Work Text:
“Lernen, what are they doing?” Serie was looking out the window towards a group of children running about in front of the Northern Branch of the Continental Magic Association.
Lernen peered over her. “Playing a game… capture the flag, I believe.”
“Oh? And how does it work?”
“Basically, one side tries to take the other side’s flag while keeping their own.”
“So… there’s two teams, huh?”
“… Yes.” Lernen felt a sliver of dread enter his mind.
His feeling proved to be correct, as Lady Serie let out a ferocious smirk. “I just came up with a brilliant idea.”
=====
The afternoon sun shone bright in the sky, not a single cloud to be seen.
“You’re going to play capture the flag,” Serie said, holding up two pieces of fabric that were colored blue and red respectively.
The First-Class Mages assembled before her stared, question marks being the only thing to form in their minds. Huh?
“Sense and Methode will form one team, Genau and Falsch in the other.” Serie gave the ladies the red flag while Lernen gave the blue flag to the men.
“You need to secure the opponents’ flag while keeping your own. Once you’ve done so, you can return here and give it to me. The game ends at sunset.” Serie paused, then added, “No flight magic is allowed. Nothing lethal either.”
“You have 10 minutes to hide your flags however you wish. Begin.”
=====
As Falsch buried their flag, Genau raised the question that was likely simmering in their minds. “Do you think they will hide it, or keep it on their person?”
Standing up, Falsch dusted off the dirt on his hands. “Sense is quite skilled in concealing her mana. I wouldn’t be surprised if she kept it.”
Both looked into the sky, picturing a Sense lurking in the shadows of the woods, hair waving about menacingly. Falsch shuddered.
“But Methode, who knows illusory magic, could probably send us running in circles.”
The picture that populated their imagination this time involved a red flag appearing and disappearing with a poof all over the place. Genau could already hear the teasing lilt of Methode’s voice echoing in his mind.
“Honestly, what was Lady Serie thinking when she came up with this idea?”
“Who knows. I doubt even Lernen knows.”
Staring down at the place where their flag was buried, they realized there was only one course of action that they could take.
“We’ll just have to…”
=====
“Let’s split up.” This was what Sense suggested as they trekked through the forest, tucking the red flag into her robes. “Although I’d certainly like to duke it out with Genau, I’ll take Falsch, so you take on Genau.”
“Oh, my,” Methode softly giggled to herself. “Ms. Sense…”
Sense looked back at the blonde.
“You’re actually quite the nasty one, hmm? That’s awfully cute~”
Sense cringed. She can find even something like that cute?
Pop-pop-pop!
Methode and Sense looked into the distance where Serie and Lernen were last sighted. The pair were floating high in the sky, observing the happenings below.
“10 minutes have passed, it seems. Let’s go.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
=====
Genau reached a clearing without much fanfare. The red flag hung on a tree branch, low enough that Genau could simply reach up and take it. Methode sat at the base of the tree, holding out a finger to a yellow butterfly. The butterfly fluttered about, never landing.
“Methode, that’s enough of your tricks.” He tossed a Zoltraak behind his shoulder, missing the real Methode by an inch. Tied around her left-hand wrist was the real flag.
“Oh, so you saw through that?” The illusion around the tree dissolved into the wind. “I guess I better run now.”
Turning, she ran into the woods. Genau sighed, giving chase. Surprisingly, she was able to navigate through the undergrowth quite gracefully, turning this way and that in an attempt to throw him off. I wonder if there was a forest like this where she came from…
He followed her down a small trench, ducking to avoid the languid Zoltraak that was thrown at him. Methode danced across the stepping stones of a shallow stream, turning around to look at Genau.
“At this rate, you won’t be able to get this,” she raised left arm, pointing to the red fabric wrapped around it.
“Are you sure?” Genau signalled to the sky.
Looking up, Methode let out a surprised squawk as a crow dove towards her. Shutting her eyes, she batted at the corvid. The crow snatched up the red flag with its talons, bringing it back to Genau.
“That— That was so mean!” Methode puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him.
“I am a jerk, after all.” Genau pocketed the flag, turning to leave.
“Well, you may call yourself a jerk, but surely wouldn’t call yourself a naughty guy, right?”
“Huh?”
Turning back, Genau watched as Methode pointed at his pocket, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
“You should take a closer look next time.”
Genau hastily dug into his pocket, bringing out the flag and unfolding it to see red… lace?
Startled, Genau dropped it. “Wh—!”
The red panties fell onto the ground. Purple mist embroiled it, dissolving to reveal a white handkerchief.
His face burning, Genau glared at Methode. “You don’t even have the real flag, do you?”
“Nope~” Laughing softly to herself, Methode took a step backwards. “Since you’ve figured that out, I guess I have to go help Ms. Sense now.” Summoning several red, glowing orbs, she tossed them towards him as she turned and ran.
Acrobatically maneuvering around them, he hurried after her, the offensive magic exploding behind him.
=====
“Falsch.”
Falsch whipped around to find Sense approaching. Her mana concealment is as good as ever.
“Where’s your flag? I’ve searched the entire forest, but there’s nothing blue among all this greenery.”
Slowly, Falsch backed away. Sense continued her advance, strands of hair waving about maliciously as she manipulated them.
“Hey, didn’t Lady Serie say no lethal attacks were allowed?” A bead of sweat formed on his forehead.
“She did,” Sense acknowledged. “This won’t be lethal, though.” Sense darted forward, crashing into Falsch and wrapping her arms around his waist. Huh? What’s this!?
Then, he felt it. Something long and soft slid under his clothes, brushing against his stomach.
“Pfft—” Falsch reached out, attempting to push Sense off. “Wait— This— Are you— tickling me?”
“Where’s your flag?”
“I’m— not telling— you—”
“Tell me.”
“This— should be— considered— lethal!”
“Tell. Me.”
“Get off!”
“I’ll just look for it myself.”
Sense manipulated part of her hair to dig around Falsch’s pockets. A handkerchief… eye drops… paper clips? Sense huffed. No flag. Must be with Genau then.
Suddenly, Falsch heaved himself up. Rolling over, he held her shoulders down. Reaching into her robes, he fished around until he found the flag. Sense gawked at him. Her face felt hot. H-How could he be so belligerent!?
“Give that back!” Sense reached out in an attempt to reclaim the flag, but Falsch held it out of her reach. Sense mentally cursed herself for being so short.
“Woah!” Falsch yelped as Sense rammed her head into his chest. Strands of hair whipped around as she attempted to grab the red cloth, but Falsch grabbed them in his fist.
Finally relieved of the pressure on her shoulders, Sense pushed. Falsch landed on his back, Sense clambering up as she reached for the flag again.
“This isn’t fair! You can have multiple hands!” Falsch pulled a bunch of hair away from his face.
“All’s fair in war!”
“That’s not even the full quote!”
=====
Methode found Falsch and Sense wrestling with each other precariously close to the edge of a cliff. As they tussled and turned, Methode called out. “Watch out!”
The edge crumbled, then gave way. Both mages let out a yelp, disappearing down the cliff. Genau and Methode raced forward. Crouching down, they peered over the edge to find…
“Sense! Why are you so heavy?” Falsch was clinging onto a large branch, Sense having wrapped her arms around his leg.
Ms. Sense’s expression looks quite cute, Methode thought, as the aforementioned lady gaped at Falsch. “That’s so rude!”
“When this is over, I’m putting you on a diet! No more sweets for you!”
“What?” Sense’s voice pitched higher. Her eyes widened, her lips trembling. “You— You can’t do that!”
“I can and will!”
“This is a crime!”
“In what world is there a law saying it’s a crime to put someone on a diet!?”
“Mine!”
“That doesn’t count!”
Genau straightened, a deadpan expression on his face. “Let’s just leave them be.”
“Genau, catch!” Falsch throws something blue and red.
“You had it the entire time!?”
“I buried it and then summoned it with my magic! You didn’t look carefully enough!”
“Methode, get it!”
Methode peered up at Genau, who was holding the flags which were tied to a small branch. Genau backed away. Methode lunged.
Black wings knocked her back. She collided with Sense, who had managed to climb back up. Hearing the sound of flapping wings, she looked up and found Genau taking off into the sky.
=====
Sense used her hair to take hold of a nearby tree to pull herself up, clambering over Falsch in the process.
“Oi! Watch where you step!” Falsch grumbled as Sense stepped on his head.
Sense only returned a cold, pink glare. Climbing up, she made her way over the edge only to receive a faceful of blonde hair as Methode came crashing backwards. If Sense had let go of the tree, they would have been sent flying.
“Genau! Flight magic isn’t allowed!” Methode shouted.
“This isn’t flight magic. It’s magic to make niello wings.”
“You’re using it to fly!”
“It’s not considered flight magic.” Genau begins gliding away.
“Get back here, you jerk!” Sense called out.
“Sense, language!” Falsch had finally brought himself back to level ground.
“Not now!”
Methode gave chase, Sense at her heels. Falsch followed closely behind. As they ran, Sense started to see the distant figures of Lady Serie and Lernen.
“Ms. Sense! At this rate, I don’t think we’re gonna make it!”
“Then you’ll just have to fly.”
“But flight magic isn’t allowed!”
“I’m going to throw you.”
“Huh!?” Methode skidded to a halt. “You’re going to what!?”
Sense didn’t respond, stopping beside Methode and wrapping her hair around Methode’s waist.
“W-Wait a moment! What happens if you miss!?”
Sense lifted Methode over her head. “I won’t.”
“Wait, Ms. Senseeeeeee—” Sense did not give her much chance to protest, launching Methode into the sky like how an archer might shoot into the sky to hunt a bird (hmm, actually, that’s quite accurate, Sense thought to herself).
=====
Methode had learned flight magic at the age of five. Demons, who had ruled the skies before humans figured out how to fly, often attacked from above. Because of this, a fear of heights was not optimal when combatting them. But as Methode cut through the air, she couldn’t help but begin to understand why some may fear being unable to touch the ground.
=====
“Genau, move!”
Genau looked below to find Falsch yelling as he ran. “Move!” Falsch pointed upwards to somewhere behind Genau.
“Genauuuuuu—”
Genau turned around to find Methode flying towards him. Her hands were clenched close to her chest, dark blue eyes widened with fear— or was it a plea? He detected no traces of magic. Wait, she isn’t—?
Methode barrelled into his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. The branch slipped out of his hand. Methode wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clinging tightly.
“Oi! Let go!”
“If I do, I’ll fall!”
“But this—!”
Methode buried her face into his chest, making Genau pause. He huffed in irritation. “Honestly, whose idea was this?”
“Not mine.” Methode replied, her voice muffled by his coat.
“At least let me hold you in a more appropriate way.”
This made Methode reveal her face. “So you care about stuff like this?” She hummed with laughter. “You’re a good guy after all.”
She returned to snuggling into his chest. “Sorry, but you’ll have to bear with this a little longer.”
Genau heaved out a sigh, gazing at the blonde whose face was once again buried in his chest. Well, he thought as he lowered them towards the ground. I suppose I can indulge her a bit, just this once. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head in one hand.
=====
Sense and Falsch were once again wrestling with each other, the flags lying forgotten about six feet away from them. Methode still clung to him as he touched down on the ground.
“Sense,” Genau started. “That was reckless. What was going to happen if I didn’t catch Methode?”
The fight paused. Sense looked upside-down at Genau from underneath Falsch. “But you did.”
“That’s not the point.”
“You cheated.”
“I did not.”
“You were flying.”
“Lady Serie banned flight magic, not the action of flying itself.”
“It counts.”
“It does not. And Methode, you can let go.” Genau attempted to gently pry Methode off, except she continued to stick to him like glue.
“Nooo…” Methode snuggled a little closer. “It’s nice like this. Plus, you won’t be able to get the flag this way.”
“…”
Serie and Lernen approached from behind.
“Lady Serie, he cheated.” Sense pointed at Genau with her hair from atop Falsch. Falsch mashed his palm into her cheek in a bid to weaken her hold on him.
“I did not.” He continued trying to pull Methode off of him, but there was a minuscule note of reluctance in his actions.
Serie stepped towards the flags, picking them up and examining them. “Since none of you managed to give these to me, it’s a draw.”
“Huh?” The First-Class Mages looked towards her.
Serie pointed towards the horizon. “The sun has set. Game’s over.”
“Huh!?”
=====
Trailing behind the four mages, Serie and Lernen walked. Raucous laughter from a bar broke through the silence of the evening.
“Lady Serie.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you perhaps… unsatisfied with today’s events?”
Serie looked out the corner of her eyes at Lernen.
“Ahh~ I’m beat! Genau, there’s a restaurant I’ve wanted to go to for some time. Let’s have dinner there! Ms. Sense, Mr. Falsch, you can join us too.”
“I want strawberry sundae.”
“Sense, you can’t have sweets for dinner.”
“…”
Methode turned to look at Serie and Lernen. “Want to come with?”
She looked forward. “… Well, I would say it was somewhat interesting,” Serie nonchalantly replied.