Mission 61 (
Summary[]
Madam Schlag stuns a smoker
The cloudy skies over Eden Academy rumble as Madam Schlag walks through the school. Upon noticing a student smoking behind a pillar, she gestures to Rahden to hand her a box. With a loud clap of thunder, the student suddenly faints to the ground with a Tonitrus Bolt on his forehead as the woman and a keeper of her box walk away.
In Cecile Hall's classroom, Henry Henderson berates the student for the recent increase in tardiness and late homework assignments, eyeing Anya in particular. As Anya and Becky leave the classroom, they are interrupted by Damian, who mocks Anya's tardiness and bets she will be the first to be expelled for getting eight bolts. Becky defends Anya and begins to bicker with Emile and Ewen, the latter two declaring that the three of them will run through the school in their underpants if Damian gets a Tonitrus Bolt.
Bill warns Cecile Hall of "Old Lady Tonitrus"
Before Damian can rebuke his friends, Bill Watkins runs towards Cecile Hall's students, warning them to run away before it is too late. Outside, a pair of messily dressed older students complain about the noisy first-years, and Madam Schlag, getting Tonitrus Bolts from her box again, penalizes the boys for their unkempt uniforms, uncouth speech, and conspiring to commit acts of violence, placing Tonitrus Bolts on their foreheads. Madam Schlag calls her move "Tonitrus Strike" and receives a compliment from Rahden. She disparages the students of Murdoch Swan's Cline Hall, and Henry appears, greeting Mistress Schlag on her return, but wonders if she is over-doing at the fainted students. Schlag smirks at Henry as she suggests paying his first-years a visit next and walks away. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Bill tells about Mistress Donna Schlag's back after her hospitalization and her fearsome reputation for handing out Tonitrus Bolts for any infraction, rumored to have single-handedly expelled over a hundred students, earning her the alias "Old Lady Tonitrus."
Anya finds out that Donna enjoys punishing students
Bill warns Cecile Hall to run away as his classroom has already fallen victim to and faints. Becky, horrified, calls for her classmates to safety, but before anyone can escape, Donna is already in front of the students and introduces herself, instructing them to line up and prepare for a bag inspection. In the classroom, Donna checks the students' bags, giving out Tonitrus Bolts for snacks and playing cards she finds in them. To Anya's horror, she realizes Donna is gleefully having fun punishing the students. Damian is relaxed since he and his friends did not bring anything prohibited. However, Donna punishes a student with a Tonitrus for not bringing a handkerchief.
Anya imagines Damian and Donovan's gratitude
When another student tries to protest, Donna calls for silence and then recounts the tale of an honor student who wiped his hands on his pants as he forgot to bring his handkerchief, earning him the nickname "Mr. Pee Pants" and eventually getting himself expelled for being a troublemaker. All students quickly check for their handkerchiefs, and Damian is dismayed to find that he did not bring his own. He recalls the promise he and his friends made earlier to run around the school in their underpants and thinks about asking Ewen for his handkerchief but is unable to sacrifice his friend. Anya initially takes some joy in Damian's distress, but his thoughts that even a single Tonitrus Bolt would prevent him from facing his father again make her fear for Plan B. Changing his mind, Damian tries to ask Ewen, but he is too late. Believing that she has a spare handkerchief, Anya gives Damian her own and imagines how he and Donovan will thank her for her heroism.
Anya receives a Tonitrus
Donna checks the "A" monogrammed on Damian's borrowed handkerchief, and he excuses it by claiming it is the "A" in his name, which Donna doubtfully accepts. Next, Anya confidently goes forward but quickly realizes she did not bring a second handkerchief, and Donna gives her a Tonitrus. Seeing Anya cry, Damian feels conflicted and tries to admit the truth, but Anya sees that Donna intends to give them two bolts each if she finds out they tricked her and quickly stops him. After the bag inspection, Damian tries to express his gratitude in a roundabout manner. Anya does not fully understand but is happy that she has gotten closer to Damian despite her new Tonitrus.
At home, Anya tells Loid that they have gotten closer, and he gets happy to hear it. However, Loid quickly notices the new Tonitrus on Anya's chest and faints.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
- Endo joked that this chapter just exists so that he can say "Lady Tonitrus."[2]
References[]