On that particular day Tatsuya acknowledged that he had never ever felt more discriminated against than this.
In a short duration over the lunch break, it was like he had seen the worst face of the society. He had seen Course 2 students giving up their Canteen seats to Course 1 students, changing their paths, staying as far away as possible and berated by. And even more surprising was the fact that, it was not one sided.
Course 2 students chose to scrub to what was expected from them and that was what led to their current situation. They just kept getting in quarrels with each other a lot. But, the situation did not exceed the limit in any case. That was the only plus point of it.
However, by the end of the day, that fact also came to a change. For some reason some of Course 1 and Course 2 students were having a standoff at the highschool entrance.
Tatsuya tried to diffuse the situation but somehow he ended up being the center of it. Before the situation could turn into an actual fight of spells and physical skills, they were interrupted.
The ones to interrupt were the Chairwoman of the Disciplinary Committee and the President of the Student Council.
Tatsuya tried to explain the situation as well as he could. But, due to the course of events, he ended up getting invited to another lunch break session with the President, much to his displeasure.
Seriously, again?
Next Day
(Lunch Break)
The situation was not much different from how it was yesterday. Even the chairs on which the siblings had sit were the same.
Mayumi: There is no need for any introduction is there?
All the students in the room were already seated. They were about to start their lunch, seeing that the siblings also brought out their bentos.
Mayumi was standing in front of the waiting (vending) machine. She made a sullen face realizing that she was the only one who had not brought a homemade meal.
Mayumi: I should make my own lunchbox starting tomorrow.
Shinji: You know what? I don't mind giving it to you if you ask for it.
Upon hearing that more than half of the students choked on what they were eating.
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow at that. He kept his usual straight face and asked.
Tatsuya: What was that?
Shinji replied with a smirk.
Shinji: I said I don't mind sharing my lunch.
He was having the time of his life looking at the faces of his upperclassmen and classmates.
More than anyone else, Mayumi was blushing furiously. She couldn't even meet anyone's eyes.
Mayumi: I-I will pass.
Seeing her friend so helpless and behaving unlike herself, Mari offered her a helping hand.
Mari: So Tatsuya, you can read the activation sequences of magic programmed when they are being formulated?
Tatsuya: Analysis comes easier to me. But I am just as much worse in actual application of magic.
Mari: Do, you want to be magical engineer, right?
Tatsuya: Right.
Mari: Yasha is a part of student council now. Shinji said he is interested in the club activities. Tatsuya, how about being a member of the Discipline Committee?
The offer was too sudden and unexpected, for everyone in that room to follow.
Tatsuya: Me?
Mari smiled and shook her head.
Mari: This ability of yours can be really helpful for us. With that, we will be able to punish students ts who violate school rules to a more befitting extent.
Tatsuya was amazed at the flow of things.
Tatsuya: But, this will involve direct interaction with students. And, you know that my magical skills are not on the level of someone befitting of being a part of Disciplinary Committee.
Mari: You don't need to worry about that. Leave all the manhandling... er, physical work to me. So, will you be a part of the committee?
There is no way a person in his right mind will be willing to accept an offer thrown to him like that. He was going to refuse that but he didn't need to.
Hanzou: I apologize for interfering but I am against that decision. I ask you to reconsider your decision, Chairwoman Watanabe.
Mari: What? But the student council president has approved of his as an appropriate replacement in the disciplinary committee.
Hanzou: There is no need for nominating a Weed for the position of the member of committee. A Weed's abilities are inferior, he is not needed at all. This will only prove to be a disgrace.
Mari was about to retort to that in a serious way. Someone else entered the fray.
Yasha: The FUCK did you say?
He was the silent type. And, maintaining that part of his character, he had stayed silent till now. But things were escalating too fast.
His anger was barely contained in his voice. To keep himself from lashing out he clenched his tere tha s tightly as he could, his cheeks twitching.
Yasha: Who do you think you are?
Hanzou was not moved by this ordial.
Hanzou: Shiba, this has got nothing to do with you. Stay out of his.
They were standing across the tables. Yet, in an instant, Yasha was over Hanzou. He was an inch shorter than Hanzou, but his eyes looked ready to put someone down.
Yasha: This has got everything to do with me.
It is said that the energized psions around a person speak volume of that person's magical prowess. If tha was the case, then Hanzou was most certainly looking for death.
Yasha: Here is the thing, Vice President Hanzou. You apologize to my brother right now, or the rest of your life won't be as favorable to you as it has been till now.
Things were heating up too fast. It was enough to make everyone in the room sweat, for one reason or the other.
Shinji: You aren't serious right?
Taking into account everything that was going on, Shinji was acting more nervous than anyone else. One could have intercepted it as one brother being worried for the other. But, right now he was almost scared of Yasha.
He realized that things have gotten too out of hand to be put back in order.
Shinji: Vice President Hanzou, we don't know each other at all. But, I will advice you. Back down, it will be much better that way.
Hanzou: I don't care...
Before he could finish the sentence, Yasha was at his throat. The situation had grown more violent. It won't stop at a verbal confrontation. The seniors realizing the seriousness of the situation, brought out their CADs.
"I propose a duel."
Things changed with that sentence.
Tatsuya: You say that I am not fit to be member of the committee. So, let's solve that problem. If I defeat you, then you should have no problem with me being here, right?
Hanzou was enraged at that. How dare a weed forget his place. He was meant to be a lesser, he always will continue to be.
Hanzou: Don't get ahead of yourself.
Tatsuya: This behavior is unbecoming of you. I personally have no interest in being here at all. Bit if you are standing here and ridiculing my brother's beliefs. Then, it leaves me with no choice but to prove him right.
And, that was how their mock dual was finalized.
It was going to take place in one of the practice rooms.
Mari: Hey, Shinji. Tatsuya will be fine, right?
Shinji: Everything that was said was not just for show. If Tatsuya had not proposed the dual, your friend Hanzou won't be alive right now.
Mari: You serious?
Shinji: Doesn't matter if there were two of him, even if there were ten of Hanzou standing in front of him, Tatsuya will still win. He is strong, more than one is likely to believe.
Handgun-shaped CADs, specialized, containing only nine magic programs belonging to a single family, that was Tatsuya's style. On the other hand, Hanzou used a bracelet-shaped multipurpose one. It could house ninety nine programs, irrespective of the families.
Hanzou pointed his CAD towards Tatsuya. He intended to end the match in a single blow. However, it was not going to be as easy as he thought it would be.
As soon as Mari signalled the beginning of the dual, Tatsuya was standing right in front of Hanzou. With the movements unbefitting of a human being. He tried using a spell to blow him back and gain a strategic advantage.
But, Tatsuya disappeared in an instant. And, all of a sudden his body rocked three times. That was how the duel came to an end.
It started and ended. Not even three seconds. It was surprising for the council members to see Hanzou get defeated like that.
Mari was even more surprised at the outcome. Now, she understood the truthfulness of Shinji's words.
Mari: Tatsuya, you didn't cheat right?
Tatsuya: Believe what you want. Besides, I am a disciple of Yakumo Kokonoe.
Yakumo Kokonoe was a famed ninjutsu user. Even Mari had heard that name. She was amazed at the efficiency and utility of the old martial arts.
Mayumi: The spell that you used to defeat Hattori, was that ninjutsu?
Tatsuya: Those were simple psionic waves with different frequencies. I used those waves to produce a strong triangular wave, and this is the outcome.
Suzune: Was that loop casting?
Tatsuya: That with variable coordinates, variable frequency and variable trajectory. My abilities are out of the norm of way this school measures one's magical aptitude.
"So, this is one of the ways in which our system needs improvement, right?"
Hanzou was gaining consciousness. It was not that difficult to take into account the emotions that he might be feeling.
Tatsuya: You don't have any more problems now, do you?
Hanzou turned his face away from him. He had a bitter look over his face. Maybe the things had worked out in a better way.
Everything moved to the student council room as things had settled down for the time being.
Mayumi: By the way Shinji, why are you still here?
Shinji: Oh, I am kind of recommended by school chairman for a spot in the club committee. I was asked to report to the student council room.
Shinji: I will be in your care Vice President Hattori.
Hanzou confirmed the information on his own portable terminal and turned towards towards Shinji.
Hanzou: Shiba...
Hearing that all the Shiba siblings turned towards him. Now, that was confusing.
Hanzou: ...Shinji.
The other two turned away from him and tried to pay attention to what they were meant to do.
Tatsuya with Mari.
Shinji with Hanzou.
Yasha with Mayumi.
Just like that, all three were part of the student council or committees.