CHAPTER 2

The presence of chaos makes a good excuse for action (cont'd)

SHRRRNG!

Suddenly, the shrill ring of a sword cut through the air. It was accompanied by a streak of blue light that flashed across the room, slicing through the shadowy forms of both Shades.

Marking the end of their threat, the Shades burst apart, their demise sending a small shockwave through the art room. Pike and Mindie gawked at the abrupt aftermath, staring at their savior. Although it was difficult to gaze directly at the bright blue light, they could discern a vaguely human-shaped figure encased in its aura. As the blue glow began to recede, it briefly revealed a katana shape that was poised triumphantly from the figure’s hand—like one of those old Eastern-style duels that ended in the blink of an eye.

Then the katana disappeared, and the aura finished fading away. The last glow to vanish was from her eyes—from bright blue to a color so dark they were nearly black. As the classroom’s ceiling lights flickered back on, her figure became more visible and defined, revealing black hair tied into a long ponytail and a sports jacket over fair skin.

“Let me guess.” Ciara turned to the two, arms akimbo. A smug grin curled from her lips. “Your luminescence broke in the middle of the fight again. That right, little sis?”

The shocked expression on Mindie’s face melted into one of embarrassment. She tilted her face away from her older sister, though her green eyes continued to glance at her with a mix of gratitude for saving them, and bashfulness for being called out on falling short in her performance.

“Heh.”

Ciara briefly regarded Pike with a glance. You’re the real problem here. That’s what those dark eyes seemed to say before quickly turning her attention to the girl who had rematerialized from one of the Shade remnants.

“Ngh… What’s going on…?”

“You’re in a bit of trouble. That’s what.” Though despite her blunt tone, Ciara eased the dazed girl to a stand and served as her crutch. After one last, quick survey of the art room, she looked at her sister and her problematic friend. “I don’t think any more will pop in to give us problems. Let’s head out.”

=-=-=

After Ciara made a quick call to the Luminescence Department, another Star arrived at the art building. He retrieved the girl who had previously been a Shade and took her back with him to the Department. Before he left, he requested that Ciara stop by tomorrow to make the official report, which Ciara assured him she would.

“So that’s what it feels like to be saved by the famous Shooting Star,” Mindie said. “You’re as quick on the draw as ever, Nee-chan.”

“That cheesy nickname even made its way over to you, huh. You gonna start fangirling over me too, little sis?”

Mindie and Ciara made their way towards the exit, chatting with each other. More specifically, the older sister preached about proper and efficient use of luminescent energy while the younger laughed along and appeased her. Pike closed the door to the art classroom and prepared to follow them. But first, he needed to find someone.

Footsteps approached. “Were you feeling so inspired as to stay this late after class again?”

Speak of the devil. Pike turned his head towards the sound of the sultry voice. In the dimly lit hallway, a woman with lush, dark red hair and perfectly sun-kissed skin ambled towards him. Her form-fitting office attire only emphasized her enviable curves more as she swayed forward with each click of her heels. Azalea Belle, the art professor.

“Professor Belle.” Pike adjusted his messenger bag as he faced her fully. “Sorry to keep you again. I’ve been meaning to tell you, I can be the one to lock up so you don’t have to wait for me each time.”

Azalea tilted her head slightly, showing off a cat-like grin. “I don’t mind waiting. There are few students on campus who take their work as passionately as you do.” Because if there was one thing that resonated with the art professor, it was passion. “As your professor, I will always encourage you to lose yourself to the benefit of the growth in your soul—even if that means emerging past the hour of twilight.”

A clacking sound reverberated through the hall. It was the door leading outside. Ciara had already left the building, and Mindie was holding the door open. She waved emphatically at her bestie. “Heyyy! You coming?!”

“Yeah! Coming!” Pike gave a little wave to his professor and hurried off towards Mindie. “Have a good night, professor!”

Azalea offered a lazy wave in response, a slight shrug as she did so, her cat-like smile persisting.

=-=-=

Ciara hurried away from the building, heading towards the intersection at the main sidewalk. “C’mon! Dad’s making his specialty burgers!”

“No way. He’s home early for once?” Mindie continued holding the door open as she waited for Pike to come out, then let it close behind her as she struck a triumphant pose. “Another chaotic menace taken care of! Another step towards becoming the brightest Star in the world!”

Pike flashed her an amused grin, applauding her in good humor. It looked like she wasn’t fazed one bit by her hiccup in the middle of the fight.

Mindie skipped a few steps forward, then spun on her heel and beamed at him. “Feel like joining us for dinner tonight?”

“Nah, I’ll pass. Thanks though.”

“Your call. But that was a close one back there. What would I ever do without you, partner?”

“Get eaten by a Shade maybe?”

“That was a rhetorical question…”

Pike slouched and sighed in a small fit of exasperation, shaking his head. He knew she would be just fine without him most days, so any small chance to lend her his aid was a welcome one. His best friend was all sorts of trouble. In fact, she was the best kind of trouble. That much he had come to realize over the years of knowing her.

As he reminisced on this, he nearly missed it when Mindie reached a hand out to him. After looking at the hand curiously, he took hold of it—and was immediately pulled into pointblank range with her. Their foreheads touched. As with so many times they’d shared this gesture before, it was a comforting feeling.

He gave an impish grin. “Heh. Seriously though.”

Her beam only widened, nuzzling him a bit. “Thanks again, Pike.”

From the intersection at the sidewalk, Ciara’s patience was wearing thin. “Mindie! Hayaku! (Hurry up!)”

Mindie pulled away and waved over her head to acknowledge her sister. “Hai, hai~! (Okay, okay!)”

Pike placed a hand on his hip, looking towards Ciara. “You’d better go. Your sister might think we started dating or something.” And he didn’t need another reason for the older TC sister to give him the stink eye.

“What’s with that?” Mindie let out a laugh. “Such a worrywart. I’ll text you later, mkay? Let’s hang out again after dinner.”

Pike watched from his vantage point just outside the entrance as Mindie hurried off to join up with Ciara, grinning to himself. The two sisters were pretty close. He found the way they sometimes hailed each other in Eastern endearing, and he felt the slightest bit of envy watching them bicker.

“You’re a Star on Tour now, so you need to up your game.”

“Mom’s gonna grill me at my next training session, huh…”

“Count on it. And make sure to come with me tomorrow to file the report. You need your Tour credit for this incident.”

“Yeah, obviously! Haha!”

Soon enough, they were too far out of earshot for Pike to hear anything more.