Complete Annihilation Vol. 1

Chapter Two: Mysterious Perpetrator

Part One

Bam!

The door to the cafeteria flung open and the long blond hair billowed as Meika ran out, closely followed by Eimi. The door shut again, nearly catching the tips of Eimi's hair, but Eimi narrowly dodged and ran down the hallway.

"What's that all about?" Meika demanded, turning her head slightly to face her friend.

"I don't know!" Eimi exclaimed, tucking the poison pin back into her pocket. "I was holding it the whole time, and the poison's still coated perfectly! I don't understand!"

"You're saying someone beat you to it?!" Meika cried. There was a continuous clack, clack, clack sound as their high heels hit the marble tiles, not even pausing in their footsteps.

"It must be!" Eimi insisted. "Hang on let me try to remember--"

"Sensei, this way! Hurry, hurry!"

Racing down the hallway in the opposite direction, Ogasawara Minori dragged the school doctor down the hallway. Dr. Yamamoto Mizue, aka the 'Miracle Nurse,' a pretty blonde middle-age doctor, hurried after the speedy Minori, her large chest that was unable to be hidden even by the long white lab coat accentuated with the movement.

"I-I got it," Dr. Yamamoto insisted. "I'll go on ahead, Prez."

"Thanks, Doctor!" Minori nodded, coming to a stop.

Dr. Yamamoto winked and ran ahead.

Minori spotted them just then. "Arere? Mihara-san and Hoshimi-san? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted a bit of peace of quiet, that's all," Eimi half lied smoothly. "I'm not really good with bloodshed, after all."

Bullcrap, Meika thought to herself, rolling her eyes mentally. But that's weird...Eimi isn't good at lying.

She glanced at her friend, but Eimi just blinked and tilted her head innocently.

And then she understood.

Eimi wasn't good at telling lies. She had known that all her life. But what Eimi was exceptionally good at twisting the truth. They had wanted some peace and quiet--to discuss where their plan went wrong. Eimi wasn't good with bloodshed--because she went into insane mode the moment she saw it.

Meika sighed and turned to Minori. "I hope you don't mind, Senpai."

"Oh, no no no," Minori said quickly. "To be honest, I don't really like it myself."

She totally took that the wrong way, Eimi thought to herself sheepishly, but whatever.

"So what really happened in there?" Meika asked with a light sigh. "All I know is that Kaida-san seemed to have some kind of seizure just before Kisaragi-sensei collapsed..."

Minori shook her head. "I'm not really sure, you know? I'm sure that Kaida-san must be having some kind of future sight or something, but I really don't know what happened with Kisaragi-sensei. I hope it's not something big."

"Yeah, you're right," Meika nodded emotionlessly.

"Sorry, Senpai," Eimi said quietly without looking up. Minori glanced at the usually peppy girl to see her head lowered and her hands clenched. "Do you mind if I get a little bit of fresh air?"

"Of course," Minori said understandably. "This is a lot to process on the first day, after all. The door over there leads to the balcony."

After leaving the two girls with directions, Minori hurried back down the hallway towards the cafeteria. Eimi and Meika followed the Student Council President's instructions and stepped outside onto the balcony into the cold night air. Meika closed the door behind her while Eimi walked forward, leaning forward against the ledge.

"Fuu fuu..."

Meika turned when Eimi giggled. And then her giggling turned to laughter, and she spun around to face the blonde. "Ha! Did you see that, Meika-chan? Wasn't that wonderful?"

Meika sighed, walking up next to Eimi and leaning back against the railing. "Calm down, Eimi, this isn't a laughing matter. The fact that someone beat us to it--"

Eimi giggled. "I know, I know. There's someone out there who needs to be punished, right~?"

Meika nodded. "I guess you could put it that way. Hey, Eimi, hand me the pin for a minute."

"Hai hai, Meika-chan." Eimi reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver pin, flicking it in the air like she was tossing a coin. The silver pinprick flashed in the air, and Meika reached her hand up to snatch it from the sky.

"You do your job, Meika," Eimi singsang, hopping up and sitting on the ledge. She put her fingers to her lips slyly. "I'll keep watch for you, ne~~?"

"Un," Meika nodded. Then she closed her eyes and placed one hand over the pin. "Shadow Cast: Cast Read."

The black shadow swirled around the pin like a ship in a whirlpool, and Meika read through all of the information coming into her mind. Finally, she opened her eyes and tossed the pin back to Eimi, who caught it swiftly with one hand and tucked it back into her breastpocket.

"Well?" Eimi asked nonchalantly, leaning back on the railing. Her legs dangled off the edge dangerously. "How's it look?"

"You were careless," Meika sighed, pulling herself up onto the ledge next to Eimi. "The Cast was copied."

Eimi tilted her head innocently. "Copied? My spell?"

"Must be," Meika said uncertainly. "There was a tiny interference level on top of your Paralysis Cast. Plus, even though Dark Casts are forbidden in the school, using a Copying Spell isn't technically Dark Casting, so that could explain how they got away with it. But still--"

"That's impossible."

This was said by an innocent-looking Eimi, who giggled at Meika's words. "Did you forget, Meika-chan? I am the Annihilator. It's impossible for something of that level to slip past me."

If Meika had not heard this girl's deadly tone several times before, she might've flinched. But this blond freshman only sighed, looking off in the distance. "You're right, Eimi. I just don't see how--"

She broke off abruptly. As she focused her gaze, she realized that something was flashing in the distance. A Flash Cast? No, that wasn't right.

She heard a noise in the distance and drew back with a gasp, realizing what it was immediately. "Eimi! Get down!"

Eimi blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

A silver bullet flew through the air.

"Ah."

Eimi drew back in surprise, moving easily and barely dodging the bullet. It grazed her uniform and ripped the pocket open. The silver poison pinprick flew out and was encased with a surrounding of blue magic as a Flight Cast was cast to bring the poison pin through the air--

Eimi laughed. "Trying to cover up all evidence, huh? Weak! And thanks to that, now I can see exactly where you are!"

With a nod from Meika, the girl hopped onto the high ledge, balancing five stories high. Meika held out her hands and prepared to Cast while Eimi knelt on the ledge like a track runner, preparing to leap.

"I'm going to put an end to you right there!" Eimi called. Her feet barely left the thin wall.

And then.

"Mihara-san, Hoshimi-san!" The door to the balcony burst open. Isamu and Masao stood behind it, panting.

"Whaaaa!" Flailing, Eimi grabbed the railing seconds before falling. "Ah, Isa-kun and Ma-kun. What's the matter?"

Masao stared at her. "Were you about to jump?"

Eimi puffed up her cheeks indignantly. "No way! Do you think I'm suicidal or something?"

"What's the hurry?" Meika asked in a bored tone.

"Oh, right right," Isamu said quickly. "There's an emergency meeting in the auditorium!"