The magical community has recently come under fire by an as-yet unnamed group that seems to have little regard for the barrier between the magical world and the nijū world. While sources say the group has been around since late last year, it has only been in recent months that their activities have started to be noticed. Two nights ago a storefront in Shibuya was found to be vandalized, the display glass shattered and the interior ravaged. The owner of the store had no comment for the press but has stated publicly that nothing was taken. This follows after another attack, this one on a noted dining establishment, where apart from vandalism there was graffiti written in a script that left nijū officers confused.
On the surface these attacks hardly seem connected but the graffiti at the restaurant was an ancient script dating back to a time when wizards inscribed spells onto stones to imbue them with magical properties. The restaurant's owner is a graduate of Mahoutokoro School of Magic who, upon marriage, settled into a nijū way of life at the insistence of his wife. It is yet unknown what connection the Shibuya shop owner has to the roving gang of vandals, but it is clear this group is likely to strike again. Business owners are understandably anxious.
This anxiety has been brought to the attention of the Magical Diet, the governing body of our magical world, though action has yet to be taken. Shohei Kurosawa, the current Minister of Japanese Magic and head of the Magical Diet has voiced his opinion on the matter.
"We have no reason to believe these attacks, such as they are, are anything more than a bunch of miscreants looking to cause a little bit of trouble for people. Misguided youths most likely. Rest assured if we feel that action needs to be taken, it will be taken. This is a job the nijū police officers can handle."
Many remain unconvinced by the Minister's words and his inaction is yet another mark on a reputation that has been anything but sterling thus far. After the controversy surrounding the Diet's decision to work more closely with nijū government in matters that don't affect both parties, many are in the belief that the current Ministry administration is far more interested in tearing down magical borders than reinforcing them.
-Continued on page 5A
"Bah, that Minister needs to be ousted already. He and that whole organization."
"He's right, though. This isn't their responsibility."
"They know ancient runes, doesn't that mean there's magic users among them?"
"Exactly my point! What's to stop them from going after more magical businesses? Or the SCHOOL? I've got a daughter going there today! How is she supposed to feel safe if thugs can just do what they please?"
Tokyo Station was, as usual, bustling with activity. From regular commuters on their way to work to the conductors trying to maintain order, down to the students who were back for another year of school shenanigans. Even the shops were opening up to provide coffee or paper to those who were too busy to have the luxury of a breakfast at home. Spring was here at long last and the station was newly remodeled to provide easier pathways and fewer stopgaps in foot traffic. There was, however, one corner of the station that always seemed to be under construction.
In a corner of the station, away from the cross traffic and the blaring announcements of which lines were now boarding, was a seemingly abandoned gate. While the nijū referred to it as 'Deadman's Corner' due to it looking like a place where urban legends would spawn, those in the know called it the 'MT Line'. All it took was a flash of a special ticket on the turnstyle and everything became clear. A lengthy escalator trip downwards through the MT Line gate opened up to a side of Tokyo Station that was a world all its own.
The MT Line Terminal was the epicenter for young students embarking on their journey to Mahoutokoro full time. The Terminal was like every part of Tokyo Station condensed into one singular platform. One side, stretching down the length of the tiled flooring, contained various shops and stands. Students could purchase the newest issue of the Kotodama Shibun, the premiere newspaper for the Japanese wizarding world. If they needed snacks for the trip over, various shops and stands offered those services, including the always popular takoyaki and taiyaki stands that were next to each other and owned and operated by a sibling duo that often bickered with each other while filling orders.
For students that couldn't arrive via the MT Line Gate there was a shop that served no purpose other than to serve as an exit for an interconnected Floo Network. There was even a shop for students who were a bit lazy with preparation and dealt in secondhand textbooks and school supplies at a reasonable, though inflated, price. The Terminal was a prime place for returning students to meet up with friends, for parents to say goodbye to their young children, and for first timers to truly start to get a sense of awe at the world they were about to embrace fully.
The other side of The Terminal was where the pride and joy of the Mahoutokoro transportation line sat. A sleek, pristine pearl train that resembled a Shinkansen, or bullet train, sat on the track. Though it had the look of a bullet train, its speed wasn't that fast as they wanted students to fully enjoy the fact that their transportation to school took them on an underwater journey complete with a chance to see aquatic creatures from the comfort of a train so smooth it barely made any noise as it went on its way.
Inside the train were compartments and in each compartment were cabins that comfortably sat four, two per seat, with a car designed for looking out at the water and for larger socializing known as the Observatory Car. Before arriving at the school and getting into the spirit of intramural competition, the Mahoutokoro Shinkansen was the place for students of opposite houses to mingle freely, without the spirit of competition hanging over them.
It was the start of yet another school year and students were shuffling about, saying their goodbyes and making their greetings. The concerns of the magical world seemed far away from the hustle and bustle of The Terminal.
The Mahoutokoro Shinkansen was now boarding for yet another year of education and wonder.
No matter how often she saw it, the sight of The Terminal always brought a smile to Junko's face. Coming down the escalator and stepping out into what was basically another world held just as much wonder now, going into her fifth year, as it did when she was a naive kid embarking on her first year's courses. Everything about it brought about a happy feeling. The sight of faces familiar and new bustling about, the proud look on parents as they saw off their first year students, the buzz of conversation of all sorts flowing from every direction, the delectable aroma of takoyaki...
Junko Serizawa pierced an octopus ball with a toothpick and popped it into her mouth, completely ignoring the warning from its chef about how hot it would be fresh off the fryer. The regret was written on her face, which tensed up, eyes widening, and mouth closing shut. It was like putting a ball of fire directly into her mouth; a ball of fire that was utterly delicious, but she was regretting letting her hunger take temporary control of all her sense.
Presently the incoming fifth year was seated on a bench near the row of snack shops, a tray of five takoyaki resting in her palm. By her count, that being the clock hanging overhead that didn't tell time so much as it displayed a countdown to departure, she had twenty minutes before she had to board. Twenty minutes wasn't a lot of time but it was enough to mingle, to enjoy takoyaki, and most importantly to find one of two things. People to share a cabin with on the trip over or a certain person who did so have a knack for being late. Or lazy. The two were synonymous.
Another year was on the horizon, and though she didn't show it due to the warped-by-hot-food expression on her face, Junko could not have been more excited to get back to the castle atop the mountain.
