The Curtain
Trees sway as the wind blows across Shiosai High school's grounds. Momoka Itou a 2nd year student smiles as she sets foot on the campus, ready to start the school year.
"Haaaa~ I'm in second year now, I wonder how it'll go"
she muses to herself as she trots happily inside the school campus.
"Maybe I'll even fall in love"
she giggles at the thought.
Shiosai is a cozy coastal town with seaside cliffs lining its coast and the faint smell of salt is ever present in the wind. It's a ways from the nearest city and the locals enjoy a slow and peaceful life.
Many students are already filling up the school grounds; some talking to old friends and classmates, some still adjusting to the new environment.
"I wonder what class I'm in"
she thinks to herself.
Arriving at the school bulletin board, she makes her way through the maze of students to get close and search for her name among the class listings. She spots hers along with other familiar names and a few ones she does not recognize.
"Class 2C huh..."
she smiles.
After checking the board, she ventures into the school building to find her classroom. Navigating through the familiar hallways and stairs, she searches through the building eventually reaching the 2nd floor.
"Class 2C... 2C... where is the class- ah!"
She exclaims, as she spots the classroom sign.
She eagerly approaches the classroom door and prepares herself. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and slaps both of her cheeks gently; readying to enter the room and greet anyone inside. After a brief moment, she finally opens the door.
"Hello, good morning~"
she says her greetings as she peeks her head at the doorway.
There is only one person inside, a silent beauty who seems to pay no heed to Momoka, apparently busy reading a book. After the lack of response, Momoka lets herself in.
"Yay a new classmate~"
she happily whispers to herself.
Momoka sits on a chair near the window and puts her things down. Silence filled the room as the two girls sat without uttering a single word, it's getting awkward. Thinking of a way to break the ice, she resorts to small talk, but before she could let out a word, a group of students who seem to be well acquainted with each other enter and fill the room with much needed chatter.
"Good morning"
she greets her newly arrived classmates with a smile.
They happily greet her back and proceed to settle down their stuff. Soon enough, old and new classmates trickle into the room and class 2C becomes more lively. Momoka leaves her seat and goes around to greet friends, Talking about summer break as well as acquainting herself with her newer classmates.
"Okay class, find a chair and take a seat..."
Homeroom teacher Ms. Aoki says as she enters the classroom.
The students greet her as they settle down. She introduces herself.
"Hello class, as most of you already know, I am Ms. Aoki. I will be your homeroom teacher for the school year".
Ms. Aoki was always a very earnest person. She enjoyed teaching the students and was very passionate. In short, the whole campus liked her.
After her self introduction, she requests the whole class to do the same. One-by-one students stand up and introduce themselves to the rest of the class.
After a good number of introductions it was the silent girl's turn. Momoka was eager to know this mysterious girl's name and more importantly what she sounded like. She hasn't uttered a single word since Momoka entered. As soon as the girl stands up, the whole class falls into silence. Almost like a theatre as an opera singer begins a performance.
"...My name is Aoi Nishizawa, I am a transfer student. We recently moved here from Moriyama, I will be in your care..."
the girl speaks softly, but is audible enough due to the silence.
Aoi's long black hair sways gently as a breeze enters the room. Momoka gazing at her, listening intently as to not miss any details.
As Nishizawa sits back down, the whole class claps at her short introduction.
"That was quick... She's very interesting and very pretty too... I like her"
she follows with a soft giggle.
A few more students introduce themselves and eventually it is Momoka's turn. She stands up and prepares to introduce herself. Enthusiasm showing on her face.
"Hello classmates!, for those of you who still don't know me I am Momoka Itou and I was also a student of Shiosai High last year. I hope we can all get along and I shall be in your care!"
she ends with a big smile on her face, the class clapping at her introduction.
She steals a glance at Nishizawa, but the long haired beauty was busy looking outside.
As soon as introductions are finished, Ms. Aoki goes ahead to discuss the class seating arrangement. Everyone in class is eager to find out who their seatmate would be.
"May I go to the restroom Ms. Aoki?"
Nishizawa asks, raising her hand.
Ms. Aoki nods in approval and Nishizawa leaves the room as the class draws lots for their seating number.
After a a handful of students draw their number, Momoka's turn comes. She stands up and heads over to the front to draw a number. She reaches inside the makeshift lottery box, picks a piece of paper from the pile inside it, and closes her eyes. She takes it out and unfolds it to look at the number written on it.
"And our lucky number is..."
She slowly opens her eyes.
"10!"
She happily says to herself.
She folds the piece of paper she drew and puts it in her pocket.
Silence fills the room...
As soon as she turns around to return to her seat, she is greeted with an all too familiar scene she did not want to see.
Her classmates have frozen in place like mannequins and everything is at a standstill.
Her heart races...
Time has stopped...
Her smile quickly turns to a frown, She takes a deep breath.
"Of all days... why today??"
her disappointment was audible.
Momoka looks outside the window and lets out a big sigh.
"Transport me to the entry point, Pix"
Momoka speaks, as if someone was listening.
"Very well"
says a voice.
Suddenly, a bright ball of pure energy emerges from her chest and floats its way on top of her head.
"You should've just taken the stairs..."
Pix then glows immensely as it gets ready to transport Momoka.
"Wait what do you me-"
She says to the sentient ball of energy, but before she can finish her question, she gets teleported to a very familiar place. She could feel the wind blowing on her face, the distinct salty smell was strong and she could see the whole town of Shiosai all around. The vast blue sky was above her.
"Ah-..."
it was the top of her school building.
Before Momoka could take in the sight, the sky in front of her ripped apart like a piece of cloth being cut with a knife. On the other side was pitch black nothingness.
She holds her breath in anticipation, a look of worry drawn all over her face.
As the rip grew larger, a faceless being of immense size exited the gap. It overlooks the entirety of Shiosai High and turns its attention to the lone girl on the rooftop.
"Regalia!"
Upon laying eyes on the mass exiting the dark nothingness, Momoka shouts as she raises her right hand.
Without missing a beat, Pix floats to Momoka's palm and in a blinding instant, takes the shape of a glowing poleaxe. With finesse and mastery, Momoka takes a fighting stance as she points her Regalia towards the ominous Being that is not of this plane.
"Seriously... it's the first day of the new term"
She complains as she readies herself.
The towering foe in front of her lumbers towards the very building she stands on and swings its arm down towards Momoka.
In an instant, she rolls out of her opponent's strike before it could hit her. The large arm impacts the school building and debris is thrown all around, turning dark as it gets covered in the same pitch black nothingness of the void. Quickly, she takes the opportunity to retaliate, through the dust and falling debris she charges and jumps over the appendage, slashing down with her regalia.
Her poleaxe rends through the unidentifiable mass of pitch black. She lands on her feet and resumes her defensive stance.
"Hah! Take that!"
She shouts tauntingly at the pitch black being.
The detached mass disintegrates and the being reels back from the strike. Clearly agitated, it opens up its mouth and readies to fire off a beam of energy right where Momoka stands.
"Pix!"
Momoka shouts with haste
"Way ahead of you Momo..."
Pix responds as the poleaxe on Momoka's hand dissapates In an instant, the being fires away and the beam scores a direct hit.
Dust and rubble burst forth from the point of impact. Emerging from the plume of dust, Momoka is kneeling on one knee, her face turned away, and both of her arms shielding her head. In front of her was a flickering energy barrier that shielded her from the attack.
"Are you alright?"
Pix asks as they reform into Regalia
"...I think so..."
She frantically checks herself for any injuries.
As Momoka picks up her Regalia to resume her fight. The ominous being is already preparing to smash her down with its other appendage.
Realizing too late, Momoka looks up in fear before closing her eyes in anticipation of the impact. The shadow of the being's strike looming over her.
"I can't dodge it, this is gonna hurt!"
thoughts rush through her mind ,as she waits for the strike to eventually hit her.
Footsteps..
"Huh?.."
She thinks to herself as she hears the growing sound of rapid steps.
A gust of strong wind blows all around her.
"..."
She is puzzled at the delayed impact of the strike.
Opening her eyes she is met with a surprising sight...
In front of her stood a familiar figure, long black hair that swayed gracefully in the wind, and The bright glow of twin Blades being wielded in a seemingly artistic form.
"...Nishizawa-san?!!"