothes feeling too damn uncomfortable, particularly his loins.

"…Maybe because unbeknownst to him or anyone, her maidenhood had been devoured already…"

But he contented himself with kneading her breasts, rubbing her hardened nipples, loosening the fabric of her bra only enough for him to suck on them relishing on the way her skin flushed and the sight of tiny drops of sweat that formed on her neck, but he wouldn't take her, not yet…

He sneaked a look to her expression and found her eyes closed, biting her lips to keep quiet.

And that's why he stopped.

"…Countless of times, every night, he devoured her with claws and fangs…"

"You bastard…" She said and his lips form a smile again, but he didn't acknowledge the taunt further.

Instead he moved lower, his hand sneaking behind her back, finding and pulling the zipper with little trouble, pulling the dress down along with it. The sight of her exposed and taut stomach had his eyes following the line starting from her navel to her hips and then lower to her mound…

"Hungry for her body, her heat, her heart…"

He licked his lips almost unconsciously, his whole body felt too hot, so he unbuttoned and got rid of his shirt falling to the floor along with her dress, the fabric barely made any noise, instead what called his attention was the low chuckle from Ray.

"What's so funny?" He asked, his eyes narrowing and his hold gripping her tighter in response to the mirth dancing on her eyes. But she didn't answer, her eyes closed off to his scrutiny once more and he was unable to stop the emptiness seeding on his gut…

Must she always torture him?

"The maiden knew this, and she kept it hidden from him…"

When the silence prolonged he surged forward until she was at an eye level to her, grabbing both of her wrists on one of his hands, the other remained holding her down from her waist in a single movement.

"Something wrong Chairman?"

Listening to that word, here where their pretenses had no place, the way her lips formed a tiny smile that didn't reach her eyes had his teeth gritting drawing blood from his lips again, his nails sinking even more on her flesh, bruises already noticeable, his chest heaved with the contained growls…

"…Slowly disarming the Dragon, robbing him of his own heart piece by piece…"

"Ah!..." That sigh alone brought his bearings back, she was so close that her breath ghosted next to his cheek and his heart calmed down, and he continued the circular motions on the already wetting fabric of her laced panties, while his own weight to keep her still "Tch… ah…Y-you bas-"

"Aren't you getting tired of using that word?" He interrupted feeling her hands flailing a little on his hold, he did nothing in response except pressing his thumb on her clit while his forefinger continued to tease at her entrance still not removing the cloth in between.

Her puffs of air that kept escalating in intensity, so close to his mouth made his mouth water, he closed into her a little more, attempting a kiss.

Except Ray moved her face sideways, still unrelenting but he simply choose to give one long lap from her neck to her shoulder were he bit her, only hard enough to make a gasps into a full moan, and then he sucked on the spot until a little mewl made way to his ears.

His chest was rubbing against her hardened nipples, was sending jolts to the tip of his toes and the thought of their sweat mixing together had him falter on spot.

'Only a little longer...' His fingers already felt sticky and even with his strong hold on her hips, she was wiggling under him her gasps were coming out of her mouth and her eyes closed. "You… hn… I… won't …ah!"

Zarc had already moved the fabric aside and gave her entrance one long swipe before slipping inside her, rubbing in circular motions first delighting on her open mouth and her open-wide eyes before he started to thrust it and out.

Mimicking the motions of what was soon too come… and yet, it still wasn't enough

"…Did the maiden always knew? That if she wanted she could have killed the Dragon herself?"

This wouldn't do, he thought feeling the sweat running down his neck, his back… everywhere and he was already short on patience after such a disappointing day… would it be so bad if he just sank himself into her? Just the feeling of her heat on his hand reminded him on how she felt when she enveloped him whole.

That's when he felt her hands relaxing on his hold and his legs turning to jelly below him, just one more thing…

"Ray… Ray, please… just say it…" He begged his hands now on both sides of her and felt disgusted by how easy it was to do it, how accustomed to plead for her he was, his eyes stung now, no matter how hard he attempted to blink the tears away.

"We'll probably never know… because before she could tear his heart away with her own hands, the knight appeared…"

Then… the feel of her fingers danced across his shoulders and his back, settling on his hipbones.

"Zarc…" She said her face closing in to him, not to kiss him, but to kiss his tears away, he knows that he's lost to her, he always does… "Sshhh, Don't cry…"

"…How else would a mere knight defeat the Dragon if not for his wounded chest where his heart had been torn and bleeding out?"

There was a heavy clink sound where his belt fell on top of the rest of their clothing, her warm hand sneaks into his pants and touches him.

His hands gripping on the couch are the only thing that keep him from collapsing into her, the shudders are taking over his whole body and his breath starts coming off in puffs and his blood is boiling beneath his skin.

"With the Dragon slayed and the Knight hailed as hero what happened to the Maiden?"

"…Tears are unbecoming of a King." Her voice drawled next to his ear, and if her touch wasn't enough for him to give in, her teeth grating against his earlobe did the trick, he ignored the small wheeze she made when his weight settled in between her body.

Feeling how hot her body was, the sweat on her chest when it squished against his and the adorable blush across her face was enough for him to let go at last, so her grabbed harshly at her legs, the back of her thigs slapping against his pants and pushed her knees up until they along with the rest of her legs were spread flat on her sides.

It was a position that left her open and vulnerable to his onslaught and leaving with no choice but to tear her panties into pieces so he could have her.

Never once did she stop to gaze at him with fire in her eyes, a fire that did nothing but send another adrenaline rush through his body before he entered her in one single motion.

"…What did she do with the heart of the Dragon?"

"Don't…ah!" Anything else that she might say was nothing but one moan after another while he thrusted with a steady, unbroken and unswerving concentration, his body was hungry and he meant to satisfy it.

Nothing compared to the feeling of her taking him in, her hands scouring at his back and her biting on his shoulder to keep herself from screaming every time he slams against her.

"Don't… Ah! Don't stop!" How he adored her.

"…And more importantly what did she do when it started to beat again?"

Still, after such a long and exhausting day he couldn't keep such rhythm for too long and he slowed down to simply swaying, feeling her walls as he slowly sliding in and out, rubbing in all the right places.

"I'm going to fucking kill you…" She said in between moans, he could tell that she very much wanted to speed up again, to make a mess out of her, inside out and upside down until her mind went blank and she would be aware of nothing but the blinding pleasure.

He kissed her in that moment feeling a delicious jolt that went from his tongue to the tip of his hairs, and this time she was kissing him back her tongue dancing alongside with his, there was not a single crevice or nook on her that he had not tasted already, but he could never have enough of her.

She was a temptress, his temptress.

"What did she do when its voice started to whisper in her dreams?"

And that's why he would drag it out for as long as he could… then while she kept on urging her hips up, an attempt to make him speed up again – to her credit, nearly succeeding as he had to sink his nails to keep her in place –

Zarc rewarded her with one hard and deep thrust while still kissing her, sucking on her lower lip his hands gripping tightly at her backside and with one quick momentum she was atop him the movement making her grind against him and he hissed at the sensations it gave him.

Ray seemed to not notice, until he let go of her legs and mouth with a soft bite on her lips. Her eyes widen slightly when she notices at last and her hands move from his shoulders to his face, then to his lips, a groan makes its way past them when she does.

Then her hand stops right above his windpipe, her thumb stroking the skin in small circles, her eyes narrowed and everything around them stills, her finger pressing right above his throat, his heaving and their gasps, even the air around them feels heavy.

A single gulp of his resonates around them.

"…That's right his life was always on her hands…"

"Go ahead, do it." He said and the lack of emotion on his voice surprised even himself, there was no stammering, no cold sweat, not even fear. Death had once felt like a heavy noose around his neck; now? It was a distant whisper that was only barely always whistling around him, never touching him.

When had he started to yearn for its caress?

Ray, as pensive as she always was, only regarded him with cold eyes and then she smirked that contented cruel smile that always sent shivers down his back, she lowered herself until her lips were barely touching his.

"…Either he kills her or she kills him…"

"And why should I offer you a single kindness?" She said and before he could fully understand what it meant she started grinding against him the way she squeezed him with each roll of her hips had him whimper.

"Ray…Ray…" He lost count of how many times he chanted her name, everything but the feel of her body and her touch were meaningless to him, only like this is how he could make himself forget, how his sight was filled with colors and his heart beat inside his chest one more time.

"I will be waiting for you…Ray."

-o-

"Teacher!" He practically skipped over to her the moment she was walking outside his classroom. "Ugh, Teacher!"

He almost missed her, but when the last thread of her red hair waved out of sight she leaned back to see him, hands on his knees, taking deep breaths and crushing the rose bouquet and the chocolate box together under his arm.

"Are you okay?" She asked while helping while she patted his back, like a mom would do to her child…

"No, I mean, Yes! I am, that was nothing for me the Great Sawatari!" He exclaimed pulling himself to his full height and flicking his hair.

When she said nothing in response except tilting her head to the side, his hands moved on his own and he presented to her the roses and the box of treats almost pushing them into her face.

"For you!" He said hoping the stammer wasn't too noticeable. "I saw them on the garden today and I couldn't help to think of your luscious locks and these chocolates come from the best of the bakeries in town but they are still nothing compared to you!"

For a terrifying moment she said nothing, and even through those thick glasses – in his book, she was the only person who could look cute on them – he noticed her blinking at him with owlish eyes.

"Idiot." A voice said behind him, an annoying, high-pitched voice that he knew too well.

"Mind your own business Sora!" He said, stomping his feet on the floor feeling almost biting his tongue off.

"I'm just saying it like it is," he said shrugging. "I mean you know she's engaged right?" Sora made a cheeky smile while saying this and drawling out the word engaged, that always fell down his stomach like a rock. "To the Chairman, in case you need reminding."

"Grrr, engaged doesn't mean married it's still not too late!" He yelled into his face. "Obviously a child like you doesn't understand such delicate matters but-"

"So what? Are you planning to steal her away from the Chairman? Have you ever met the guy? He –and Teacher Ray by the way – Are way out of your league." He said with a shrug and a click of his tongue, and then with a quick hand took the chocolate box from his hands. "So, why waste a perfectly good candy?"

Little scoundrel, that was what he was after all along!

"That's no good," She said all of the sudden and he froze in spot, afraid to look at her admonishing look for acting like a brat… damn it. "Sora, Sawatari gave these…" She spoke taking the box out of his hands with ease. "… to me remember?"

"Tch, whatever." He said pulling a face. "What I said is still true, we're students and you're the teacher… nothing will ever come up from his foolish little-"

"I'm sure Sawatari will turn into a fine man given enough time." The teacher interrupted mercifully before Sora spoke that word…

She then picked up the roses he had not realized he dropped from the floor and smelled them, her eyes closed and her expression softened.

He could look at it the entire day.

"And he is thoughtful." She said and walked to wherever she was going to before he stopped her, only stopped for a moment to say "Thank you Sawatari."

And he could have melted into the ground from the way he felt the heat rush from his face through all of his body, making his legs and arms feel like jelly, if he attempted to say anything it would probably be nothing but gibberish.

"Stop making a fool out of yourself, she only took pity on you."

.

.

.

"Remind me to send a 'thank you' note to that brat too." Zarc said after he engulfed the last of the chocolates from the box. "Are you sure he will be good enough? I've seen him around… he's kind of a clown isn't he?"

It was odd for him to come down to her office, and for something that was so insignificant on top of it, sprawled on her chair, leaving her to grade tests on top of the desk,

Perhaps…

"He does have his head on the clouds…" She said in a mock pensive tone, a finger tapping on her lips, it was not like he was willing to do anything to help anyway, as usual, she saw through the window's reflection how he stood up, and walked just behind her, his hand on her shoulder. "…But he has more self-awareness than people give him credit for."

Besides, his flashiness was a good distractor from even the most obvious of thing, useful to hide the more appropriate candidate in her mind.

"…And he is thoughtful isn't he?" He said his hand sneaking from her shoulder to her breast, squeezing lightly through her clothing.

"Are you jealous of a kid?" She said removing her glasses.

"What could possibly make you think that?" He said, his mouth close to her ear and using his other hand to pull down the zipper of her dress.

Ray sneaked a look at her trashcan next to the desk, filled with the roses, the petals all torn from its stem and crushed beyond recognition, his hands were still punctured from the thorns.

"…Just a hunch." She said feeling her breath hitch when his hands now inside her dress start rubbing at her abdomen, and she presses her legs together when she feels his knee trying to part them.

"If you say so…" he says with hiss and his hands start to rub and pinch at her nipples and when she starts gasping, gripping the side of the desk so hard the it creaks, he then twists her face so he can kiss her.

It's almost too much; his fingers teasing her breast, his tongue entwined with hers and the warmth of his body pressed against her.

With her remaining sanity Ray pushes him off her and breaks the kiss, the connecting trail between their mouths makes a shiver run down her spine.

"You taste like chocolate…" She waited for him to look smug and added: "…I hate sweets."

Zarc's hands leave her body and then he pushes her upper body on her desk and he bends over her, his hit breath tingling on her ear.

"I know…" There was a growl along with his voice and Ray felt a tingling pool on her belly. "You don't like 'sweetness', you never like me like that, you want me to be rough and not thoughtful at all isn't that right Ray?" She then feels her dress being pulled up, and a zipper opening.

Ray almost bite her tongue off keeping a moan from escaping when he inserted two fingers inside her while murmuring of the things he planned to do to her.

It was quite annoying really…

"Are you gonna do anything or just- AH!" The air left her lungs when from one second to the next she felt feverish and full of him, any other protest or words died on her lips, leaving nothing but mindless sounds and a bit of drool dibbling down her chin.

He had not bothered to remove his pants or her underwear and the rubbing of their clothes was something she had not anticipated to feel so good along his rocking above her

"I wonder… fuck… what would all those brats who follow you around like … damn it, keep still will you? …puppies think if they saw you like this…" He teased biting on her neck and pressing his body even further into hers.

It should not have enticed her, but the thought of people watching her losing herself like this, being fucked over a desk, but he chose that moment lift her leg to have better access and her mind went blank, the only thing it mattered was that he she never wanted this to end…

The cold surface of the desk – which kept clattering now louder than ever – was so different from the heat she was feeling all over her body and it was rushing her even further to her peak.

Her vision went white when she felt him twitching inside her, only aware of his growls next and some wailing in the distance…

On second thought it might just have been her.

But it was over now, while she felt the edges of her sight perceive the world around her once more, she felt his chest heaving while he kissed the bite marks he had just left before, if she had any feeling left on her arms and legs she would just have just pushed him off.

But even breathing seems too much effort now.

He pulls her up and turn her around then, with nimble hands he fixed her state of dress and brushing the hairs out of her face.

Ray was in a daze the entire time, the ghost of his fingers on her skin was pulling her back into the world again, he slides the glasses back on her too and she turned around immediately unable to withstand another second of the way he was looking at her.

As if she was the most wonderful being in the world.

So she left him there without sparing a look, because these rituals had no place between them, tender kisses, touches and gazes...

It felt too much like love.

-o-

"Next!" Masumi heard and she saw how yet another 1st year was promptly handled by the instructor, which it was expected as usual with their lack of finesse and wonky movements there was no way any of them could hope to straight out even make a dent on Professor Marco flawless defense.

Sometimes she thinks she could watch at his different forms and movements the entire day if she was allowed to…

Masumi and the rest of the classmates always had a blast during the 'assessment' of the new club members, it was certainly different to be on the other side than when they themselves had been subjected to the same test.

"Your attacks are not actually that unrefined, but your defense is full of holes… you should also keep your feet firmly root into the ground."

"Next!"

"…Uh I think those were all professor…" There was a slight laughter after these words were spoken by an unsuspecting sap, all in all Professor Marco had gone through all the rooster in less than an hour.

"Is that so?" He said taking off his mask looking at all the new candidates that had yet to chicken out after being slightly manhandled. "I appreciate all for your interest, and especially those who stayed until the end shall be welcome for the next class!"

The way they all looked up with big and shiny eyes, made him give the most dashing smile that he usually only had reserved to whenever one of his student won a tournament or managed to disarm him.

"Remember that just like Pendulum Academy goal is to make its students reach their full potential, it is our club aim to always come on top of every challenge presented!" He started walking in front of them and even some of the people up in the balconies who enjoyed watching some swordsmanship without breaking a sweat themselves.

Mindless spectators all of them, she was different.

"…Still I must say I'm a little disappointed of the smaller number of applicants that we've had this semester, I expect all of you to be up to the level of expertise me, your instructor, the school expects from you!"

Of course they ought, not just for the school reputation's sake but also for their own dignity, if they had any, they ought to aim as high as they could, no excuses allowed.

"However! That also means that we have some extra time for a little demonstration!" There were some surprised gasps and squeals from the balconies at this announcement. "In order to make it count, and to make perfectly clear that I would never demand from any student something that I do not demand from my own person, I shall show you just how far you can progress!"

An in order to give a proper demonstration, Professor Marco would be in need for an opponent, one from the advanced levels, whom he would most definitely have the highest of regards-

"Ray!" The sound of that exclamation made Masumi stop on her tracks as she prepared her epee and almost grabbed her protective mask, and right on cue everyone stopped doing what they were doing – Even her, she begrudgingly thought – too look at the newcomer. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"You flatter me Professor," Right behind the benches, there was a tall young woman, with long red hair that was pulled up into twin ponytails giving her a younger look that what was probably her actual age, she was wearing a fairly normal ensemble: a white long shirt over black dress pants.

"Stop that, you don't have to call me Professor anymore, now we're coworkers." He spoke with a soft tone that Masumi had never heard from him.

"Well, I'm still and assistant, that means you're still my superior so…" She said with a shrug and a bit of a smile.

Masumi tuned out the rest of their talk, feeling more than just a little bumped out that she wouldn't get to show off her progress, which quickly became annoyance the more giggling and laughter it reached her ears until she felt someone's elbow bumping into her arm.

"What's the matter? You look like you wanna puke." Said Sawatari out of all people, then in one of those surprising moments of hindsight he sometimes had, he looked between her and the two grownups chatting amiably right behind her.

A sickenly wide grin made way into his idiotic face and Masumi wondered if she could punch him without the Professor noticing it.

"Give it up." He said is a whisper with a knowing look on his eyes. "I know you love being Marco's favorite, but do you see that girl there? She's Ray, she is the golden child of the school not only she won fencing, kendo, track racing, debate, math, poetry, beauty pageants contests and tournaments, she was also top of her class, student council president-"

"Is there a point to this? Okay she was like this awesome super student right until her graduation, I'm only in my 2nd year I will definitely do all of those things and more." Besides what good could all of her achievements be if she was just an assistant teacher?

"-And, as I was saying, she's the daughter and heiress of the founder of the school, and she's engaged to the current Chairman!"

"Professor! Are we still on time to make a demonstration?!" She called right after she elbowed Sawatari with all her might.

.

.

.

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1…'

"Fence!"

Incandescent darkness and birthed puppets are named, anthropoperipherism,

Masumi went straight ahead for a lunge, and was met with a parry immediately, her opponent was not one to be fooled around with, she was prepared for that much…

Pulling the strings of the world is a single existence. For the others, an imaginary puppet-craft

She attempted to focus on their footwork trying to found an opening, but there was none… she would have to go into remise until she found one…

Subzero darkness and birthed creatures correlated, anthropoperipherism

Masumi gripped the handle tighter when she saw the opponent move in for an attack which she barely parried but had enough momentum to do a riposte.

On the natural stage are the units of existence comprised of an imaginary creature-craft

But her target was out of sight and by the time she noticed the point of a sword coming her way from below Masumi barely managed to stay out from her range when the blade passed millimeters from her mask.

Words are born, the encounter, then a hesitation Knowledge is born,

The encounter, then a void, oh where am I, when am I

She felt her heart almost burst out from her ribcage when the opponent retreated again… her breath was coming in short puffs and her wrist was beginning to swell… for the time being Masumi was stuck doing parry after parry.

Spell, incantation, mystery, prayer, myself, stage, destiny, magic, mirror,

Masumi felt light-headed, every one of the lunges aimed at her where precise and clean in a way she had not seen even Professor Marco use, she barely had any time to attempt to make a parry to each one, let alone a counter-attack…

Full moon, mysterious and transmutable, I'm an imaginary destined body come to its end

Really it was only matter of time before she was dealt with defeating blow and she resigned herself to accept it when she saw the figure lunging at her once more.

…Except it never came, her opponent made a simple feint at her that she parried with ease.

Seeking time, without rest, living on, a speleomorph, seeking land, armless, legless

Then transformed immediately into a riposte to which she had to attempt a flunge, something that she knew she shouldn't have because it would mess her footwork…

Still existing I am, transparent, intangible, a faint sigh...

…And now she was wide open to the final strike right to her chest, there was sharp pain going from her ankle to where she'd been attack and she fell in front of her opponent, right in time to see her red hair falling from within the mask.

"Match!"

.

.

.

"I apologize for being so rough to you." Masumi heard for the nth time since the teacher had been busy bandaging her leg from her knee to her ankle. "I have not fenced since college and got a little excited!" She said with such an excited movement that she had to adjust her glasses.

Something about that mere action made Masumi think of her as a classmate rather than a teacher.

"…It's fine I had it coming." She grumbled, and it hurt to admit the truth because she knew she shouldn't have challenged her to a match but she had had a lapse and now she won't fence in two weeks if she was lucky. "I should listen to the Professor more often"

"Oh! Professor Marco was also always scolding me about my brashness!" Ray said lifting her blue – or lavender? – eyes at her.

"…I imagine he has not changed much then?" Masumi found herself smiling when she said this, probably because he was already dashing and faultless since back then…

"Nope, he has definitely changed." Teacher Ray refuted and Masumi was the one who fixed her eyes on hers, there was a faraway look on her eyes, it made her look older… "I… on the other hand…"

No, not just older, she looked… ancient.

But her line of thought was interrupted when the teacher shook her head and chuckled as if laughing not at her but at some old joke.

"Sorry, that was weird right? I get a little nostalgic sometimes…" She said shrugging and applying the final turn of the bandage and a clip to it. "There! All patched up."

"Thank you." She said in response, putting her feet on the cold floor just to test it, but it didn't unravel or tightened on any uncomfortable way. "What type of person is the Chairman?" she asked surprising even herself.

Masumi almost backpedaled on her words when Ray – Teacher Ray – gave her a knowing smile and for the first time she noticed the silvery ring on her hand with a tiny pink jewel surrounded by three bands arranged in a flower design, her eyes caught a bracelet of a similar amalgam and handicraft – she knew for she had seen sets of jewels all her life – this time with deep blue jewel, then her sight followed to a choker on her neck with a green jewel in it.

Even if she tried to be discreet Masumi knew she was roving her eyes on her looking for… a missing piece? Somehow she just knew there had to be another one, chalk it up to gut instinct.

"…It's just I've only ever since him like twice from afar since I've been here and that's freaky because he's literally like the highest authority here so… I guess all I'm saying he ought to be more involved with school affairs and since you are his…" She was rambling now she knew and the teacher only rose to her feet and smiled again at her.

"…I know right now the school feels like the peak of your life… but this is just a tiny first step…" She said and with such words that had her brow furrowing, she made her way to the door of the infirmary.

When she turned Masumi saw clearly a hair clip with a golden jewel in the middle of two wings.

"I must congratulate you! You really put on a show back there!" He said the moment she came in sight, even adding a bit of an applause; Ray didn't even raise to greet him or acknowledged his arrival for that matter, she seemed far too busy taking off each of the clasps of her fencing outfit.

Like a petulant child.

Rather than feel offended he simply sat at the other end of the bench, waiting for her to be done, both with her changing and her childish ignoring of his person.

"That was foolish Zarc." She muttered under her breath with an admonishing – more like bitchy – tone to which he snorted, now she remembered his name right?

"Hmmm?" So he refused to answer.

"Someone's going to suspect; you know I can only tamper memories for so many times before they notice the gaps." She said still without raising to meet his eyes, seemingly too preoccupied with her staring hard at the floor.

"You were the one who choose her," He reminded her. "It ain't my – or yours – fault that she's got a silly crush on dear old Marco."

"…" She said nothing to this, and then something clicked on his mind.

"You and I both know that any suspicion depends entirely on the individual and their willingness to face the truth."

"Why else would Marco not wonder why his dear star student does not look a day older whereas everyday he keeps finding creases on his skin and white threads on his hair?" Zarc started in an almost absent-minded tone but aware of each of her shifts.

"…" Zarc didn't need to look to know that Ray was now glaring at him from the corner of her eye.

"Or how comes that the numbers don't add up and that she's always been an assistant teacher since he remembers?"

"…" He heard some more shifting and finally a zipper opening, he could swear he almost heard he teeth grinding too, but it was still not enough.

Just a little push.

"Ray, if he really wanted to know the truth, he would have wondered a long time ago why does this new talented student looks eerily familiar to his old fencing instructor?"

There was a clinking sound where her sabre was probably dropped, and he heard her standing up and he watched her come around the bench to stand in front of him, her eyes cold and clouded and her fists balled at his side.

She looked so ready to strike him down that for a few seconds he didn't noticed she was cladded in nothing but her black underwear, and even then she didn't look any less imposing nor did she flinch when he allowed his eyes to wander over her exposed skin.

But then again, they were long past any shame at this point.

"Why are really here Zarc?" With each word she inched closer to him placing her legs one each of his side, her chest barely hovering above his, her lips almost brushed against his earlobe, but with her hands on his chest putting minimum distance between their bodies.

"I could ask you the same." He said after a tiny gulp, with hands itching to toucher her and her skin still glistening of sweat, he felt his tongue licking at his lips in hunger… "What need do you have to bother yourself with all that staging? People are not that complicated, just dangle some shiny prize above their heads and they'll take the bait."

Not yet though, for this was their game, and it was always much better after there was a winner.

"Of course you'd said something like that, I could never ask you to understand anything about finesse." She said her hands already unbuttoned his shirt and were teasing the skin right above his pants.

"Finesse? It that what you call playing with your little puppets now?" Zarc countered his fingers ghosting from her thigh to her hip applying pressure to the tiny bruises product of her previous activities. "Playing with their dreams, their hopes and stringing them along until they get to see the real you? I think I understand well enough."

And he had long since bored of it too, that game brought no excitement to him anymore, or none that compared to the way her nails sank into his skin when he cupped her mound and her body twitched in an effort to not sink into him and be done with their torture.

"Should I just become like you then? A ghost haunting the halls and walls of the school, lost myself in a haze of alcohol, food and sex?" She said each word coming out with a little puff of her breath, Zarc wondered if it was on purpose because her hot breath caressed his neck and sent shivers down his back.

"Would it really be so bad?" He asked his fingers stroking her in circular motions before putting the now wet fabric aside and running them up and down her slit, soaking his fingers.

"I- caan't… nhn… that's… too pathetic." In response, he speeds up his motions, her hand freezes before she can grab his member and the hand on his shoulder had now sneaked to his back gripping him tightly and he took advantage of the new access to latch his lips to her neck.

Before a shift of her hips made him sink his fingers into her, he removed his hand.

"If that's the case… we can be pathetic together." He said licking his fingers in between each word, her eyes following the motions of his tongue and before he was done she grabbed him and gave him a scorching kiss.

Zarc felt on heaven at the feel of her body fully pressed against him, and his stomach did some flip flops when her teeth bite on his tongue and the suck on it, with his free hand he finally undid the tidy bun of her hair and he felt trickles of it all over his face from it.

The metallic bands on the bench they were now biting on his skin and he almost considered to move them into a different place… but then an idea popped in his mind. He never stopped kissing her but he pushed forward met with little resistance and with a tiny peck he put an end to their lip locking.

She still looked dazed and slightly confused by the new angle, laying down with him atop her, he had to fix that.

"…You're not doing a very good job in convincing me of the contrary." He said and he put even more space between them, her skin showing some goosebumps.

"I hate you." She spat out not looking at him anymore.

"That, I believe…" And he was perfectly fine with that, anything was preferable but the cold indifference she pretended all time, and as he said this his lips ghosted above hers, then he moved down, from her jaw, to her neck, then the valley of her breast, her belly, when he got to his goal he stopped to look up at her eyes simmering with barely controlled rage mixed with desire. "…How much do you hate me?"

Each word was accompanied by a puff of his breath against her still soaked panties.

"With all my heart…" She answered, her arm placed across her yes now when her hips twitched in response.

He grabbed the hem of the panties and slipping them off slowly, and when it reached her knees she lifted them without prompting and he threw the flimsy fabric over his shoulder focusing his eyes on hers instead:

"Then why don't you resist?" Zarc needn't to know her answer and instead gave one long lick to her before she could say anything else.

"Ahhh!... I can't, I can't…" Ray continued to say in a loop until it was barely audible and he took it as his victory sign.

So, he relented on his teasing too and kneeled on the floor right next to her to have a better access, placing her thighs on his shoulders and drawing a trail of kisses from her leg to her core focusing attention on her nub, giving tiny licks then sucking on it insistently until she was sobbing retching on the bench.

He pressed the flat side of his tongue on her entrance then, the tip of his tongue rubbing her folds, the writhing her body gave in response almost made him lose his concentration, but he persisted until he was quite literally screwing her with his mouth, breathing through his nose the smell of her filled him everywhere and he felt like he could get off here and now only from this.

"Mmhaaa… That's…. Ah!" He thought it was almost funny that she kept trying to form coherent words but she was just about to fall apart, he sneaked a look at the way her aching back made her breasts move and jiggle the sheen of sweat made her them glisten under the bright lights.

When he felt her toned legs circle around him, Zarc allowed himself to feel proud and convinced enough to end her agony.

He moved his ministrations to the bundle of nerves just above and he teased her with his fingers only a little while before slipping them into her.

Ray's response was immediate as he moved his tongue clockwise and his fingers moved inside her with slow motions, he felt her body froze for what might have been a whole minute and after a shriek she tried to muffle with her hands, he felt the spams running through her whole body, making the bench clatter and he almost thought she could fall over the edge with how much she kept moving.

When he felt something dribble down his chin he stopped for a moment to hear her sobbing mess and how she tried to catch her breath, he considered for a moment I he ought to continue the teasing – Or asking her to return the favor as he still felt his member straining against the fabric of his pants – but he did nothing but kiss her lightly and gave her some space.

He could relieve himself later on the shower, he thought as he laid down on the floor next to the bench, when some of her strands of hair fell from above the bench into his face, he felt like playing with them.

So eye-catching, with such a vibrant shade of red, like a rose… or spilt blood.

His twiddling around with her strands must have called her attention because he felt her eyes on him, but it was one of those rare moments where rather than accusing, judging or plain indifference, there was a… curious nature to them.

Zarc let go of her hair then, not without depositing a peck on each of her strands though.

"Back to the world of the living already?" He said knowing that's what she wanted of him, to play his part as usual. "I must be losing my touch."

"…I don't like this; I don't like the person I'm around when you're near." She said looking away from him.

"Your previous performance seems to differ from such words." He said feeling a frown settle on his brow, he was not in the mood for this. "Such a shame though, I very much prefer the person I am around you."

"Stop it." She said with a bit of a bite to her voice. "…We've been through this already." As if to make a point she lifted from her position her eyes searching around the place, for her clothes probably.

If Zarc had any pride left he would have tried to argue with her, to mock her self-righteousness, but after so many discussions; many of which ended either on bodily harm for both of them or a furious romp after some scathing mind game; sometimes both, all of them left him feeling seething, and empty feeling on his gut that he filled with some roughhousing with the beasts of the forests.

Anything to calm down the bleeding pain of his heart, always squished on her hand, while he had nothing but a perishable touch and fleeting images to torture him in the nights.

So, he just continued to lay there, watching her dressing on a daze, fixing herself up as if nothing out of normal happened behind the closed doors.

Pretend is a game they both excel at after all, he sees no more need to interfere.

-o-

The flowerbed has grown in size and blooms once again.

She often uses it to keep him distracted, after so many nights she has made it her actual resting place that she's now convinced that her essence has fused with it, making it impossible for him to find her in the middle of it.

Then she freezes, there is it on the tip of her nose and tongue, the metallic essence of blood.

He is near her again and she ponders whether to run or make a give into a fight this time around but he decides for both of them when she's thrown into the grass and she gnashes at him in retaliation, the force of it makes him stagger and she tries to run only to feel his hand grabbing at her leg, dragging her even as she tries to kick him with her free leg.

He finally has her immobilized as he wanted and for a moment he does nothing, the rough skin of his body scrapes at her own skin, the spikes and plates fail to recede and the golden glint of his eyes look at her with such anger that his fangs bite into his own skin… He doesn't understand why a mere girl (titles like Maid of Gold or God's Chosen Warrior… they were insignificant for him as she was still just a stupid girl…) could incite an unspeakable hunger in him that left him heaving, a desperate that led him to his own demise and loss of everything he had amassed on his blind pursue of her.

Who could ever think that this is one of their less vicious interactions?

Because she knows, she knows that if he truly wanted to, he could use his claws to tear at her skin (sometimes he does, but never on purpose and he always kisses the pain away) that if he really wanted to, he could consume her body and leave nothing but her rotting carcass to feed the earth (He bites, licks and tastes her, but never with such intent.)

And it pained his pride to succumb to her like this, because he raises the leg he had been holding to his eye level and presses a worshiping kiss to her ankle.

She has little time to briefly wonder if she ought to question her own sanity for allowing a Demon to soil her, to mark her but there is a heat bubbling from her chest that scorched at her innermost and hidden desires.

In little time she's arching below his body, angling her body to receive each one of his thrusts as deeply as she can, and even though there's still some pain, it's has become dear to her, and she knows he feels the same for he moans and falters every time her nails scour at his back.

As much as part of her still pains her to surrender any part of her soul, her body, her heart to such monster, the hungry part of her embraces him and rejoices on the intimacy she's never enjoyed in life with anyone else.

He doesn't let go after he comes – it still scares her the intensity of it, how he is so close that for few scary seconds she can't tell the both of them apart, the heavy breaths into her neck and how his whole body trembles and strains from the effort, the strong surge of emotions such sight gives her and the urge to hold him close afterwards – he turns her around leaving her in all four entering her from behind and it starts all over again, he likes her submissive like that she senses, like he has defeated her and she's his prize… on the other hand it's her burning desire for him that he revels in, such a contradiction he is…

She can feel the thorns of the roses digging into her palms and knew as much as she feels the soft caress of its petals, its red color its etched on her senses (She can't help but remember how he compared them to her hair and then to the color of blood) then his hands sneak around her waist and higher to fondle her, its makes her squeak shamefully in delight at the spike that makes her meet his thrusts with even more eagerness than before.

The feel of thorns and petals disappears below her the same as her feeble balance but by this moment she too far gone to care, at least until she feels him shift inside of her, deeper and pulsing, his chest heaving and warm presses against her back and his face digs into her neck, leaving a trail of kisses and nips from her nape to her shoulder, his hands still grabbing her chest focusing on her nipples…

She continues to move her hips up and down without any prompting and it when they both settle on a rhythm, he twists her neck a little to kiss her, and it all becomes too much, his hands, his mouth, their conjoined bodies and she does nothing but giving into it.

This is… surprisingly easy, much better than the passive-aggressive circling around each other that painted every day of their lives and she doesn't have to deal with his suspicious eyes looking at her in equals parts of mistrust and longing.

Just two bodies pleasuring each other.

Preferable to them tearing each other apart only wake up in the same clearing after an undecipherable amount of time, just to start all over again, whether it's a Devil's curse or God's design she has wasted her voice and tears damning them both from the bottom of her heart.

After they exhausted themselves, both of their bodies warm and buzzing in contentedness, she notices a new rose bush growing at their feet.

.

.

.

Sometimes she's not sure if she's still alive.

(…You're not…)

Or if the world around them is real.

(…It's not…)

If the person she looks at in the mirror it's really her.

(… Do you really wish to know?)

Sometimes she feels like if she wills it hard enough she can feel the outline of her body disappearing, her voice becoming one with the wind, her whole self blanking into the background of a landscape…

(…Would it be so bad?)

But being touched by Zarc makes her feel on fire, her mind goes blank and she's sure her heart will burst out of her chest every time…

(…Does being devoured brings such pleasure to you?)

She can clearly feel each one of the places he touches, it makes her relieved to feel her borders and it grounds her to this reality, he feels good under, on top and inside of her…

(…This thing you talk about… What is it called?)

Ah, yes… a lover.

-o-

"Teacher…" Ray barely snaps out of her reverie and turns to face the newcomer, owlish blue eyes looked up at her under a heavy teal-colored parka that had some barely concealed lavender hairs underneath it.

Despite these outstanding attributes there is a non-descriptive nature to their person that could make themselves invisible to the crowd and make people believe that you were nothing but a mirage or a trick of the light. And if Ray was none the wiser she would even have trouble deciding whether this person was a boy or a girl.

"You know? Students are not allowed here after classes are over." She said, "The gardener doesn't like coming here and find trash, loose petals and dirt all over the wooden floors."

"Who is the gardener? I've never seen anyone but students here?" They asked more to themselves than to her. "You're the first grownup I've seen here."

Ray smiled, not a practiced one that everyone knew, but a knowing one… what a curious student, there was something familiar about them.

"Where you expecting to meet the one who tends these roses?"

"…Roses are high maintenance plants, they need constant but not excessive watering, trimming and they tend to attract plagues very easily, that is an task for almost every day… that's why it's odd that I've never seen the gardener…"

"And because these flowers never wilt? Even in winter?" Ray asked, completing his question because with every word it looked like they would faint either from effort or embarrassment, she had yet to decide. They just nodded, hugging their own body, Ray could guess that she would find a stuffed animal of some sort on their bed.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but employees here are very good at not being seen, otherwise they'd disrupt your school lives." She said, taking her time to continue. "But I know that this greenhouse is specially designed to always maintain the perfect conditions for the roses to always be in bloom."

"…An artificial ecosystem?" He asked after what it looked like a sigh of amazement.

"You could say that…" She said, turning around to hide her excited smile, 'finally another one…' her mind repeated on a loop.

"Does that mean that they never give fruits, seeds or ever mature?" He asked in a surprising display of forwardness, only to shrink once again when she turned to face him.

'Is that really okay?' Was the unspoken question behind the statement, but a student – specially a 6th grader like them – would seldom question a teacher.

Ray could feel the carefully unassuming smile turning into something else, everything about this was absolutely perfect, if she could just open the gates now and guide them to it, she would, intead she just gave a contented hum as an answer.

But you need more than you trump card to win a game.

"How long… how long has these roses been here?" They asked, looking at the bloom with a newfound appreciation. "I wonder that…"

"Reira." She said making them jump on their own skin again. "Sorry, but that's your name right? I knew because I've seen you around here often," Ray watched them closely, the way their fixated on hers more than was necessary.

She removed her glasses and looked straight at Reira then.

"Feel free to come here whenever you want… it will be our little secret." This time it would be perfect; she'd made sure of that.

-o-

From a certain perspective the hallways, the stairs and classrooms seemed to go on forever inside this building, or course he knew that was impossible and old, downright ancient buildings often invoke this feeling of… nostalgia? Eeriness? He is not sure he can put a name to it, except for the slightly disturbing echo.

He lets go a small breath of relief as he finally sees a light at the end of the tunnel, even if he tries to resist the urge of hurrying up it.

It's a garden, a rose garden by the looks of it and he can't put a name on this feeling either but the sweet smell of so many roses in one place makes him feel light-headed, dizzy even.

But he's never liked strong smells however… sweet they are, so he chalks it off to his biased taste.

"Brother!" He heard the moment he almost turned back to the dark hallways, there was a sense of urgency on the voice, it wasn't just excitement.

"Are you ready to go?" He said and in the time that took him to say the words, his hand was grabbed tightly and clearly making motions to leave already.

Reira had grown taller since last semester he noticed before anything.

"Is something troubling you?" He asked, using his free hand to pull Reira closer to him, looking around for any person approaching them for any foul reason.

He found someone, in the form of a middle-aged teacher, her appearance could not be more appropriate for the job as well: with her hair properly put in a bun, a white button short with no creases or stains in it, a pencil skirt with a sensible length and shoes that were neither too low or too high.

If she didn't look like she was ready to grab Reira like a ragdoll she may have passed for nice enough middle aged woman.

"Akaba Reira!" She yelled, seemingly ignoring his presence or simply failing to notice it. "You are not leaving the school grounds until I speak with your parents about this unspeakable behavior you continue to indulge in!"

He felt his eyes narrow at the same time that Reira trembled against him, face burrowed against his mid-side.

"If there's any issue with Reira…" He said adjusting his glasses. "…You may bring it with me, as neither of our parents will be available to visit today."

"Excuse me? And who are you to speak to me in that tone?" The teacher said, her brow furrowing and her hands tightening on some small book in her hands.

"I'm Reira's older brother, Reiji Akaba, and in the absence of our parents, that makes me his legal guardian, however briefly." He said, allowing himself to enjoy a little the way the woman's back straightened and seemed to backpedal on both her attitude and words.

"I-I see, Well Mr. Akaba I'm dreadful to inform you that the school will deny Reira's re-inscription for the next semester unless we have a written agreement from you about his… general appearance." She said, with an overly sweet smile that he knew was for the sake of keeping appearances.

"Oh?" He simply said, waiting for her to elaborate, eager to see her describe Reira's 'unspeakable behavior' with as many polite words as she could.

"Pendulum Academy prides itself on its reputation and does not make allowances for anyone, in this case may I refer you to the very first pages about personal appearance and hygiene?" She said, a clever getaway he would concede for Reiji himself to point out Reira's pitfalls and her not to incur on rudeness.

Reiji read carefully the pages signaled by the woman, twice actually just to be safe, and looked at Reira then at her.

"I hope that neither you or anyone else are making inferences about Reira's personal hygiene? Considering my present proximity, I will assure you that I see nothing wrong with it."

The woman seemed on the verge to have a stroke and stared hard at him then at Reira, before finally giving in and glare down at him, as she most likely did to any other student, dropping the façade.

"The uniform, the rules state that students most all wear – proudly if I may say – the school's uniform according to their grade and-"

"Ah, but Reira is wearing the uniform." Reiji interrupted her, already knowing where this was coming from, then as gently as he could he made Reira stood in front of the teacher and he pointed at the Academy's insignia on his jacket.

"That's only the jacket." She said unmoving.

"I'm aware, but nowhere in the rules states that students must wear the full uniform." He said handing the book back at her, making sure she saw the part where such stipulation had never been cleared.

"That is not the point!" She said fuming and her face growing redder by the second, then something about Reira caught her attention again and she stated: "Hair! The student's hair must always be neatly trimmed and brushed!"

"According to the rules, boys must have the hair no longer than below their nape, and girls ought to not have it longer than the middle of the back, both never dyed or unkempt, may you tell what is it about Reira's hair that you find improper?" Reiji said feeling his lips tugging up, there was no way for the woman to answer without making any assumptions.

After a few seconds of silence, there was a …twitching muscle under the woman's left eye and she looked ready to implode until another voice chimed in.

"I agree that Reira's hair is quite lovely, don't you Professor?" said the feminine voice, ringing on his ears due to its melodic tune…

From behind the teacher he saw a younger woman making her way from the garden to them, and Reiji almost wished her gone, if just due to heavy roses scents impregnating the air the closer she approached.

He withheld his distaste to show in any form, as he felt the hold on him relax significantly and Reira's eyes shone with her arrival.

"Miss Ray! You can't possibly condone such behavior! You of all people ought to know-"

"That Pendulum Academy was founded on the grounds of freedom, equality and prosperity, just like a pendulum which always swings back and forth no matter what may come, the more courage you put into things the more happiness they will bring! Thus the Academy prides itself on being a safe space for its students to flourish to their full potential!"

Now that Reiji had something else to focus other that sickly sweet smell, she got a good look at the newcomer; she was young, she couldn't be a much older than himself, perhaps in her twenties if he was generous, and adding to her youthful look she wore her red hair in twin pigtails and had red thick rimmed glasses that he wished didn't remind him of his own.

She ought to be a teacher, probably an assistant given her youth, but the way the high-handed woman spoke to her told something else about her status in the Academy.

"Actually, if I may, while I can see why the aesthetic concept of a pendulum might invoke those principles, the only way a pendulum will continue its swinging motion without stopping is if it's inside an isolated field, devoid of anything disrupting its motion except for its own weight and gravity." He spoke, not entirely knowing where the urge was coming from or why he felt compelled to argue with someone who was clearly on Reira's side.

"Excuse me? Speaking to me like that is one thing, but to Miss Ray it's an unforgivable-"

"It's okay, Ms. Inoue, I'll take care of this." She said, her smile never dropping yet the underlying order was there and the teacher subdued attitude let it show as she walked down back into the classroom. "Oh, and Miss Inoue, remember that the Chairman will have no problems accepting the application for Reira's first middle school year!"

"T-thank you, teacher!" Reira spoke, voice slightly higher from usual.

"No, Reira I'm sorry that the school staff gives you such a hard time over insignificant matters." She said looking at Reira with a glint on her eyes… or was it just the light reflecting on her glasses? Then she turned to him. "Is this the brother you talk all the time about?"

Reira only nodded and let go of his hand, if doubtfully, indubitably this teacher was fond of Reira and the feeling was mutual... then, why there was something about this person that made him uncomfortable, despite her amiable front, there was something about it that felt… fabricated.

"I can see the look alikeness! Not just appearance-wise but also on the manner of speech, you seemed to have some very interesting opinions on my statement before right? Something about an isolated world?" She asked with an ever wider smile.

"…It is inconsequential, I thank you for the help today and hope that you continue to support Reira." He said, his body itching to leave her presence, so he took Reira's hand and hurried him to start walking with him down the hallway.

"No problem! See you around Reira!" She waived or at least he supposed she did, as he refused to look back.

"Brother… my luggage, I still haven't…" He said between puff of air and knew he should slow down… but he didn't until the scent of roses came.

[...A garden no one knows about…the scent of roses hiding the smell of rust and bones below its roots…]

"I already sent Nakajima to fetch them." He said right at the front gate, where the car was still waiting for them, however there was no sight of their aide, meaning they'd have to wait.

[…Don't you want to play a little longer? Repeating time like a flower…]

"Brother… is something troubling you?" Reira asked, and Reiji forced himself to be composed, it was slightly embarrassing after all to feel to affected due to unfounded emotions.

"No, I just remembered we need to arrive home at the earliest." He said, technically not a lie as their mother was very particular about schedules, but they had plenty of spare time with such a light traffic on this remote part of the mountains.

[The guardian only wants to protect your childish dreams…]

"Has the school changed a lot?" Reira asked still not convinced. "I noticed… you looked like you were lost when I saw you."

"…" He didn't answer, lost in thought.

"Mother said that this was a good school because you came here too…"

[…She keeps the Gate to becoming an adult tightly shut…]

.

.

.

"Sir? Is everything fine? Can I start the car?" Nakajima asked from the driver's seat, Reira was on the left side of the backseat, looking at the window wistfully, while he took the far side on the right, the silence hung around them heavily and Reiji had a hard time figuring out.

"Yes, please do so." He confirmed, and as the car started moving his hand moved to a spot on his chest that he had not realized was aching in pulsing dull way, until is started to fade away, as if remembering an old wound.

"Don't move, I will treat your wounds later…"

What had he and Reira been talking about in the gate entrance? Yes, he had attended to this school, only for a couple of years though, because he advanced grades and then moved forward to university-level studies…

Being honest with himself, most days he had no real recollection of that time, that was how inconsequential it had been.

If it wasn't for the diamond-shaped wound right below his heart – a fencing incident, if he remembered correctly – providing incorruptible proof, he would doubt that it ever happened.

"…Do you cry not of pain or betrayal but for your wounded comrades?"

"Um, brother, what happens with the swinging motion of a pendulum inside a sealed environment?" Reira asked, pulling him out of his thoughts and as usual only verbose about innocuous subjects like why is the color of the sky blue, or why does rain fall or how does a car engine makes it run.

"Nothing." He said, looking at him through fully as if expecting to find something out of place on his person.

"Uh?"

"Nothing happens Reira, the Pendulum keeps swinging back and forth because there's no drawback or interference on the kinetic energy that maintain its movement." Reiji answered.

"That's… impressive right?" Asked Reira making swing motions with his fingers, trying to construct a mental image most likely. "Like a perpetual motion machine."

"…Such a kind-hearted boy…"

"Perhaps more like a mechanism… however a pendulum in an isolated chamber, with artificial means has no purpose, the kinetic energy does not wear off that's true, but it becomes self-contained, none of that energy is usable on anything but to keep the swinging motions, it becomes…"

"An empty movement?" said Reira completing his line of thought.

"Precisely," he agreed and then considered the previous example once more. "And even perpetual motion machine built after a similar principle would be unable to keep running without some type of fuel or burning energy that feeds the engine, one cannot produce energy from nothing…"

"Brother… should I let my hair grow longer?" Reira asks and to this question he does turn to look at him, Reiji can't imagine that long hair will make Reira look all that different, however other people may not agree on this.

"Is this what you want?" Or was it the words of that old teacher working its insidious influence.

"…I think, maybe just a little."

"Then it's perfectly fine by me Reira."

Reira fell silent after that, but it was no longer a heavy, and the more the car moved away from gates the more in control he felt of himself.

"…When you leave this place your mind shall forget, but your heart and soul will remember..."

.

.

.

Yes, most of the time Reiji can't remember the time he spent on that Academy, and even the memories he does hold are vague and blind his sight like the blazing sun.

It is at night when he wakes up sweating and chest heaving, a singing voice and the scent of roses fresh on his nose… along with vivid images of fresh blood, rotting flesh eaten away by flies and other vermin, a thorn field where bones and roses entwined into an indissoluble mass of battle remnants.

His scar is pulsing and the last of the scarily detailed images dances behind his eyelids… there in the middle of the old battlefield, two cross wised swords.

Both beautiully crafted, one with golden edges and an obsidian blade, the other one lined with platinum and a rose signet, both are unmarred by time or rust... as if still engaged in battle.

They push emotions through his mind… as if they are alive, or something within is, demanding that he chooses his weapon. Sometimes he's alone in that nightmare, other times there are other people standing with him, faces too blurry to even draw a likeness in his memories-

Sometimes he chooses and sometimes he watches another equally blurry figure succumbs to the command.

However, it doesn't' matter the choice made, for the other sword will always pierce through the heart of the Choosen warrior.

"…This is the only consolation I can offer…"

A game without a winner, just another farce inside a fabricated world.

...I promised to myself I was no longer gonna forgot to crosspost my work onto this account and look; there are at least another two, but right now I wanted to have this one here.

- The lyrics from Masumi's fencing duel are taken outright from the "I am an imaginary living body" song from Utena soundtrack, whereas the lyrics from the summary are from the 2nd ending.
- This monster is a one-shot, meaning that yes, the ending will remain vague, and no, I will not continue to write about this, however feel free to borrow from the story, as long as you let me know first.