The very next day comes, and the sun reaches the crest of evening in a blink of the eye.
"This is starting to get kind of…absurd. Seriously, shrimp, how are you still standing?" I voiced, both impressed and concerned in equal measure.
"A-Avi-senpai…" Zekka mumbled, in shock and worry all the same.
Now, why are we like this right now?
Because the pinky stood there in the middle of the dojo, more blue and purple than pink at this point, her body littered with shallow cuts and bruises, and yet…
"Guts!" Avi exclaimed with a big, stupid smile, not even wincing in the slightest as she held her bamboo sword up and pointed it at me, "I'm still not done yet!"
Yeah, I can see that.
I let out a deep sigh, my eyes drifting over to the orange-red rays of evening sunlight.
Over an hour. That's how long we've been at this: my test for Avi. Nearly the whole usual two-hour length most after Japanese school club activities last.
Let me break down how exactly this happened.
Avi wanted our spar to have the same rules I did for Zekka's, only difference?
No first strike. It will continue until whoever drops first, or gets so severely wounded they can't fight anymore.
Zekka didn't like it, but I could heal Avi if she pushed herself too hard, so I allowed it.
Now, I went into this expecting it to barely last half an hour. I figured we'd go at it for a bit, then she'd slowly wind down as her stamina dropped, and her body gave out.
I mean, look at the girl! She doesn't look sickly, but she certainly doesn't look well built like, say, Sairaorg.
I had no idea what I was thinking at the time because this girl may as well be Sai, but with a sword.
At first, I didn't go anywhere near as hard as I did with Zekka, because I didn't know what the girl could take.
Avi, though, started by trying to take my eye out.
It wouldn't have worked, even if the thrust landed, but she was far faster than I had thought.
She was almost as fast as Zekka was.
So I set my pace around there, and we kept going.
And going.
And going.
And going.
I turned up the heat, slowly, and I started landing hits, grazing blows at first.
Then it kept going, so my grazes turned to strikes, and all that managed to do was make her take a trip to the other side of the dojo.
For a second.
Then she'd make it a round trip by coming back and trying again.
It didn't matter how many strikes she took; she got back up.
It didn't matter how painful said strike was, she didn't even wince.
Her swordsmanship was nowhere near as good as Zekka's, though it was unrefined; it didn't possess any inherent style or attachment to a school or methodology.
It was simple, brutally so, swing real good, precisely.
The basic of basis of any way of sword swinging, really. Yet Avi took just that, screamed 'GUTS!' and ran with it as she tried to gore said guts out of someone.
She was relentless in a different way from Zekka. Zekka didn't have anything to prove with a swing of her sword, yet with Avi here?
Every strike was meant to prove something. What? I can't tell exactly, only that there's something.
Though, considering the comparison I made to Sai earlier, and the fact that, even now, as she stands before me, her fighting spirit has risen to its peak…
I can sense much, if any, of her demonic energy. By my senses, I can tell she's a devil, yet she holds no weight as one, if that makes any sense.
The best comparison I could make here would be against Sona or Rias. Those two, to my senses anyway, have a distinct weight about them; the raw amount of demonic power they hold gives that to them.
I can sense them and feel that they are high-class.
You could also call it a presence, I suppose, the force of their being, so to speak.
By contrast, Avi's presence doesn't match her status. I can sense her just fine, yet it almost feels like there's a baby in front of me. It's a weird feeling, to say the least.
Maybe my comparing her to Sai isn't much of a miss after all?
In any event, I would like this not to be the only event of my evening today, so…
"Yeah," I finally answer her aloud, resting my bamboo sword over my shoulder, "I can see that, shrimp."
Avi's smile beamed, "Good!" before she slid back into a stance, basic, sword held out with both hands, her smile never leaving as she braced her back foot, "Let's continue then! With all hearts!"
"Nah, I think I'm done for the night."
In that moment, Avi made to move, to pounce forward and strike.
I could see the moment my words registered in her ears, the way her eyes widened in shock, her foot catching on the ground as she tried to stop herself-
"WEH!?"
Only to faceplant straight onto the floor, her body bouncing into the air as the force of her dash was turned against her, the floor becoming her trampoline.
She flailed around in the air before landing, limp, like a ragdoll, unmoving and still.
Zekka stared blankly, yet even in her incredulousness, "A-Avi-senpai, are you…?" She began, concerned.
"Whaaaaaa!" Avi suddenly reared her head up and off the ground as though revived, despite her injuries, despite the way her nose looked slightly off, she sounded just like herself.
"Ah…Okay." Zekka made a sound, before just accepting that whatever is going on, is going on.
Swift learner, that one.
Avi wasn't done. She pointed her sword at me, holding up her tiny injured body with ease with her other hand, despite being completely off balance.
"What do you mean we're done for the night!?" The now blue and purplette whined, "I thought we were just getting started!"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, before waltzing over to her, halfway prone form with a small smile on my face, "I think you forgot what this spar was originally for, didn't you?"
Avi blinked at me, not following whatsoever.
My smile fell as I deadpanned down at the girl.
"...A test." I let out slowly, causing the girl to perk up.
"Oh yeah!" She finally recalled, bonking herself on the head with her wooden sword, "Right, I don't usually like tests and all that, so…eheh. Must have forgotten!"
My gaze slowly goes between her head and her sword, before looking her right back in the eye.
"If you do what you just did often, I can see why." I started with a huff.
Avi, as usual, ignores the side remark and goes on, her eyes widening in another realization, "Wait, so, if you're calling it, does that mean I…!?"
Truthfully speaking, I can see her thinking going either way, but I'd rather not do the whole song and dance of explaining and misunderstandings if she assumes wrong.
So.
I hold out my hand, Avi's gaze snapping to it as though watching a weapon poised to strike.
Before anything else can start, I say two simple words.
"You passed."
She didn't land a single hit on me, but to be fair, not even Zekka did that.
And then again, that's not what I was looking for either. Avi always seemed to have what Zekka lacked, even now, the currently not pinky has it far more.
Drive.
It took Avi a moment, once again, to process my words.
Her reaction once it did was far less animated than earlier, though.
I only caught it at all because I was so close to her.
She doesn't say anything, not a peep. Her mouth opened slightly, as if a tiny, silent gasp was escaping.
All she did was stare at my hand, then, for one long moment.
When she finally takes it, she doesn't say anything either.
I went to pull her up, concern growing at the almost unnatural way she was staying silent, "Uh, shrimp, you goo-"
I was cut off as Avi pulled herself up, using my hand and arm like a rope. Her sword falling out of her hand halfway to her destination, me.
She grabbed me, hugged my robe, and I winced for her because that had to have hurt. The cloth of my robe isn't exactly the most pleasant against open wounds; most cloths aren't.
At last, as she clung to me, she finally spoke up.
"You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that."
It's kind of scary how quiet she said that. Avi Amon and quiet shouldn't go together in a sentence like that. It feels like a perversion of the natural order somehow.
Also, it's easy to put out of mind, but this girl kind of looks up to me, doesn't she?
…Even if she has an odd way of showing it half the time, the little pipsqueak.
Regardless, I can't find any words to respond to that, so instead, I reached down and patted her on the head.
She doesn't react one bit, not even as my light trickled out like a gentle rain, cascading down her form.
Zekka steps forward, clearly unsure about what to say in this situation, but I catch her eyes widening as she sees the wounds and bruises littering Avi's form beginning to close and fade, washed away in the light.
Only when the blue and purplette is gone, and the pinkette is restored, do I stop.
And only then does the now once again pinkette finally seem to react to her wounds, letting out a sigh of relief as my light fades.
All of a sudden, Avi slowly looks up at me, her eyes a touch wider.
I look back down at her, one of my eyebrows raised as I give her a little wave.
"Oh, uh, ah, ahah! I!" Avi's face flushed as she abruptly took a step away from me, letting go of my robe.
Though due to her size, taking a step away doesn't do much, but still.
"Right! My bad! I don't know what exactly came over me there, eheh…" She looks away, refusing to meet my gaze as she rubs the back of her head.
"Avi-senpai…?" Zekka watched on, confounded at it all, except this time for good reason. Very not Avi like indeed.
I wave the pinky off, "You'd be surprised how often my robe gets grabbed like that, it's fine, alright?"
Seriously, I'm pretty sure every single girl I have a connection with has grabbed my robe like that. I can't have just normal hugs, apparently.
"Gets, grabbed?" Zekka parroted, even more confused.
"...I don't get it!" Avi stated, back in her usual jubilance, a moment after Zekka.
Of course, she doesn't.
I shake my head and snort back, "You don't gotta."
"Wait a minute!" Avi piped up, moving on completely, "If we both passed the test, does that mean…?" She trailed off, looking at me very expectantly.
Huh, not going to lie, the whole sensei, club advisor thing got sort of put out of my mind for a little while.
I tap my chin with a finger, humming aloud as I make a show of thinking about it.
My mind was already made up, but watching Avi lean in, the tension visibly showing on her face as she waits with bated breath for my answer…Well, I just had to draw it out a little bit longer.
By the time I was sure I had my fun, Avi's face was burning nearly the same shade of pink as her hair.
That's when I finally responded.
"Well," I tilted my head, and smiled at the girls, "sure, let's see how it goes."
"YYYYYESSSSS!" Avi threw her arms up and shouted so loud, Zekka nearly jumped like a cat, "I promise, sensei," she barely held herself back from giggling like a maniac there, "we won't let you down!"
She then proceeded to bow so hard, so fast, that I could feel a small wave of wind blow out around her.
Before I could even say anything to that, Avi piped back up, standing up straight once again, "Isn't that right, Zekka-chan!"
"A-Ah!? Right!" Zekka quickly followed suit, bowing, but properly.
I couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Now then, we should get started right away!" Avi began, but before she could go on about club activities, schedules, and other stuff that'll make me regret my life choices, I held up a hand.
That by itself wouldn't stop her in this case, so I also interjected, "Ya, started heading on home."
Avi looked at me like I had grown a second head, "Heading home? Already!? But it's still so early!"
I leveled a withering, deadpan stare at her.
"Avi." I stressed, "I want you to turn around, open the door, and look outside for a second, alright?"
"Hmm?" Avi tilted her head, walking to the door as if on autopilot, "Well, alright, but I'm not sure what yo-" With an opening of the door, her voice seizes.
Only to come back with a simple, "Oh."
"Ya." That was my natural reply.
"Eheh!" Avi slowly closed the doors, albeit not all the way, "Alright, fine! I guess it is getting to that time…Zekka-chan!" Avi called out.
Zekka turns to her, "Uh, yes?"
Avi beamed a smile right at her, "Wanna head on home together?"
Zekka fidgeted, but ultimately mirrored the pinkette's smile to a smaller extent, "I, don't see why not, Avi-senpai!"
She started moving over to Avi, but before she even really began, she stopped, her eyes widening in realization.
"Wait, the dojo, we need to-"
"Don't worry about it." I interject, waving off Zekka and the shrimp, "I'll take care of it in a snap, you two just head on home, alright?"
Avi came walking back up, nodding and humming, "You heard sensei, Zekka-chan!" She takes the taller girl's hand, "Let's get moving! Ah, I can't wait for tomorrow~!"
Avi practically drags the larger girl out, Zekka staggering behind the pinkette every step of the way.
I couldn't help but chuckle, that chuckle slowly morphing into a full-on belly laugh as the two exited out of sight.
If anyone ran into me like this, they'd probably think I was some kind of villain with an evil scheme.
To be fair, if you're a member of this club, you probably are going to be thinking that starting tomorrow.
See, the students are supposed to be the ones cleaning up after everything's said and done. I'm being nice doing it myself now, mostly because the way the dojo is right now is because I was ragdolling Avi every which way.
After tonight, though? Yeah, this is going to be the girl's job.
You could call this the calm before the storm, sort of.
On top of all that, as an advisor, this means I'm going to be watching over and guiding club activities.
If they want to become the strongest swordsman, well and truly, then I'm not going to baby them.
I'm not going to give them free shit just off the cuff, I'm going to train and drill them into the ground.
With swords. No metaphors. No dicking.
I know there's also a bunch of other responsibilities a club advisor has to deal with, like managing the club finances, which I'm curious how that's even going to work, considering the club isn't funded by the school.
I think. It's not even an official club. It was just Avi for a while, and I'm not even a teacher, so I technically shouldn't be able to be an advisor.
But eh, whatever, we'll make it work. Probably.
I form a single handsign, a half a dozen clones poofing into existence around me.
They already know their task; they were made with it in mind after all.
Clean the dojo.
One of them turns and opens their mouth.
I could feel the complaints coming on; they're pretty much me, of course, I would complain just to complain about something like this.
So with a cackle, a golden flash of light takes me away, right before any words can come out of his mouth.
The last thing I hear before I'm elsewhere is a chorus of myself crying out, "Bastard!"
To be fair, I don't blame them. Considering the special kind of hell I'm going to put these girls through for whatever is coming next, I'd even say it's deserved.
Now, that said.
I may have the ambition to be a teacher from Yomi, but I don't have the skills.
Which is why when I appear in my home, it's not in the yard, living room, or even my bedroom.
Nope, instead, I appear in Rose's room.
As soon as the light dims, I begin, "Hey~ Rose! So I need you're help with-"
The light vanishes, and in that, it reveals something, ironic as it is.
Rossweisse, kneeling there on her bed, trying and failing to pull a white robe over her chest.
I recognized the robe instantly, of course. It was a miko shrine priestess' robe, though Rose was having trouble getting the thing on for some reason.
Probably related to the fact that her chest refuses to let it happen.
Rose stares at me, a familiar red flush growing and spreading across her face.
I only really had one thing to say at this moment.
"...If you're looking for something that might fit, Suza-chan probably has something-"
Thunk.
Ah. That was the sound of Rose fainting and falling off the bed, smacking against the floor.
I reached down and gently took her into my arms, a low sigh escaping my mouth as I lifted her back onto the bed.
I have no idea what the plan was for this one, but if I had to assign blame, I could probably blame this on Kuroka. Somehow.
Though the idea of Rose wearing a shrine priestess outfit and worshiping me does turn me on something fierce.
Hmm.
Yeah, this was a Kuroka plan.
Fucking cat!