A Quick Summer Rain

“Don’t you think it’s well done?”

The woman holding out the sheet of paper was a blonde elf so beautiful it was practically offensive. Clad in a JET-BLACK DRESS that seemed woven from the midnight sky, she had simply materialized inside the Mitsugoshi Company headquarters in the dead of night.

GAMMA took the paper from her, her voice wavering as she searched for the right words.

“Lady ALPHA... I, uh... I don’t quite know what to say.”

“My apologies. That was a difficult question to answer, wasn't it?”

The elf known as Alpha let out a soft chuckle. The paper she’d brought was a WANTED POSTER. Centered on the page was an illustration of SHADOW, looking every bit the part of a dark vigilante in his signature longcoat.

“Shadow, the ARCH-ENEMY OF THE KINGDOM. Indiscriminate murder, kidnapping, arson, robbery... My, what a truly wicked man he is.”

“The SHADOW GARDEN wanted poster also lists your name, Lady Alpha. Well, only the name, at least.”

“Let me see.”

Alpha scanned the second poster Gamma produced.

“Shadow Garden... What a terrifying organization we’ve become.”

The glow from the fireplace traced the curve of her profile, making her ethereal beauty stand out against the darkness of the office.

“It is a pity, though. I rushed back as fast as I could, only to find the curtains closing just as I arrived.”

Alpha held the posters to the fire. She watched the black char creep across the parchment, murmuring as the edges curled.

“‘We shall take the sins of the world upon our shoulders. Yet, nothing shall change. Even so, we will do what we must.’ He really does have a way with words...”

She stared into the hearth as the posters crumbled into a pile of gray ash.

“Deep down, I think I always believed I was standing on the side of justice. But him? He was never looking at something so small.”

The flickering flames danced across her face, shifting the shadows and changing her expression by the second. One moment she looked like a merciful goddess; the next, a cold demon. The fire was capricious like that.

“We must rise to meet his resolve.”

Gamma caught a glimpse of Alpha’s expression as she turned around and felt her breath hitch in her throat.

“Gather the SEVEN SHADOWS. Anyone who is currently available.”

“Yes, ma'am! Immediately!”

Gamma bowed her head low. A bead of cold sweat rolled down her neck, disappearing into the valley of her chest.

A chilling night wind swept through the room. When Gamma finally looked up, Alpha was gone. Only the fire remained, dancing violently in the grate.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Um...!”

I was standing in front of the half-charred remains of the academy, doing my best impression of a generic, boring teenager, when someone called out to me. I turned around.

“Oh, sorry, sorry. I was totally spacing out. What’s up?”

“I heard I might find you here if I waited. There’s... something I wanted to tell you.”

It was the pink-haired girl—Sherry. She was staring at me with an intensity that made me wonder if I'd stepped out of character.

“I’ve got some time before the official questioning starts, so sure,” I said. “Classes are cancelled for the foreseeable future anyway.”

“Um, about the other day... thank you so much.” She gave me a deep, formal bow. “Because of you, Cid-kun, I was really saved.”

“I didn't really do anything special,” I replied.

Technically true. Shadow did the cool stuff; Cid Kagenou just played the part of a background extra who got lucky.

“If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything at all.”

“Don’t sweat it. Really.”

“So, I have a report for you. Well, more like news. I’ve decided to study abroad.”

“Ah, so that explains the mountain of bags.” She was carrying enough luggage to supply a small caravan.

“Yes. I’m getting on a carriage now. Bound for LAWAGAS.”

“The ACADEMIC CITY, huh? That’s pretty big time.”

“I found something I have to do. But with my current knowledge, I’m just not strong enough to see it through.”

“I see. Well, good luck with that.”

“Besides... I don't really have a reason to stay here anymore.”

She looked back at the scorched school building, her expression tightening with a grief that felt a bit too real for my comfort. I guess having your step-dad turn out to be a psychopathic murderer and then watching him get sliced up by a guy in a trench coat is a bit of a localized apocalypse.

“I wanted to talk to you more, Cid-kun, but...”

“Yeah. We’ll run into each other again someday.”

“Yes. Someday.”

She gave me a small, sad smile and started to walk past.

“Wait, hold on a sec.”

“Yes?” She stopped and turned back.

“Can I ask what it is? The thing you ‘have’ to do?”

She gave me a complicated smile—the kind that usually means a plot hook is coming. “It’s a secret.”

“Fair enough.”

“But... if I manage to finish everything... will you listen to what I have to say then?”

“...Sure thing.”

We both shared a final smile, then turned our backs on each other and started walking.

A massive bank of thunderheads rolled in, swallowing the scorching summer sun. A lukewarm breeze kicked up, carrying that heavy, metallic scent of rain.

“I will... no matter what...”

The wind carried her whisper to my ears. I’m sure she didn’t think anyone could hear her, but my hearing is a few tiers above your average mob student.

I glanced back at her retreating figure. She looked so small against the backdrop of the ruins.

Patter, patter.

A few drops fell from the gray sky, beginning to dampen her pink hair.

I turned back and kept walking as if I hadn't heard a thing. Neither of us looked back again.