Three pm

At the end of the day, Angel exited out the back of the school. Moments later, Cassia and Mina joined her as the trio then headed to the tennis courts. But when Angel glanced at Mina, she noticed her eyes were dark and baggy.

“Hello, what’s wrong with your face? Were you crying?” Angel asked Mina.

Cassia stepped forward. “Mina broke up with Stephanie at lunch today," she answered.

“Really?” Angel squinted at Mina. “So, was Stephanie upset? Because I don’t want that girl causing problems for us.”

“Angel!” Cassia scolded. 

“What? I’m just saying.”

“Stephanie’s a proud girl,” Mina said. “She won’t make trouble.”

"Oh?" Angel scowled. “You sound like a jilted lover still holding feelings for her.” 

“Angel, stop.” Cassia raised her voice.

“I’m just teasing her. I mean, it’s not like Mina didn’t bring this on herself.”

“Yes, well. The heart can be fickle, and not always logical,” Cassia defended Mina. 

“Of course, dear sister. And don't worry, Mina. I’m sure the situation will work itself out,” Angel said with a smirk. “In the meantime, let’s go talk with the mysterious transfer student, shall we?”

Meet

When the Krieger sisters reached the tennis court, Skye Martinez was already there. The pretty girl stood by the fence bouncing a tennis ball on the ground. 

“Ahem!” Angel interrupted as the Kriegers stepped on the court. 

“Hey!” Skye glanced up. “You’re three minutes late. And you brought your pack with you.”

“Yes, we travel as a unit,” Angel said. “But you already knew that because we’ve met before. Haven’t we?”

“Heh heh, maybe.” Skye smirked. But Cassia and Mina appeared confused.

“Angel, what do you mean we've met before?” Cassia asked. 

“Yeah, sis. Do we know her?” Mina asked.

“Hmph.” Angel ignored the questions while staring at Skye. She then opened her palm and whispered, “Arena.” Just then, a howling wind converged on the tennis court and created four, visually distorted walls that surrounded the court. Meaning, from the outside, the wind walls made it appear as if no one were on the field. The walls even deadened the sound. 

“Whoa!” Skye gazed at the elemental wind magic. “This is amazing! Like a cage. But I thought you invited me here to talk?” 

“I did. And whatever you say will determine your fate. Because, unlike my sisters here, I know who you are!” Angel then stepped forward into a battle stance and glared at Skye. This caught Mina and Cassia off-guard. 

“Angel, what’s going on?” Cassia asked. 

“Yeah, sis. Who is this girl?” Mina asked as all three sisters took a stance. 

"Heh." Angel grinned. “My dear sisters. Skye here is not a magical girl. Oh no. What she is is a lying, thieving, wolf!”

“Eh?” Cassia gasped as she and Mina gazed at Skye in disbelief. “She’s that wolf we fought?”

“Yeah, that was me,” Skye answered, then looked at Angel. “You figured me out, eh Valkyrie?” As Skye spoke, canine fangs formed in her mouth while her pupils narrowed to serpentine slits. “But like I told you in class. I’m not hiding.”

"It's really her," Mina said. 

"Yes. And it also means she has the summoning crystal don't you, wolf?" Angel asked.

"I do," Skye answered. She then placed her fingers in her mouth and pulled out an oval-shaped crystal from her throat.

"Eww!" the sisters cried.

"Get over yourselves," Skye said, displaying the summoning crystal. "And I'm holding on to this."

"Not if I take it from you!" Angel growled, stepping forward. 

"Sis, wait," Mina clutched Angel's hand. She then glared at Skye. "So, you followed us to this realm and you know who we are. We get that. But who are you and what do you want?"

Skye shook her head. “I already told you. I'm Skye Martinez from Texas. And Earth is my world." After speaking, Skye tossed the crystal back into her mouth and swallowed it.

"Eww!" the sisters cried.

"Oh stop already." Skye frowned at the Kriegers before continuing, “Now, as for what I want. Well, I'll admit when I attacked you on Cionis I was trying to prevent you from coming to Earth. But now that you're here, and I'm aware of other things happening, my plans have changed."

“Do your plans involve Emilia?” Cassia asked. 

“You mean the god-contractor Emilia. Leaking celestial energy like an overcharged battery.” Skye squinted at the sisters. “Energy I smell on you three. Who must be using her to refill your own life-force since your Skygod is dead. Am I right?”

The Krieger sisters glared at Skye before Angel answered. “You seem well informed of things.”

“Yeah, I have a good nose,” Skye said, sniffing the air. “A nose that also tells me that you girls have tangled with something else that doesn’t belong on this realm. Something hella strong.”

“A nether demon,” Mina said. “It’s shown itself a few times now.”

“Ah.” Skye shook her head. “That damn sorcerer really sent that thing through then. Wow, I failed to prevent any of this.” She looked down at the ground with apparent disappointment. She then glanced up. “Welp, I guess I’ll have to go for plan-B, and have you guys help me get rid of that thing.”

“Help you?” Angel asked as her expression changed from surprise to hate. She then stepped forward. “Alright, wolf-girl.”

“My name is Skye.”

“Whoever you are, I've had enough of you,” Angel said before speaking a summon, “Eagle Talon Geira!” 

Just then, a long silver and white broadsword formed in Angel’s hand. 

“Angel, what are you doing?” Cassia whispered. 

“Dealing with this girl, my dear sisters,” Angel said. “So, you two stay back.”

“Tsk. Tsk.” Skye shook her head before a smooth-handled cane-sword formed in her right hand. “I knew you wanted to clash with me, Angel cake. I saw the hate in your face when you got sucked into that vortex.” She then looked up. “But I really don’t want to fight you.” On Skye’s last words, the blade of her sword became sheathed. She then stood in a defensive stance with the covered sword.

“Hmph!” Angel glared at Skye before sheathing her own sword. “Alright then. I won’t kill you. I’ll just beat the stuffing out of you. And when I do, you’ll give me the summoning crystal.”

“Ah.” Skye nodded. “But what if you can’t beat me?”

“If you beat my sister, then we’ll help you,” Cassia answered. 

“What the hell?” Angel gaped at Cassia. “Cassia, why would you-” 

“It's fair play, sis,” Mina said, intervening. “And pushing your ego aside, we still have a ton of questions for that wolf girl. So go with it.” Mina then looked at Skye. “How about it then? If my sister beats you, you give us the crystal. But if you win, we’ll listen.”

“Fine with me.” Skye shrugged. “I'll be Angel's huckleberry.” 

“Thats right, you'll be my…whatever!” Angel squinted while raising her sheathed sword. But before she could blink, Skye pounced! “Ah!” 

Crack! Crack! Crack! 

Angel blocked three blinding strikes from Skye’s sword before going on the offensive with her own blows. But a true warrior, Skye defended and parried, much to Angel’s surprise. She’s faster than I thought!

After the first attack, the clash of sheathed swords slicing and blocking echoed throughout the court. And no matter how fast each fighter struck, they were matched by the other.

“Whoa. Skye is just as fast as Angel,” Mina said. 

“So it appears,” Cassia replied. “But don’t count our sister out yet.”

And just as Cassia spoke, Angel blocked another strike and then countered with a side-kick straight into Skye’s gut.

“Ooof!” Skye grimaced from the blow which knocked her back. 

But as Skye caught her balance, Angel placed her palm out and growled, “Push!” Just then a box of compressed wind flew at Skye, who didn’t have time to block. So instead, Skye leaped straight up as the wind passed underneath her. “How the hell?” And on her way down, Skye transformed into a full wolf and fired a white core-beam out of her mouth at the ground beneath Angel’s feet. “Ah!” Angel jumped back from the blast, which sent dirt flying into her face. But unfazed, Angel swung her sword at where Skye should have landed. But she hit nothing. Because Skye disappeared. What? Where did she go-

“Sis, she’s underground!” Mina yelled. But by the time Angel spotted the hole in the court, it was too late. For in less than a second, the wolf blew another hole from underneath Angel. And when the wolf leaped out, she transformed into Skye again, but this time she caught Angel from behind in a headlock, with her sheathed sword held against Angel’s throat. 

“This is the end, Valkyrie! I win!” Skye growled, holding Angel tight from behind. “Throw down your sword!” 

“Ah.” Angel stopped moving. She then dropped her sword and smiled. “Well, now, wolf-girl. You do have some punch. However, it’s premature to call a win when we haven't finished the fight.”

“No, the fight- Ah!” Before Skye could speak, a slicing wind dropped from above, aimed at her head. “Crap!” 

Skye immediately blocked the wind with her sword. But in the moment it took to defend, Angel turned with a cruel smile and her palm out. “Push.”

“Gaaah!” Skye cried out while shielding her chest with her arms as a compressed block of air punched her whole body clear across the tennis court, slamming her against the fence. She then dropped face-first to the ground. "...Ugh."

And Angel, vindicated, stood straight up and berated her. "Ha! That's what you get for attacking us on Cionis, you stupid wolf! And thank your gods that I didn't kill you!"

For a moment after, all went silent. Then Skye lifted herself off the ground and dusted off her skirt and stockings before smirking at Angel. “Yes, yes, Angel cake. You got the fight out of your system. We’re all proud of you. But I'm still holding on to the crystal.”

“Then I’ll cut it out of you!” 

“Sis, enough.” Mina placed her hand on Angel’s shoulder and then looked at Skye. “Hey, let’s call it a draw. But you still give us information. And we may decide to help you.”

“You don’t have a choice but to help me, if you expect to live,” Skye answered. “But anyway, yeah, let’s talk. You wanna head to my place? It’s small, but only a fifteen minute walk.”

“We’re not going anywhere with you!” Angel barked. 

“Our house is close by,” Cassia said. “Plus I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, we should order take out,” Mina said. 

Angel gaped at both of them. “What are you two talking about? She can’t come to our house!”

“You guys have a house?” Skye asked with a surprised look. 

“Yes, and we should head there now, since you and my sister destroyed the tennis court,” Cassia said pointing at the holes in the ground.

“I didn’t cause that damage, it was the wolf!” Angel claimed.  

“You started the fight, sis,” Mina said. 

“But I-”

“Mist!” Cassia commanded while clapping her palms together. And in a moment, the entire neighborhood was enveloped in a thick fog. “Alright, let’s go before someone sees us and the damage to the court.” Cassia then grabbed Angel’s hand and escorted her off the school grounds, with Mina and Skye right behind. 

…