(In the middle… of the desert!)
"Hahaha… it's so hot… but at least we have water."
"Hehe… that's good, right? Are you really that thirsty?"
"Yeah… hehe."
"Hehehe… huh?"
(Shake!)
"What… is happening …?"
She looked down at the ground.
It looked like the sand was… sinking.
No… more like—
"Huh?!"
(BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!)
"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"
(CRASH!)
"Swallowed!"
(Meanwhile)
Kisa: "…huh?…"
Diego: "Hehehe… just take it already."
Nacht: "Give it back to me!"
Kisa woke up.
Kisa: "Haaah…"
She stretched. She was wearing a tank top.
Kisa: "What's going on?"
Kisa opened the door.
(Bam!)
Kisa: "What is—"
(Whoosh!)
A pillow flew straight at her.
Kisa: "…uhm…"
Diego: "Relax. I ate it. I was hungry."
Nacht: "It wasn't yours. I bought that."
Kisa: "What's happening here?"
Nacht: "He ate your cake. The one you entrusted to me."
Diego: "Oh… it was hers?"
Kisa: "Hmm."
Nacht: "Of course. It had strawberries and apple on top.
And who here loves fruit the most?"
Kisa: "…so you ate my cake?"
Diego: "Oh… yeah… sorry."
Kisa: "It's okay. There's still another one."
She opened the fridge… but it wasn't there.
Kisa: "Huh?"
Nacht: "That can't be right… huh?"
Diego: "Oh… I ate that one yesterday."
(Silence)
Kisa: "Oh… it's fine, Diego…"
She slowly turned around.
Kisa: "…it's… fine…"
Nacht: "…I'd recommend you start running."
Diego: "Why?"
Kisa: "…Tell me, do you think you can just eat whatever you want in here, huh?
What is wrong with you… are you stupid?"
Nacht: "(Sweating) …oh no… when she gets really mad, she becomes a completely different person."
Diego: "Hey, calm down, okay?!"
(Swoosh!)
(CRACK! CRACK!)
(MEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWW!)
Diego: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Nacht: "(Sweating)…"
She smashed him with her hammer.
Again and again, pounding his body like a nut.
(CRACK!)
Diego: "Kisa—ow—Kisa!!"
(BAM!)
Nacht: "Hey… Kisa, that's enough. Calm down."
Kisa: "Shut it!"
Nacht: "Uh oh."
(CRASH!)
She threw him straight into the wall.
(CRASH!)
Nacht: "…ow…"
Kisa: "…nnn… women can get angry too!"
Diego: "…urrgh…"
Kisa: "Hahh… hahh…"
"Meow!"
Kisa: "Huh?"
The cat had a bone on a plate.
Kisa: "Oh… you saved one for me?"
She calmed down again.
Kisa: "You're so cute…"
She picked the cat up.
Kisa: "…hehe… I love you."
Lissana: "Meow!"
Kisa: "You understand me. We're the only girls here, you know?
You, Lissana… and me, Kisa."
Nacht: "Urgh…"
Nacht was still stuck in the wall.
Diego was flattened like a piece of paper… and looked about the same.
Diego: "…ugh… ghhh…"
Kisa: "Oh right… I remember now. Miss Isolde wanted to see us.
Get ready, you two."
Diego: "…okay."
Nacht: "…if… we can even move…"
(A few moments later)
Isolde insisted on meeting with them.
Isolde: "So… I want to send you all… to school."
(Silence)
Nacht: "Huh?"
Diego: "…uh… school?"
Kisa: "Huh… that sounds cool! Hehe."
Nacht: "Wait a second. What do you mean by that?
You seriously think Diego can handle that? Or Kisa?
That can't be serious…"
Isolde: "Oh, I'm very serious.
Kisa, Diego… what's 3 plus 3?"
Diego: "Oh, that's easy. 9."
(Ding!)
Nacht: "Ahhh…"
Kisa: "Now I'm disappointed… it's 33."
Nacht: "… …"
Isolde: "…mmm… that proves even more you need school.
You'll all be in the same class, by the way."
Nacht: "What? Same class? Why?
I'm smarter than those two idiots with their tiny little brains."
Diego: "Not true. My brain isn't as small as you say."
Nacht: "Right. Your 'little friend' is even smaller."
Diego: "Huh? What's your problem?!"
Nacht: "My problem is you're wasting my time.
You two won't make it. You're not suited for this.
Kisa still eats baby porridge."
Kisa: "That's not true… well… at least not anymore.
I know better now."
Nacht: "…ghhh…"
Isolde: "Enough. You're going.
It's called Tombstone High School—for magic and hunting."
Nacht: "…ghhh…"
(A few days later)
(Ding!)
Diego: "…we're here."
Kisa: "Wooow."
Nacht: "Hahhh…"
The school was built alongside a mountain.
Around the mountain were wooden rope bridges,
and beneath it flowed a huge river.
This place was known as one of the most beautiful spots in the world of Mona,
also called "The Falls of Magic."
Nearby, a large city.
The school itself, however, was not built right at the scenic spot.
It looked more like a haunted mansion,
with two giant statues standing guard.
(Peng… peng… peng… dum… dum… peng!)
That was the school's alarm.
Diego: "I think we should go in."
Kisa: "Hmm."
Nacht: "No shit, Sherlock."
They continued walking; the bridges shook beneath their feet.
Diego: "Wooow."
Kisa: "…oh dear…"
Nacht: "Hahh… is this school too poor to build proper bridges?"
They kept going until they reached the entrance.
The door opened by itself as they approached.
"You're late! Late, late, late, late!"
Said… a deer's head mounted above them.
Nacht: "… …"
Diego: "…uh…"
Kisa: "Oh… poor thing…"
"You truly are late…"
Said an old woman—
half of her looked old, the other half young.
"Oh… my name is Two Ages…
at least that's what they call me…
Because one side of me is old… and the other is young."
Nacht: "(Sweating)… yeah… I can see that…"
Diego: "…I'd still smash though."
Nacht: "(Sweating)… uh-huh… I really didn't need to know that."
Two Ages: "But you can call me Aunt Palantemalante."
Nacht: "No thanks, I'll stick with Two Ages."
Diego: "(Sweating)… same."
Kisa: "What a pretty name… Pampe… Malampe."
Diego: "(Sweating)…"
Nacht: "Somehow you managed to make the name even worse…"
Two Ages: "Come along, you three."
They followed her.
Two Ages: "Tombstone School is a well-known school.
It used to belong to the kingdom of Britaninka 4,000 years ago.
Of course, it doesn't anymore. That kingdom doesn't exist."
Like many kingdoms that no longer exist.
The world of Mona might be big, but there are few kingdoms left—
mostly cities and villages.
Soldiers and guards are usually under the control of mayors…
most of the time, anyway.
Two Ages: "Miss Isolde… hehe… I haven't heard from her in a long time."
Kisa: "You know her?"
Two Ages: "Oh yes. She studied here.
People called her 'krasivyy'—The Beautiful One.
She's almost blind and hardly sees anything,
yet she was so beautiful that many boys liked her.
She had a lovely voice…
She was a good student. Popular.
You look a lot like her, young lady."
Kisa: "Wh-what… me?"
Two Ages: "Yes, indeed.
You have white hair like her,
but your eyes are blue.
Still, you're pretty.
How old are you?"
Kisa: "My name is Kisa and I'm 15."
Two Ages: "I see. Your surname?"
Kisa: "Kisa… Kisa Pushkin."
Two Ages: "Pleased to meet you.
Oh… here we are.
This will be your class… with Mr. Ustolfo."
Diego: "What kind of name is that…"
Kisa: "Oh."
Nacht: "Is there anyone here with a normal name?"
Two Ages: "In you go."
They went inside. Everyone stared at them.
Two Ages: "Hmm…"
Ustolfo entered.
Ustolfo: "Hepp, hepp… hello, my dears…
Calm down, everyone…"
The teacher… was an animal.
Or better said, a mutant-looking creature:
brown, fox-like, but small like a raccoon.
Ustolfo: "Hepp, hepp… what do we have here…
New students, yes?"
Nacht: "(Sweating)"
Diego: "…uhm."
Kisa: "Oh… he's so cute—like a fluffy animal."
Nacht: "…You want to tell me the teacher who's supposed to teach us to speak properly can't even say things in the right order…
Great… what's next, a health teacher who smokes?"
Two Ages: "Amazing… how did you know that?"
Nacht: "…hahhh…"
Ustolfo: "Good morning, you three…
Ustolfo is my name… and yours?"
Kisa: "Kisa Pushkin."
Diego: "Diego, Dukewoold."
Nacht: "Nacht… von Zephir."
Ustolfo: "Ugh."
Two Ages: "Ugh."
Silence.
Diego: "Hmm?"
Kisa: "…what's wrong?"
Ustolfo: "…hmmm… the Night Wizard, huh…
I thought all of you were dead?"
Kisa: "Hmm…"
Nacht: "I survived."
Two Ages: "Oh…"
Ustolfo: "Good. Please take your seats."
They sat down.
"That's the son of the Night Wizard?"
"Creepy…"
"But… he's kind of hot, isn't he?"
"Yeah… look at those yellow eyes… so pretty…"
"Yeah… hehe…"
The girls whispered.
The boys…
"What an idiot… look at that smug face."
"He thinks he's better than everyone."
"Worthless bastard… shame not all of them died."
Nacht: "Ugh…"
He heard everything.
Nacht: "… …"
He was about to stand up—
but someone grabbed his arm.
"Shhhh…"
A girl.
"Calm down."
She looked at him.
Nacht was shocked when he saw her.
"Ugh…"
Kisa: "Hmm?"
Diego: "Huh?"
They turned around.
Diego: "Ugh."
Kisa: "Huh?!…"
Nacht: "You're…?"
It was someone they knew.
Diego: "…Mona?"
Mona—the girl who had once attacked them,
and later saved their lives.
Mona: "Shhh… we'll talk later.
Just sit down for now."
She looked at him seriously.
He nodded and sat down.
Of course they were shocked.
They thought she was dead.
To find her here, of all places,
was something they never expected.
Until the end of the lesson,
they said nothing.
Only during the break
did they go to her.
Kisa: "Mona."
Nacht: "…what are you doing here?"
Diego: "We thought you were dead…"
Mona: "Not all at once, please."
Nacht: "…how did you even survive?"
Mona: "…I don't know.
Asmodeous left me somewhere,
and when I woke up, I was just… there."
Diego: "Why did you come to this school?"
Mona: "…oh… I'm not a bounty hunter anymore.
I wanted to go to school instead."
Kisa: "Mona…"
Mona: "Don't call me Mona.
Mona isn't my real name…
…Mona is my real name."
Kisa: "Mona…"
Mona: "Mhm…
When I quit, I came to this school.
That's all. Stop asking."
She turned to Nacht.
Mona: "As for you, Nacht…
Your powers are dangerous.
I was afraid you'd go too far."
Nacht: "He insulted my family."
Mona: "I know.
I'm not saying what he did was good.
I'm just saying you need to stay calm.
You have to be careful.
There are lots of nobles here…
That makes this place dangerous.
And Miss Two Ages…
she doesn't like the Zephyr Mage.
Because he and other mages worked for Britaninka,
and during that time her village—her ancestors' home—
was destroyed.
Two Ages is about 300 years old.
One side looks like a 70-year-old woman,
the other like a 20-year-old,
because of a curse her ancestors received from Zephyr.
So, Nacht…
you need to be careful with her."
Nacht: "I understand…"
(Ping… boow!)
That was the school alarm again—
this time for magic class.
Mona: "Class again.
We'll talk later."
They went back to the classroom and sat down.
"Hey… Mona."
"Mona."
Mona: "Huh?"
"You were talking to that guy…
You do know he's Zephyr's son, right?"
Mona: "Yeah, I know."
"He's so hot!"
The girl squealed.
"Oh yeah… he has that cold stare…"
Mona: "Hmph… the boys clearly think otherwise."
The boys glared at Nacht.
"Damn bastard…"
"Tch… all the girls are going crazy over him…"
One of them walked up to Nacht.
Mona: "Hm. That's not good."
"Hey! You damn punk!"
Nacht: "…hmm? Are you talking to me?"
"Who else?"
Nacht: "…I thought you were talking about yourself.
Sorry."
"HUUUH?!"
He grabbed Nacht by the collar.
"You think you're better than everyone?"
Nacht: "Hmm… I recommend you let go of my suit."
"Or what, huh?"
Suddenly, a dark shadowy figure appeared behind Nacht.
"Grrrrr…"
Nacht: "…"
"Ugh…"
Nacht: "I'll count to three.
One… two… three…"
"…Ugh…"
He let go.
Nacht: "Good.
And don't touch me again with those pathetic hands of yours."
He took out a small bottle of perfume
and sprayed the spot where he'd been grabbed.
Nacht: "Lowly people don't have the right to touch me.
Remember your place.
If you think that'll impress the girls,
remember this:
no girl is going to fall for a face like that.
You've got the kind of face only a mother could love."
"Pffff…"
Mona: "Pffff… pfff…"
Diego: "…pfff…"
Everyone tried to hold in their laughter.
"Ghhh…"
Nacht leaned closer to the boy's ear.
Nacht: "If you ever insult my parents again…
I'll make sure you see true darkness…
and regret the day your father decided to knock up some whore
and bring something as low as you into this world."
"Ghhhhh…"
Nacht: "Got it?"
"…Y-yeah…"
Nacht: "Good."
He let go and went back to his seat.
Diego: "…"
Kisa: "…"
Nacht: "Hmm? What is it?"
Diego: "…Dude… that was a bit much."
Kisa: "He's right…"
Diego: "That kid's gonna commit suicide because of you…"
Nacht: "Then let him. Hmph."
Diego: "(Sweating)…"
(Beep!)
The door opened and the teacher came in.
(Blub… blub!)
"Hello, my dears…
You must be the new ones.
My name is Mr. Voda.
I'll be your teacher when it comes to magic…
and to fairy tales as well.
So, let's begin.
How about we start with you, young lady?
What's your name?"
Kisa: "Kisa Pushkin."
Mr. Voda: "Please come here and show me your magic and your fairy tale."
Nacht: "Hmm."
Kisa: "All right."
She stood up and went to the front.
Kisa: "Hmm…"
She took out her fairy tale: Hansel and Gretel.
Mr. Voda: "Oh… how very interesting."
She opened the book.
Gretel appeared behind her,
while Hansel—the hat—began to speak.
Gretel: "Hehehe…"
Hansel: "This hat thinks this is quite uncomfortable, you know."
Kisa took off her gloves and shoes.
Kisa: "My abilities come from the hat, gloves, and shoes.
I can control ghost-like beings…
which can then become bombs, weapons, or attacks."
Mr. Voda: "Interesting… very interesting.
And where is your magic mark?"
For explanation:
Everyone in Mona's world has a magic symbol somewhere on their body.
It is where most of their magic is concentrated.
Kisa showed hers—it was on her shoulder.
A purple symbol.
Some look like stars, others like lightning.
Hers looked like a lightning bolt.
Mr. Voda: "I see.
Then you, my boy—
what is your name?"
Diego: "Diego, Dukewoold."
Mr. Voda: "Please come forward."
He got up and went to the teacher.
Kisa went back to her seat.
Diego showed his fairy tale: Red Riding Hood.
Mr. Voda: "Oh… …this… can't be…
The Big Bad Wolf!"
"Huh?!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The class panicked.
Kisa: "What's wrong?"
Nacht: "Figures…"
Mona: "Mhm."
Kisa: "What do you mean?"
Mona: "…The Big Bad Wolf.
Every person who had that fairy tale…
ended up doing horrible things.
That's why it's basically a forbidden fairy tale."
Nacht: "There's even a bounty on that fairy tale, or so I heard."
Mr. Voda: "Please… please calm down, everyone.
My dears, not all holders were evil.
There were actually two who were kind."
Mona: "That's true."
Nacht: "Unfortunately, the reputation is ruined because of one man.
They called him 'Red Wolf.'"
Mona: "Exactly.
He slaughtered an entire village…
and several more…"
Nacht: "That's why people are afraid…"
Kisa: "Oh dear…"
Mr. Voda: "Hehe… it's all right, my dears.
So then… (cough)…
Where is your magic symbol, my boy?"
Diego pointed at his foot.
Mr. Voda: "(Sweating)…
Next time… please keep your socks on."
Diego: "Oops…"
Kisa: "Oh dear."
Nacht: "That stench goes straight to heaven… what a slob."
Mona: "…he's even more disgusting than I thought."
Nacht: "You didn't see anything."
Mr. Voda: "All right then…
Now you, my boy—what is your name?"
Nacht: "…Nacht von Zephyr."
Mr. Voda: "So you are the one who made Miss Two Ages nearly wet herself… hehe.
Well then, come here, my boy."
He stepped forward.
Mr. Voda: "Let me tell you something, my boy…
I can feel your mana…"
Nacht took out his fairy tale: Sleepy Hollow.
Mr. Voda: "Ugh…"
Nacht: "…"
His hat flew upward.
A hand appeared behind him.
A face formed—like a dark smilie,
pale with dark eyes and mouth.
Then Ichabod appeared.
Ichabod: "Hello, my dears! I am Ichabod…"
Then a large dark shape appeared behind Nacht—
like a huge bird, a raven at first glance…
but in truth, it was an owl.
Nacht also showed his magic symbol,
on his sleeve.
He clearly wanted to demonstrate his power—
probably to make the jealous noble kids leave him alone.
His mana and aura flared up.
Mr. Voda (thinking):
(Oh my goodness…
What a sinister, hateful aura…
A power filled with rage and hatred…
So many negative emotions…
It's as if this boy… has lived through something that filled him completely with hate…)
The dark aura spread,
and everything grew dim.
Eyes appeared in the darkness,
and shadowy hands rose from the ground.
Faces screaming in the void.
It was as if the darkness wanted to swallow everything.
"So this is… the power of Zephyr's son… Nacht…"
"Ghhhhh…"
(Meanwhile)
Two Ages: "Ugh…
This power…
it's like…
as if a dark magic is wrapping itself around the whole school…"
Mr. Voda (thinking):
(Those screams… those eyes…
This is unbelievable…
No wonder Zephyr warned me about his son when we last met…
This boy…!
He's showing everyone that they shouldn't mess with him…)
The entire school was enveloped in heavy darkness.
Nacht (thinking):
(That should be enough for those idiots.
Next time… they'll think twice.)
He stopped.
Nacht: "Sorry… I must have released too much magic."
Mr. Voda: "Oh… well…"
The entire class stared in terror,
except for Mona, Diego, and Kisa—
though even they were surprised.
Nacht: "…May I go back to my seat now?"
Mr. Voda: "…yes, of course…"
He sat back down.
Nacht turned around and glanced at the boys who had mocked him.
Nacht: "Hmph…"
(Meanwhile)
Two Ages: "Ahhh… ahhh…
At last… at last I've found him…
Hehehe… hehehe…
So I've finally found you…
You're what I've been searching for…"
(One hour later)
It was class again, this time with Two Ages.
Mona: "Ghhh… hahh…
Excuse me, Miss Two Ages,
I need to go to the bathroom."
Two Ages: "Of course."
Mona went to the restroom.
Mona: "Ghh…"
She sat on the toilet.
Mona: "Hmm…"
After a bit, she went to wash her hands.
Asmodeous: "…Mon… aaa…"
Mona: "What is it now?"
Asmodeous: "…that boy is dangerous."
Mona: "He's not a threat.
Don't worry.
I'll find the item for you."
Asmodeous: "It's in this school. I can feel it.
If you mess this up, Mona…
that will be your end…"
Mona: "Ghhh…
(…My name… is Mona!)"