Magical Teacher Professor Landry! - Episode 4: The Lady in White

[Teal Mage]

Red dresses swirled, as the plastic limbs of the faceless mannequins uncoiled and the quartet lunged inward. Pale light flared from Dal, as the Fae hissed, "Don't die." Before being launched into the air on a pulse of magical power. Adeline was already in motion - the girl had thrown herself forward, beneath the slashing leg and thrusting arm of the north-most pair of dancers.

A sharp line of cold fire gazed Dal's ankle, as one of the southern dancers gazed him. He narrowly evaded her follow-up strike, soaring higher yet.

Adeline's sandal-clad feet touched down on the tiles two paces behind the Mannerquins. Scarlet magical power flared and her sword disolved in a flash of white light. Twisting, the long haired girl sprung to her feet, a series of five-pointed stars of light materializing in her clenched hands. "Hah!" She flung her arms wide, sending the mass of ninja stars spinning toward her recovering attackers.

A series of thuds sounded, as the stars hit their marks. Faces, wrists and throats were pierced with unnerving accuracy - each had struck a vital point, staggering the - now spinning - quartet of dancers.

Who recovered instants later, straightening.

Adeline's triumphant smile withered. Landing another two paces away, the girl's aura flickered. "Hate robots..." She growled softly -

And from the Mannerquins, white auras exploded.

* * *

"Shuyin!" Dal called, eyes narrowed and flickering between the spinning Mannerquins and the slowly moving winged Professor, "Stop this!" Almost pleading - and not without a hint of desperation - "You told us that you arranged this to stop the deaths of innocent humans! -" He gestured fiercely toward Adeline, as the girl landed on her feet four paces from where she had started. "- That Landry, 'coolly calculated the murder of her own species', but now! What are you doing? What is this worth if you kill her? -"

Shuyin paused in his approach, and glanced coolly over his shoulder toward Dal. Below, the auras of the mannequins flared to brilliant white life.

"- Let the human girl go! She doesn't need to have her innocence or life destroyed by this battle!"

"Innocence?" Shuyin murmured, low and mild.

Suddenly, a figure in a billowing red gown was behind Dal. White radiance filled the air around it, seeming to render the Fae's pale yellow aura insignificant in contrast. Hunched as she was, the shadows playing over the figure's faceless visage gave the impression of a glee-filled grin.

Sean's shouted threat rang through the Ballroom, echoing.

Shuyin's face split into an icy smile.

Movements dance-like, the Mannerquin brought her hands up in a pair of rising slashes, aimed square at the Fae's wings. Without pause, the faceless being twisted, flowing smoothly into another attack - a razor-tipped kick that would score a deep and painful gash along Dal's back.

"This world cares nothing for innocence." He added, still looking at Dal and seemingly ignoring the disembodied words.

And suddenly, a pair of eerie high pitched laughs burst into the air. Red dresses swirled, as a pair of new faceless Mannerquins slid with ghostly grace, out from behind Johana - seemingly from thin air. Silver flashed in vicious arcs as each launched a pair of synchronized kicks at the back of Jo's legs. Swiftly, they twisted and stepped forward, each turning their momentum into a second whirling lash with their katar-like feet - which would eviscerate the Jotun from behind, if she didn't move.

But, with one on either side of her - the only avenue of escape was forward; toward Shuyin.

Around whom four vortexs of swirling coral-red light were forming - the same aura forms that had preceded the tea-geyser from before. One aimed into the sky toward Dal, one off in Adeline’s direction, and two in Jo’s direction.

They were bigger than before.

* * *

Sparks exploded from Adeline's short sword, as the girl was forced back a step.

After their auras had flared, the quartet of Mannerquins had launched themselves in four different directions. The more supernaturally know knowledgeable might have called the technique a crude parody of Flash Step, but to Adeline, it had seemed like they had rocket powered shoes. One had pursued Dal into the air, while two more had broke off to the sides, one taking up a position on the platform to Adeline's left, and the other, moving further out from the Ballroom's center, on her right. The final one had launched itself directly at Adeline.

Growling, her aura surged. White light exploded through her sword blade, and, bearing forward, she launched a vicious slash of her own.

The Mannerquin's aura flared. Suddenly, it seemed to split in two. Adeline's sword passed between the two immaterial and pirouetting copies, harmlessly. Eyes wide, she stumbled forward and through it –

As the remaining Mannerquins launched themselves, in flares of supernatural light, at her from either side.

* * *

"...its been a while since I'd heard that song." As Jack neared Hannah, the girl's whispered words to her Grandmother became audible to his ears. Suddenly, the girl's eyes shot open, and she sat up sharply, twisting to regard her now young grandmother critically. Like Sean, Hannah's wounds had vanished, and her garments were mended as if new. "I thought you said you couldn't cast spells like that any more." Hannah went on, posture tense.

Her now-young grandmother smiled kindly. "Hannah..." She shut her eyes - Jack thought he'd detected something sad in them for a moment. "...there is something important I should tell you." Brown eyes opened and flickered toward Jack. She fell silent, tapping her granddaughter's shoulder, before pointing toward the young, vine dripping, wizard.

Curious, Hannah turned around. Her expression seemed to flatten, a hint of distaste showing through, at the sight of Jack. She didn't say anything, though.

"Why did you kill her?" Jack asked, stopping before the pair of women. At his sides, both his hands were clenched into tight fists. "Or try to kill her," He amended, after a moment's pause, "I guess."

Hannah grunted softly, seeming to flinch faintly. Her eyes shut. "...why did I kill her?" She repeated, slowly. The girl crossed her arms loosely, and seemed to lean back a little, gaze dropping to the tiles off to Jack's right, before she allowed her eyes to slide open again, slowly. "Why, huh?" She chuckled, faintly and shook her head. "I guess the easy answer is..." She trailed off, thoughtfully.

A faint click sounded from behind the blond. Her grandmother turned her head curiously.

Shedding dark flecks of light, an auburn haired woman seemed to step out of the air. For an instant, she was wearing a slim black gown, the front of which was decorated with twelve holes, each revealing patches of skin. Then, a white labcoat seemed to appear on her shoulders, clinched tight around her waist with a cord of black fabric. Only the upper part of her dress's bodice was visible - none of the holes. In an almost absent minded movement, the woman reached into one of her pockets and withdrew a pair of glasses.

Professor Landry slipped them onto her face, and offered both Jack and Hannah's grandmother an ironic smile, followed by a nod.

"...revenge." The girl concluded, after a moment had paced. She fell silent again, pensive. Something in her expression seemed to suggest that she was planning to go on, but was merely thinking carefully about her words. Unlike the others, Professor Landry's appearance seemed to have escaped her notice. Her grandmother didn't seem interested in correcting this oversight – but would Jack? Even if he didn't, would he just wait patiently for her to go on? Did it matter at all?

Decisions, decisions, decisions.