"I'm sorry..." Those are the only words I manage to whimper out. The trauma is all in my head. Nothing is hurting, and nothing is burning. I'm just being weak. How much weakness have I shown just now?

"Are you feeling alright, Seraph?" I looked up to Sol. She looked a little worried but not as worried as I thought she would be. I look at Tabby's reaction, and she's just a little confused. She even has her tilted slightly. I mustn't have shown as much fear as I thought I had. I don't think they even heard me apologize for no reason.

"Yeah," I reassure her. "Just getting my thoughts in order." 

"I see..." Sol tenderly smiled at me. She still looked a little concerned, however. That kindness is too bright. "Just take your time." Thank you, Miss Sol. Time was short, so I gave the story quickly, omitting most of it. It may have been abridged, but I told her the story from beginning to end as much as I could bear.

Sol addressed me as we returned to class. "That's right. The chairwoman mentioned it this morning. The officers of the Blue Lily and Red Rose societies have to come to her office. I'm an officer in the Blue Lily society, so I have to go. I thought it might be nice if you came along. I'm sure the discussion will be about you."

"Sure, I'll go, but what are those societies?"

"They're the student council's servants... rather, their supplementary societies. I'll explain it to you more after class."

After class, I went with Sol to the chairwoman's office. "Before we hear what the chairwoman has to say," Sol says to me. "Are you aware of your place here at Vincennes and its current state?"

"Yes, I remember." Last time, on DBZ. Vincennes is losing students, the reconstruction of the campus building has left the school in dire financial straits, and they need more students to recover their finances. But given the decline of students of recent years, that wasn't going to happen. Through some herculean leap in logic, it was decided that the only reliable method would be to accept boys and become coeducational. The traditionalists didn't exactly like this idea, and the board was split for a few years before the chairwoman threw the choice of the matter at the students. To make sure that the students are able to make an informed decision, it was decided to integrate a handful of male students to help guide their judgement. I'm the only one they found, however. So I have to somehow convince everyone that dudes are cool and should be allowed in school.

"Naturally, we don't expect you to represent the entirety of the male sex," Thank you for not expecting that of me. I would've had to develop MPD to pull that off. "I'm honestly glad only one student was found. To find fifty-one good people out of a hundred, or just one. That latter is easier, don't you think."

"...Yeah, I think so."

"That's how much I'm counting on you, Seraph." Don't say that. That's cheating. Now I have to move Heaven and Hell to make sure your trust isn't misplaced. No pressure or anything. "The mission of the scholarship student... or rather, what we hope to see, is for you to change how the others feel. Let me make this very clear. At present, it is safe to presume that out of the entire student body, I am the only one in favour of reform." Beautiful, I think to myself. 

"I truly believe that Vincennes would be better off as a coeducational school than as an all-girls one. I know how indispensable men really are." Huh? "Well, setting aside my personal opinion, there are only two sexes in this world. It seems odd to dismiss one of them entirely. Well, Seraph, from now on, your duty as a scholarship student is to make those around you accept your presence. The first test will be at the end of the first trimester. I really do feel sorry about that..." She sounded so upset about it.

"No, don't worry. You have nothing to apologize for."

"Mrs Monette was very insistent on that point. It puts the scholarship student and the reform party at a great disadvantage..." 

"Mrs Monette? Monette, as in Marie Monette?"

"Yes. Marie's grandmother is the board advisor." 

"So... does that mean Marie is against us?" 

Sol nodded dejectedly. "...It is likely." As La Grande Soeur de Toute,¹'Everyone's Big Sister.' The title that is given to the student council president, Marie Monette.Marie was bound to carry a lot of influence. Sol clearly had a lot of influence of her own, being Soleil De École,²'Sun of the School.' Sol's titlebut I'm not sure that would be enough. "I believe the first vote would be a low hurdle, though. At the least, it is easier to accept than schoolwide reform. Though, of course, we don't want to declare victory just yet..." She spoke a warning to herself, then continued. "Then, at the end of the year, we'll hold the Grande Vote. In actuality, this vote is just about electing the next student council president, but..." she trailed off, trying to get her thoughts in order. "All the students vote in the student council election. This is the same everywhere, right?"

"I believe so."

"And generally, anyone can announce themselves as candidate, right?"

"Yeah... Is it different here or something?"

"Technically, anyone can. But there's... you could call it a precedent or tradition, but there can only be two candidates. One is the head of the Blue Lily society. The other is the head of the Red Rose society. By the way, unlike the president, the selection of society heads is done immediately after the beginning of the first term."

"How soon will that be?"

"Today. The vote will take place immediately after we speak to the chairwoman." So I guess the societies chose their own officers. "Although we usually decide it amongst ourselves at the end of the third term, so it's really just a formality. That's to say, we've already unofficially been chosen. I'm the head of the Blue Lily society, and Luna is the head of the Red Rose. Next years election will be a contest between the two of us, and we'll each present our manifesto; mine will be 'reform' and Luna's will be 'preservation of the old ways.'"

TL;DR: The fate of school reform came down to who was elected president. You could almost say that they had appropriated the meaning of the traditional Grande Vote just to represent that decision. 

"In reality," There's more? "It will be the Blue Lily society and Red Rose society, Luna and I competing... But the real deciding factor will be you." Of course. Why wouldn't it be? I don't want to do this. "So please, do the best you can do." She smiled. For that smile, I'll do anything. I never knew I was so easily manipulated. Sol reached out and took my hand into a handshake. 

"Oh, my... they're holding hands."

"She really is progressive, isn't she?"

Y'all know it's just a handshake, right?

---

We entered the chairwoman's office, and about a dozen other people were gathered there. 

"I'm sorry I'm late," Sol apologized to the chairwoman. "I was just briefing him about everything that happened..."

"...Sol, Seraph is not a member of the Association..." said the girl with the pretty eyes. I think her name was Rosalia? 

"I am well aware of that. But Seraph will be the subject of the conversation," she says with absolute certainty. 

"...Even so..." Rosalia spoke up, a little unsure.

"Now, now. It's no trouble," The chairwoman steps in and speaks placatingly. "I'm not trying to give my granddaughter special treatment," she says, probably lying through her teeth. "But Sol is correct. It will be easier if he's here for the discussion."

"...Very well..." Rosalia diffidently relented. The chairwoman looked at me.

"Feel free to come in, Seraph." At this point, I was standing near the doorframe, ready to enter or leave at a moments notice. I entered and found that the students in the room were subtly divided into two groups. I'm guessing they were split into their societies. If that's the case, then Rosalia would be in the Red Rose society. She was standing with the short-haired girl who reprimanded me when I committed the most horrendous crime against humanity when I referred to titles as nicknames. I believe her name was Luna, and she was the head of the Red Rose society. 

"I believe you all know why I called you here," the chairwoman spoke. "It regards next year's Grande Vote. When changing fundamental principles of school policy, naturally, the people's will is required. Seraph was allowed to come here to help guide that will, but I don't believe that will be enough. I would like the Blue Lily and Red Rose societies to assist him."

"What do you mean?" The girl, whose name I think was Luna, asked in slight disbelief. I agree with her sentiment. What did she mean?

"To shape the will of the people. In the year to come, I want you all to educate the students in preparation for the Grande Vote. While I do not doubt the judgement of the Filles De La Vincennes...³Girls/Maidens of Vincennes. there is a tendency to treat the Grande Vote as a popularity contest. I want you all to work hard to make sure that doesn't happen this time. That is what I called you here to say. How do you feel, Luna?"

"Naturally, I have no objections. Everyone knows that this student council election will represent the school's future." She was a lot more accepting than I thought she would be.

"I see. Sol?" She turned to her granddaughter.

"I agree completely. This was my intent from the beginning."

"I see. Then I expect both Associations to work diligently on the matter this year. Are there any objections?" No particular objections came from the Red Rose society.

But, as I expected, a voice from the Blue Lily society spoke up.

"I cannot participate, although I do not disagree with you in concept."

"...Why is that, Yvette?" The chairwoman asks.

"Because I am against reform." The chairwoman nodded her head in understanding. Naturally, I knew this was going to happen. It won't only be this one student either. It'll be everyone in the Blue Lily society (Sol exempted, of course). It makes sense. Just because they were members of the Blue Lily society didn't mean they agreed with Sol's ideas. "So to tell me that I must act to aid reform... if I may be blunt, it's ridiculous! Pardon me, Sol. But I absolutely refuse to participate in this task." Sol looked distraught. It was clear that in her naivety, she never considered this outcome.

"No, I'm sorry," the chairwoman apologized. "I spoke thoughtlessly. I was thinking of the Blue Lily and Red Rose society as blocs. I failed to acknowledge that their members have their own beliefs." It even slipped by the chairwoman? The girl named Yvette looked at the floor in silence for a time and finally spoke in a whisper. 

"...It's just that... the eventual fate of our school will come down to the results of the Grande Vote... and so, I..." She untied an azure-coloured ribbon on her arm.

"Yvette!" Sol was stunned beyond disbelief. What's goin' on?

"I return this to you, Sol." She held the ribbon out to Sol, who took it, wide-eyed. I only now notice the same ribbon on Sol's arm and the rest of the Blue Lilies. I glance over at the Red Roses and see that they have the same type of ribbon on their arms, only red. This must be tantamount to Yvette resigning without notice. "...Excuse me." She left the room hurriedly. Another student addressed Sol. 

"It appears that the lion's share of the work for reform has been pushed onto our association at some point. Sol. Do you intend to fight this battle under the banner of reform?"

"...Yes."

"Then I cannot participate, either." 

One refusal came after another. Unsurprisingly, all of the members of the Blue Lily society had left the room. Sol could only stand there dejectedly with her hands full of blue ribbons, staring at the door from which her allies had gone.

"What will you do, Sol?" Luna asks. I couldn't tell if she was being concerned or if she was kicking her while she was down. "You seem to have lost all of your allies."

No she hasn't. 

Not all of them.

"You know I'm still here, right?"