Next chapter~ 
I really thank you guys for reading (you too, silent readers!)!!! It's making me continue eventhough I'm really quite at a loss with how everything will turn out to be, so bear with me if things start getting illogical 
Also, I wanna thank BbSis for a fanmade art for this fic of mine!
Thank you so so much!!!
Anyways, please enjoy~
(P.S. I might go on hiatus after this chapter as I have stuff to attend to in real life soooo yeaahhhh. Hope it's enough for now!) Indestructible Fire
ACT II
Slamming open the classroom door that startled everyone in it, Rena stepped in while panting and bowed down apologetically at her homeroom teacher. She had never been late, this was her first time.
And it is all because of the crazy events happening in her life now.
“I-I’m sorry I’m late…!” She exclaimed while panting, Jurina followed suit despite knowing no one could see nor hear her.
“It’s rare you would be late, Matsui-san,” the teacher shook his head, “… Please hurry to your seat.”
Rena nodded and went to her seat, with Jurina following her from behind. When she got to her seat, she noticed that Jurina was forced to stand and while the teacher continued his briefing about lectures, she whispered softly to the invisible girl behind her.
“Hey… you can’t magically pop up a chair or something…? It feels weird having someone standing behind me like a stalker…” She sighed.
“Ignore me, Rena-chan…” The latter just gave a wry smile, “… Plus, you’re getting weird gazes from Aya-chan beside you…”
Shibata Aya, a classmate who was famous for giving weirdly intense stares, noticed Rena talking to herself and could not help but become interested with her. Rena felt a chill down her spine when she glanced at her neighbor. Her stare was terribly creepy, it felt like she was planning to murder her the next minute. That’s why not many would try to approach her, and hence, she’s also quite the loner in class, alongside Rena who emitted the ‘I’m too good for all of you’ aura.
“Matsui-san… I didn’t know you were the type to talk to yourself…” Aya whispered softly to Rena, with her infamous creepy stare.
Rena forced a smile at her creepy neighbor, “… U-Uh… W-Well…” She was speechless obviously, knowing Aya definitely would not be able to see Jurina.
Thankfully she was saved by the chime of another bell that signaled classes were about to start and homeroom had ended.
During class, Jurina, bored, could only just pace herself to and fro behind the classroom. She honestly wanted to do something productive as a now-dead person. Being able to roam around during class was a good feeling, yet she felt lonely. No one but Rena could see her. She’s glad that at least her best friend can see her, touch her… but yet, she still had a feeling in her heart.
The feeling of wanting to exist.
With her head hung low, she left the classroom without informing Rena. The latter wanted to stop her but as she was in class, it was difficult. Plus, Aya was just giving her the creeps now since she had been glancing at her periodically since homeroom ended. She could only hope that Jurina was not going to do anything stupid.
- - - - - -
Jurina’s POV
Leaving the classroom, I walked aimlessly in the corridor, noticing how empty it was during class hours. Reminiscing the times where it would be filled up with people during break time and how I would be walking around with my friends when Rena wanted time alone got me feeling a bit emotional.
As I touched the railing of the stairs before heading upwards to the third years’ floor, I could feel tears forming in my eyes. I was still in this world… and yet… I am invisible to everyone around me, other than Rena… I did not even have an appetite… I don’t even feel tired… I’m still ‘living’ and yet… I’m not…
Gosh… what’s going on? And what’s with all the talk about fighting?
As I clenched my fists, I heard footsteps coming down towards me. I assumed it must be a teacher.
But I was wrong.
She was a third-year student, seeing how she had a blue tie, and had this air of elegance around her. She had long, curled-hair that fit well with her beautiful facial features. Another thing to note of was the lollipop in her mouth as she hummed towards me.
As our eyes met, she pulled the lollipop out of her mouth and pointed it at me, “Hello there~ why are you out of class?”
Those eyes of hers made me feel really attracted to her, as if she was luring me into falling for her. It made me flinch, “… I… I just didn’t feel like it.”
“Oh~ so you’re loitering around like me yes?” She started waving her lollipop, looking as if she was thinking of her next sentence, “… or…” and gave me a seductive smile, “… are you planning on doing naughty things to me now?”
“T-The heck…?! Of course not! I just coincidentally ran into you, how did you come up with such an idea?!” I yelled back at her, flustered. Just who does she think she is?!
She put her index finger to her lips, gesturing to shush me, “… We’ll get into trouble if you make too much noise~…”
That was when I snapped back with a realisation. The fact she can even see me in the first place… don’t tell me she’s like me and Rena…?!
“H-Hey…” She looked at me, sucking on her lollipop with such poise that disturbed me slightly, “… A-Are you… one of those Masters people? Or…” I put my gloves-cladded hands in front of me, showing her proof that I was a Guardian, “… a guardian, like me?”
She smiled in reply, “... I thought you’d be charmed by me and never ask~” Suddenly, just by raising her free hand into mid-air, a bright light sparkled at where she was standing and I could feel currents of electricity surrounding her. As I involuntarily blocked the bright light that was glaring into my eyes, when I heard the surge of electricity had suddenly came to a halt, I squinted my eyes to look in front of me. That was when I saw the beautiful third-year student, with an elaborate bow that was larger than her own frame in one hand, and her lollipop in another.
Another realization came to mind. Electricity… could she be the guardian of lightning?
“… Y-You’re… a guardian as well…” I blurted out nervously. Seeing another guardian actually showing her powers right in front of me, honestly, terrified me. Airi-san was different since she just pointed her stupid knife at me… but… literally seeing sparks fly, and the fact she can summon her weapon out of thin air…
It scared me.
“Correct~” She spun around once and looked at me with an devilishly cute smile, “If you mix milk and Miyuki, just like that, it’s Milky~ I am the guardian of lightning, Watanabe Miyuki~” Suddenly, the lollipop she had in her hand magically turned into an arrow and she aimed her bow at me with that unwavering smile of hers, “Nice to meet you~”
Seriously, what was with that idol-like introduction?! That totally made me shiver! And now she’s pointing her bow dangerously at me?!
My mind went blank, all I could do was put up a fighting stance when suddenly, a girl jumped down from the stairs behind Miyuki-san and grabbed her in an arm hold, causing her to wave her bow and arrow around uncontrollably while squirming in her grasp.
“You idiot! I knew you were up to something when I felt you were using your powers!” The cool, boyish-looking girl exclaimed angrily into Miyuki-san’s ear but she didn’t look like she took her seriously and rolled her eyes with a pout, “Don’t just ignore me! You made me excuse myself from class with a stupid reason, Miyuki!”
“Hai hai~ gomenasai~” The latter responded with an unapologetic tone of voice.
The unknown girl looked at me with a wry smile, “S-Sorry about that. She didn’t mean to scare you, really. I’m Yamamoto Sayaka, a third year as this idiot.”
I returned to my normal posture and introduced myself to her, “I’m Matsui Jurina... a guardian like Miyuki-senpai.”
“Ne ne, Sayaka~? Did you hear that? She called me ‘senpai’!” She was trying to jump in glee with Sayaka-san tightening her hold in annoyance to stop her from behaving even more ridiculous.
“Gosh, cut it out Miyuki! You’re being annoying!”
“But Sayaka loves me acting all cutesy like this yes~? Sayaka~~~” She looked like she was about to give Sayaka-san a smootch at any moment until the cool-headed senpai let go of her and stepped away, seemingly embarrassed.
“T-T-The heck do you think you’re doing?!”
Wow… I never thought she’d be that kind of character… since she looks cool, calm and collected and all.
“A-Anyways, Jurina-san,” she turned to me before pulling Miyuki on her collar, “… We’ll be leaving you be now. Sorry about the whole commotion.”
I shook my head with a wry smile, “I-It’s okay… that was an interesting skit you both put on unintentionally,” I chuckled lightly.
“Ne~ Sayaka~ Jurina-chan’s really adorable! She even said we were interesting!”
“Yeah yeah, whatever! Come on, we’re going back to class!”
“Mou~ Sayaka’s acting all tsuntsun again~”
“S-Shut up, Miyuki!”
And with that, they went upstairs towards the senior corridor and their voices slowly couldn’t be heard anymore. I felt myself trembling again. The realization that other guardians can actually turn out being scary finally came into my head. Airi-san hasn’t shown me her element… that worries me…
Anxiety got the better of me as I decided to return to the classroom where Rena was. I’m sure I would be able to calm down with her presence near me.
… I hate myself for feeling like a weakling now…
… Darn it all.
- - - - - -
Rena’s POV
The classroom door that Jurina went out through slide open softly as she came in with an expression of uneasiness. It was the look where a child got scolded by her parents for disobeying them. She looked as if she was going to break down any second.
“Rena-chan…”
She called out to me softly, but in an audible level. I continued looking at her despite Aya-san’s constant stare at me and gestured Jurina to come over to my side. Aya-san, on the other hand, muffled a laughter with her hands which ticked me off.
I wrote down on a page of my notebook, telling Jurina to wait till break begins before she could tell me what happened. And she agreed with a sad nod of the head.
Eventhough I don’t remember her… but… I had the urge of wanting to comfort her… seeing Jurina like this… made me feel rather depressed as well…
Fortunately, the bell rang before the both of us could get any more depressed. I gestured her to follow me, and she did.
I decided to confront her at a place where students won’t frequent at during such a short break—the rooftop. She explained to me how she met another guardian named Watanabe Miyuki who was the guardian of Lightning while her so-called Master was Yamamoto Sayaka. And they were third years. She had also told me how scared she was when Miyuki-senpai summoned her weapon and her power just flowing out from where she stood. I’m glad she was being honest with me. I actually had the impression she would put some kind of tough act, but I guess she was wrong.
At the moment, she just looked like a sad puppy who wanted her master to care for her. And so, I did.
“R-Rena-chan…”
I didn’t know why but… my body just involuntarily ‘pushed’ me towards her and without a second thought, I had embraced her, caressing the back of her head softly to calm her down. I could sense hesitation, but she slowly crept her hands up my back, clutching onto my blazer as if there was no tomorrow, and buried her face on my shoulder as I hear small sobs coming from her.
She was warm… If anything, she did not feel like a dead person. She felt so alive right now as she cried, apologizing to me softly and cursing herself for acting so powerless. All I could do was hush her and continued caressing her head until she stopped.
After quite a while, she broke the embrace when she heard the chime of the school bell once again, and gave me a weak grin, “T-Thanks… Rena-chan… Sorry to have wasted your break time to see me crying like an idiot…”
I gave her a pat on the head, “Don’t apologise. You and I are in this together alright? So it’s only right that you share your burden with me.”
She gave me a nod.
“Anyways, I’m going back to class. You coming along?”
“Nahh. I’m gonna cool off here. I’ll be waiting for you, so see ya during lunch break.”
“Okay…” I approached the door and turned back to look at Jurina, “Don’t do anything stupid, okay?”
Again, she nodded without a word, as I returned back to class.
- - - - - -
While waiting for lunch break to begin, Jurina lied down on the floor beneath her, with her arms crossed behind her head to support her head and closed her eyes, peacefully enjoying the cold, breezy air. Usually she would have latched onto Rena for warmth but now, as someone who wasn’t actually human anymore, the cold was not something that bothered her any longer.
She had done this a couple of times, just ditching class to relax up on the rooftop on her own. But it had never felt this good. It was probably the second favourite thing she’d liked after ‘dying’ with Rena being alive and well, and the fact that she was somewhat ‘bound’ to her, the top favourite thing she liked.
Without realizing, she had fallen asleep…
- - - - - -
FLASHBACK
“Hey Rena-chan. What’s up?”
“Jurina… I don’t think I can take it anymore…”
“Whoa whoa, Rena-chan. Calm down. Don’t do anything rash okay?! Where are you? I can hear the sound of water in the background…”
“… Jurina… this may be the last time I’m talking to you…”
“O-Oi Rena-chan—"
“… Remember the sakura tree…? Where we buried our time capsule in 10 years ago…? I’m sorry… we will not be able to open it together in another 10 years… I’m sorry…”
“R-Rena-chan, don’t say that! I’m coming, okay?!”
“… Ne Jurina…? Thank you for everything…”
“R-Rena-chan, w-wait!”
“… I love you.”
“R-RENAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”FLASHBACK END
- - - - - -
“Jurina…?”
A familiar voice called out to the sleeping puppy. As she opened her eyes, she realized she had just dreamt of the past. At least slightly before she got caught up into this mess by witnessing Rena’s death.
The last phone call she had with Rena…
And also, the fact that Rena had confessed to her before departing to the next world…
Tears started falling again, causing Rena to kneel down and question Jurina out of concern. She seriously felt like a train wreck after dying and living again. She was never like this. She knew she was an energetic ball of fun who enjoyed socializing with others… not this idiot who kept tearing up every minute.
“S-Sorry…” She said, struggling to keep her composure while wiping her tears roughly, “… I had a… bad dream.”
“I see…” The other Matsui patted her head and showed Jurina a Melon pan, “Why don’t… we have lunch now?”
Jurina nodded, despite knowing she didn’t have to eat and kindly declined Rena's offer when she wanted to share her Melon pan with Jurina.
Their little bonding moment was interrupted by a slam of the door of the rooftop entrance. Two familiar faces had just stormed in, greeting particular no one with a loud voice.
“Oh? You two are here eh?”
“Airi-san…” Jurina shrugged while Rena was comfortably sitting beside her.
“Oopsie~ were we disturbing a private time for you two?” Akane said with a giggle, which made the two Matsuis blush furiously.
“N-No you didn’t! And w-we aren’t even like that!” Rena protested in embarrassment.
“Yeah yeah. The people who deny like that always~ end up together,” Airi smirked.
“Y-You shut up!” now it was Jurina’s turn to protest before she suddenly stood up, pointing at Airi, “W-Why don’t we just battle now and get over with it rather than having to wait till classes end?! I would gladly punch your face about now!”
Airi shrugged, “No thanks, mate. I suddenly lost interest in fighting you.”
“What?”
“You heard me,” Airi gave an intense gaze at Jurina, “… I don’t feel like fighting you anymore.”
“Instead, we’ll tell you stuff we know, and maybe… cooperate until we’re the remaining two pairs?” Akane suggested with a smile.
“Maybe we should agree on a truce…” said Rena, looking upwards at Jurina, “What do you think?”
The latter let out a deep sigh, “Alright…” She gave Akane and Airi a fierce look, “… But if you guys try to backstab us, I won’t forgive you.”
“Chill, Juritan, chill~” Airi quickly responded.
“J-Juritan?!” Jurina was taken aback by how Airi had called her. Not that she was annoyed with how the name sounded, more like, she was quite happy with how cute her nickname sounded.
“Anyways, let’s chat while having our lunch yes?” Akane smiled and took a seat right beside Rena, opening her bento box. Airi sat beside Akane while Jurina took her seat beside Rena who began chewing down on her beloved Melon pan.
“So… right now… it’s established that there are five guardians in total. Fire, Ice, Wind, Lightning and Earth. We’ve pretty much met everyone already and they’re all coincidentally in this school,” Airi begun her explanation.
“Five guardians huh…” Jurina said, deep in thought.
“Ah, for your information, Airin is the guardian of earth, so she can play with sand and shadowy stuff,” said Akane before beginning her meal.
“Aww man… I was supposed to tell her that! Thanks for ruining my awesome self-introduction, Churi,” Airi facepalmed while Akane replied her with a peace sign.
“In manga or games, fire and earth go quite well together…” Rena said, looking at Jurina with a smile.
“… I honestly hope it applies to real life as well…” Jurina shook her head, unimpressed, “Oh right. I met the guardian of lightning, Watanabe Miyuki. Her Master too, Yamamoto Sayaka too.”
“Ahh… the lightning combo eh…” Airi shivered, “They give me the creeps… especially Sayaka-senpai…”
“Sayaka-senpai looked like a nice person to me though.”
“She’s acting I tell you! She’s darn scary!” Airi exclaimed in exaggerated fear.
“Yup~ When we first approached Sayaka-senpai, she gave us a death glare and since then, whenever we do see them, we tend to step away from them. Mmhmm~” Churi said nonchalantly with a big bite of a piece of her Ebi Furai.
“That’s quite different from how you told me Sayaka-senpai was, Jurina…”
Jurina sighed, “Guess I shouldn’t have judged a book by its cover…”
“Hmm… which means you haven’t met the wind pair and ice pair huh,” Airi looked in the direction of where Jurina was with seriousness, “… They’re a force to be reckoned with.”
“Who are they?” Jurina returned the same expression to Airi, who crossed her arms.
“Oshima Yuko-senpai, a third year who’s the guardian of Wind and Maeda Atsuko-senpai, also a third year and the guardian of ice. Yuko-senpai’s really cheerful but when she fights, she’s like a flying squirrel who has crazy spear-wielding skills to boot. On the other hand, Atsuko-senpai has this aura of solitariness which is befitting for her title as guardian of ice… you can’t simply predict what she might do next and the next moment you panic and start thinking, she’d have a sword by your neck!” Airi explained, dramatizing everything she went through that made Rena clap at her with a blank expression and Jurina couldn’t help but had her jaw dropped.
“Yuko-senpai… and Atsuko-senpai… sound like mad people…”
Airi leaned back slightly, facing towards the sky above her, “… It’s because they’re serious on getting back to life.”
“What do you mean, Airin?” Rena asked, puzzled.
“If we do land a finishing blow that effectively ‘kills’ the guardian, we get an ‘existence orb’. Collecting all five, which includes the one we already have on default, means we get back to being human beings. We get revived, and have a second chance at life alongside the one we decided to give up our lives for.”
Airi’s explanation rendered both Matsuis speechless. The thought of ‘murdering’ someone never came into mind. Jurina couldn’t believe the fact she had to face a bloodbath soon… the fact she may have to kill someone with her own two hands despite the guardians being dead people to begin with. It frightened her. She had never, in her lifetime, had to face such a mentally challenging situation.
“So yeah. That’s pretty much what Churi and I know so far,” Airi turned to Jurina, “Any questions?”
“… Have you fought any of them before…?”
Airi smiled sheepishly and shook her head, “Of course~ not. I’ve only seen a fight between Yuko-senpai and Atsuko-senpai, that’s why I am able to clarify how they were like, since my earth skills can turn me and Churi invisible as long as there’s dirt nearby” she scratched the back of her head nervously, “however I think they ended on a deuce, no one killed off the other because their Masters stopped them in time before they destroyed the school’s backyard.”
“Wait, but I didn’t see any damages whatsoever?” Rena questioned.
“That’s because the damages magically disappear within 24 hours, and anyone who sees it, but are normal people, will get their memories wiped out~” Churi explained, before putting into her mouth a spoonful of rice.
“I see… then… about fighting…” Jurina clenched both of her fists in hopes to stop her trembling, “… Are you prepared for it…?”
“Honestly speaking, I think Airin’s going to chicken out at the last minute~” Akane chipped in with a smug look on her face, taunting her otaku-like friend and getting a hard punch out of it.
“Heh… You asked a good question, Juritan. I dunno… I guess that’s why I suggested the truce to bird brain here and she agreed…” She let out a defeated sigh, “… It’s not like we’re using you to save our own skin but… I thought maybe living like this a little longer would be nice, rather than having to fight and disappear forever.”
Jurina could sympathize with Airi. She would rather remain invisible as long as she could and stayed by Rena’s side. That wouldn’t be so bad either.
“Then we should stay out of trouble, shouldn’t we?” Rena turned to Jurina, “… Although I can’t remember who you were to me, but… at least you can remain here right?”
It pained Jurina when Rena put it that way. How would she make Rena remember all that has happened, since the beginning of their friendship? She had the burning desire of wanting to get the memories of her best friend back.
“That reminded me… Airi-san,” Airi returned a look at Jurina, “Does Churi-san remember anything from before her death?” The respondent shook her head, looking fairly depressed.
“I tried explaining before but it seems like Masters aren’t allowed the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like their brain immediately blocks out our voices, and they would just get knocked out if we did try to delve in further than we should. Just telling them they died wouldn’t be a problem, just the details like how she was or what happened when she died would trigger this stupid ‘block out’ think in their minds. It’s probably linked to how we’re alive right now though…” Airin explained, cupping her chin in deep thought.
“How did you know so much, Airi-san…?”
“Mmm… the guy in a mask told me. What, he didn’t tell you?”
“No! He just told me other guardians will tell me or something!”
Airi laughed aloud, “Hahaha! Serves you right for being the ‘strongest’! Then again, it’s probably a handicap for all of us to know more than you do, in case you finish us all in one fell swoop.”
Jurina pouted, “… I’m not that crude of a person.”
“Hmm well, I hope this whole cooperation thing goes as planned!” Airi punched into mid-air with a grin.
“Thanks Airi-san, Churi-san,” Jurina smiled.
- - - - - -
As they continued their idle chatter over lunch to get to know each other a bit more, little did they know, a silhouette was behind the door leading to the rooftop, listening to the important bits and pieces of their conversation before leaving the scene.