LUNCH HOUR HAD ARRIVED around high noon. The cafeteria at Phoenix Academy was housed in a separate structure behind the main building, approximately fifty yards away from the PMA Battle Arena near the East Gate, where key events such as the Opening Ceremony (save for this year) and combat classes were predominately held. Walking through the front doors, one could be assailed by the tantalizing scent of enchanted dishes wafting through the air, a melange of spices and magical ingredients that heightened the anticipation of an upcoming meal. 

The interior was quite massive. A few long tables were positioned towards the walls of the cafeteria, creating an arch-like shape around six round tables in rows of three, providing plenty of free room for students to pass through and weigh their sitting options. The ground floor alone could seat the entire freshman and sophomore class. 

Overlooking it from a massive balcony was the second floor, where the upperclassmen ate. The round tables up there had fancy tablecloths and menus made entirely from data magic. All that was required was to choose the food items desired, and a camp of catbats—among the easiest mabeasts to tame—would fly in with their orders under stainless steel dish coverings that were kept intact with sealing spells until said dish safely arrived at its destination. When it came to dining on fine cuisine, the upperclassmen of Taqora received service akin to that of nobility and for some…even royalty. 

“Oho! So all of these are yer inventions? That’s so cool!” Amidst the hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter, Cady's voice resonated with excitement as she examined Emi's collection of mana capsules, her tail wagging with youthful vigor. 

“Th-thanks…” Emi’s cheeks flushed as she worked. She was still unaccustomed to such high praise, especially when it came to her inventions. She had, after all, never shown them to anyone her own age before. Whenever she’d show her mother, she’d usually hear: “Mm-mm. This won’t work. Start from scratch” or “Not bad, but you could really benefit by going about it this way”. She’d gotten so used to that strict, yet constructive criticism that she wasn't sure how to properly react to Cady's unwavering adulation.

The two girls were seated at one of the round tables on the ground floor. They were among the first herd of underclassmen to arrive at the cafeteria. Having eaten her fill, Emi decided to work on her mana capsules some more while they patiently waited for Katsumi, Gayle, and Yuki to join them. 

With her multi-tooled screwdriver, Emi carefully adjusted the tiny gears within the translucent capsule, her nimble fingers working with precision. The soft glow emanating from the intricate runes painted on its surface contrasted with the metal gears, creating a mesmerizing display.

Cady giggled, resting her chin in her hands. “Yer back at it, I see.”

“Mm-hmm. All of the school programs will start their scouting by the end of the week,” Emi explained, her eyes still glued to her work. “The Adventurers Program will no doubt get the most attention since a lot of aspiring mages in that field tend to become Voyagers.” She gave a slight smirk. “And everyone wants to see who will be brave enough—or foolish enough—to take that next dive beyond The Yolk. With that many young mages joining the fray, they’re bound to be keeping their eye on their peers who are joining the Support Program. That’s where I come in. You see, with my inventions, I…” 

Emi stopped herself, finally looking up, her eyes met Cady’s, which were glistening with unshed tears. Emi panicked, her heart racing with nervous energy as her exterior turned red with embarrassment. 

“Oh! S-Sorry!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Was I rambling?”

But this only made Cady laugh, shaking her head in protest as she picked up one of Emi’s mana capsules. She ran her fingers over its smooth surface, marveling at the delicate craftsmanship.

“Nah, yer fine, Em, really,” the dog girl reassured. “I just love seein’ someone get so passionate about their dreams, y’know?” She pumped her free hand into a fist. “Makes me want to give it my all, too!” 

Emi felt the ends of her lips curling up. Never in her wildest dreams did she think someone—especially a girl her age—could have such a positive outlook on life. Just this morning her anxiety was nearly through the roof, but Cady’s mood had become infectious and before she knew it, her mood was beginning to improve as well. 

“W-Well, thanks,” she finally said. “So how about you? I remember you mentioned wanting to become a patrol officer, right? So you’re aiming for the Law Enforcement Program, then?”

Cady nodded, beaming proudly. “Yup! It’s why I enrolled in PMA to begin with!”

“That’s nice.” Emi set her tools down and gave this conversation her full attention. Her curiosity overcame her. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to know more about Cady. “Hey, so um…” 

“Hm? What’s up?”

“What made you…y’know…want to pursue that field? I-If you don’t mind my asking.”

“......”

After asking that, Emi felt a sense of instant regret. There was a slight shift in Cady’s demeanor, long enough for Emi to pick up on it. Had she touched a nerve? Had she asked such an intimate question far too soon? However, the dog girl’s smile returned before she had time to process. 

“I made a promise to a friend,” she explained, running a hand through her long dark brown hair. “Her name was Victoria. I called her ‘Vic’. We both swore to each other that we’d one day become patrol officers when we grew up, to bust bad guys and solve big cases together like we’d always dreamed of…” 

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. 

“Last year, just a few weeks before our final year at primary, there was a big riot in Fableton, our hometown. Our mothers were bein’ harassed by some humans, our fathers stepped in, then so did many others from either side. We saw our parents in trouble so naturally we stepped in to help, but their numbers were too great, even with our combined efforts. I hurt my leg pretty badly and I could barely stand up. Then I turned and saw some psycho running at me with a cleaver! Just as he brought it down towards my neck…”

Emi’s eyes began to well up with tears. Her gut was already telling her what Cady was going to say next before she’d even said it. 

“Vic stepped in between us.” 

The Harbor’s Bay Horror. Flashes of images from many publications and news reports about the occurrence reached the red-haired girl's hippocampus.

“Oh, Cady…” She reached over and grabbed the dog girl’s right hand. Wiping away her own tears, Cady’s eyes met hers and she smiled sweetly, placing her other hand on top of Emi’s. 

“Thanks, Em. But I’m fine. Honest.”

“But…it wasn’t that long ago…”

“I know. There ain’t a day that goes by where it doesn’t cross my mind. Not a moment where I don’t blame myself for what happened.” She clenched her right hand into a fist. “For a while, I thought our dream was over, but then I remembered what she’d said to me the day we met: 'Don’t let this be how your story ends'.”

“......”

 “Those words stuck with me ever since. Vic may be gone, but I’m still here. I can still make our dream come true.” As she continued to speak, her smile grew wider and brighter. “And as long as I continue to draw breath, I'll honor her memory by seeing this through to the end!”

“Cady…”

This girl did not cease to amaze her. Never in a million years did she expect to hear something like this. The fact was Cady was sitting here before her despite all that happened showed Emi just how much her dream meant to her. The dog girl had talked earlier about Emi’s passion having motivated her. After hearing Cady’s story, a similar feeling was definitely coursing through her. That strong will wasn’t something that was taught and Emi greatly admired her for it.  

“Sorry if that got pretty heavy, Em.” Cady’s smile turned into a sad one, seeing the tears stream down Emi’s face. “Didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”

“N-no, no, don’t be! I’m the one who asked.” Emi wiped away her tears and gathered her barrings. “I just didn’t think you’d open up to me like this…”

“Haha. Yeah, well, it’s because I feel like I can trust ya.” Cady laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “It’s kind of a beastkin thing; the more drawn we feel to others, the more comfortable we tend to be around them. Although that depends on the subgroup. Feline folks, for example, tend to keep to themselves unless a certain condition is met.” 

“Wow, that really is something.”

“Ain’t it?!” Cady beamed, her tail once again wagging with excitement. 

Emi thought of the catgirl from that morning. “I wonder what her ‘condition’ is…”

“Ah, no worries, Em, there aren’t too many beastkin ‘round these parts, so we’re bound to run into her at some… Hm?”