Long before Mizuki and Astrid reached the infirmary, Mirage sat up. She had already been treated. There were many thoughts going through her head, but all she could do was wince at the memory of the battle. She remembered how Mesh pitilessly belittled her. It was a fail, the feeling of humiliation covered her. To be beaten with ease was not taken lightly by the valiant. Thinking about it, she doubted she'll even get into the academy now. Worried and concerned, Mirage leapt of the bed. She felt her knees smack to the ground. She crawled forward and soon she understood. Puny. She was weak. At last, she got up and looked down at her hands. Even with strong heart, the best she could do was let a few tears flow.
"Mirage!"
Astrid thrusted the door open, her breath absent from the running. Mizuki close behind her, she enveloped her arms around Mirage. The sensation of misery soon died down, restored with warmth.
Mirage spoke.
"You guys...I thought we split up."
"Don't be stupid. We aren't gonna leave a close friend of ours to handle the pain on their own."
This was followed by a silence. Not awkward in any way, but peaceful. And all Mizuki could do was wait beside them. He decided that Astrid was better at pampering people, especially as she had a voice. Soon afterwards, he held up a note.
{Not to be rude or anything, but I'm kinda in a hurry. I've got a meeting to get to.}
"Hotaru again?" Astrid questioned him.
{Yeah.}
"I'll stay with Mirage. Now shoo." The girls drove him off. And Mizuki, searched for Hotaru's office.
***
The office, was quite bland. Hotaru herself was sitting a her desk, inspecting a few documents. This surprised Mizuki when he entered; This definitely did not match her personality. When she noticed him, she immediately signalled him to sit down. Doing so, he waited for her to utter something. Anything. It took some time, but she eventually began to talk about the matter.
"So, the curse? Right. To be completely honest, I don't know what the curse actually is. You'll need to speak to some higher ups. But I can give you your voice back. With this."
She raised a small test tube filled with a yellow, oozy substance. The content seemed vile, and alive when it swished around in the glass. Mizuki wanted to throw up.
{I'm supposed to drink that?} He wrote, disgusted.
"Well, there isn't another way. Take this or be mute for the rest of your life. Which is it going to be?"
Hotaru shook the beaker again.
No other choice than downing it, is what he thought. So he snatched it and chucked the liquid down his throat. Mizuki quickly left, and went to the gym. It burned as it traveled down, although later during the day, the stinging numbed. Instantly, the boy tried using his voice.
"aaaAAAAH! It's back! Finally!"
The thrilled boy skipped through the school, singing songs like a little child. He wanted to show off his voice.
Unfortunately, Mesh was at the end of his hallway, and not in a great mood like always. Lilith, also tailing behind, like always.
"Oho? Look who it is. The journalist. The way you and your little girlfriend scurried off to the infirmary." Mesh's smile was as infuriating as ever.
Mizuki scoffed.
"Shut it."
"What if I don-"
Mesh couldn't reach the next sentence. Mizuki had drew his manablade 1 or 2 inches, and in an instant, cut Mesh's cheek.
"Didn't I tell you to shut it? Let me give you a tip. Don't mess with me or my friends. Trust me, it won't end well for you."
He sheathed his sword, and walked away.
Mesh, on the other hand was not having it. He snapped his fingers at Lilith, who handed him a small pen-like stick in a hurry. Mesh held the end of it, and spoke.
"Bring it in. I've got a few to deal with."
He let go and threw it at his sister. His grin became even bigger.
"They made enemy with the wrong clan." Turning to Lilith, he said, "You. I don't care how you do it, but destroy Astrid, no matter what it takes."
She nodded fearfully.
"A-alright, Na- Mesh..."