Mandala - skeevy_nyx - 英雄伝説 閃の軌跡 | Sen no Kiseki (2024)

Chapter 1: Dibs

Chapter Text

12/13 - Monday - S.1204

OOO

Rean’s mind was already reeling, and he was starting to get vertigo watching as the Pantagruel plowed through the cloudbank. The fact that a ship this massive had managed to stay hidden from the Imperial government was frightening, indeed—though he supposed after witnessing such naked corruption first-hand this past year alone, nothing was hard to believe anymore.

He let his forehead touch the cool glass, his eyes falling closed. Duke Cayenne made him an offer which he planned to refuse, but... He had managed to make a compelling argument about the war dragging on until the Noble Alliance's inevitable victory. Rean had to consider the ongoing toll the civil war would have on innocent civilians—and he also had his sister and Princess Alfin's safety dangled over his head. Rufus appeared to strong-arm Duke Cayenne into agreeing not to harm them either way, but... they were still in the Noble Alliance's captivity. Rean also had to look out for the safety of his allies, and everyone left behind at Thors, and Ymir... Ugh, it was an overwhelming choice to be suddenly dumped into his lap—it definitely wasn't as black and white as Duke Cayenne and Rufus tried painting it. But... he couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to swing this. He'd never join the Noble Alliance, but... if he could just talk to Crow, maybe he could figure out what the hell he was doing backing them in the first place—how were they any less tyrannical than the Chancellor? If he could just get through to Crow, and convince him to come back to Class VII where he belonged... then instead of the Noble Alliance having two Divine Knights, their "third path" would have two—

Rean's fist clenched against the glass as the wave of emotions came flooding back. He had been so angry during their first fight, he was almost piloting Valimar on pure instinct—he just couldn't believe it, surely acting as "C" had to be some 4D-Blade strategy on Crow's part, right? But it wasn't... and hearing Crow snit, "You never knew me. Sorry about it—" just twisted the knife even more. He felt so sick, so violated—he couldn't believe he let a person like that in, he felt so stupid that a juvenile crush blinded him to all the signs, that he ignored his fight-or-flight responses—all because he felt so special that this charmingly eccentric second-year was paying attention to him—and Rean was foolish enough to think he saw through the layers of sarcasm and bullsh*t to the real Crow, that he understood him better than even Towa, Angelica, and George. He thought he had Crow pegged as a secret softie who cared just as deeply as everyone else in Class VII that he made fun of for being sappy—but when Crow tossed him that sword and said, "And don’t get all delusional that I was your ‘boyfriend’ or whatever—you better come at me like you want to kill me, because I’m not showing you an ounce of mercy. Heh—guess it was a fun distraction though, I gotta admit"—something in him just snapped.

Rean stared absently out the window, watching the clouds being obliterated by the Pantagruel's dizzying speed. But now… now that he had time to look back at everything with a cool head, to consider Crow’s actions objectively—why was he so conflicted? He refused to believe that everything was a lie—there were so many times that Crow went out of his way for them, moreso than he would've needed to "stay in character"—even just for their performance, he could've easily just stepped aside or accepted a supporting role, but he drilled them almost as hard as Elliot, making sure they put on a show they could be proud of, and no one would ever forget. It just seemed like a pain in the ass for a guy who was just "biding his time"... and Rean had seen the mask slip enough times, when it was just the two of them—when he wasn't looking cool or charming at all, and just looked tired, smiling with self-aware insincerity—nobody could convince Rean that wasn't the real Crow, the one he had to stuff down to become "C". And if he was just trying to lay low and conceal his identity, and the end goal of assassinating the Chancellor was all that mattered—why did he tell Rean about his Grampa? Why did he bother getting close to Rean at all, why would he go the extra mile and get all "dripped out" for the dance and make sure Rean had a night he'd never forget—why would he sleep with him? And why did it feel like Crow was going out of his way now to hurt him more on purpose? Ugh—he was just going around in circles, his brain was being battered around between the two emotional extremes. But—

He heard the door open, then the knock. "Hey, it’s me." The casualness of his voice made Rean's blood start boiling all over again. Crow strolled in so nonchalantly, holding what looked like a picnic basket of all things—Rean honestly couldn’t believe the audacity. Well—he could, and that just made him more mad. "Geez—if you keep pulling that face it's gonna get stuck like that."

"What do you want?"

Crow held up his free hand in a mock-surrender gesture, his trademark eyes-closed look of feigned innocence on garish display. "Hey, I just figured you were in here agonizing and beating yourself up thinking about everything." He actually winked, the bastard. "So I brought ya a little somethin'. Figured you’d be hungry." He set the basket down on the coffee table, and the absurdity of it almost made Rean think that he was actually still passed out in the snow, and this was all a hallucination.

Crow sat down on the other couch, still in his full tactical gear and his long trench coat. He opened the basket and pulled out two clamshells, setting one across from him on the table. Rean couldn't even comprehend what Crow's intentions were anymore—he had been so cold and condescending during their duel when he wiped the floor with him—but now he was back to his usual sarcastic self like nothing had happened. If this was supposed to be a misguided attempt at buttering him up to the idea of joining them—Crow had to know there was no way Rean would do that. He obviously didn't come around with food just out of the kindness of his heart—but being nice for manipulative purposes would be so transparent at this point, it was also futile—so, just what the hell was he playing at?

Crow dumped a bunch of fries on a platter, grabbing a few for himself. "Hey—you know, your harebrained idea of dragging me back to Class VII will be a lot easier if you join us."

"f*ck you—I can't believe you'd say that after everything you've done—"

Crow just laughed, munching his fries. "Go ahead—get it all out of your system." He nonchalantly picked up an onion ring. "Just eat something after you've calmed down, yeah?"

Rean could feel his blood rushing in his ears—but he was at a loss for words. He had thought about what he would say to Crow when he finally got face-to-face with him again—but it had all gone out the window. He wanted to yell at the Crow who betrayed him, who coldly piloted Ordine and brought Rean and Valimar to their knees without even breaking a sweat—but just who the hell was this guy? It was an almost cruel amalgamation of this dangerous stranger... and the Crow he thought he knew. His Crow.

Rean didn't know what else to do, so he turned from the window, hesitantly padding over to the other couch. The plate Crow had set between them was overflowing with golden fries and what looked line onion rings, with some little cups of dipping sauce. "Hey, it’s been a while—so hopefully it turned out okay. Check it out." He lifted the bun on his own burger, showing a thick pinkish patty slathered in red. "It’s my Grampa’s secret chili sauce, so even if you’re not hungry, just do me a favor and try it for his sake?" Rean thought he caught an almost pleading look in Crow’s eyes for a split second, then he took a big bite of his burger. Crow's eyes closed as he chewed, swiping his thumb at some sauce in the corner of his mouth. "—I won’t be able to face him on the other side if I f*cked it up." He nodded across the table at the other clamshell. "Go ahead—tell me what you think."

It wouldn’t do Rean any good to try to guess Crow’s motives anymore—apparently he was horrendously bad at it. So he might as well just indulge him for the time being—there had to be an endgame to this conversation. And... Crow probably knew it and did it on purpose, but Rean actually would feel bad if he didn't at least try his Grampa's secret recipe... Maybe if Rean played along and appealed to the Crow who told him about his Grampa in the first place, even knowing it might compromise his identity—he could Reverse-Blade it and win him over to leave the terrorists and escape with him… But, apparently Crow even saw right through him to that "harebrained" plan...

Rean looked at the burger in his hands. He was actually pretty hungry, since he refused to eat the lavish dinner Duke Cayenne offered him... He took a bite, and was surprised at the texture of the patty. It wasn’t beef, but it wasn’t poultry either… "—is this fish?"

"You got it—this stuff's comfort food where I come from. And it’s not some cheap farmed fish—this is wild-caught ocean fish, baby." Rean winced. Crow said "baby" a lot colloquially, even before he started using it as a pet name—it just stung to hear after everything that happened. "Mm." Crow took another bite, humming in contentment. "I know you like spicy food, but this type of coastal pepper's a little different—I think I did pretty well though, all things considering." That's right, Crow was apparently from the west coast... "—I guess it doesn’t matter if I tell you now. I was born in Jurai City, and I lived there until I was thirteen. That's when I started traveling around." That must have been when his Grampa passed away... "It’s a pretty peaceful spot by the ocean—at least it was when I was growing up." Crow was looking at the burger in his hands, with an unreadable expression. "It’s changed a lot now that there’s so much tourism and money flowing through the place—a lot of houses right on the beach got turned into vacation rentals, and the locals got priced out." His red eyes flicked up, finally meeting Rean’s. "But that’s capitalism for ya—what can ya do?" He made an over-exaggerated shrug. "At least some local flair like the street food is still being kept alive. Jurai hasn’t been completely swallowed into the Empire after becoming a Special Economic Zone."

Rean was a bit taken aback with how candid Crow was being. It was almost like… if he didn’t know better, it almost felt like Crow was saying all the things he wanted to before, like he had actually wanted to be honest with Rean about his life—but doing so would have blown his cover. Before, he would usually just smirk and say, "Who knows?" knowing that it would annoy Rean, but he would ultimately let it go and decide not to pry. But now… he supposed he didn’t have anything left to hide. "Had you not been back before you got sent there on your field study?"

"Nope. There's nothing for me there anymore." Crow took another bite. "It seems pretty peaceful now, but it's not the Jurai I knew."

Rean looked at the fish burger in his hands. The fact that Crow even bothered to try to replicate his Grampa’s secret sauce, and that he hoped he did it right… that just proved that the Crow he knew wasn’t all a lie, right? Crow tried teaching Rean that "life lesson" about giving swindlers like him the benefit of the doubt, that they’ll pretend to be soft and sentimental if they think they can get something out of you—but this just proved that there was actually a sentimental side to Crow. If he refused to step foot back in his hometown—maybe it just held too many painful memories. Crow was a real person who came from somewhere and was raised with love, and had neighborhood kids who looked up to him like a big brother, and he must have had goals for the future—he wasn’t just some empty shell out to fulfill a political ideology. Rean had to hang onto that scrap of hope—even if it made him feel stupid and ashamed of himself when Crow first threw it back in his face. But now that he was here in front of him again… despite everything Crow had said, inside there was a kid who was raised by his wild yet loving Grampa, who was going out of his way to keep his memory alive. That was the person Rean had to appeal to—not "C", but Crow, the real Crow he had caught flashes of when they were so close together Rean could see his own reflection in his eyes. Even without Valimar ratting him out, Rean knew there was discord in his heart when Crow said, "The Crow you knew was a lie."

Rean took a second bite of the fish burger, paying special attention to the soft flakiness of the patty, and the way the subtle sweetness of the spicy sauce complimented the mild flavor. The bun was grilled on the underside, but still soft on top—and there was a slice of tomato, but no other toppings to complicate the delicate balance of flavors. Rean could definitely see how this could be addictive street food. It was pretty obvious with his not-so-subtle glances that Crow had been waiting on the edge of his seat for some feedback. "—it’s pretty good. The sauce has a subtle sweetness that compliments the mildness of the fish. I like the texture, too—it’s flaky without falling apart." Rean swore he saw Crow breathe a sigh of relief.

"sh*t—that’s good. Guess the old man won't have to whap me with Aidios' longest newspaper after all." Crow’s eyes were closed while he smirked to himself. "As long as it's better than that omelet I made, that's good enough for me."

"Oh... you made that?"

"Whoops." He gave a derisive laugh, probably at himself. "Guess I blamed it on Sharon in case it didn't turn out well, I forgot." So... Rean was right, Crow really did go out of his way to make that "breakfast in bed" the morning after the school dance... Aidios, it was sh*t like that that had him so confused. Why would Crow bother to do things like that, if this was still his endgame? Just to soften the blow? Then why was he provoking Rean so hard during their fight, almost like he was intentionally severing their ties in the most cruel way he could think of? It just didn’t make any sense...

Rean let his arms relax on top of his lap, staring at his half-eaten burger. The fact that Crow was here now, even though he surely knew Rean had no intention of joining them—it could only mean he was giving Rean one last chance to have "closure". That was a kindness in itself, despite the circ*mstances leading up to it—if the Crow he knew was such a lie, then why would he bother trying to give Rean peace of mind and a clean break? This might be his last chance to talk to him—he had to draw out that Crow—his Crow. "Crow, what was it like growing up with your Grampa?"

Crow gave a quiet scoff. "Why do you wanna know that?" He talked with food still in his mouth. He swallowed heavily, then gave a facetious smile. "What's the point? Just finish your burger. If you want to honor the old man’s memory so bad, then just enjoy it." Crow took another bite.

Rean set his burger back in the clamshell. "No. I won’t." Crow’s eyes narrowed a bit. "I’d like to hear about your Grampa, and about you, and Jurai. Until then, I'm not taking another bite."

Crow’s eyes were a bit dark. Then he sighed. "It’s really not cool to pry into a guy’s past, you know?" Then he made an exaggerated shrug. "Fine. Have it your way. But I’m finishing my damn burger first—I don’t want it to get cold." He took an almost comically large bite, like a bratty kid maliciously complying to their parents telling them to eat their vegetables. It felt so bizarre—like the Crow sitting in front of him was the same chill, cheesy, extra, smartass Crow Rean grew to like so much. So which was true—were they both the real Crow, or were they both fake? "Hah—you know why I even told you all that in the first place? ‘Cause I knew you wouldn’t pry."

"Well..." Rean was almost getting embarrassed saying this out loud. "I just figured you'd tell me more about yourself when you were ready." Crow was still for a second, and his expression was unreadable. It was almost like he was so used to double-dealing and watching his back at all times, that he had a hard time believing someone like Rean could actually be so sincere, with no other ulterior motives.

"Heh." He scoffed to himself. "... So, you wanna know about my old man, huh?" His voice was oddly flat. "I already told you he withered away and died—isn’t it a little tasteless to want to know more than that?"

Rean felt himself swallow. "I want to know, because he was obviously important to you. Please." He tried looking in Crow's eyes, but he was avoiding it. "I want to hear about him."

Crow sighed loudly. "Well, it’s not a very happy story, if that much wasn’t obvious. I told you—that sh*t all happened a long time ago." He crossed one of his legs. "I’m not the only brat out there with a sob story like that, so forgive me if I’m a little detached talking about it." He was looking out the window, his arms folded. "Well—you already know I was raised by my old man. Hmph—you probably assumed he got sick or died of old age, right?" Crow's eyes flicked up to his, and Rean almost swallowed again. "Well—the old man was a heavy drinker and he liked to smoke, but he was in pretty good health for a guy his age. He wasn't all that old when he died—he just lost the will to live after the Empire f*cked around with him." Rean felt his brows furrow. What did that mean? He admitted he knew next to nothing about the Jurai Special Economic Zone—or the former Jurai City, for that matter. "My old man was the Mayor of Jurai, and after all that sh*t went down he stepped down in shame and lived like a recluse. He didn’t exactly kill himself, but…" Rean winced at the words. "He didn't have much left to keep him going, so he just faded away like a ghost." Crow rolled his eyes. "Like that stupid thing I wrote. It happened just like that."

Rean licked his lips. "What happened? Why did your Grampa have to step down, what did the Empire do?"

Crow shrugged. "What else? What the Empire does best."

OOO

Crow scoffed to himself, a facetious smirk on his face. "You know what they say—once you sip the devil's water, nothing tastes as sweet. With the railway line out of commission, Jurai was in chaos—investors pulled out, trade dried up overnight—all that sweet capital turned to sea foam, and the citizens were panicking that the bright future promised by the railway had come crashing down like a house of cards." His arms were folded as he looked out the window. "It seemed like the whole city was frothing at the mouth to accept the Chancellor's proposal to become a Special Economic Zone—everyone except my old man. It wasn't his first rodeo—he knew the timing was too convenient, and no one had even issued so much as a list of demands following the bombing." Crow wasn't looking at him as he talked, and it seemed like he wasn't really looking at anything at all. "He had greedy council members with their own financial investments breathing down his neck, and new landowners who moved in and gentrified all the old neighborhoods—even your average citizen who didn't know dick about politics wanted tax breaks and lower tariffs for trade." He shrugged. "Suddenly my old man was public enemy number one for opposing the Chancellor's sweet deal. He was the only man smart enough to see what was really going on—how the Empire had orchestrated for Jurai to rapidly flourish, only to take it away like candy from a baby—dangling our newfound prosperity that we couldn't live without anymore over our heads. That's when the Chancellor slid in like a devil ready to make a deal—strong-arming us into being annexed as an SEZ, no better than what they did in Crossbell." He snorted. "Some rumors even started up that my old man orchestrated the railway bombing in the first place, just to forcibly sever us from the Empire against the citizens' wishes. Conveniently, he was the only suspect who was ever named."

Rean couldn't believe something like that had happened, and he never even learned about it in school. The Empire just opened the floodgates for Jurai to be exploited by outsiders for profit, then yanked the rug out from under them. "That's terrible..."

Crow shrugged. "It's not like it's unusual. That's what all politicians who think they can play god do. See how much power and money they can hoard up, and how much influence and control they can have over us peons. Just to stroke their tiny dick ego and prove that they can." Crow snickered. It was almost surreal hearing Crow talk about it—Rean had always just pegged him as a stoner who didn't give a sh*t about politics—he had no idea he felt like this. "Well—that's what happened. Now ya know." Crow almost looked smug. "My old man stepped down from his position in shame, watching as the city he fought so hard for was snapped up by the Empire that very same day."

Rean didn't want to ask... but he had to know. "... What happened after that?"

Crow had perhaps his most facetious smirk yet. "You already know." He almost looked relaxed, with one arm spread along the back of the couch. "One day, he just up and died. The rumors were never quashed, no newspapers ever retracted their statements—everyone just blamed my old man for what happened up until his dying day." He scoffed to himself with a bitter laugh. "The only person he still had in his corner was a stupid kid who couldn't do sh*t." He looked to the side almost wistfully. "Not that I didn't get in a scrap or two in the streets with dickhe*ds yelling at me about my old man." Rean didn't know what to say. "After he died, I had lawyers and slimy people I didn’t know from Adam coming to the house before his body was even cold, trying to sign me up for a conservatorship and all this other sh*t, since the old man left everything to me but I was too young to take legal ownership of any of it." He shrugged. "It didn’t matter—watching him wither away and die like that, I had no reason to stay." That was so sad... even for a "street smart" kid like Crow, as he painted himself in the more colorful stories he told Rean before—that was just too young to shoulder such an emotional burden. Rean definitely wouldn’t have been able to handle it if something like that happened to his father... "I beat it out of Jurai, and wandered around surviving on my own, one way or another." Crow grabbed another clump of fries from the basket. "I’ll leave that part up to your imagination." Rean winced a bit—he didn’t like the implication of that. "But that’s how I ended up getting in contact with Duke Cayenne, and he offered me pretty much unlimited funding to gather allies who hated the Chancellor just as much as I did." He dipped an onion ring in sauce, popping it into his mouth. "That's when I started gathering my comrades, and the Imperial Liberation Front was born. That's also when I met up with Vita, and she set me up with Ordine. Well—I guess Ordine deemed me worthy of him." He gave Rean a smirk. "Just like you with Valimar. Except I didn't have a whole gaggle of 'buddies' to get me through it—I had to do all that sh*t on my own."

Rean knew Crow was generally an unserious guy, and he said upfront he felt "detached" from the whole story—but Rean was surprised at how... flippant? nonchalant? he was, describing what led to his Grampa’s political downfall, and his early death. Almost like he was telling a story he heard somewhere that happened to someone else. But... that obviously wasn’t how he felt. The only time Rean had seen Crow get emotional was after he pestered him into telling him about his Grampa, and letting him read that thing he wrote his first year. And that made Rean realize something else—Crow had obviously omitted things, but what little he had told Rean about himself had all been true. He wouldn’t have become so single-mindedly focused on revenge if what happened to his Grampa hadn’t hurt him so deeply... Thinking about what it would feel like to watch as your only family just gave up on living, rotting in their bed and not even caring that you were there... it was just so sad. "I’m sorry..." Rean sniffled before he could help it. "Thank you for telling me all that."

"Hey now—geez, you look more sad about it than me." Crow almost laughed. "I told you—it’s old news." His eyes closed. "I’ve had to buck up and learn to deal with it to move forward, so it doesn’t bother me anymore. But, I can’t just let the Chancellor get away with it now, can I?" He winked. "It’s only proper for a student to want to avenge his master, don't you think?" That was something Rean supposed he could understand... "The Chancellor may have outwitted my old man—but he didn't count on me. Heh—like I always say, never gamble with anything you're not prepared to lose. That slimy bastard was playing a dangerous game, and he lost once he f*cked around with Pops, that's all." Crow grabbed an extra-long fry. "Hey, check it out—the long fry. Must be my lucky day." Rean knew it was stupid, but—he really wanted to go over there and give Crow a hug. Something, anything—Crow seemed indifferent at best to what the Noble Alliance’s wider goals were—he just wanted revenge since his Grampa’s mistreatment hurt him that badly. After listening to his story... Rean felt more strongly than ever that he needed to cut through the bullsh*t and reach out to that hurt Crow who had remained frozen in time since he was thirteen years old.

Without thinking any more about it, Rean stood up and sat down on the other couch, resting his head on Crow’s shoulder. "I can’t condone what you did... but I understand why you did it." He almost expected Crow to move, or tell Rean "don't bother"—but he didn’t. He felt Crow’s gloved hand gently stroke the back of his hair, then pat the top of his head. Rean let his eyes close. Despite everything, he had to admit with some embarrassment that even being touched so simply by Crow gave him a fuzzy feeling. He was such a fool... he really was "down bad" as Crow put it, huh?

"I told you to stop saying ‘sorry’ for things that aren’t your fault." Rean actually snorted.

"It’s a bad habit."

"Yeah, I know." Sitting like they were now, it almost felt like the past month had just been a bad dream. "Hey, Rean—I wanna tell you something I heard from the folks in Ouroboros. There was this Enforcer from Liberl a few years back—she’s still MIA as far as I know. They called her the 'Bewitching Bell'." Crow's strong fingers were steadily stroking through his hair—Rean didn't know how much more of it he could take. "She was pretty mysterious, even among all the other weirdos—and a total babe, from what I heard—" Rean snorted again. Well, that part of Crow hadn’t changed... it used to make him feel insecure and jealous, but it was oddly comforting to hear now. "But, I heard that when she was asked why she joined up, she said, 'To understand my own darkness.'" An unpleasant tingle went down Rean's spine. "You get that, right?" Crow’s voice was low, right by his ear. "We've all got something inside us we can't face—'cause if you stare into Gehenna, it stares back at you." He gave a low chuckle. "But if you're brave enough to withstand that, you can pretty much take on anything. You feel me?" Rean didn't know what to say to that, because, well... it made sense. Rean knew very well that he had his own "darkness" inside of him—and he wasn't brave enough to stare into it. He thought he was, but... that was just foolish overconfidence on his part. He’d heard the expression, "You don’t know how hot the desert is until you’re lost in it"—he felt like he couldn't even fathom the darkness inside of him, until it had already swallowed him up— "Rean." Crow's voice was unnervingly serious, commanding his attention. "Don't you want to understand your own darkness?" Rean's eyes squeezed shut involuntarily. He didn't—he couldn’t just stare into it like Crow could. It felt like he was struggling to stay above water, and Crow was just like, "Why bother swimming when you can just drown? It’s not so bad." There was so much he just didn’t understand—he always thought Crow was just being quirky and relatable when he’d say that kind of bleak self-deprecating stuff—but he wasn’t just some weird guy, he was literally a murderer. He hadn't dealt with the pain of losing his Grampa well at all, and redirected his anger towards political violence. Everything Crow did and said was an exercise in grappling with his own darkness—that just wasn't a way Rean wanted to live, and he couldn't even if he tried.

"I..." Rean didn't know why he spoke up—he actually didn't have anything to say. He licked his lips involuntarily, trying to come up with something... but nothing came. He just felt a gulf of separation between himself and Crow—a gulf too wide to traverse. It was like staring across the abyss. He got that unpleasant prickly feeling again—he couldn’t remember exactly what she said, but it felt just like that ominous warning Beryl gave him, right before the downward spiral.

"Hmph." Crow gave a little laugh, it sounded like an audible smirk. "Well, that's just how I feel." He gave Rean what was probably meant to be a playful shoulder squeeze—but it didn't feel light-hearted at all. "I invited you up here to make an informed decision about what you want to do. Only you know what's right for you. As for me—" He stretched his arms overhead, making a little grunt. "—even though it's not my Jurai anymore, seeing how peaceful it was over there made me realize I have a responsibility to clean up my mess. The fastest way to peace is to get the Noble Alliance what they want—so that's just what I'm gonna do."

Rean couldn't help but look up at him. "Is that really what you want?"

Crow gave him a look—the same look as when he would evade a question with "Who knows?" "That doesn't really matter now, does it?" The sobering statement gave Rean a chill. Crow's sarcastic smile was so... empty. It was like after shooting the Chancellor, he had nothing left, no wider ambition—like there wasn't even a point in wanting anything. It just made Rean so sad... "Hey, now." Crow snickered, patting Rean's head again. "Don't make that face." Whatever face Rean was making, he just couldn't help it. "Listen..." Crow's fingers gently curled around his ear, and he looked right in his eyes with that sad, facetious smile. "I don’t want whatever your decision is to be influenced by my past, okay?" Goosegumps went from the crown of his head down through his neck—Rean couldn’t take it. It was all too much. Crow was giving him even more mixed signals than he had before—what did he want from him? Almost as if an undefiable force took over his body, he leaned in and kissed Crow, all his weight collapsing into him. Crow immediately pushed him back and broke it, holding Rean at arm’s length by the shoulders. "—whoa Rean, what the hell are you doin’?!" Rean managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes, and he actually looked a bit—panicked? Crow licked his lips quickly. "Were you even paying attention? I didn’t tell you all that as foreplay, ya know."

Rean rubbed his palm down the bare part of Crow's forearm. "I just did it because I wanted to." Whatever expression Crow had before was replaced with annoyance, and a hint of anger.

"Look—whatever stunt you’re trying to pull, don’t bother." His grip tightened on Rean’s shoulders. "You’re not gonna ‘soften me up’, or whatever. I wanted to give you the chance to join us before sh*t hit the fan. But it only goes one way." His expression was now serious—he wasn’t f*cking around. "I want you to get it through your head—I’m never coming back with you. I don’t belong with Class VII, I never did." Rean returned his gaze just as strongly, his eyes almost hurt from willing himself not to blink. "I need to see things through, and win this civil war as soon as possible so things can settle back down again. You get that? No army stands a chance against the Noble Alliance—and no band of rebel students stands a snowball’s chance in hell." His gaze was so intense, Rean had to fight the urge to look away several times. "So if you’re not with us, you’re against us. If that’s how it is, then we have nothing more to discuss."

Rean had to fight against getting upset again. "Then why did you tell me about your Grampa?" Crow actually went "tch" and broke eye contact. "Why give me a weapon when I was fighting against you—why did you spare me in the first place?"

"Because it’d feel sh*tty to stomp you into the ground when you couldn’t even defend yourself, that's all. It’s unsportsmanlike, you know?"

"That’s not why." Crow’s eyes flicked back to his, perhaps involuntarily. "You say you were faking it all before, but I still think you’re faking now. You might not even realize it, though."

"Oh?" Crow’s tone had a mocking awareness. "So you got it all figured out, huh?" His body language shifted—he had gotten closer, almost imposing down on Rean with their height difference. "Gee, Rean—I didn’t take you for an armchair psychologist."

He looked right into Crow’s eyes, and didn’t look away this time. "I think you’ve spent so long wrapping yourself in protective layers of bullsh*t, that you’ve lost sight of it. But I can see it." Crow had an expression of sarcastic intrigue—that was the only way Rean could think to describe it, anyway. "That’s why I know you’re going to come back with me."

Crow's gaze was intense. "It’s literally. Never. Gonna. Happen." He relaxed his grip on Rean’s shoulders, just when it was actually starting to hurt. "How do you think that’d play out, anyway? I’m a wanted criminal—not only a terrorist, but I assassinated the Chancellor. Do you really understand that?" Rean willed himself to not break eye contact. "What—you think they'd just let me waltz back into Thors and graduate with the rest of you? Keep dreaming, Rean." Rean almost swallowed, but managed to stop himself. "There’s no going back—there was no going back, I was already involved in sh*t long before I even enrolled at Thors. The only thing for me to do now is ride the wave—and win this civil war for our side." Crow actually smirked. "That’s the only way it’s gonna play out. You get it now?"

"Unacceptable."

Crow’s eyebrows went up. "What?"

"That’s unacceptable. You’re coming back with me, and that’s final." Rean closed the gap, and Crow didn’t push him away this time. After probing against his tightly-closed lips, Crow finally let him in—then he took the lead, like he always did. It felt like it had been so long, and the emotions were running so high, Rean just fully surrendered to it and let Crow hold him, leaning him back on the couch, almost touching down on the cushions. His thighs hurt from his whole body bending back at an awkward angle, his heart was beating like crazy. It felt like Crow smirked, then he pulled back.

"Ha. Look at you, you’re already jelly. Some resolve." Rean could feel his face burning. Crow let him go, and Rean had to catch himself with his elbow. Crow actually pat his knee, which almost made him jump. His heart was still beating fast. "Nice try, Rean. Plenty of people use sex as a weapon, and some of ‘em are pretty damn good at it—but that’s not you, bud. I gotta give it to ya for tryin’, though." Crow stood up off the couch, making an exaggerated noise. "Heugh. Well, glad you liked the fish burger, at least." Before he could think he reached out and grabbed Crow’s wrist. "Aw, what now?"

Rean couldn’t even look at him. He didn’t even know why he did that—his hand just moved on its own. Rean squeezed his eyes shut, trying to compose himself for a second. "—you’re coming back with me. One way or another. Even if I have to drag you."

Crow calmly removed Rean’s hand from his wrist. "Go ahead and try, then. If you can beat me into submission, then I guess you can do whatever you want with me. Including dragging my ass back to Class VII." He had a sarcastic edge to his tone, but... there was something else. Rean finally looked up at him—Crow suddenly looked tired. His eyes had always been downturned like that, but... Rean finally noticed the bags under his eyes, the wrinkles in the corners, even though Crow wasn’t even twenty. Or was he? Rean honestly hadn’t been sure if he was lying that time, either... "Maybe you should just get some rest, though." Crow smiled down at him, a little sadly. "Can’t fight me at your full strength while you’re sleep-deprived, right?" Why was he doing this? He could have just tracked Rean down in the mountains and stomped him to death in Ordine while he was unconscious in the snow... so why didn’t he? He had to know that Rean’s personal principles would never allow him to join warmongers or terrorists—so why was he here, what was Crow even thinking? "Rean? Hey, buddy—did you hear me?" Crow’s thumb stroked the back of his hand.

Rean swiped furiously at his eye—before he could help it, a hot angry tear had fallen. "—sh*t—"

"Whoa." Crow hesitated for a second, then sat back down. "Geez—sorry, I know what I said was harsh, but I didn’t mean to make ya cry." He actually reached around to rub Rean’s shoulder. "I’m just trying to be realistic, is all. You gotta wake up and smell the coffee, Rean—otherwise you’re gonna end up dead before we can face off." He was rubbing a hard circle in Rean’s shoulder. "Ah, f*ck—guess I’m not too good at the bedside manner thing, huh?" Rean was so embarrassed—he had managed to hold it together since their first fight, he had convinced himself Crow was just another enemy he needed to defeat to defend Ymir—but it was all flooding out. He was prepared to just be angry at Crow for betraying him, for choosing the wrong side, for lying to his face, for playing around with his heart, for saying his time with them all meant nothing—but now he didn’t know what to think. Crow was showing just enough of himself that Rean couldn’t hate him like he needed to, to be able to move forward.

"—I don’t understand you." Rean sniffed back the snot that was threatening to leak out. "Why are you doing this? Why’d you say all that stuff to me if this was how it was gonna end up? What’s wrong with you?"

"Heh." Crow gave him another one of those smirks—a tired, self-deprecating smirk that was totally facetious. "Who knows?"

Rean had to wipe his nose on the back of his wrist. There was something wrong with Crow—there had to be for him to orchestrate this whole mess. But... he just couldn’t let go of the Crow who gently rubbed his back, who made him omelets and fish burgers even though he was kinda crappy at cooking, who whispered down into his ear, "Geez—well if you’re gonna get so mopey about it, I guess you can tell people I’m your boyfriend." He couldn't let go of the Crow from his story about Jurai and his Grampa, before he even knew him—the one who was badly hurting and had nothing left after taking revenge. "I have to be able to hate you..." He didn’t know why he said it out loud, it just kind of tumbled out.

Crow was quiet for a second. "You have to hate me, huh... What’s the problem, then? Seems pretty easy to me." For some reason, Crow was still loosely holding his hand. "Go ahead, I am a bastard. I did lie to you. Oh yeah—and don’t forget, I’m a murderer." He clapped Rean’s shoulder. "Hate me all you want. Just get some sleep, okay?" Rean looked up, right into Crow’s eyes. He had that expression Rean had seen many times before, the one he dubbed "sarcastically tired".

He clutched Crow’s fingers. He had to know—he had to feel it for himself just one last time, just for the sake of his sanity. Then he would know for sure. He wouldn't be able to move forward otherwise. "You’re saying that the next time we meet, it’ll be as enemies, right?"

"Rean. We already are enemies."

Rean licked his lips. "Then it’ll be the last time." The words hung in the air.

"Rean... just give it up." Crow sounded exhausted. "I know what you’re thinking—but that’s a bad idea. It’s not gonna give you closure, and it’s not gonna make you feel any better—honestly, it’ll just make you feel worse." He wasn’t wrong. It would make Rean feel worse. But that’s what he needed.

"Good." He gripped Crow’s hand. "We’re enemies, right?"

"Aidios, even I’m not that much of a scumbag." Crow tried to take his hand back, but Rean didn’t let go. "Rean, I’m serious here. I didn’t come here for that—in fact, I’m leaving." He forcefully snapped his hand back. "You know what? I was gonna leave you with the rest of the fries, but I’m taking them with me, now." He petulantly threw the box back in the basket, the fries probably spilled all over the place. "You brought this on yourself."

"What are you so mad about?"

"For f*ck’s—you think I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Rean? Have a little self-respect." The comment almost made him wince. "Good talk. See ya around. Or not."

Rean decided to push all his chips forward. "Hah—I know all your tricks. You’re trying so hard to push me away."

Crow stopped, tapping his hand on the back of the sofa in annoyance. "Look, Rean. I’m getting a little tired of your amateur psycho-analysis. You don’t know me." He turned partway over his shoulder. "Hate to break it to ya, you never did. Nobody at Thors did—not even Towa, Gelica, and George. They only saw the version I let them see, someone who could move in broad daylight without drawing any suspicion. That's all there ever was."

"You’re such a bad liar. You think those three are that stupid?" Crow actually stopped tapping his hand at that. "You think they wouldn’t be able to sniff you out if you were such a ‘high-level sociopath’, or whatever? Aidios—you sound so cringe, just like a thirteen-year-old." Crow was probably trying hard to control his facial expression, but Rean could see his eyes darken. "The three of them genuinely care about you—that’s why I know you’re full of it when you say it was all fake, and nobody knows the real you."

Crow scoffed. "You’re real annoying, Rean. I think I’ve humored you enough. Interesting theory, though."

"You might have been a better liar in the past, but you’re really bad now. All this conversation has done is cement to me that I’m right."

"Heh. Go ahead and think what you want." Crow opened the door, waving over his shoulder without turning around. "Guess we'll never know, since in that sorry state you'll never manage to beat me, anyway." Rean blinked. "If you're too riled up to take a nap, walk around the ship for a bit. Talk to my comrades, try to figure out just what the hell it is I'm trying to do here." And with that, he left, closing the door a little loudly behind him.

Rean was a bit taken aback—it was almost like Crow was taunting him into trying to beat him. "Haah." Rean let his head collapse in his hands. With that, though—he had to admit that he really didn't understand him at all.

OOO

Rean hesitantly knocked on the door. He heard a sultry voice on the other side, "Who is it?"

Rean licked his lips. "Uh, it's Rean." He suddenly felt awkward even asking. "Can I come in and talk to you?"

"Oh, my." He heard a lilting laugh. "Well, come on in."

Rean opened the door, which was unlocked. Scarlet was sitting at a small round table near the window, enjoying a cup of tea. She had one leg crossed over the other, which Rean only took notice of since she switched her leg to the other side. He looked away out of respect.

"Ha ha, what a good kid! You didn't even peek." Ugh...

He practically dragged himself over to where she was sitting. This was probably a bad idea... he hadn't gotten much from talking to McBurn, other than his ominous statement that Rean was "mixed too". He still didn't know what the hell he meant by that... mixed with what? "May I sit here?"

"Of course, darling." She moved to lift the ornate teapot. "Have some tea, will you? I promise there's nothing 'special' in it." She made a low chuckle.

"... Thank you."

She leaned her chin in her hand, studying Rean with her good eye. "So, C asked you to go around talking to all of us, is that it? And you're being such a good boy about it—how diligent!"

"Please... Could you stop making fun of me?" He lifted the teacup to his lips. The tea tasted like a mild black blend, with floral notes almost like orange blossoms, or honeysuckle. His need to be polite and have proper manners won out over his discomfort. "Thank you for the tea—it's well-brewed, I like the subtle orange flavor."

She chuckled. "Well, thank you for the compliment, my dear." She held her teacup in a surprisingly casual way. For some reason, Rean expected her to have a more refined background... but maybe he was wrong? She set her cup back down, looking out the window. "You want to know why I joined the Imperial Liberation Front, and why I hate the Chancellor so much, right?"

Rean let the teacup warm the palm of his hand. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear it."

She closed her eye, folding her arms. "Well, there's not much to tell. He destroyed my hometown, so I wanted to destroy him." She opened her eye, smirking at him. "The ever-magnanimous Chancellor approved a plan to bulldoze a small farming community so they could build a new railway." She huffed to herself. "There were only a few families living there—so their lives didn't mean much in the face of convenience and the greater good, right?" Rean looked down into his tea. "Country bumpkins are nothing but trash, even if they are able to make a decent living—just stepping stones for progress. That's the way the 'forward-thinking' Reformists in the Empire think. But they forget who it is that grows their food, raises their meat, and catches their fish." She leveled her sharp gaze at Rean. "Never forget, boy—progress is always built on the backs of those powerless to fight back. If you have what they want, they'll take it—your own life means nothing if it becomes their obstacle." Rean suppressed a heavy swallow. She wasn't wrong... even what Crow said about tourism ruining the economy for locals wasn't wrong... but he still couldn't agree with their methods. "Penny for your thoughts, dear?"

Rean closed his eyes. "I'm not unsympathetic to what you've been through. But I still can't condone acts of violence and terror against innocent citizens." He couldn't look at her, so he instead looked at his upside-down reflection in his tea. "It isn't getting back at those in power—it's just continuing the cycle of violence and hatred."

"Hmm." She sat back in her chair, with an air of almost... satisfaction? "So that's how you feel. Well—it's not as if I think I'm 'right'." Rean's eyes flicked up to her. She gave him a smile. "It's just what I need to do, for my own self. Call it an emotional reaction if you want—but those are my reasons. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t stand up for those whose livelihood was destroyed." She picked up her teacup again. "An eye for an eye—it doesn't matter if it makes the whole world blind. Taking the eye of the one who took mine is all that matters to me." She took a gentle sip of her tea.

Rean felt like he had nothing to say to that. It sounded like she could grasp how hypocritical it was... so there was nothing left to be said. He set his cup down. "Thank you for your time, Scarlet."

"Oh dear, you're leaving already?" She set her cup down. "But I didn't even get to tell you about my wild times as a Sister!"

Rean felt like his brain locked up. "A what?"

She giggled. "Oh, well—maybe if you join us, I'll tell you aaallll about it." She folded her arms, and Rean couldn't help but notice that she did it purposefully to, um, accentuate her chest. "Well, either way, it was nice chatting with you, boy."

"Um—" Rean composed himself. "You, too. Thank you for telling me all that."

She giggled. "You're a cute kid." She turned to gaze out the window. "No wonder C likes you so much." What?

Rean clutched his arm, unsure of what to say. "Uh... thanks. Take care." He somewhat quickly went towards the door, closing it softly behind him. What did that mean? Crow actually talked about him to Scarlet? Why would he? No... she was probably just messing with him some more. She seemed to enjoy it...

Rean walked quickly down the hallway, spying Duvalie and the other Stahlritter sitting around a table. He was starting to think this was a fool's errand... but since they had made good on their promise to treat him as a guest without harming him, he owed it to everyone to at least hear them out...

OOO

Rean couldn't help but stare up at the ornate chandelier as he passed under it. Such a garish display of wealth for such an oppressive instrument of war... the irony wasn't lost on him.

He slowed the second he spied Crow's dark silhouette in the hallway. He was leaning against the wall outside his door, arms crossed, watching the main hall where McBurn and Vulcan were still sitting having drinks. Rean really wasn't prepared to see him so soon, especially after the awkward way their conversation ended... but this might be the last opportunity to clear the air between them. Crow said they were already enemies, but... the next time they met, Rean would have to take that seriously.

Crow looked up as Rean approached. "Hey." He pushed himself off the wall. "How was your walk?"

Rean let his eyes close. "I think I understand the members of the ILF a bit better. But my overall opinion hasn't changed." He heard Crow snicker.

"Well, that's to be expected." He thought Crow would say something more sarcastic than that. He sounded so cold during their duel in Ymir—but he still had flashes of his trademark sarcasm even while they were fighting. Rean had no doubt Crow really was like that, even if he was "playing it up" at Thors to fly under the radar. Especially after hearing about what a wild guy his Grampa was—he probably influenced Crow quite a bit.

Rean walked past him, opening his door. "I'm pretty tired. I think I'll make myself some tea and try to sleep, like you said."

"Hey, sounds good." Crow snickered. "Sorry—I'm not much of a tea guy. I could steep a baggie of peppermint tea if I was hungover or something, but that's about it." Rean shot him a glare over his shoulder. "Hey now—after everything, you're gonna glare at me about that?" Rean actually laughed a little. He supposed it was a bit ridiculous. Actually...

"Crow, how old are you really?"

Crow shifted his weight to one foot. "I'm twenty. I had to lie on my application to get into Thors. About a few things, as you can guess." He wordlessly followed Rean into his room, even though he hadn't actually invited him in yet. Crow must have just sensed that was what he wanted... he was pretty good at that.

Rean sat on the couch facing out the window. The sun was getting lower over the tops of the clouds, staining them a pinkish color. Rean realized he had never been above the clouds before—normal airships weren't able to maintain proper oxygen circulation in the cabins above a certain altitude. Ouroboros' level of technology was truly unprecedented...

"Hey." Crow's arm snaked behind his back, rubbing his shoulder. "It was pretty uncool of me to get all hot under the collar like that, huh?" Crow was giving him that familiar look. It was exactly the same as all the other times he leveled with Rean—his brows were sloped down just a bit, in an almost "self-deprecating sadness". "If you wanna talk, I'll listen. Whatever you want to say. Heh—even if you wanna lay into me for how much of a scumbag I am, I'll listen." Crow let himself relax back against the couch. Now that he wasn't slouching as much, Rean could feel their difference in height a lot more. "So give it to me. I can take it."

Rean pivoted to face him, one knee bent on the cushion. "Will you be honest with me?"

Crow's eyes flicked to Rean's, still looking at him sideways from his relaxed position. "Sure. Guess I have nothing left to hide now, right?"

Rean leaned in. "Good." Crow didn't resist this time. There was no point "talking"—he wanted to feel how Crow felt when he had nothing left to hide. He felt Crow's hands at his lower back, and he leaned over him, almost kissing down into him in this domineering way. But it didn't feel threatening... it felt the same as before, but... something was a little different. He was almost being... more gentle.

Crow broke the kiss first, and Rean felt a gloved hand on his face. "—Hey. I'm not tryna reject you or anything, but do you have to look like you’ll burst into tears any second?" Crow's eyebrows were sloped down. "It’s not exactly a turn-on." In any other circ*mstance, Rean might have laughed.

Since Crow was giving him a look almost akin to guilt, he couldn’t keep eye contact. "How else am I supposed to look?" He felt Crow make a weary sigh, like someone who was much older than twenty.

"Look, Rean..." He scooted back a bit, leaning heavily over his legs. He clasped his hands and looked down at nothing, like he was choosing his words carefully. "... You wanted me to be honest, so here it is. Vita told me to keep an eye on you." He looked sideways at Rean, his signature sarcastic smile back on his face, though he looked more tired. "But, getting so close to you wasn't part of the plan. Hah." He laughed at himself, smirking down at the floor. "I really f*cked that one up, didn't I?" Rean was… he didn’t even know what to say. He certainly hadn’t expected him to say that. "Sorry, Rean. I should have tried harder to push you away, so things didn't get so messy." His words hung in the air.

Rean scooted down the couch. "Why didn't you?"

Crow turned away from him. "Ah geez—do you really gotta ask?" Rean felt himself smirk. That was pretty damn honest, by Crow's standards—that was probably as honest as he could be at this point without cringing himself into oblivion.

Rean gathered all his courage, turning Crow's chin to face him. The kiss felt melty—and with the way Crow was hunched down, Rean was actually above him, for once. He could feel Crow's body jerking—he was yanking off his gloves. "Gimme a sec—lemme get all this sh*t off." Crow pulled off his bandana, shaking his hair out and running his hands back through a few times. His forehead was a little pink, with a very slight indentation down around his eyebrows. Rean couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey, what's so funny?"

He gently traced the faint line with his fingers. "You have a line right here from your bandana."

"Ah sh*t—I do?" Crow rubbed his forehead with his palm. "Damnit—wanna turn the lights off?" Rean actually laughed.

"No." He gently pushed on Crow's chest, and surprisingly he let himself be guided down to the couch, freeing his arms from his trench coat, letting it fall slack under his body.

"—Hey, you wanna move to the bed, at least?" He locked eyes with Rean, unbuttoning his long maroon shirt. "It’s gonna be the last time, after all."

Rean had resolved himself—it wouldn’t be the last time. This was just the first step in dragging Crow back with him—even if it made him feel like a honey-trap, he didn't care. "I'm fine." Rean wasn't as good of a kisser as Crow, but he tried to make it feel deeper, more intimate. Crow was as insistent as ever, and without his gloves his hands were a bit cool, just like they always were. It was exciting for Rean to actually be on top, for once—Crow was going along with him without trying to take the lead, it gave Rean an odd feeling of power.

Rean jumped, making an involuntarily yelp—Crow had brushed his obvious hard-on with his knee. "—Wow, you're rarin' to go, huh?" Crow's voice was deep and a bit throaty—he was probably just as into it. Actually, the fact that Crow was being so transparent was getting Rean more into it—he wasn't trying to look cool or sexy, he was just being honest. Rean had a sad thought, but he swallowed the words just in time—"Why weren't you like this before?"

Wordlessly, Crow enveloped Rean’s back with his long arms and rolled him to the side—there was just enough room on the couch for them to switch positions, and now Crow was hovering over him. He pretty much threw his shirt, and Rean was surprised what he had on underneath—it was like a sleeveless black bodysuit with a turtleneck, he couldn't help but think it was sexy... Crow immediately went for his neck, and Rean instinctively craned his head back, his fingers all in Crow's hair—the idea that Crow would even want to mark him up in this situation... it was doing it for him so much, he was almost embarrassed.

He could feel Crow’s hot breath on his neck, his tongue working feverishly, little grazes of teeth. "—this is gonna be real awkward for you to explain to everyone." Rean actually laughed. "If you wanna stop, you better tell me now."

"Don't stop." Rean realized he was gripping Crow’s hair kind of hard, and relaxed his fingers. Having this thought was kind of shocking for a vanilla guy like Rean—but he wanted everyone to see. All their allies, all of Crow's comrades—he wanted everyone to see that Rean didn't have hickeys when he boarded the Pantagruel, but he sure as sh*t would when he was leaving. He wanted everyone to know that Crow couldn't help himself—it was proof that he was full of sh*t when he said his time at Thors meant nothing. When he humiliated Rean by tossing him that giant sword and saying, "Don't get all delusional that I was your 'boyfriend' or whatever"—this was Crow's punishment. It gave Rean another feeling of power over him—he may be way more skilled as a fighter and a Divine Knight pilot, but like this Rean had control over him.

Crow's cool hands were all up under his shirt, and it made Rean squirm. He pushed his shirt up past his pecs, and he was kissing all down his chest and abdomen, paying special attention to touching his scar tissue. Rean couldn't help but make noise, the feeling was overwhelming.

"—hahh! Nn..."

"—damn baby, you're even more sensitive than before—" Rean could practically feel Crow wince at his slip-up. Rean couldn't help but grin internally—got 'im. Idiot—Crow was such a bad liar, he even slipped up before when they were fighting in Ymir—he was standing over them after his victory all smug, but he said, "Sorry, babe—that's what you get for stepping to me when you're still green." Suddenly Rean had an idea—

"Haah..." He swallowed, trying to compose himself a bit. "Well, I haven't been with anyone else..."

"Is that right?" He could hear the smirk in Crow's voice—he hovered over him again and took Rean's chin, kissing him more aggressively, like he was saying, "Yeah, this is mine." His jealous side was back—that just proved everything, didn't it? The kiss was super sloppy, it was like a switch had flipped—Rean's arms clutched onto Crow's back, and he practically trapped him with his legs. He felt a painful pang in his heart, but he stuffed it down. Rean had his own mission—he'd shower Crow with all the intimacy he was afraid of showing him before, when he was still insecure that Crow was just a f*ckboy who didn't want anything long-term. Well... now he knew why. After everything Crow had put him through, he almost wanted to get a little revenge on him—showing him such affection would probably make him feel uncomfortable and guilty—maybe he could even get him right down to the wire and then say he changed his mind and wanted to stop... but he put those thoughts out of his mind. He wanted to savor the feeling that Crow wanted him again, he had to block out everything else that was going on and go with the flow—he had to, or he might actually burst into tears any second. "—what do you want?" He was surprised at Crow's low, breathy voice by his ear. "It's the last time, so I'll take requests."

Rean pushed some of Crow's wild hair back, delicately curving his fingers around the shell of his ear. "I just want you." Crow looked like that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear.

"That wasn't what I was asking." Crow's calloused palm went over his scar tissue and brushed his nipple, making Rean gasp involuntarily—his other hand was curving around his hip and thigh, and he was obviously very hard when he pressed down on Rean. "What do you want?"

Rean wrapped his arms around him like he was afraid to let go. "I just want you."

Crow sighed deeply. "Fine. Whatever." Surprisingly... he gave Rean an almost frustratingly, cruelly gentle kiss. His hands were roaming over his body like it was a precious treasure—the curve of his back, his chest, his stomach, his thigh—touching him everywhere but the obvious places. "... You're really gonna regret this, you know." It was a sobering statement... but the fact that Crow was still trying to give him an out at this stage spoke louder than his words.

Rean decided to throw his favorite non-answer back at him. "Who knows?" His brain melted, and he gave himself over to Crow completely. He felt like he finally understood something—Crow, or rather "C", had failed in pushing him away. He had a plan, and nothing was going to derail that, no matter what—but, he f*cked up. After he got close to Rean... he showed him as much of himself as he possibly could, and gave him as much affection as he was probably capable of giving. For such a "criminal mastermind", Crow slipped on more than a few things—like when he told Rean about his Grampa. Crow had gone back and forth, saying noncommittal things like, "Who knows what I'm gonna do after graduation—probably wander around some more, try to figure out what it is I want outta life"—but he still never pushed Rean away. He could have "kept an eye on him" while just being his friend—or even an acquaintance. And after he got in too deep, he could've easily just done the sh*tty f*ckboy thing and said he lost interest after sleeping with him—but he didn't do that, either. Rean had got him. He knew he was right—this just confirmed it all. Rean believed without a shadow of a doubt he had reached through to the real Crow—and that's who was holding him so closely now. Somewhere in there was a hurt kid who was acting out, who had never dealt with his heartache and anger properly—that's why he was clinging to Rean so tightly despite everything. Crow always made fun of him for being a meddling mother hen, so that's what he was going to do—meddle. He wouldn't give up on him just yet—the Crow who never pushed him away, that was the Crow that Rean would choose to believe in.

~OOO~

~OOO~

Mandala - Chapter 1

Dibs

OOO

3/31 - Wednesday - S.1204

The cool spring breeze brushed delicately past his face as he exited the train station. Rean was a bit surprised that spring was still so chilly this far down the mountains—but Ymir was covered in snow even now, so it was still a bit of a culture shock. This would be his first time away from the province outside of a family vacation—it was just now hitting him. Even knowing he would be spending most of his time at school, the sudden sense of freedom felt a bit overwhelming.

Rean adjusted his bag over his shoulder. He had packed pretty lightly, only bringing his sword, a few outfits for his days off, and a scroll Master Ka-Fai had given him. His parents said they could send him anything else he needed, but... he kind of just wanted to put some distance between them for now. His heart felt like a cloud of mud that had been kicked up in shallow water, as his Master might say. As he was, Rean didn't even feel worthy to read the scroll his Master left for him. He just had some things he needed to figure out—and being out on his own, being forced to be self-reliant, having a goal to work towards, throwing himself into his studies and bettering himself sounded like a good way to do it. Right—this was just what he needed.

A calming scent was all around him as Rean strolled through the square, large white petals falling gently in the breeze. These must be the lino flowers—he had heard about them. There were a few trees planted along the sidewalks in Heimdallr, but they weren't thriving like these were. A singular square of soil beneath concrete probably wasn't as enriching as the soil out here in the countryside—that much Rean could understand.

He heard the smooth whir of an orbal engine behind him, then a horn—Rean quickly moved to the side as a very expensive-looking car rumbled past. Rean couldn't help but follow it with his eyes—the jade green orbal limousine was polished to a shine, and took up most of the narrow cobbled street. It was to be expected that a prestigious school like Thors would be attended by students from wealthy families... Rean would have to figure out the best way to navigate that. Since his dad was such a minor Baron, Rean had never felt kinship with the bourgeois nobles of the Empire—his family didn't really value lineage or status that highly, either. But he also didn't want to be looked down on—even though he wanted to keep some healthy distance for now, he still loved his family, and he was proud of where he came from. He hoped he wouldn't be caught awkwardly in the middle—too bumpkin for the stuffier rich kids, but too bougie for anyone from a common family to want to associate with...

Rean was struck by the person who got out of the back of the car. He was very good-looking, and appeared to be around Rean's age—he had silky blonde hair and blue eyes, with an almost feminine beauty about him. Wow...

He was carrying a suitcase when he stepped out of the car. "Just here is fine, Arnauld."

The driver stood at the ready by the car door. "Very well, sir. Please, if you'll allow me to take your luggage..."

"That won't be necessary. I'd prefer to avoid standing out superfluously." He had a formal way of speaking, sounding very detached and distant.

His attendant seemed taken aback by that. "But sir..."

"Arnauld. Please respect my wishes." His tone had an air of finality. His expression then softened somewhat. "Take as much time as you need to rest before returning to Bareahard. I believe we passed by a café on our way here." Bareahard, huh? That was the Albarea family's territory, in the Kreuzen province—Rean had seen at least one noble from that area, since he liked to visit Ymir for falconry. His dad was always happy when he found other eccentric nobles who shared his specific hobbies... Actually, Rean recalled with some embarrassment being similarly struck by the almost feminine beauty of that blonde-haired noble as well...

The older man bowed out of the way. "As you wish. I shall be departing then, sir." Whoever this guy was, he must be the son of a noble family, without a doubt—these were the kinds of people Rean would be associating with from now on. He had specifically chosen Thors because they welcomed students from all social and economic backgrounds, but... He supposed his brush with nobility was inevitable.

"Thank you, Arnauld. I won't be requiring your assistance any further." The blonde gathered his suitcases, and Rean noted that he was clearly stronger than he appeared. "If I require transportation, the public trains will be sufficient."

"Very well, Master Jusis." Well... that was certainly unexpected. It almost seemed like he was... self-conscious? Or at least going out of his way to not strut into the place in a shiny car driven by his butler... maybe he was in a similar boat as Rean, and didn't care to compare wealth and status like some nobles were obsessed with.

Whoever this "Jusis" was, he kept walking up the cobbled slope, through the open gates of Thors Military Academy. Rean realized he had just stopped to lookie-loo that entire time... he was glad this guy hadn't decided to turn around and see Rean gawking at him.

"Geez—get a load of Moneybags over here." A sarcastic voice caught his attention. There was a guy standing by the café’s outdoor patio, with two little kids behind him, peering around his arms—if he didn't know better, it looked like he had corralled them when that car blared past. "See—what’d I tell ya? That’s why you don’t play in the street!" He relaxed his stance, slipping a hand in his pocket. The kids squirmed past him, gawking at the shiny car in the distance.

"But cars never come through here!"

"Yeah? Then whadya call that, a Goldcider?" Was this guy a student, too? He seemed a bit older than Rean—"Jusis" had been wearing a red uniform like himself, but this guy was wearing green. It barely even looked like a uniform—now that he got a better look, his jacket was open and his undershirt was sloppily buttoned only partway. His tie wasn't even tied right. Well—that was quite the contrast. "Just use common sense, alright? Uncle Crow’s not always gonna be around to bail you out."

"Geez Crow, when did you get so lame?"

"Yeah, you’re no fun!"

"Hey, now!" This guy, "Crow", seemed taken aback, but he was playing it up a little. "Fine, get flattened like pancakes for all I care!"

"Ooh, I’m telling!"

"Hah! Go ahead and tell, you damn brat." He ruffled one of the kids’ hair. The kid squirmed away, but he was grinning. Maybe he was the kid's older brother? "Hey, take it from a professional, kids—never gamble with somethin’ you’re not willing to lose. You know what I'm sayin'?" He had a really relaxed stance, stretching his arms behind his head. "Your life's the only thing worth more than mira."

The kid whose hair he ruffled rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever." They scrambled back into the street. The other kid went back to a patio table, peering at what looked like cards strewn across on top.

"—Hey, Crow, you were gonna lose! We hafta finish the game!"

"Whoops! Don't wanna be late!" He gave the kids a little mock-salute with two fingers. "See ya—don't play in traffic!"

"Hey!"

"That's not fair!"

The guy laughed loudly. "Life lesson number two, kiddos—life ain't fair!" He pulled a rucksack over his shoulder, peacing out. "See ya!" He snickered to himself, then noticed the guy who had inexplicably stopped to watch their whole routine—namely Rean. He rolled his eyes at him. "Hey, don't get the wrong idea—we just play for candy. I don't take money from kids." Rean literally hadn't said anything.

"Um..."

This dude got a look of recognition, nodding to Rean's uniform. "Hey, you're heading up to Thors too, yeah?"

Rean straightened his posture. Even though this dude seemed pretty odd, he was the first person he'd be meeting at Thors. He at least wanted to make a good impression, for whatever that was worth. "Yes. I just enrolled as a first-year."

"I see." He was rubbing his chin, this somewhat-mischievous expression on his face. "You got a red one, huh? Interesting." Rean felt his brows furrow. What did that mean? Without elaborating further, the guy turned over his shoulder to leave. "Well, don't be late on the first day, kid. See ya around." With that, he dipped out and strode up the hill. Rean noticed that he had tucked his pantlegs into huge combat boots—and he had a bunch of ear piercings, and a really not-uniform-compliant bandana and a bunch of belts. Okay... so, were they super prestigious at Thors, or super lax? Rean felt like he saw two extreme ends of the spectrum within the span of a few minutes.

With that odd interaction out of the way, Rean decided to keep moving as well, the lush lino blooms falling gracefully from their branches all around him. Oh, whoops—he realized he had forgotten to actually introduce himself. Well—maybe that one didn't count. He was sure he'd meet so many new people at Thors, he'd have to write their names down in his notebook so he wouldn't forget...

He strolled through the front gates which had been decorated with orange rose lattices. The school's clock tower stood impressively above the pristine grounds. He was glad this school was in a smaller town like Trista, and not a big city with trash blowing everywhere like Heimdallr.

Rean noticed that guy in green waving to a petite girl wearing the same color, and a bigger guy in a yellow jumpsuit. They noticed Rean walking onto campus, and came over to greet him. "Good morning! Welcome to Thors Military Academy!" She had an almost squeaky voice. She checked a clipboard in her hand. "You're the last one—so you must be Rean Schwarzer, right?"

"Oh—that's right." Rean's brows furrowed. "I'm the last student to come in? I'm sorry—I didn't mean to cut it so close."

"Oh, don't worry about it! That's not what I meant." She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "In fact, you're right on time!"

The guy in the jumpsuit stepped forward. "The opening ceremony's gonna be in the auditorium, right over there." He gestured over his shoulder. "I'll go ahead and take your weapon—don't worry, you'll get it back pretty soon. You'll hardly miss it."

"Oh. Sure." Rean took his swordbag off his shoulder. He admitted to feeling somewhat naked without his sword back home—but here in civilization, surrounded by members of the military and combat instructors, it was much different than being alone in the mountain wilderness.

"Thanks." The guy took his sword. "Hey, welcome again. We hope you'll have a fruitful first year here."

"Thank you." Rean bowed to both of them, then made his way to the auditorium. Despite what they said, he still felt a little bad... He didn't want to be late on his first day. Given that they were the ones to greet him, they must be second-years—did that mean the green uniform was for them? No, that didn't make sense—Rean could count the number of red jackets he had seen so far on one hand, that hardly seemed like enough to constitute a whole year... Well, he supposed he'd just have to wait and find out.

OOO

"Our mission, however, remains the same: to prepare our students to fulfill Emperor Dreichels' famous mandate—" Principal Vandyck leaned into the microphone. "‘Arise, O youth, and become the foundation of the world!’" His voice boomed around the auditorium, and even Rean felt the intensity of his words. Even while trying to focus on the Principal's speech, he couldn't help but steal glances around the room, trying to pick out all the other red jackets. He happened to be sitting next to another boy with one, he'd have to stop and ask him as soon as the speech was over. "Go forth, my students. The world awaits the great things you will one day accomplish." The student body all clapped, and Rean followed suit. Principal Vandyck bowed, and exited the podium.

"‘The foundation of the world’, huh?" Geez... that was kind of a lot of expectation for secondary education, wasn't it?

The kid sitting next to Rean laughed. "No pressure, huh?"

"Haha, yeah." It was like he read his mind. "Emperor Dreichels certainly left behind some big shoes to fill."

The boy laughed lightly again. "You're not wrong." Rean finally got a good look at him, and he was surprised by how innocent he looked, for lack of a better term. He was shorter than Rean—he'd almost describe him as petite, like Elise. He had big blue eyes and very red hair. "—Oh, I'm Elliot Craig. Nice to meetcha." He seemed friendly enough—his casual speech clued Rean in to the fact that he probably wasn't a noble.

"I'm Rean Schwarzer. Nice to meet you, too." He thought about shaking his hand, but that seemed somehow too formal. "Hey, so—any idea what's with the red uniforms? I just put on what they sent me... we didn't show up wearing the wrong one, did we?"

"Uh... no idea." Elliot's eyebrows sloped downward, and he glanced unsure around the room. "But I noticed that, too—almost everyone else is wearing green. Well, except the noble students." He peered somewhat wide-eyed at the row in front of them. Rean had taken note of them, too—their uniforms were all white, and perfectly pressed.

"I see. But if that was the case..." Rean trailed off. You'd think he would have gotten a white uniform if they were just for nobles, right? Unless they didn't consider the son of a Baron "noble" enough...

"What was that?"

"Oh—nothing, just thinking to myself." The other students were starting to filter out of the room, but Rean hadn't been given a homeroom assignment in the guidebook they sent him, so he figured it was best to just sit tight for now. He smiled at Elliot. "So, are you familiar with this area at all? I'm from Ymir, all the way in the northeastern mountains."

"Oh! Well, actually... I'm from Heimdallr, but to be honest with you, this is my first time away from home." He looked almost apologetic. "I've never set foot in Trista before, either." For some reason, Rean had been antsy that this guy was just being friendly to try to network in some way—but it seemed like he was just shy, and trying to push himself to make a friend. That was kind of cute, honestly—Rean didn't mind talking to him at all.

"That's okay—to be honest with you, it's my first time away from my family, too." He turned in his chair so they were facing each other more. "But that's kind of exciting in itself, isn't it?"

Elliot laughed lightly. "I guess you're right." Well—that had been a success. That weird bandana guy on the street didn't really count—Rean would consider Elliot the first person he met at Thors—maybe even his first friend. They were both wearing the red uniform, so that had to mean they'd been assigned to the same class, right?

As most of the students had left the building, a woman wearing a long blue coat over a yellow dress stepped forward. "Aaalllrighty! Those of you wearing red, can I have your attention, please?" Her friendly voice commanded the room. Rean looked around at the other red-jacketed students who were standing by their chairs, looking just as lost as he was. He recognized the blonde he had seen this morning, he thought his name was Jusis—but he didn't recognize anyone else. There seemed to be a mix of boys and girls. The woman kept talking, Rean could only assume she was a teacher. "You're probably wondering why your homeroom assignment wasn't outlined in your guidebook, right? Well—you guys' situation is a little 'special' from everyone else's." She folded her arms with an odd smirk. "But before getting into all that, I'd like all of you to join me for a special 'orienteering' exercise!"

Rean exchanged glances with Elliot. One guy in front of them with green hair scoffed, and he heard a sassy voice in the back say, "Does she mean an 'orientation' exercise?"

"Worry not, everything will be made clear. Now, follow me, if you would!" She said it in an almost sing-song tone, strolling out of the auditorium without another word of explanation.

A girl with big glasses and long hair looked nervously after her. "Um..."

A tall guy with dark skin in the back folded his arms nonchalantly. "Looks like we'll have to follow her if we want any answers."

The instructor stopped in the doorway. "Oh right, I'm Sara! And don't you dare call me 'ma'am', I'm not even thirty yet!" With that she strode out without another word. Rean could feel his eyebrows shoot up.

"Haha... I guess we should follow her." Elliot looked just as lost as he did, so with no better direction than that, they all filed out of the auditorium behind her.

XXX

XXX

[Author's Note: Perspectives are going to be switching, and there might be a flashback/forward here and there, like the cold open. OOO signifies Rean's perspective, XXX signifies Crow's. If a scene transition is stylized with ~~, it's the start or end of a flashback. I'm sure that would have been obvious without this annotation, but there ya go XD]

Crow was hiking his ass up the steep hill to where Gelica was waiting. Geez, she couldn't have picked a spot that was less of a pain, huh… Towa would probably have to stop two or three times before she reached the top.

'Hoo-ooh...'

He heard that familiar eerie bird call. Sure enough, Grianos had perched on a branch right in his path. Whelp, guess he had to make Gelica wait a little longer...

Crow slid back down the dirt trail, following Grianos as it flew low overhead. Couldn't Vita just call him on his ARCUS, did she have to be so theatrical about everything?

He followed Grianos back behind the garden, to a little spot between overgrown trees behind the gym. Sure enough, Vita was waiting in the shade of the branches, fanning herself with a totally necessary flourish. "Thank you for meeting me—I apologize for calling you on such short notice."

"Yeah, yeah—so what's up?"

She snapped her fan closed. "I want you to keep a close eye on three particular students. They're going to be entering that special class, along with my little sister."

"Little sister?" Crow was actually intrigued. Vita hardly ever talked about herself. "Which one?"

"I'll let you guess." Vita smirked, wordlessly twirling her fingers in the air, working some kind of spell. "Though I'm sure you'll be able to tell—our auras are rather similar, after all." The air around them distorted with blue ripples. "Resound, resound, O voice everlasting..." She chanted a few more words, and an almost-translucent circle appeared in the air. It was a little wavy, like they were looking through water, but he could clearly make out the new Class VII, strolling down the overgrown path to the abandoned schoolhouse. Looked like Sara was bread-crumbing them along, probably annoyingly not explaining anything, like her usual MO.

"Hey, Vita—not to be rude, but can you just show me which ones and be done with it? I kinda got a schedule to keep here."

"Patience, my young friend." She opened her eyes, her fingers flicking here and there to adjust the sight of her spell. "These are the three I'd like you to keep a close eye on. They're all candidates for potential Awakeners."

Crow shifted his weight to his other foot. "You don't say?" Color him interested...

"First—the girl. Her name is Laura S. Arseid." Vita's spell showed a tall girl with a long blue ponytail. "She has an ancestral connection to Lianne Sandlot, one of Emperor Dreichel's closest companions."

"Okay..." Vita had been pretty cryptic about this stuff up until now, so he didn't expect much more information than that.

"But don't underestimate her—she is the heir to the Arseid school of martial arts." Yeah, no kidding—even from this angle Crow could tell she had a warrior's stance, and her arms and leg muscles were no joke. "I daresay that with more discipline, she could be as good with her blade as you are with your double saber."

"Hah. I'd like to see that." Crow wasn't trying to be rude to the little lady—but he seriously doubted that.

Vita gave him an unreadable look. "Observe, and listen well." She flicked the focus of her spell to a really tall, tan guy. "This second one is a bit of a wild card—his name is Gaius Worzel, from the Nord Highlands." Now this guy looked interesting—he had a red tattoo going down one arm, and he was obviously pretty built—but his body language was really relaxed, he looked like he was giving Sara his full attention. "As you know, the people of Nord were very important to Emperor Dreichels. His closest companions after Lianne Sandlot were the Nord warriors with whom he spent his time in exile."

"Uh-huh." She wasn't just going to tell him and let him be on his way, huh...

She started tapping her closed fan on her hip. "Crow, pay attention. I'm only going to say this once." It was almost funny how her mystical tone completely changed, now she just sounded annoyed. "Now that my sister and that pesky cat are here, it's going to be more risky for Grianos and I to show ourselves."

"I get it, I get it—I just don't want to miss the show while I'm here yakking away with you."

She huffed, flipping her long hair over her shoulder like a true diva. "Fine. Have it your way, then." She flicked her fingers in annoyance, the spell settling on a shorter guy with dark blue hair that was almost black. Hey, wait a second...

"Oh, that guy?"

Vita whipped her fan open. "Do you know him?"

"Nah—I just ran into him this morning, is all." Interesting... well, it's not like Crow was trying to get a read on the guy, or anything—he only remembered him 'cause he had the Class VII uniform. And he just thought it was kinda funny that this dude was so engrossed in watching him banter back and forth with those brats. Like, didn't he have anything better to do? Well, Crow was one to talk... "So, what's his deal?"

Vita zoomed in tight on his face. He was looking around while Sara led them to the spooky old building, like he was still unsure about the whole situation. "He is perhaps the strongest candidate of the three. His energy signature is similar to that of Emperor Dreichels himself." Crow's eyebrows actually went up.

"Okay... so, what does that mean?" Crow wasn't exactly in tune with all this 'spiritual' stuff, but that seemed a bit odd, didn't it?

"It means—keep a close eye on him. He might be the one to wake the sleeping giant beneath the labyrinth." She snapped her fan shut, and the spell evaporated. "His name is Rean Schwarzer. I confess I have little more information than that—his background is a mystery. He was adopted by Baron Schwarzer of Ymir when he was a child, but his origins remain unknown, even to me."

"I see." Crow was rubbing his chin. He did enjoy cracking a tough nut, so to speak. "Well then, should I just focus on him and keep the other two in mind, just in case?"

Vita fanned herself, her eyes closed. "Conduct yourself however you wish. I'll give you further instructions when the time is right." Cryptic as always... "Just don't forget—whomever the Ashen Knight's Awakener turns out to be, it is your duty to duel them with Ordine. And you must win."

"You got it, Vita." Crow gave her a salute with two fingers. "It seems a little unfair to duel some fresh novice, but—them's the breaks."

"Indeed. You cannot afford to show mercy to your enemy. Much is at stake beyond mortal understanding." She raised her fan, and in a flourish of blue sigils, she and Grianos disappeared. Uh huh... "beyond mortal understanding", yeah. Whatever.

Crow shrugged to himself, walking back around the garden towards the abandoned schoolhouse. In the end, he supposed the specifics didn't really matter—he was just going along with this whole duel thing to pay Vita back for all she had done for him. Even with the ILF and all of Duke Cayenne's funding, he wouldn't be where he was today without Ordine. Dealing with another Awakener just seemed like a fun sidequest on his way to taking the Emperor's head off—or maybe shooting him through the heart, he hadn't decided which would be more flashy yet. Either way—his Grampa wouldn't have to wait much longer to be avenged. If everything went according to plan, he could get it done within the year. A little tit-for-tat along the way wasn't a big deal—if Crow had to duel one of these unlucky suckers who happened to be the Ashen Knight's Awakener, well—that was just tough sh*t for them. It was all just a stepping-stone on the path Crow had to walk. And this path only went one way, baby—forward.

After a few minutes, Crow had trekked to the top of the hill where Gelica was presiding over the new Class VII's trial. "Hey, Gelica. I miss anything?"

She hugged herself tightly. "Only the cutest bunch of angels I've ever seen in my life! Ooh!" She swung around, like she could barely contain herself. "Just look at them all—my little Alisa's really got some stiff competition." Crow could finally get a better look at his targets. The tall one, Gaius, stood out the most—Laura was also standing confidently at the head of the pack. "It's like a heavenly buffet—I can't decide! I think I like the petite one with the silver hair and the blank stare the most—but I just can't commit!" That one guy, Rean, wasn't looking too confident, hanging at the back of the crowd with this red-headed twink. Looks like Towa and George already confiscated all their weapons. He might've had a sword strapped to his back when they ran into each other on the street, but—it's not like Crow knew him from Adam or had any reason to pay attention to him, so he couldn't quite remember. "Oh man—but check out the rack on her!" Gelica slapped his arm. "The shy one with the glasses—" Crow couldn't help but look—yeah, it looked like they gave the poor girl a uniform that was a size too small. For some reason, he had a feeling that she might be Vita's sister. She didn't tell him to, but it might be to his advantage to try to get close to her, too... "Not normally my type, but they look so pillowy and soft!" Geez—not for the same reasons as Gelica though, obviously. Even if he wanted to go there—Vita would probably disembowel him with one of her crazy spells. "But check out the girl with the blue hair—she looks pretty tough. A Muscle Mommy wouldn't be so bad, either..."

"Hah, isn't that just you, Gelica?"

"Wow, I'm flattered!" Her normal husky tone returned, now that she got her fill of "cuties". "I like to think I'm more of the princely type, myself."

Crow laughed. "Riding in on a sweet hog, rather than a white horse?"

"You got it!" She placed both hands confidently on her hips. "See, this is why we get along."

Crow couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Whelp—if Vita thought this Rean kid was the most likely candidate, it would probably be a waste of time to scope out the other two. The guy really didn't seem too confident though, or particularly strong... Geez, if he was supposed to be an Awakener like Crow, he had a long way to go... guess it was up to Uncle Crow as the kind-hearted upperclassmen to push his juniors along, and all that crap. What a pain... Crow had to do all that sh*t and prove himself worthy of Ordine himself—kids these days had it so easy. "Just try not to creep on the girls too bad, okay Gelica?"

"Who's a creep? The ladies climb over each other for my attention."

"Are you sure they’re not trying to escape?"

"Ah, rude!"

He snickered, watching as the others followed Sara into the school building, Rean and red being the last through the door. "Well, whatever—I call dibs on the black-haired one with the big doe eyes, so I guess the girls are all yours." Whoa—that actually surprised him. As if he sensed their presence, Rean turned and looked right up at them. Gelica gave him a huge wave and a thumbs-up. Crow decided to follow suit. Rean's expression wasn't exactly readable from this distance, and he turned away from them, disappearing into the building.

"Hah! You give me crap all the time, but you're just as bad."

"Keep telling yourself that, Gelica..." Well—that was a little spooky. Maybe the kid had some kind of sixth sense, if what Vita was saying was true. Crow'd have to be a little cautious around him...

Gelica crossed her arms. "I'm just glad all that hard work we put in last year won't go to waste." Hmm. Of course she'd feel that way. From Crow's perspective, he just had one more year of faking it—less, if Lady Luck was on his side.

"Heh—I'd say all the 'work' you did last year was pretty 'soft', know what I'm sayin'?"

"Ahh, of course I do!" She hugged herself again. "Ah, my little cuties—fear not, your Prince shall come!"

"Hey now, don't come too quick—girls don't really like that, you know."

"Hah, you'd know!"

"Hey now—!"

"Hey you two—no fighting!" Towa padded up behind them, noticeably a little out of breath from the steep incline.

"Hey—you doin' okay there, short stuff?"

"—I'm fine." Towa pumped her fists, taking another steadying breath as she stood up straight. "Hoo." She swallowed heavily. "—Have they arrived yet? Is everything all set up?"

"They just entered the schoolhouse now." Gelica peered down the hill at the dilapidated building. "I'm sorry, my dear Towa—I should have carried you up the hill princess-style so you wouldn't miss them!"

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you!"

"Hah. Give it up, Angie." George turned his hat to the front to block the sun out of his eyes. "I offered her a piggyback, but she said 'no', too."

"Wow, what a sweet guy." Crow grinned at Gelica. "You should take some pointers from George on how to be a real prince, lady. He actually knows how to take a 'no'?"

"Oh, like you know how to take the 'L'?"

"Why you—"

"No fighting!" Towa pumped her little fists again, her eyes scrunched. Crow couldn't help but laugh.

"Geez Gelica, you're making Towa upset!"

"Oh, my little Towa!" Gelica ran to her side, rubbing her cheek on her hair and messing it up. "Is Crow annoying you? Just say the word, I'll push him right off this cliff!"

"Absolutely not!" Towa tried feebly to push Gelica off. "Angie, I can't breathe!"

"Oh, my!" Gelica actually let her go. "You really were winded hiking all the way up here, weren't you?" Gelica put her hand on her hip. "We gotta work on your stamina, girl."

Towa coughed into her fist. "That can wait for another day." She looked up at Crow. "Is everything set up to Instructor Sara's parameters?"

"You got it, lady!" Crow gave her a thumbs-up. "I'd like to see those first-years escape my expert trap."

Towa's big eyes got bigger. "You did remember to cushion their fall, right?"

"Uh..."

"Crow!"

"Hey now—in the real world, your enemy's not gonna be nice enough to cushion your fall!" He placed both hands on his hips. "Consider it a free life lesson from Uncle Crow! Those little chickadees should be thanking me."

"Oh, dear..." Towa leaned her cheek in her hand. Her hair was still a little messed up from Gelica rubbing all up on her like a cat. "Well, I suppose you're not wrong..."

"Hmm." Gelica smirked to herself. "Speaking of chickadees... you met with all the candidates for the new Class VII, right, Towa?"

"I have! Although George and I only greeted them at the gate."

Gelica grinned in Crow's direction. Uh oh. "Well, I'm curious if you can guess who our 'Uncle Crow' called dibs on."

Towa's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, my! Really?"

"Wha—hey, I was just kiddin’ around!" Even George raised an eyebrow. "You called dibs on all the girls, I just wanted to keep the conversation goin', that's all!"

"So it's a boy?!"

"Ah sh*t—" He walked right into that one. Towa looked gooped and gagged, as Gelica might say. "Hey—I was seriously just playin’ around, okay?"

Gelica gave a low chuckle. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be playing around plenty."

"Gah..." They were really grilling him on both sides. Even Towa couldn't hide her intrigue. "George, get my back here, huh buddy?"

George shrugged, clasping his arms behind his head. "I'm happy for you, Crow. Let's just hope this one lasts longer than the others."

"Bah..." Crow jammed his hands in his pockets, sliding back down the dirt-covered slope. "You guys are so nosy! I don't remember prying into your sh*t like this!" He heard who he guessed was Towa scrambling down the slope after him, so he stopped, ready to catch her in case she slipped.

She used the branches protruding onto the trail as leverage. Gelica was right behind her, also with her arms ready just in case. She peered up at him with big eyes. "—is it Gaius?!"

"Wha—I don't know, I don't know their names!" Hah, of course a lil thing like Towa would guess Gaius—objectively speaking, he was the best-looking of all of them—but not exactly Crow's type. Not that Crow really had a type, since all his flings here and there were just to waste time and have fun, but... he supposed there was nothing wrong with the androgynous cute type, right? Masculine and feminine just meant the best of both worlds—right up Crow's alley, heh. Actually—maybe this was the perfect cover he needed. If they thought he was interested in one of those Class VII twerps, he could spend as much time with them as he wanted without anyone blinking an eye. If it turned out to be Gaius or Laura, Gelica would probably just figure he changed his mind. He just hoped he wouldn't have to fight her over the "muscle mommy"... Ah geez, he wasn't particularly looking forward to faking being interested in any of them, to be honest—but he'd done worse things to climb to where he was now, so what's a few more sins in the bucket?

"—Wah!" Towa slipped on the loose dirt, and Crow was right there to catch her. "Thanks—" She leaned into him, hopping up to his ear. "Hey—just whisper it to me, I won't tell!"

"Geez..." Crow set her back down on a stable spot on the trail. "Keep needling me, and I'm gonna carry you all the way down this hill princess-style!"

"No, anything but that!" Crow couldn't help but laugh.

OOO

OOO

Jusis turned on his heel. "Let me make this clear—I have no intention of becoming friends with any of you." He narrowed his gaze at Machias, who was still all riled up. "And I'm surprised that you, of all people, give a damn what I do."

"W-who said I do?!"

Jusis smirked, his eyes closing. "But if you're afraid of this dark dungeon, I suppose I can allow you the protection of my sword-arm. Noblesse oblige dictates that it's my sacred duty to protect powerless commoners such as yourself." Wow... Jusis' wit was really cutting, Rean hoped he'd never be on the receiving end of it.

"What did you say?! Who said anything about 'your highness' having to deign us with his holy presence?!" Jusis was being a huge dick, but... Machias started it, going off on a rant about nobles out of nowhere. He kind of brought it on himself.

After some more back-and-forth, Machias stormed off down the dark tunnel, alone. "Tch." Jusis huffed to himself, also disappearing further underground. Everyone else just stood around awkwardly. Rean wasn't exactly surprised that the mood had soured so quickly—they had a lot of information thrown at them all at once, not the least of which being this experimental mixed-class Class VII. Then Machias flipped out about having to brush shoulders with "arrogant, stuck-up hedonists", followed by the bombshell that Jusis wasn't just from Albarea, he WAS Albarea—then they were literally dropped through a trap door onto this hard stone floor. Rean was just glad no one was hurt...

"Very well, then." The girl with the long blue ponytail sounded calm and collected, despite everything. "I think it prudent to remain in small groups as we traverse this dungeon. Would you two care to accompany me?" At some point, the small girl with the silver hair had darted off into the tunnel by herself, so the three of them were the only girls left.

"Oh, um... sure." The girl with the big glasses turned to glance at Rean and the others.

"I'm sure the boys will be fine on their own. Let us be off." The girl with the ponytail turned smoothly. Glasses girl gave them an almost sympathetic look, followed by a bow.

"If you'll excuse us, then..." She went to catch up with the other two without saying anything else.

The guys who were left behind all looked at one another. "Well... I guess it's just us, then."

"That's fine by me." The taller guy folded his arms casually. "Oh—I don't believe I've introduced myself yet. My name is Gaius Worzel. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you!" At least the awkward vibe didn't seem to dull Elliot's enthusiasm. "I'm Elliot."

"I'm Rean. It's nice to meet you, too." He tipped the hilt of his blade in its sheath. "Well—if we're going to be seeing combat already, I'm used to fighting close-quarters, so I don't mind taking the lead."

"Ah, I see. I'm rather comfortable with physical combat myself." Gaius whipped out his huge cross-spear. "I don't mind taking point with you." They turned to look at Elliot, who rubbed his cheek with a shy expression.

"Umm... if it's all the same to you, I'd rather take position in the rear." He brought out an unusual weapon, it almost looked like a staff. "This weapon they gave me is meant to amplify orbal energy—I have somewhat of an aptitude with Arts, and I know a little healing." He smiled up at them, still looking a bit shy. "So please—don't hesitate to ask if you want me to patch you up."

"I appreciate that, thanks." Rean unsheathed his sword, readying it in a neutral stance. "Shall we be off, then?" The three of them made their way into the dark tunnel, Rean taking point with Gaius, and Elliot hanging back behind them. The stone walls were lit by some kind of energy, it almost gave the dungeon a soft blue glow. Rean didn't sense any monsters in their immediate vicinity, but he was still moving cautiously. Rean wouldn't consider himself a strong Arts-user, so he was curious to see Elliot's skills with that orbal staff—he wouldn't be dropping his guard just because they had a healer, but it helped him to not hold anything back knowing that someone was there to patch them up.

"By the way—that's quite an unusual sword, Rean. Is that style common in the Empire?"

"No, actually—this is a tachi, and you wouldn't really see them outside of the East." Rean pointed his sword so Gaius could get a nice look at it. "My Master imported this style of swordsmanship from Calvard."

"I see, interesting." Gaius moved confidently like that huge spear of his weighed nothing. "I just arrived in the Empire, so a lot of sights are new to me. I'm originally from the Nord Highlands."

"Is that right?" Rean wasn't overly-familiar, although Nord was closer to Ymir than Trista was. "I've never been—though I've heard the rolling hills and wide-open plains are a sight to behold."

Gaius had an easy smile. "That's very true. There's nothing like riding through the verdant plains of the highlands with the wind in your face."

"Wow... that sounds amazing!" Elliot piped up from behind them. "I'd love to visit someday."

Gaius laughed heartily. "Well, if you ever find yourself in Nord, I'd be happy to be your guide." He never relaxed his stance, despite his casual tone. "Likewise—if you wouldn't mind, I'll probably have some questions for you about life in the Empire. This is my first time outside of my homeland."

"Of course! Anything you want to ask, we'll be happy to answer." He realized he just spoke on Elliot's behalf too, but Elliot seemed genuinely good-natured and kind, so he probably didn't mind. Honestly—his first impression of his fellow classmates had been a mixed bag so far. Rean wasn't sure what to make of them quite yet—Machias seemed rather headstrong and like he had a high-conflict personality—but Rean couldn't help but feel like it was over-compensative. Jusis wasn't much better, giving as well as he got, with more than a hint of arrogance—but he was so cold, and seemed like he genuinely wanted to keep everyone at arm's length. Even before that awkward little tiff when the two of them stormed off, Rean was glad he ended up with the teammates he did. Elliot was just like he seemed on the surface—very sweet and genuine. Gaius came across as a little intimidating at first—but he was actually really chill, Rean wanted to believe he was a good guy. He seemed like a fish out of water—life must really be different up in the Nord Highlands, so Rean wouldn't mind showing him the ropes a little. He seemed pretty down-to-earth, and it didn’t hurt that he was easy on the eyes…

Rean winced a little, cursing himself internally for his brain even going there. He supposed it was just an observable truth, though—you'd have to be a blind 100-year-old nun not to notice it. Actually... almost everyone in Class VII had their own unique charm, from what Rean had observed. That swordswoman with the blue ponytail had a quiet confidence and an air of refinement about her, and even the girl with the glasses had a mysterious aura Rean couldn't quite put his finger on. As for the guys, Elliot was cute in an almost effeminate way, Jusis had this "princely" air that he imagined girls would swoon over—then there was Gaius. He was tall and built, and just straight-up handsome. His messy long hair made him look more approachable—and Rean was curious about his tattoo, was it common in Nord? Ugh... Rean supposed there was no running away from it, even all the way out here at Thors. He just hoped when he finally worked up the courage to sit down and have a serious conversation with his parents... that they wouldn't be disappointed in him. But, they always had Elise—Rean honestly felt like she would make a better heir, anyway. Especially if she could actually give them grandchildren...

He actually shook his head, trying to will the thoughts away. This was no time to be thinking about that—they had been dumped in this creepy dungeon, and had to work together to fight their way out of it. Hmm... speaking of creepy, he still couldn't shake that odd feeling he got when they were outside the building. He sensed that someone was watching him, but when he looked up it was just this chick in a bodysuit and that weird bandana guy he ran into in town. Rean had gotten a vibe that he was being watched intently—but when he looked up they just waved at him and gave him the thumbs-up, and weren't trying to conceal their presence at all. Well—whatever. Rean didn't really have time to worry about that, either.

He tightened his grip on his tachi, ready for something to pop out from the darkness at any second.

OOO

This old building was certainly strange. They ran into a few flying cats with giant clawed feet, and some slime creatures which Elliot was able to quickly dispatch with his Arts. Apparently his ARCUS was strong with Water and Space sepith—Rean's was made up of Fire and Time. They also ran into some hard-shelled beetles along the way—but Gaius was able to pierce right through them with his spear. He said his ARCUS was attuned with Earth and Wind, which seemed fitting. Rean was starting to get the picture here—these challenges weren't especially difficult, but moreso diverse—they were probably meant to get a better feel for their classmates' fighting styles, and how to work off of each other's skills.

As they rounded the corner, they were beset on by a cloud of beetles. Rean rushed in, easily slashing one from behind. He saw an ice needle pierce one to his right, and a spear take care of the one on the left.

"Hoo..." Rean saw Elliot collapse to the floor.

"Are you all right, Elliot?" Rean bent down to offer him his hand.

"Are you injured?" Gaius put away his spear.

Elliot swallowed heavily, catching his breath. "—I'm fine. I'm just not used to combat like this, that's all..."

"No, I suppose not." Rean tried to sound encouraging. "There's nothing wrong with that though, Elliot—that's good that you've led a peaceful life up until now."

"Haah..." Elliot almost laughed in a self-deprecating way. "... I'm just surprised by how unfazed you guys are!"

"Well... I know my way around a sword because of my training. But it's not like I've seen much live combat either." Rean helped pull Elliot to his feet. "For me, swordsmanship is more of a spiritual exercise."

"Wow..."

"Fascinating." Gaius folded his arms thoughtfully. "For me, learning how to fight was necessary—not only for hunting, but for defending our land. We do stand right on the border with Calvard, although much of that border is impassable mountains."

"I see..." Rean supposed he had been slacking off on his geopolitical studies... He was rather out of the loop when it came to politics, with his family's territory being so remote. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a beetle pouncing off the ledge right towards Elliot. "Look out!" He readied his sword—

"Aah!" Elliot ducked, covering his head—but the beetle was shot right out of the sky. Rean was surprised for a second, then quickly went over to finish it off.

"Whew... made it just in time." A familiar voice drifted from the tunnel ahead, and Machias strolled towards them holding what looked like a shotgun.

"That was you, Machias?" Rean sheathed his sword. "Thanks—you really came in clutch."

He looked almost embarrassed as he approached them. "Ah, it was nothing. This baby's trigger is faster than I thought." He demonstratively pat the body of his gun.

"I'll say—that's not just a normal shotgun, is it?"

"No—it's a special orbal model that fires rounds modified with sepith. It essentially never runs out of ammo—as long as I have my ARCUS with me." Machias strapped the weapon behind his back. "I can switch between single-target shots and buckshot, too."

"Amazing, that would come in handy while hunting." Gaius hadn't put away his spear, still ready for anything. "Although, I suppose spraying quarry with sepith would probably ruin the meat..."

"Hmm." Machias closed his eyes, looking like he wanted to say something else. "Well... I'm glad I caught up to all of you. I just wanted to apologize." His eyes flicked to the side. "I let that arrogant noble goad me into losing my composure. But I still shouldn't have stormed off like that. We need to stick together to overcome this trial." He looked at Rean with a slightly shameful expression. "I hope you can forgive me for acting like such a fool."

"Well... of course, Machias. We're all in this together, right?" It was pretty big of him to come right out and apologize like that, it almost seemed like too much.

"Haha... I feel like we all have moments like that. It's just human nature, right?" Elliot laughed it off. "Oh—and thank you for saving me."

Machias looked to the side, almost seeming shy, if Rean didn't know better. "I'm just glad I decided to retrace my steps." Whether he realized it or not, Elliot seemed adept at diffusing situations. He might make a good negotiator someday. "It's just the three of you, then?"

"Oh—right, I think we're the last group to come through. If you're retracting your steps, I don't think you'll find anyone after us."

Machias' brows were sloped down. "I see." Was he looking for someone in particular? "Well... do you mind if I join you, then?"

"Of course not." Rean relaxed his stance. "You're welcome to." He smiled to the side at Elliot. "We'll be a well-balanced team with another long-range attacker, right?"

"Oh—you're right! That orbal gun seems like it'd come in handy." Elliot looked grateful that Rean read between the lines.

"Very well, then." Machias pushed up his glasses. "Oh—I apologize, I failed to introduce myself properly. I'm Machias Regnitz." They all made their introductions, and Rean swore the name "Regnitz" was familiar, but Machias obviously wasn't a noble. "Before we go any further, I must ask—are any of you from the nobility?" The vibe instantly got uncomfortable. What a question...

Elliot was the first to speak up. "No... We're just a normal military family... Both my parents are commoners."

Gaius shook his head. "I'm from the Nord Highlands. We don't have nobles, or a class system of any kind." He turned to Rean. "Is class really that important in the Empire?"

"Well... it is, unfortunately." They were all turned towards him expectantly. How to phrase this... "Well, as for me—I don't have a single drop of noble blood in me."

Machias almost let out a sigh of relief. "I see. Well—I'm glad to know we're all on equal footing." Rean felt a little bad for skirting the issue... but in his defense, it was a rather weird thing for Machias to ask. Especially since he obviously had a big chip on his shoulder about nobles... "Shall we get going, then? I'm rather worried about the girls—I'd feel much better if we could catch up to them and all proceed as a larger group."

"I can see that—it wouldn't hurt to have strength in numbers." He said that, but—Machias did see that swordswoman’s arms, right? Maybe it was easier for Rean to tell, as a fellow swordsman... but he had a feeling she could handle herself just fine.

The four of them proceeded through the dimly-lit corridors. Machias' orbal buckshot was handy for dealing with clusters of targets—even Elliot made comments about wanting to study more crowd-control bursts of Arts. Rean tried to encourage him that patching up their bruises and scrapes with his healing was plenty helpful—but he could understand the frustration of feeling like playing backup just wasn't enough. Rean knew basic first aid and survival tactics from his time in the mountains with Master Ka-Fai—but Elliot's healing was something else.

"Yah!" A flash of steel, and a golden beetle was cleaved in twain. Rean got a look at the huge blade as its owner sheathed it at her side—it was longer than his tachi, and forged in thick layers—one might call it more of a slab or a blunt instrument than a blade, but she wielded it like it weighed as much as a butter knife.

"Whoa..." Even Machias sounded impressed.

The swordswoman kept her hand on the hilt of her blade, turning towards them. "So, we meet again." Her stance was confident, but she still seemed relaxed and approachable. At least, by Rean's assessment.

"Yeah, glad to see you're holding your own down here."

She shifted her weight. "I don't believe I've introduced myself. My name is Laura S. Arseid. I come from the town of Legram, on the shores of Lake Ebel."

"Ah... Legram is the home of the Arseid school of martial arts, isn't it?"

Laura got a shine in her eyes. "Just so. I'm glad to hear my father's techniques have some recognition outside of the province."

"Your father?" Elliot couldn't hide his surprise.

"Yes, Victor S. Arseid, from whom I learned all of my techniques." Laura smiled to herself. "Although I still consider myself a novice, someday I hope to take over as the Master of the Arseid school."

Rean eyed her blade. "You call yourself a novice... but I'm sure even hardened soldiers wouldn't be able to wield a weapon like that how you just did." His sister often made fun of him for being a "sword nerd", but he couldn't help but be impressed by swordsmanship and feats of mortal strength. He held a special fascination with techniques outside of the Eight Leaves school, so this might be a good opportunity to widen his skillset.

"Haha. Well, I appreciate your compliment."

"Arseid... why does that name sound so familiar?" Machias was mumbling to himself.

Laura had a knowing smile, and her eyes closed. "I suppose those outside the school would be more familiar with my father as Viscount Arseid, Lord of Legram."

Machias actually started a bit. "Oh! Um..."

Laura had a calm smile. "I can only speak for myself, but even as a noble, I don't think I've ever done anything shameful in Aidios' eyes. And I truly believe the same of my father."

Machias was in the weeds now. "I-I'm sorry, I meant no offense. Please, I—"

"It's quite all right." Laura had a calming countenance, even as she was essentially ripping this guy a new one. "We often treat that which we don't understand with disdain, do we not?" There was a palpable silence. "It's just one of the many flaws of being human that we must overcome to be closer to Aidios."

"Um..." Machias sounded truly ashamed.

The girl with the large glasses stepped forward. "Now, now... I think we can all put side our differences for this orienteering exercise, can't we?" She had an almost apologetic smile. "I apologize for my late introduction—my name is Emma Millstein. Like Laura, I also come from a remote corner of the Empire. It's nice to meet you all." She bowed to the group at large. "In my village there aren't many children or others my age... so I hope we can all get along." She looked to the side with a bit of embarrassment.

"Likewise." Rean tried to give her an encouraging smile, but she was still looking away. She seemed sweet, if a little insecure. "Oh, look—Elliot, she has the same weapon as you."

"Oh, you're right!"

"Hm? You mean this?" Emma took our her orbal staff. "I don't have any combat or martial arts training, so I was given this after my assessment."

"Hah, it was the same for me." Elliot was holding his own staff, looking between them. "Though, their designs look a bit different..."

"Curious—I wonder why?"

The blonde girl with them hadn't said much. She was looking between the boys, almost like she was analyzing them. She appeared to be holding some kind of longbow, though it looked to be made out of metal, or some other orbal conductor.

Laura broke the silence. "Alisa?"

"Oh—right. Guess I should introduce myself, too." She stepped forward, but Rean noticed she was avoiding making eye contact with anyone. "I'm Alisa... R. From Roer." Okay... she seemed to tack on the "R" at the last second, but Rean supposed that was none of his business. It was only a matter of time before anyone made the "Schwarzer" connection, maybe he could have saved himself the trouble by introducing himself as "Rean S."

"Roer, huh? Wow, it must be exciting living in a city like that! I bet you get to see all the new gadgets being invented first-hand!" Leave it to Elliot to diffuse the tension with genuine enthusiasm...

Alisa pointedly looked to the side. "I guess so."

Rean didn't want to make anyone feel left out, even if she was being a bit frosty and evasive—so he decided to do what he did best as a "weapons nerd". "I couldn't help but notice your bow there—I've never seen one like it." She finally looked up at that. "Is it an orbal bow?"

"... Yes, rather than firing arrows, it amplifies bursts of orbal energy." She looked away again just as quickly.

"Intriguing... that sounds similar to my shotgun." Machias sounded like he recovered from the verbal smackdown Laura gave him. "Since you're from Roer, was the Reinford group involved in the development of that weapon?"

She flipped her long blonde hair, sounding annoyed. "I wouldn't know." Alrighty then...

"Um... right." Elliot spoke up somewhat sheepishly. "So, does anyone have any ideas on what to do now?"

Machias cleared his throat. "Well, I think it best that we all move as a group. After all, the girls may need our pro—"

"That's quite all right." Laura laid a quiet hand on her swordhilt. "I feel more than confident taking the lead of our group." She looked to Rean. "Plus, there are still two of us unaccounted for. Moving in two separate groups doubles our chances of running into them, does it not?"

"You make a sound point." Gaius spoke up for the first time since they ran into the girls. "I have a feeling this exercise it about more than just testing our combat capabilities—surely we're meant to cooperate. Leaving two of our group behind down here feels unacceptable."

"I think you're right. We still haven't run into Jusis."

"Nor that silver-haired girl..." Emma looked down the dark corridor with a worried expression.

"Then if Laura feels confident in her group, I say we should be on our way as well." Rean noticed that even when Gaius relaxed his stance, he still never put away his weapon. He must not be able to afford to relax his vigilance up in the highlands.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Very well, then." Laura made a small bow. "We'll see the four of you later. Hopefully we'll have one more in tow by then." With that, the three of them walked off. Emma gave them another bow, but Alisa didn't bother.

Machias looked off after them. "She sounds confident... but should we really let the girls go off by themselves?"

"I don't think they have anything to worry about, with Laura with them." Rean shifted his weight. "The Arseid style is no joke—and her father Viscount Arseid might just be the strongest swordsman in the Empire. They call him the Radiant Blademaster."

"Wow! Rean—you seem to know a lot about it."

Rean laughed a bit at himself. "Well, my sister calls me a 'sword nerd', so I guess it's just a special interest of mine."

"Haha." Elliot laughed lightly. "Well, I understand where Machias is coming from, but I think you're right, Rean—Laura looks more than capable. She could probably throw me like a frisbee."

"Hah!" Gaius actually laughed. "That may be Elliot, but I believe your spells have proven invaluable to us so far."

"Aw... Well, thanks for saying that."

Rean smiled at them. "Well? Should we keep going?"

"Yes, let's."

OOO

The dungeon seemed to stretch on forever. Their group dispatched more clusters of monsters along the way, but no sign of Jusis or the silver-haired girl—and the monsters were only becoming more plentiful, so Rean was getting worried about them being on their own. "I hope those two are okay..."

Machias scoffed behind them, taking up the rear with Elliot. "Well, let's keep an eye out for the girl—that pompous ass Albarea can rot down here for all I care."

"Ha ha..." Elliot laughed awkwardly. "Hey, now—that's not a very nice thing to say. We just barely met him after all—and you saw Laura, not all nobles are as 'pompous' as you say, right?"

"Hmph, well that one certainly is." Rean couldn't help but roll his eyes. He gave Machias credit for acknowledging when he was in the wrong, but he couldn't help but get irritated that he kept throwing out little comments unprovoked. Asking forgiveness was supposed to be a promise of growth, and actually learning from your mistake—not a get-out-of-jail-free card to turn around and do it again. Rean knew more than a few so-called pious followers who treated begging for Aidios' forgiveness like that...

"Relax, Machias. I'm sure you don't like it when nobles make sweeping generalizations about the commonfolk, right?" He couldn't see Machias behind him, but he imagined him bristling. "Can't you just take everyone at their own merit?" He turned around to glance at Machias, but he was looking away, possibly pretending to sweep the dark corners of the ceiling for enemies. "If Jusis turns out to be as pompous as you say, then I suppose you can criticize him all you want. But everyone deserves a chance to show you who they are, right?" Rean hoped he hadn't said too much... honestly he dreaded what the reaction would be when they all found out he was technically a noble.

Gaius nodded in solidarity next to him. "Very wise words, Rean. That's how we treat each other in Nord—even between different tribes, everyone is equal in Aidios' eyes. All people should be taken at their own merit."

"Hmm." Elliot made a contented hum. "Well, now that the borders are open, it'd be nice if that attitude from Nord rubbed off a bit on the rest of the Empire, wouldn't it?" That would be nice... but Rean wasn't going to hold his breath.

Machias pointedly didn't say anything else, and their group continued on.

OOO

Rean sensed that eyes were on him. He stopped short in the hallway, and the others followed suit after a second. "Show yourself."

"W-what?" Elliot scooted a little closer to Rean. "More monsters?"

Gaius was on guard, as well. "Not exactly."

"Heh. You're pretty sharp." The silver-haired girl appeared deftly from behind a pillar. Her presence was probably undetectable to the average person, but... Rean supposed he had an advantage the average person didn't, for better or worse.

"Oh, it's you!" Elliot sounded relieved.

"I'm glad to see you're all right..." Rean could tell by her stance that she was pretty quick on her feet. "... but there was probably no need to worry."

"Nope." She flipped a small dagger-like weapon and caught it. "These things down here are chump change. But Sara probably knew they couldn't lay a finger on me, anyway." Interesting... did she know Instructor Sara from before? "Oh yeah—I'm Fie. Fie Claussell." She turned on her heel without waiting for them. "You're just over halfway there. Keep it up." With that, she flipped off a wall and landed on the upper level.

"Whoa!" Machias gazed after her as she ran off into darkness.

Gaius folded his arms. "I guess she really does know what she's doing."

"Ha ha... I'll say."

Rean unsheathed his sword again. "Let's keep moving." Wait... if she knew they were over halfway, does that mean she went to the exit then came back?

OOO

Rean heard the unmistakable sound of a sword slicing the air, and shouting. He and Gaius took off ahead.

"Wait—Rean!"

Jusis was beset upon by slimes, beetles, and a flying cat. He deftly took out two that were blocking his exit, then leapt back to pick off the others as they pounced. A ring of golden light surrounded the slimes, easily melting them away with one hit. Rean could tell by his stance, and the precise thrusts and stabs of his sword that Jusis had extensive training.

"W-wow..." Elliot sounded a little out of breath. "—that's incredible!"

"Yes, it looks like he doesn't need our help after all." Gaius turned to Rean. "Is that another style of Imperial swordsmanship?"

"Yeah—that must be court fencing. It's a style favored by nobles." Rean couldn't help but watch as Jusis took out the remaining beetles with precision. "Judging by his stance, he's no amateur."

Jusis shot them a sharp look over his shoulder. "Enjoy the show?"

Rean couldn't help but chuckle. "You could say that. I was admiring your swordsmanship." The four of them stepped forward. "I didn't get the chance to introduce myself earlier—I'm Rean Schwarzer." The others introduced themselves as well—save Machias.

Jusis sighed in barely-contained annoyance. "I believe I've already introduced myself. However, I prefer 'Jusis Albarea' to 'that arrogant prick'." He gave Machias the side-eye. "Well—it looks like you came to your senses. Come crawling back begging for forgiveness after your foolish outburst? What a good lad."

"Wh—"

"Don't misunderstand—I admire your candor. Why, a preening noble such as myself would be too proud to humble myself so." Wow.

"Tch—go to hell!" Machias looked like he was ready to throw a punch. "I bet you just love looking down on us poor, unfortunate souls from your high horse, huh?!"

"Oh?" Jusis put a hand on his hip. "That's rich—coming from the son of the Imperial Governor." There was a palpable silence. "Did you think we wouldn't find out? Carl Regnitz is well-known as the first commoner to ever serve as Governor. One might say he 'lords' over the Imperial capital." Jusis' gaze was sharp—Rean was just glad it wasn't fixed on him. "The world must look different as the son of such an influential man. I wonder—how many powerless commonfolk have you looked down on in your life, hmm?"

"Tch—I won't let you rile me up. My father worked tirelessly for his position—he earned everything he has through his own merit! It wasn't just handed to him from birth!"

Jusis turned on his heel. "Keep telling yourself that. I suppose those with deep insecurities often project them outwards onto others. In a way, I pity you." Yeowch—Jusis really wasn't holding back. "Though I wonder if you just feel obligated to hate the Noble Faction, as the son of the head of the Reformists. Have you ever had an original thought in your head, or are you just doing what Daddy tells you?"

"You son of a—" Machias advanced on Jusis.

"Whoa—" Rean stepped between them. "Machias—just cool it." He held Machias back by the shoulders. "Don't get mad now after you started it!" Machias glared at Rean, then his eyes darted to the side.

"Tch!"

"And you!" Rean turned to face Jusis, who merely regarded him with boredom. "If you know he's taunting you, can't you be the bigger man and let it go? You're being really rude, it's overkill just for defending yourself."

"Hah. Those who criticize others have to be prepared to be criticized in turn." Jusis had a hand on his hip. "How would you say it—‘don’t dish it if you can’t take it’? I'm just giving our dear friend here a valuable life lesson."

"—let me go already!" Machias jerked out of Rean's hold, then walked away from the group. "I... just leave me alone." He started walking away. "You guys should just go on without me. I need to be alone for a minute." Rean felt a little bad, after all that... but he thought it best to just let Machias cool off.

"Hmph." Jusis pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Good riddance."

"Oh, just stop it. It's not like you're an innocent victim, Jusis—you didn't have to provoke him like that." Jusis' eyes narrowed. "Standing up for yourself is one thing—but did you have to bring his family into it? That was pretty low—not exactly befitting of a noble, is it?"

For a second, Jusis looked like he was about to say, "I don't recall asking for a lecture from you—" But instead he sighed. "Perhaps I went a bit too far." His eyes closed. "It seems I still have much to learn." He turned on his heel. "Come, now. We're meant to conquer this ridiculous labyrinth as a group, are we not?"

Elliot looked a little taken-aback. "Wow, I'm surprised that someone from such an important house could admit that he was wrong..." He probably meant to say that more quietly, but Jusis obviously heard him.

"I'm only human, am I not?"

"Wah—I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it—I mean, I apologize!"

If Rean didn't know better, he almost thought Jusis' smug look resembled a smile. "There's no need to address me so formally. This new Class VII was supposedly formed to break down the barriers between social classes—it would be rather antithetical to that goal to continue othering one another." Wow... Jusis seemed so cold, but he was surprisingly level-headed. Well—Rean should have figured that, after seeing him interact with his driver this morning. "Your name was Rean, wasn't it?" Jusis eyed the tachi at Rean's side. "I'm rather intrigued by that weapon of yours. Which style are you trained in?"

"Oh—I trained under the current Master of the Eight Leaves One Blade school." Rean was relieved for a change of subject. "One reason I was interested in coming to Thors was to get to see other fighting styles from around the country first-hand."

Jusis elegantly pointed his blade into the darkness. "Then, watch closely."

OOO

Rean had a good feel for everyone's fighting styles by now—Jusis proved to be surprisingly versatile, both with Arts and his sword techniques. His magic wasn't as strong as Elliot's, but he was no slouch. Gaius was able to put more power behind his thrusts, but Rean still felt like he was faster. Overall, the four of them made a well-balanced team. Jusis' ARCUS was attuned to Space and Wind, so they had a bit of an overlap—but surprisingly, Jusis seemed to favor support magic, giving Elliot a little time to shine with offense. Rean couldn't be sure if that's just what Jusis was more comfortable with, or if he was doing it on purpose to give Elliot a break.

At last they came to a large corridor with a double staircase, and Rean could see a soft light coming through what was hopefully an exit at the top. "Good—I'm pretty sure I can see sunlight streaming in."

"That must be the exit." Gaius sounded calm. "I'm glad we all made it through in one piece."

"Hmph. What a waste of time." Jusis put his hand on his hip. "This exercise was pointless busywork at best."

"Hey... I don't know about that." Rean tried to remain optimistic. "I was glad to be able to see everyone's fighting styles first-hand."

Jusis sighed. "I suppose."

"Ha... if you feel like that was pointless busywork, maybe I need to work on my stamina." Elliot looked like his legs could give way at any second. "I feel like this dungeon took everything out of me!"

Gaius smiled warmly. "I think you held your own remarkably well, for someone who doesn't have any combat experience, Elliot."

"Really?" Elliot looked a little shy. "Well... thanks for saying that."

Jusis still looked annoyed. "Given this school's reputation, I'd have thought they'd throw more of a challenge our way." He cast Elliot a glance over his shoulder. "And you should work on your close-quarters combat. You won't always have the luxury of standing in the back row casting Arts—against human opponents who are able to employ actual strategy, they'll go for you immediately once they identify you as a medic." Rean saw Elliot gulp.

He stepped between Elliot and Jusis. "Well, I won't let that happen on my watch." He turned and gave Elliot an encouraging smile, and he seemed to relax.

"Hmph. And what about when you aren't there? There will come a time when each of us has to stand on our own strength—you're not doing anyone any favors by babying them." Even Rean flinched at Jusis' words.

"I don't think cooperating and having your teammates' back is 'babying' anyone." Rean couldn't help but wonder what kind of life Jusis had led up until now—he seemed to have a rather extreme fixation on self-reliance. Was it out of necessity, or...

"Hmph. You have your philosophy, and I have mine." Jusis walked away towards the stairs. "But sentimentality won't win you any battles. It might even cost you your life."

Rean and Gaius exchanged glances. Gaius merely shrugged. "Well, I'm looking forward to feeling the sun on my face again." He gave an easy smile. "Shall we get going?"

Rean let out a sigh. "That sounds good to me—I’m starting to feel claustrophobic down here." He and Gaius started towards the stairs, but Elliot didn't move. Rean turned over his shoulder. "Elliot?"

"—oh." Elliot looked up from the floor. "I'm coming." He walked quickly to catch up to them.

Rean tried to give him a casual smile. "Don't let Jusis get you—something tells me he's allergic to relying on others." Elliot actually laughed, but he seemed a little uncomfortable.

"I suppose so... I just hope we can all get along." He was watching Jusis ascend the stairs ahead of them. "Otherwise this will be a rough year."

"Yeah..." Rean hoped everyone could get along, too.

Rean thrust his arm out, stopping Elliot from taking another step. He suddenly felt a malicious aura... "Wh—hey Rean, what's wrong?"

"Wait." He made eye contact with Gaius. He could hear a sound now as well—it was almost a crumbling noise, like stone grinding together.

Gaius turned and pointed his spear at a gargoyle statue high up in the corridor—well, it looked like a statue, but the stone was crumbling away and morphing into hard scales that shone in the darkness.

"Look sharp!" Jusis shouted from the base of the stairs, his sword pointed. "That's no ordinary beast!" The gargoyle's leathery wings started to move, and Rean felt the air being displaced as they beat mightily.

"What the heck is that?!" Elliot was holding his staff in front of his body.

Despite Jusis' words, he ran to join the others as the gargoyle leapt down to the lower platform. "A stone statue come to life... what sorcery is this?" Whether the creature was "alive" or not, it was ready to fight—the glowing magenta runes across its body were pulsing, and its horns and claws were longer than Rean's whole hand.

"Stay calm." Rean readied his sword. "They wouldn't put this down here if it wasn't possible to defeat it!"

"Y-you think they left this here for us?" Rean sincerely hoped so—otherwise that would be rather negligible on the faculty's part. "Aidios protect us..."

"Stay strong, Elliot." Gaius whipped his spear into an offensive stance. "We've come this far together—we can overcome this together, too."

"Hmph. Finally an opponent worthy of my skill." At least Jusis seemed to be fired up...

Rean readied himself to strike. "Here it comes!" The beast lumbered towards them, and Rean felt a protective barrier form around him.

"I got you!" Elliot had cast a shield around them right off the bat. With that little boost of confidence, Rean slashed through the beast's tail at lightning speed in Autumn Leaf Cutter stance. Its guttural cry resounded around the corridor, its bloody tail flopping around with a deep gash—though not quite severed. While the beast was crying in pain, Jusis blinded it with a flurry of rapid thrusts, pushing it back. Gaius' spear surged with the wind, causing the beast to flinch and shake off the disorienting gust. Before it could recover, a surge of ice shattered in its eyes.

The gargoyle took a step back, letting out a mighty roar, which seemed to give it a second wind. To Rean's surprise, it stood up on its hind legs, then hovered off the ground with its huge wings. "Look sharp!" It appeared to be readying an attack—before Rean could dodge, a tornado of razor-sharp wind surged all around them. Rean closed his eyes, bracing the gale as best he could—all of them had been knocked to their knees, but Elliot was quick on the recovery.

"Hang in there!" Rean could feel cool ethereal waters surging through his body, giving him the strength to stand back up. He made another decisive slice, this time severing the gargoyle's tail. It bellowed in pain, and Jusis and Gaius assaulted it from both sides—Gaius piercing its meaty wing, and Jusis blinding it with golden light. The beast collapsed heavily on the ground with one final death rattle, a cloud of dust being kicked up beneath its massive weight. "Hoo... we did it!" Elliot sounded winded.

Rean hadn't dropped his guard. "Wait!" He watched as the creature lumbered back up on its massive forearms. "It's not down yet!"

Gaius readied his spear. "That's one hell of a second wind."

"Hmph. Learn to take your losses gracefully, and die already!" Jusis readied his sword for one more decisive strike. He talked big, but even Rean could tell that Jusis was exhausted. Rean had burned his stamina quickly with those two techniques back-to-back... guess he had no other choice. Even if he couldn't quite control it, he had to use it, or else—

"Stand back!" A barrage of golden arrows flew overhead, striking the gaps between the beast's scales. Two orbs of dark energy swirled and seemed to burn the creature where they touched. Alisa and Emma rushed in to stand by Elliot, their bow and staff at the ready.

"Hyah!" Laura swung down hard, her massive sword cleaving right through the gargoyle's headplate. It wailed and threw its head back, and the group all tightened their formation while it was stunned.

"Looks like you're all okay!"

"I'm glad you're all here—this thing won't go down, it's shaking off our attacks like we've barely even scratched it!"

Laura was pointing her sword, standing between Gaius and Rean. "A relic from the Dark Ages... this creature is wicked, indeed."

Rean mustered his strength, tightening his grip on his sword. "If we can just focus our attacks, then..."

"Looks like you guys started the party without me!" Machias emerged from the dark tunnel, his shotgun leveled at the beast. "Break Shot!" The gargoyle reeled back as a chunk of its flesh turned to stone, and even Jusis seemed impressed.

Rean heard a sigh from behind them. "Fine, guess I'll help out, too." A flash of silver jumped down from the upper level, and Fie darted low to the ground with speed that rivaled Rean's, flipping over the gargoyle's head, slashing its ankles from behind. The beast wailed in pain, and then—something felt different. It was hard to explain, but—in that moment, it felt as if all of them were fighting as one, and Rean's body was surging with an empowering warmth.

Rean got his second wind, slashing at the beast's exposed flesh—Gaius and Laura pummeled it with unrelenting attacks, Jusis blinded it with golden light, Elliot and Emma overwhelmed it with Arts, Fie ducked beneath it and cut its tendons, and Alisa and Machias pumped it full of orbal shots. It was hard to describe—the feeling was almost euphoric, like the "runner's high" after the adrenaline kicks in. "Now!"

"You're mine!" Laura leapt in the air, cleaving the gargoyle's head clean off in one strike. Its head rolled across the floor, turning back into stone. Its headless body collapsed, whatever unholy magic had been animating it seeping away in a burst of violet light.

"—We did it!" Elliot was the first to speak. Even he sounded like he had fully recovered.

Emma breathed a sigh of relief. "It looks like we did. No one's hurt, right?"

"I don't believe so." Gaius put away his spear. "At any rate, it looks like we passed the trial. Whatever that creature was, it won't be getting back up anytime soon." They all looked at each other, with a mix of relief and accomplishment. Rean was still hopped up on whatever burst of energy he had been given.

Elliot was looking at his hands, flexing his fingers. "Hey... did you all feel something for a second there?"

Alisa put away her bow. "Now that you mention it, I did feel a surge of energy—or something like that. I wonder what that was?"

Machias was rubbing his chin. "I could almost see it. It was like each of us was engulfed in a gentle light."

"'Gentle light'?" Jusis sounded a bit skeptical, but his tone wasn't as cutting as before.

Laura was standing poised, even with her ludicrously huge sword. "It may have simply been the rush of combat, but... for a moment, I felt like I was in tune with everyone's movements. Like I could see all of our collective strategies laid bare."

Fie gave a small smirk. "I don't think it just a trick of the light."

Rean wasn't sure how better to describe it. "It was almost like..."

"—the Number One selling point of the brand-spanking-new ARCUS?! Ding dong! We have a winner!" Sara's unmistakable voice resounded from the top of the stairs. They all turned to face her, and she started clapping enthusiastically. "Looks like friendship and teamwork saved the day! Whoo-hoo!"

"Ugh." Jusis jerked his hair out of his eyes. "How contrived."

Emma laughed softly. "It does seem that way though, doesn't it?"

Fie snickered. "Just because it's cheesy, doesn't mean it's not true." Jusis rolled his eyes, turning away from them.

Rean went over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Jusis—wasn't it exciting when everyone was in the zone and giving it everything we got?" He half-expected Jusis to buck his hand off his shoulder, but he didn't.

"Hrm." He grumbled to himself. "I suppose it was a rather exhilarating battle. Just what I needed at the end of such a dull dungeon."

"Dull?!" Sara called out from the top of the stairs. "Well, ex-cuuuse me! Next time I'll be sure there are way more traps and pitfalls, then!"

"Ugh..."

A few people giggled, then they finally ascended the staircase and back into the gentle spring sunshine. Rean almost had to shield his eyes from the brightness—just how long had they been underground?

Sara turned around to face the group. "I'm so proud of you kids~! You really met all my expectations, and then some! <3" Now that the rush of combat was ebbing away, no one seemed to particularly share Sara's enthusiasm. "Aww, what's wrong? I thought you kids would be all pumped up after all that!"

Alisa put her hand on her hip. "This 'orienteering' exercise just gave us more questions than answers."

"Yes... I'm still rather perplexed at what 'Class VII' is meant to accomplish." Emma rested her cheek in her hand. "I get that it's supposed to be a 'melting pot', but—why were all of us chosen in particular?"

Jusis stepped forward. "All right, out with it. What exactly is the purpose of Class VII?"

Sara winked, giving a peace sign. "I'm sure you'd like to know, wouldn't you?"

"Come on, Instructor!"

"Ha ha... Well, I suppose there is no straightforward answer. There's no monolithic reason why you all were chosen—but why tell when you can show? Why don't you kids take a look at your fancy new ARCUS units if you want to know?" They all looked between each other, then did as she suggested. "You know that orbments are what allow us to harness Arts using quartz and sepith—but these babies are top of the line! They have long-distance communication features, access to the orbal network, they can take pictures—but that's not all!" Sara spread her arms wide, like a snake-oil salesman at a county fair. "I'm sure you all felt it—the link tying you all together? We call that a 'combat link'—and you kids had the highest aptitude for it!" She gave another wink, folding her arms in satisfaction. "Pretty neat, huh?"

Elliot looked up at Rean. "So that's what that was..."

Laura gave a small smile. "It did feel like we were all connected, didn't it..."

"Right! Just imagine it—an elite squad perfectly in tune with each other's movement, acting in perfect synchronicity—it doesn't take a big imagination to see how invaluable that would be on the battlefield!"

Machias' brows were furrowed. "Okay... but that still doesn't explain why all of us have such a high 'aptitude' for it—I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to assess us after we've used it?"

Sara gave them a thumbs-up with another cheeky wink. "Maybe you kids are just strong of heart!"

"Ugh..."

"Hmph. How delightfully corny." Jusis stepped forward. "Well, it's no surprise that I have a high aptitude for anything, even something as trite as a 'combat link'." He slid a hand in his pocket, in a surprisingly casual gesture. "Very well. I'm intrigued by this little 'Class VII' experiment." His stance was tall and dignified. "I, Jusis Albarea, shall commit myself to my utmost ability."

"Whoo-hoo!" Sara pumped both fists in the air. "All right—do I have any more takers? Just because you have the aptitude for it, doesn't mean you have to if you don't want—anyone who wants to step down and just join a normal class is welcome to." She relaxed, placing a hand on her hip. "This class isn't going to be a walk in the park—we'll push you to your limits to help you achieve your true potential. And this program isn't cheap to run—we only want willing participants here!" She stood confidently, with both hands on her hips. "But anyone who wants to be pushed to become the best version of themselves they can be, step on up! Speak now, or forever hold your peace!"

It was a little hard for Rean to describe, but he felt... at peace. Maybe it was the soft sunshine and the pleasant lino flower scent in the air after being trapped in that dank dungeon for hours, but—he was feeling a sort of mellow confidence, and he didn't want that feeling to go away. He stepped forward without a second thought. "I'm in, too. I came here to grow and challenge myself, after all." He smiled down at Elliot, then up at Gaius on his other side. "I thought we made a pretty good team—I'm interested to see where this 'combat link' can take us." He just said what popped into his mind—but he hoped he didn't sound presumptuous...

Gaius gave a light chuckle. "Sounds good to me." He also stepped forward. "I've come all this way—I might as well make the most of my experience here."

Elliot hesitated just a second, then also stepped forward. "Um—me, too!" He rubbed the back of his neck. "This might sound a little weird, but... I can't help but feel like the will of Aidios brought us all here." He gave a nervous laugh. "—I just hope I can be helpful to the team!" Sara was beaming already. Rean hoped that no one would actually back out... but he supposed that was their decision to make. Rean knew he needed as much rigid discipline and challenge as he could get, if he wanted to learn some self-control. Whatever... "that" was, inside him—he needed to learn to integrate it before it took control of him again. And he wouldn't get there by half-assing it.

One by one, the others all stepped forward, each with their own compelling reasons. Laura wanted to push herself as much as she could, Emma wanted to make the most of the school's generous investment in her—Alisa just sounded like she was challenging herself to just go with it and not nitpick every little thing, including being guinea pigs for this ARCUS technology.

Sara's eyes slid over to Fie. "What about you, Fie?"

"Eh, doesn't matter to me. You choose."

"Oh no—that wasn't the deal, little lady." Sara's scolding expression softened. "You have to take control of your own life. This is one decision you have to make for yourself."

Fie sighed loudly. "Fiine. Guess I'm in." Huh... that was interesting. So Fie and Sara did know each other before—wonder what the deal was there?

All eyes were on Machias now. For some reason he and Jusis were standing by each other, and Jusis was regarding him with a bored expression, having been the first to step forward. Machias huffed to himself. "Working alongside nobles... So we're just supposed to forget the gulf of opportunities and privilege between our social classes, are we?" He gave Jusis the side-eye. "Doesn't it make you sick to 'pledge yourself' to working beside commoners?"

"I'll appreciate if you refrain from telling me how I'm supposed to feel." He gave Machias a smirking glare. "Besides, 'rubbing elbows' with commoners helps keep all the other annoying flies from flitting about, trying to win my favor."

"Gah—what arrogant—"

"Now, now!" Sara clapped her hands. "I know you boys have your differences—but give it time, you may even discover you have more in common than you think—and before you know it, you'll be the best of friends!"

"Like hell we will!" Rean almost laughed—Machias certainly was being stubborn, wasn't he? He seemed obsessed with getting the last word—but Jusis' wit was as sharp as his blade, and honestly that would probably never happen in this lifetime. "Gah—fine! Count me in, too!" Machias stepped forward, practically shoulder-checking Jusis. "I won't let these nobles show me up! I'll show you what us 'unwashed masses' are capable of!"

Jusis smirked to himself, his eyes closed. "Well, don't expect me to humor this little song-and-dance routine on a daily basis. I'm already getting bored of your limp comebacks."

"Wha—well, you'd know about 'limp', wouldn't you?!" Geez... Machias couldn't help but take the bait. Despite his words... Rean couldn't help but feel like Jusis actually did enjoy a little verbal spat—he certainly wouldn't run out of one-liners with Machias around.

"All right! Will you look at that—a perfect nine out of nine!" Sara gave them another congratulatory round of applause. "I knew you all had it in you! And with that—I'd like to officially congratulate you on joining the first-ever Class VII!" Rean spotted something out of the corner of his eye—it was just for a second, but he thought he saw someone with long blonde hair and an eye-catching red outfit give... well, it almost looked like he winked and blew them all a kiss. Okay... Either way, whoever it was disappeared back into the main school building. Alrighty then... "Now—I think you've all earned a good rest! Go ahead and take the rest of the day to get settled into your new dorm—oh, and don't forget to take a tour around campus to familiarize yourself with your new home!" With that, Sara leapt off the cliff, landing expertly on the ground. Whoa—they hadn't seen her in action yet, but she was clearly no slouch if she was appointed a combat instructor.

"Haah... I don't know about you guys, but I've had about as much as I can handle." Elliot let out a deep, belabored sigh. "I feel like my legs have turned to jelly!"

"Are you heading off to the dorm, Elliot?"

"Hmm, falling back into bed sounds nice—but a cold drink sounds pretty good, too!" He seemed to perk up just a bit. "I think I'll see what they have at the cafeteria! A sparkling soda sounds amazing..."

"A carbonated beverage... I've heard about them." Gaius folded his arms thoughtfully. "I think I'll try one, as well."

"You've never had one, Gaius?"

"No. Most of our food is cured and dried, or eaten fresh—we don't even have refrigeration out on the plains."

"Really? Wow—it sounds like the Nord way of life is pretty different, huh?" They both turned back to face Rean. "Oh—do you want to join us, Rean?"

"Nah—you go on ahead." It looked like the girls split off into their own group as well—Laura seemed to get along with Emma and Alisa, and Emma took Fie's hand and insisted she come along with them, too. Rean hoped they'd be able to integrate, and not always be boys vs. girls... Who knows where Machias and Jusis went, Jusis probably booked it out of there the first chance he got, and Machias probably stormed off in the opposite direction. "I think I'll take in the campus a bit. I'm still feeling energized after that fight—I don't want to collapse into bed quite yet."

"Haha, sounds good." Elliot gave him a wave. "We'll see you later, then?"

"Count on it."

Elliot and Gaius turned back to the trail leading down towards campus, chatting leisurely. Rean felt himself smile—he was glad those two were the first friends he made here. He felt like he could rely on them—he just hoped they could rely on him, too. The jury was still out on Machias and Jusis—hopefully once they put their personal issues aside, Rean could consider them stalwart allies, as well. He was interested in seeing more of the girls' techniques, too—Laura's fighting style was no joke, and something about Emma's Arts seemed different from Elliot's... Fie was still a mystery as well—her combat style looked more suitable for spying or subterfuge... but she was the same age as the rest of them, right? Hmm...

Rean made his way down the trail, and heard what sounded like an engine revving. He seemed to be passing by an orbal garage—he could see an orbment charging station out front, and then a huge machine caught his eye—it almost looked like a bike, but if it was motorized. Wow... what was it? Rean had never seen anything like it.

"Ah, just listen to that baby purr." An almost sultry, husky female voice surprised him. Oh—it was the lady in black Rean saw at the top of the hill. Was she a student, or a member of the faculty? That was some outfit—it was basically a skintight latex catsuit, it looked like it'd be hard to move around in...

"—that should do it for now, but I'd like to tinker with it some more when those new parts come in." Oh—it was that guy in the yellow jumpsuit who greeted him at the gate. He pat the handlebars. "All right—give it a whirl, Angie."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" She swung one long leg over the bike, revving the engine a few times. The exhaust shot out right in Rean's direction, and he coughed a few times. "Oh—sorry, kid! I didn't see you there!" She hopped off the bike, coming over to where Rean was standing. "Here—stand downwind and you'll be fine."

Rean was a little embarrassed, but he followed her to the other side of the lot. "—ugh, thank you." He coughed again to clear his throat.

"Haha, they're not noxious fumes, so don't worry!" She slapped him roughly on the back. "I'd have fallen off of her dead by now if they were." Now that Rean was standing inside the fence, he could see two more people sitting at a table—the petite girl in the green jacket from this morning, and the weird bandana guy holding some cards.

"Hey hey—looks like they survived!" He smirked, setting the cards face-down.

The smaller girl hopped up, wiping her palms on her skirt. "You made it! So—how was the Class VII trial?" She pumped her small fists in anticipation of his answer. It almost made Rean laugh—obviously she was involved with the faculty in some respect, but she just seemed so young...

Rean cleared his throat again, though he tried to make it quieter. "It was interesting... we were dropped through the floor, then had to fight a gargoyle statue come to life."

The petite girl's eyes were shining. "That sounds exciting! So, what about the ARCUS units?!"

"Oh—these?" Rean got out his ARCUS, opening the cover. "Well—it's a little hard to describe." He hoped it wasn't a Class VII "trade secret"—but obviously they knew about it, so he supposed there wasn't any harm in answering them. "It was almost like... when we fought together as a group, we were all connected and in synch. It was an odd feeling... but not bad."

"Hah! Sweet." Biker girl pumped her fist. "Glad all that testing we did paid off, am I right?"

"Pft. You might be happy being a guinea pig, but we don't even get to reap the sweet rewards!" Bandana guy tipped his chair on its back legs. "How fair is that?"

"Oh, don't be a bad sport, Crow." Okay, "Crow"—that was his name. "Shouldn't a senior be happy that things are easier for their juniors? Don't be a curmudgeonly old man."

The guy in the jumpsuit was wiping grease off his hands with a rag. "Ha, don't ask too much, Angie—you know Crow's just an old man stuck in a young guy's body."

"Hey, now!"

They all laughed at him, even the petite girl giggled a little. Well—if these were his "seniors", Rean felt like he could relax a little. Though he was surprised at just how unserious they were...

Rean moved fast—a cold drink was tossed into his hands, and he caught it against his chest. "Hey, kid—sorry for blowing smoke in your face. Take that as a little apology from me." The taller girl, "Angie", gave him a wink.

"Oh—no worries. I shouldn't have been standing around gawking." His eyes fell on the motorized bike. "I've never seen a bike like that before—is it yours?"

"You know it!" She went over and lovingly pat the seat. "This baby is all custom-made, courtesy of the ever-talented George Nome!"

"Ha—don't hype me up too much, Angie."

"What are you talking about? You pretty much handle all the orbments here single-handedly."

Rean cracked opened the cap on the drink. "Wow, is that true?"

George looked a little shy. "Well... I suppose it's true. When I'm not in class, you can usually find me here." He tucked the oily rag into his back pocket. "If you ever need your orbments tuned up, come see me here, okay? I get some new shipments in for pretty powerful stuff sometimes, too."

"All right—thank you, I'm sure I'll see you pretty often, then!" A bell chimed from the giant clock tower in the main building.

"Oh, no! I lost track of time!" The petite girl fixed her hair and straightened the bow on her jacket. "See you all later—oh, and Rean! Please come by the Student Council room tomorrow when you have time!" She booked it as fast as her short little legs could carry her.

"Ha... Towa's always working hard, isn't she?" George closed and locked the doors to the orbal garage. So "Towa" was her name... She wanted him to go to the Student Council room, huh? Hopefully it wasn't for anything bad...

"A bit too hard, if you ask me. Ahh..." Angie sighed, cradling her cheek. "Maybe I should take her on a hot springs trip, just us girls~<3" Whoa... was Rean supposed to hear that?

"Give it up, Gelica." Crow gathered up his cards, flicking the pack into his back pocket. "Gelica"? Oh—was her full name actually "Angelica"? "Can't you just accept that Towa's out of your league?"

"Aren’t you snippy today?" Angelica straddled her bike, fitting on a sleek black helmet. "And you wonder why you're still single."

"Hey—Uncle Crow's just trying to play the field!"

"Is that what you call it?" She revved her engine. "I didn't know 'playing the field' meant 'calling dibs'." He wasn't sure he heard her right over the noise, and through her helmet. "Stand clear, boys!" Rean gave her a wide berth, and she rocketed out of the garage, speeding down the main walkway. Umm... she was going right back to class, right?

"Geez... Gelica just doesn't know when to quit. She probably gets it from her old man."

George chuckled. "Well, she wouldn't be Angie otherwise."

"Ha! Guess you're right about that." Crow made a two-fingered salute. "See ya, George. No rest for the wicked."

"Later, Crow."

Rean was a little surprised when Crow made eye contact with him, next. "Hey, kid—you said you guys fell through a trap door?" He had an unreadable expression, but his eyes had a bit of a mischievous glint, if Rean was pressed to describe it. "What was that like?"

What an odd question... "Well, it wasn't pleasant—but I don't think anyone was seriously hurt."

"No rolled ankles, broken toes?"

"Um... not that I could tell?" Rean was looking up in the corner of his mind, trying to imagine everyone standing around after defeating the gargoyle. "I wouldn't be surprised if some of us developed a bruise tomorrow—but it could have been much worse."

"Heh. Good to know." He winked at Rean, then threw him some finger-guns. "Catch ya on the flipside." Okay... Well, Rean's initial impression hadn't changed—this dude was pretty weird.

He heard George chuckling quietly to himself as he closed the shutters on the garage. "Interesting..." Uh oh—what was interesting? He almost wanted to ask, but—he supposed he'd find out when he went to the Student Council building tomorrow...

"Um... thanks for the drink." He realized that didn't make sense, since it was Angelica who actually gave it to him. "—I guess I'll come to you if I need my ARCUS tuned up. I'm really interested in all the things these can do..."

"Yeah—please do!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'm pretty interested to check out the final product myself. And hey—congratulations again on passing your orientation."

Rean smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't be a stranger!" Rean nodded, heading back down the path towards what looked like the cafeteria. He already had a cold drink, but joining Elliot and Gaius for some snacks sounded nice... Oh shoot, he realized he forgot to introduce himself while he was talking to everyone. Gah, and they were his seniors, too—he felt so rude. Oh well... at least Towa knew his name from the attendance sheet, and he was sure he'd run into them again if they liked to hang around George's garage—it seemed like the "hip" place to be. He'd have to ask Angelica what she preferred to be called...

Rean looked up at the sparkling school building, as a refreshing spring breeze fluttered past his face. Yeah... Rean thought he would enjoy being here for the next two years. He was excited to see what Class VII had in store for him—hopefully he'd come out of this experience understanding himself better. No—he would. He'd make sure of that.

OOO

OOO

OOO

Hey y'all, thanks for reading! I've been enjoying playing Daybreak lately, and it just made me realize how much I miss my boys! XD Crow and Rean are one of my favorites, the bromance just rides so ridiculously close to the line, especially in the English localization—I'm just shocked it isn't canon by now XD

So you've probably caught the vibe—this will be a retelling of Cold Steel if KuroRiin was canon, with original scenes and some other surprises haha. I'll be "cutting the fat" and skipping some sections of the story, but I do want to keep the more important character moments in with the supporting cast—even if Crow and/or Rean isn't there. It's actually a relief to be able to reimagine all the girls having a platonic camaraderie with Rean, without it going into ridiculous harem anime territory. I plan on going through all the Cold Steel games, and continuing their story after Reverie :) My brain is so rotted, I've been getting ideas for a vacation/honeymoon in Calvard from playing Daybreak XD Can't wait for Longlai, hehe~

I was really happy to see Crow for 0.2 seconds in the "Farewell O Zemuria" trailer, and with such a showing of visibly queer characters in Daybreak, my heart is holding out a little hope that since it's the big finale, they'll just throw us a bone with a romance option, even if we have to jump through hoops to get it haha. Either way, I'll still have fun writing this story ;) It’s like come on y’all—as Hideo Kojima put it in his famous tweet about Holmes and Watson: "You two are each other's chosen partner, so why can't you just get married?"

Thanks for reading, see ya next time! If y'all have some feedback or constructive criticism, please let me know! Or if something made you laugh or you had a favorite line, I like to hear those too XD I laugh to myself when I'm writing Crow's dialogue, my boy is just so extra and silly XD Auf Wiedersehen~!

Chapter 2: 50 Mira

Chapter Text

Mandala - Chapter 2

50 Mira

OOO

4/17 - Saturday - S.1204

Rean walked over to his family portrait on the desk. "Wish me luck."

Looking at their faces... he was starting to feel a little guilty. At first he thought it was healthy to put some distance between him and his parents... but after only two weeks he was starting to miss them. Maybe he should call... he wanted to talk to his parents, at least, even though Elise might not be ready to talk to him just yet...

Rean sighed, straightening his tie. "Well, I'm off." ... Saying it out loud to no one just made him feel even lonelier. "Haah..."

He quietly closed the door behind him. "Oh—good morning, Rean!" Elliot's cheery voice contrasted with his own despondent mood—honestly he could use that kind of energy right about now.

"Morning, Elliot. You sleep okay?"

"Yeah—I think I'm finally getting used to waking up in a different room."

"That's good..." Rean looked around the boys' floor. "Well, looks like we're the last two to leave. I don't sense anyone else."

"Oh... all right." Elliot gave him a curious look.

"Sorry... that probably sounded strange." Rean laughed a bit. "Call it a sixth sense—it's just something I've always had." That probably made it sound more strange. "—it's just something I've honed as part of my training."

"Oh, I see!" Elliot followed him to the stairs. "That sounds interesting... I wonder if that's something anyone can learn to do if they trained hard enough?"

"Maybe... It seems like Fie is pretty good at sensing others’ presence." She was also pretty good at concealing hers—it was almost imperceptible even to Rean. She must have led a pretty interesting life before coming here...

Elliot kept his hand on the railing as they descended the stairs. "You know, I don't think I've seen Gaius once in the morning. He must get up reeeally early."

"I don't doubt it—highlanders have a more nomadic lifestyle, so he probably had all sorts of responsibilities back home."

"You're probably right." Gaius had told them a little about his homeland—but honestly they were put to the books and combat training so hard in the first few weeks, even Rean felt exhausted after school, and no one seemed to be in a particularly social mood after that. He hoped this breakneck pace would get easier the more they got used to it—Sara really wasn't joking around about Class VII pushing them to their limits.

As they descended to the sitting room, Emma and Alisa were talking in front of the entrance. Emma turned when they stepped off the stairs. "Oh, good morning, you two."

"Good morning." Rean nodded to both of them. Alisa still seemed a little frosty—she was friendly enough with the other girls, but she appeared to be keeping her distance from everyone in general. She still never told them what her full last name was...

"Morning." She turned and opened the door. "Let's get going, Emma."

"Oh, all right." Emma bowed, with an apologetic look. "We'll see you in class, then!" The two of them left, and Rean exchanged a look with Elliot.

"Um... I was wondering if it was just my imagination, but Alisa's still being a little stand-offish, right?" Elliot scratched his cheek.

"I think you're right—I have no idea why, though."

"Ha ha... maybe she just doesn't get along with guys very well. She seems to be getting along better with the girls, at least..." If that was the case, you'd think she'd get along fine with Elliot, too—he was as non-threatening as a guy could be. "Well... maybe we should try to include her more." Elliot's brows sloped downward. "Things are tense enough with those two still at each other's throats..."

"... I'm surprised they haven't gotten tired of it, yet." Well—it was still one-sided, for the most part. Jusis seemed content to keep everyone at arm's length, and Machias took that as an affront. He'd call Jusis an arrogant prick, then poke and prod until Jusis shut him down with precision—then Machias would get mad that Jusis always had the perfect comeback, then they'd fight like cats and dogs all over again. Honestly—it was getting a little exhausting. "Well—whatever. Something has to give one way or another—let's just let them get it out of their system until they run out of steam."

"Ha ha... I hope they do actually run out of steam..." Yeah—you and Rean, both.

The lino blooms had stopped falling, but there was still a pleasant freshness to the country air. Rean walked with Elliot up the gentle slope through Trista's main street. He supposed those kids had been right—Rean hardly saw any cars come through here. Having the train station made it convenient to travel to and from Trista, and the town was pretty small and walkable, so anyone visiting probably didn't need to rent a car at all. Even his parents didn't have an orbal car—where were they supposed to drive it up in the mountains? Plus, his father preferred to ride horseback—something Rean enjoyed as well. Cars were a little too noisy and shook too much for his liking—oh, he'd have to ask Angelica how it felt riding her motorized bike. He hadn't really run into any of them after that—except for Towa, who had given him a pamphlet for all the extracurriculars that would be starting soon. He didn't realize that she was actually the Student Council President—no wonder they said she was such a hard worker.

Rean passed by the cathedral, smiling and nodding to the Sister sweeping outside. He still wasn't sure which extracurriculars he was going to go for... He wasn't very artistic, but he did play the mandolin sometimes for fun—he just didn't know if he wanted to commit to practicing every week. It was a fun hobby, but he didn't want it to turn into a chore. The gardening club sounded relaxing, plus it would be nice to be able to eat whatever he grew—he sometimes helped his Mom in her garden back home, though he mostly just helped with the more physical labor like tilling the soil and running back and forth with the wheelbarrow... He hoped his Dad wouldn't throw his back out trying to help her now that he wasn't around...

"Hey, Rean?" Elliot's voice almost surprised him—he realized he'd been thinking to himself and just walking silently this whole time.

"What is it?"

"Um... you don't think Laura and Jusis mind, do you?"

"Mind what?"

Elliot was scratching his cheek. "Well... It just feels like I should be speaking to them more formally. You know?"

Rean pat his shoulder reassuringly. "I wouldn't worry about it. They said it's fine, so that's all there is to it, right?" Part of him didn't want to talk about Jusis' private business behind his back, but... if it helped Elliot be more comfortable, there was no harm in it, right? "Hey—just between you and me..." He leaned in a bit closer. "On my first day here, I saw Jusis pull up in an orbal limousine..." Elliot's eyes went wide. "But he asked his driver to stop short of campus. He even said he 'didn't want to stand out' as much as possible."

"Wow, really?"

"Really." Rean pat Elliot's shoulder. "So if anything, it's probably refreshing for Jusis to be treated like any other person, and not being brown-nosed all the time." Rean rolled his eyes. "He said it himself—he didn't want any 'flies' flitting around him trying to curry his favor, right?"

"Aha... I guess he did say that."

"So I wouldn't worry about it. Just be you, and keep doing what you're doing."

Elliot gave him a warm smile. "Okay, I will. Thanks for the encouragement, Rean."

"No problem."

"Hmph. Move aside. You're in our way." A rather arrogant-sounding voice piped up next to them. A group wearing all white was strutting from the direction of the noble dorm... great. Why'd they have to show up now, after Rean just gave that whole speech? "Class VII, I see." His shrewd gaze fell over them, as if he was looking down at an insect. "You're just a ragtag group of nobodies. I don't see how that deserves such special treatment."

"That's funny—I don't remember asking your opinion." Rean just wasn't in the mood—not after having to listen to Machias' daily rants against nobles, he didn't need this dick out here proving all the stereotypes right...

"Ugh!" He sounded taken aback that Rean had actually stood up to him. "Such unchecked cheek—jealousy isn't a good look in front of your betters, dear boy." The guy with the slicked-back hair turned on his heel.

The other guy in the back piped up. "You may think you’re getting special treatment in Class VII, but don't forget your place." Rean managed to keep from rolling his eyes, and they kept walking. Some nobles really were like that, unfortunately—it's not like the cliches just appeared out of thin air.

"Haah... sorry, Elliot. I feel like they just contradicted everything I said in less than a minute."

Elliot laughed lightly. "It's not your fault, Rean... I think Gaius put it best, that people aren't all a monolith... Everyone should just be taken at their own merit, right?"

"Right... Some nobles like Laura are decent, but some others are just dickhe*ds." Elliot laughed somewhat uncomfortably.

"I'll try to keep that in mind..." Elliot peered past him, up at the noble dormitory. "I've heard it's pretty fancy in their dorm, though... like they even have maids and butlers. Wouldn't that be nice to have a hot pot of tea and snacks waiting when you got back home?"

Rean laughed. "That would be pretty nice, actually..." They heard the morning bell ring in the distance. "Shoot—are you ready to book it, Elliot?"

"Ah—I guess so!" Rean started jogging up the slope, careful not to let himself get too far ahead of Elliot.

OOO

Their first class of the day was with Instructor Thomas. He was a little eccentric... but there was no doubt that he was knowledgeable about history—passionate, even. He was in the middle of reading aloud about the War of the Lions two hundred and fifty years ago—the civil war between the soon-to-be Emperor Dreichels and the other would-be-successors all vying for the throne. He expanded the discussion to the nasty in-fighting among the nobility amid the political upheaval—destruction of property, blackmail, assassinating each other—Rean was familiar with it on paper, but Instructor Thomas was reading so animatedly, he actually made it more interesting. "But lo and behold—onto this stage of grief and strife stepped a true leading man for the ages—the heretofore missing Prince who put aside his idle life of wandering to return to his sacred duty in a blaze of glory—gathering allies from the far reaches of the Empire, he marched gloriously upon the ancient capital—the return of the prodigal son!" Wow—Rean was surprised Instructor Thomas wasn't the theater instructor. "And that man—" Instructor Thomas pointed emphatically at a large name written in neat cursive on the chalkboard. "—was Dreichels Reise Arnor! The founder of our nation and our fair academy both—Dreichels the Lionheart, from whom our school derives its glorious symbol and its motto! 'Rise up, O youth, and become the foundation of the world!'" The class was awkwardly silent. Rean wanted to give Instructor Thomas a little encouragement, but it seemed inappropriate to clap or interject... "Ahem." He cleared his throat. "But of course you're all familiar with that part of history. Prince Dreichels gathered allies on his march towards the capital—winning the hearts of stalwart comrades and political supporters alike, much like a wandering Bard stacking points into Charisma—" A what? "Now—can anyone tell me where Prince Dreichels first began his fateful journey? One peoples became his sworn allies before all others—from where did these peoples hail?" Um... oh wait, Rean knew that one! Prince Dreichels spent his time among the Nord people before returning to the Empire. Instructor Thomas caught his eyes, and gestured emphatically with his pointer. "Rean Schwarzer! I can tell you have the answer!"

Rean stood from his desk. "I do. Prince Dreichels spent many years in the Nord Highlands—that’s where he was when Roland Vander tracked him down, and convinced him to return to the Empire!"

"Excellent! Bonus points for also knowing Sir Vander's name!" Rean had let himself get swept up in Instructor Thomas' enthusiasm... but now he was feeling a little embarrassed and self-conscious. He hoped no one would think he was a nerdy know-it-all...

He saw Gaius turn from the row in front of him, and give him a thumbs-up with a warm smile. Well... that helped him feel a little better.

Rean took his seat, and Instructor Thomas continued his lecture. "As Rean said, Prince Dreichels’ wanderings led him to the Nord Highlands. Having been shunned by the royal family for being an illegitimate child, he became enamored with Nord’s wide open plains, and the nomads' comparatively free-spirited way of life. Free from the influence of politics and capitalism, Dreichels spent many years among the Nord people, before the internal strife of his homeland inspired him to take action. The warriors of Nord with whom Prince Dreichels had grown close pledged their spears to his cause, as his first allies." Instructor Thomas set down his pointer. "Now, it's my understanding that we have a student here from the Nord Highlands—Gaius Worzel, if you could stand up, please?"

Gaius did as asked, and he dwarfed poor Instructor Thomas with his height. "Yes, Instructor?"

"Oh, don't be nervous, now—I have an easy question for you! What is your favorite thing about life in Nord?"

"Hm!" Gaius stroked his chin. "Just one thing?"

"As many as you want! I'm sure we'd all love to hear about the beautiful rolling plains just north of our borders!"

Gaius had a genuine smile, relaxing his stance. "Well—the first thing that comes to mind is the wind. If you ever get the chance to ride a horse through the plains, it's an unforgettable feeling..."

OOO

The rest of class had gone by in a blink. Gaius had regaled them with tales of Nord—it made Rean want to visit all the more. He might even try to convince his parents to go on their next family trip—Nord wasn't that far from Ymir, after all. It would require a couple railway switches, but—the extra work seemed worth it. Even Instructor Thomas was enraptured in Gaius' descriptions, and he had to hastily cram in a few more lessons in right at the end, ten minutes before the bell—he seemed so flustered and apologetic about it, he said if any of them got one of his answers wrong on the quiz, he'd give them a freebie. Geez... Instructor Thomas was definitely eccentric, but he was growing on Rean. He seemed like he genuinely just loved teaching. And there was something else... nah. He didn't want to read too much into things. It was really none of his business, honestly... Although, it would be nice to have someone to talk to about it, even a teacher...

"All right, I hope you kids are looking forward to your first 'free day'!" Instructor Sara adjusted her hair that was pinned up. "I know I am! I'm hoping to beat my record of fourteen hours of sleep straight!"

"Ugh..."

"Buuut—if you kids want to do something a little more productive with your time, all the school’s facilities will still be open! Feel free to check out the library! Or do some laps in the pool! Or pop on over to the school garden! All the clubs are recruiting for extracurriculars—so go see what rustles your jimmies! Or heck—take a shopping trip to the capital! The world is your oyster—don't let it clam up on you before you grab the pearl!"

"... Is it a clam or an oyster?"

"No need to sweat the details!" Instructor Sara had her hands on her hips confidently. "Just let loose and have a little fun! Oh—but don't forget your training! Next week will be your first practical exam, so make sure you're well-rested and in tip-top shape!"

"Why couldn't you have told us that sooner?!"

"Well, I'm telling you now, aren't I?" She winked. "And stay tuned—I have another special mystery announcement after your practical exam! So look sharp, and bring your A-game next week!" She flashed them a peace sign. "Dismissed!"

The others filtered out of the classroom as soft orange afternoon light poured in through the windows. Elliot and Gaius stood around Rean's desk—the three of them had formed a sort of de-facto group.

"Haah..." Elliot’s shoulders slumped. "I'm not feeling too confident about this practical exam."

"Well, the use of the word 'practical' makes me think that this won't be a straightforward test of strength." Gaius folded his arms thoughtfully. "I imagine that Instructor Sara will have something prepared to test the particular skillsets you and Emma possess, Elliot."

"I think he's right—if they expected us all to become close-quarters combatants, they wouldn't have given you guys those orbal staves in the first place. Or Machias' shotgun, or Fie's... things." Rean still wasn't sure what they were—they looked like curved daggers that could also fire compact projectiles. Dual-wielding seemed pretty difficult from Rean's perspective—he didn't know if he'd be able to reorientate his brain to be any good at it. He supposed he didn't need to, but—he was fascinated by combat styles of all kinds.

"Hrmm... I hope you're right." Elliot still didn't sound too sure of himself. Rean was hoping he would feel more confident by now—but he didn't want to overdo it with the encouragement, and have it start to feel facetious or condescending. He was sure Elliot would be able to recognize his own skill in time—and this practical exam might just be the perfect opportunity.

Rean stretched his arms up. "I could use a little warm-up after sitting in a desk all day—care for a light sparring match, Elliot?"

"Oh—today? Well..." Elliot clutched his arm. "I was actually planning on attending my club meet-up today..."

"Oh, you've joined a club already?"

"Yeah." For some reason Elliot looked a little embarrassed. "I wanted to join the Wind Orchestra... although I don't know how much they can incorporate a violinist."

"You play the violin?" Rean turned in his seat. "I didn't know that. How long have you been playing?"

"Ahh—well, it's just something I do in my spare time." He quickly turned to Gaius. "What about you, Gaius?"

"Me? I've been considering joining the Art Club, actually."

"Wow, really?"

"Huh. I guess it wasn't what I pictured. Ah, no pun intended." Rean chuckled at his lame joke. His Dad probably would have gotten a kick out of it.

Gaius closed his eyes, a contended smile on his face. "Instructor Thomas’ lecture today inspired me. It's one thing to describe my homeland with words, but I don't feel that quite does it justice. I've dabbled in painting back home, grinding river rocks down into pigments—but if I can learn proper techniques and improve my skills, I hope to one day be able to paint a landscape that captures the true beauty of Nord."

"Wow... that's amazing, Gaius!"

"Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty cool reason—although I think you did a pretty good job just describing Nord, it made me want to visit even more!"

"Haha, well I'm glad to hear you say that." He gave Rean an easy smile. "What about you, Rean? What club are you interested in?"

"Hmm... I actually haven't decided that yet." His eyes flicked down to his desk. "I might take one more walk around campus and see if any of them stand out to me more."

"That sounds like a great idea!"

"Well, if nothing else you're welcome to join one of our clubs. It'd be nice to have a friend to talk to."

"Thanks, Gaius—I'll consider it." He turned to Elliot. "I can't say I'm much of an artist, but I do play the mandolin. Though not particularly well, I'm afraid..."

"Really? Oh, well... Maybe it'd be all right..." Elliot looked to the side, mumbling to himself.

"What is it, Elliot?"

"Oh—nothing! Um... Hey Rean, maybe you could come by my room sometime? You can bring your mandolin, too—it'd be nice to play in front of someone else for a change."

"Sure, I'm game." Rean tried to give him an encouraging smile. "Though I should warn you, I'm not much better than a novice."

"Haha, that's fine—music truly comes from the heart, after all." Elliot's eyes were closed, an almost serene smile on his face. Interesting... So Elliot was a bit more passionate about it than he let on? He obviously wanted to change the subject earlier, though...

"Music comes from the heart... perhaps the same is true for painting as well."

"I'm sure it is!"

Rean was happy the two of them found something they were interested so soon... He was sure he'd find something like that, too. He didn't want to be one of those boring guys who just goes home after school, he'd had about enough of that this past week to last the whole year. "Oh—we should get going, you two don't want to be late for your clubs!"

"Ah, you're right! Although I think today's meeting is more of an informal meet-and-greet..."

Rean followed the two of them out the door, and Elliot nearly bumped into Instructor Sara outside. "Whoa there—" She caught Elliot by the shoulders. "Sorry there Elliot, I didn't mean to come in so hot!"

"Um... that's okay, Instructor."

"Oh, please!" She gave both his arms a friendly pat. "You can just call me Sara! Especially during free time!"

"Um... okay."

Sara took a step back, looking between the three of them. "I'm glad I caught you boys—I just need a teeeensy favor." She pressed her palms together in a prayer motion. "I just need something picked up from the Student Council building. It's nothing big, but it is important! Pretty please? Who wants to help out their favorite instructor?"

Rean raised his hand at the back of the group. "I don't mind. I still haven't joined a club yet, so I'm free."

"Hooray! Thanks a million, Rean! I knew I could count on you." She winked. "All right kiddos—don't let me hold you up a second longer. You go on now and enjoy your free time! You too Rean—that little errand should just be a quick in-and-out, so take your time. As long as you have it by the time you make your way back to the dorm, that's fine by me." She walked away, her waving hand still visible in the doorway. "Ta-ta for now~"

Gaius chuckled. "Instructor Sara certainly is a character, isn't she?"

"I'll say... I wonder how she even got to be an instructor?"

"Haha... well, they can't all be like Neithardt. Er—I mean, Colonel Neithardt!" Elliot clutched his arm. "Well—I should get going. I'll see you guys later!"

"Take care, Elliot." Gaius saw him off, but didn't leave right away. "Hm. It makes me a little sad to see Elliot still being so evasive with us." He folded his arms. "Though I suppose he'll open up to us when he's ready."

"... So you noticed, too?" Rean didn't want to talk about Elliot behind his back, so he decided to just leave it at that. "Well, like you said—we all have things we don't want to open up about right away. I'm sure it'll come with time, though."

"I certainly hope so." Gaius gave him a warm smile. "I'll see you later, Rean."

"Yeah, see you." He waved Gaius off, then took off down the other direction in the hallway. Oh man... He supposed he had to mentally prepare himself for things to come out about himself as well. So far no one had made the "Schwarzer" connection—but then there was this, and that, and the other thing... ugh. Maybe it would help to have a mental script prepared, what he would say when each of those things came to light... He just hoped he'd have a stronger bond with his classmates by then, and they could accept him as he was. Although... with "that" inside him, even Rean wasn't totally sure what it was, or if it was something he could or should accept... Haah, next to "that", not being interested in girls seemed like no big deal.

OOO

Rean made a few stops while winding his way around the main building—he swung by the cooking club, but was overcome with the noxious smell of Margarita's inedible food, which the club leader Nicholas was desperately trying to contain... He peeked into the music room, watching as Instructor Mary presided over Bridget as she played the piano, while Hibelle helped Mint practice the flute, and Elliot played his violin—it was obvious he wasn’t an amateur just from the bit he overheard. Rean hadn’t interacted with her much, but he liked Instructor Mary, she was very gentle and kind—and she seemed to have an air of refinement about her. She might be from a noble family—maybe if Machias sat down and talked to her, it would help soften him up a bit...

Gaius asked him not to peek at his first attempt on canvas—but Linde seemed to kindly encourage him. The second-year sculptor, Clara, seemed wholly uninterested in Rean's presence—or anything else besides the clay in front of her, quite frankly. He stopped in with Beatrix the school nurse—at first she seemed like a tough old woman, but after she offered Rean some tea and said he could lay down in here whenever he felt like it, he saw that she had a doting Gramma side. He had met a few other students who were still undecided, or wholly uninterested in clubs—Colette just wanted to shop her heart out, Becky wanted to run the school store, and Rosine was interested in volunteering for the church—Rean supposed volunteering wouldn't be the worst use of his time. Oh—he was also curious about the gardening club...

He exited the main building, and made his way around the side path towards the gym. As he approached the school garden, he saw a girl in a straw hat and overalls biting right into a juicy peach. That sounded so good right now... Whoa—for a second he thought he saw Linde, but that must be her twin sister, Vivi. The club leader, Edel, smiled down at Fie crouched over a wooden planter. "Just make sure to give them plenty of love and care, and they'll reward you in kind."

"Got it." Fie stood up, brushing the dirt from her palms right onto her skirt. He wanted to ask, but... Rean felt like he hadn't gotten many chances to talk to Fie directly, she mostly split off and did her own thing and left right after class was over... Maybe he'd come back and ask about the gardening club later.

The other clubs around the school grounds were more sports-based, so he was interested in checking those out, too. Oh—but there was something else he was curious about, first...

He made his way over to the orbal garage. Sure enough, George was outside tinkering with something or another—it looked like a giant globe set into a large copper base. "Hi George—is it just you today?"

"Oh—hey!" George looked up, tipping the brim of his hat out of his eyes. "Uh... sorry, can you remind me of your name again?" He gave a sheepish smile. "I feel like I've met so many new first-years coming by for a tune-up..."

"That's understandable—I realized I forgot to introduce myself last time, sorry. I'm Rean." He held out his hand. "I hope I didn't come across as rude."

"Not at all." George stood up with a grunt, setting whatever tool he was using down on the globe-thing. "Well—you already know my name, but I'm George." He went to shake Rean's hand, then stopped. "Whoops—I'm a little greasy, sorry there." He wiped his slick palm on his jumpsuit, leaving a streak of dark green oil.

"That's okay—maybe next time." Rean looked around the outside of the garage, but didn't see Angelica's bike.

"So do you need a tune-up?" George wiped his hands on a rag he grabbed. "Just give me a second—I'll get cleaned up and help you out."

"Oh—actually, I came by to ask you something. I didn't see it in the pamphlet, but is there an 'Engineering club', or something equivalent?"

"Well... on paper there is. But I'm pretty much the only member." He laughed a little awkwardly. "Instructor Makarov's the head of the Engineering club, but that's mostly on paper too, so we can get proper funding. I'm pretty much a one-man show, you might say."

"Wow—that really is impressive!" George looked away shyly. "No, I mean it!" Rean shifted his weight, trying to break his bad habit of standing so stiffly when meeting new people. "So, I take it you don't need an assistant?"

"Well—I wouldn't turn anyone down who wanted to help out—but to be honest with you, I kinda have my own way of doing things around here." Rean nodded. "It might be a bit too unorthodox for anyone else to jump into, let alone follow."

"I get that."

George raised an eyebrow. "Why Rean—are you interested in helping out around here?"

"Well—I was just curious." For some reason, Rean felt like he was being really presumptuous just asking. "I guess I was just fascinated by Angelica's bike—I'm curious what other things you could put together with orbal technology."

"Oh! Well, Angie'd be pretty psyched to hear that." He had a relaxed smile. "That bike's her baby—she'd probably be flattered someone else is taking an interest in it." He laughed. "Just don't try to ride it or touch it."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Well... after what Gaius was saying about riding through the plains with the wind blowing through your hair, Rean couldn't help but wonder what it felt like riding Angelica's bike...

"Well—it's not much of a 'club', but why don't you swing by here on lunch sometime?" George went over to a little outdoor sink, washing his hands. "Those guys are always bumming around here. Angie and Towa—and Crow too, if he feels like it. You've met all of 'em, right?"

"Um—to be honest, I haven't had the chance to introduce myself to anyone but Towa. I'm a little embarrassed by my bad manners."

George laughed. "'Bad manners'?" He dried his hand on what looked like a clean rag. "Well, besides common-sense stuff, I don't think you'll find a big insistence on formality in our little group. Not even from Angie." Curious... was Angelica from an upper-class family? She didn't seem like it... Then again, maybe she was the rebellious daughter and they sent her to Thors to straighten her out—so to speak. "But be nice to Towa. She deserves it with all the complaining from the student body she has to listen to."

Rean laughed. "Of course." In the few interactions they had, Towa had always been bubbly and pleasant—she seemed to enjoy her job as Student Council President, and take it seriously. He'd have to stop by to grab that thing Sara wanted, whatever it was—she said there wasn't a huge rush, so he might as well check out all the other clubs first, and make that his last stop of the day. "I think I'll keep cruising around for clubs to join, but I might just take you up on that offer, George—thanks for the invite."

"No problem." George gave him a wave with clean hands. "See you around, Rean."

"See you." Hm... honestly, that made Rean feel pretty good. To be invited to hang out with his seniors—it made him feel a bit special. George's group certainly seemed… interesting… and he was a little surprised that Towa hung out with two wild characters like Angelica and Crow. They must have a lot of history together—honestly Rean wouldn't mind hanging around them more, if George deemed them good company. He seemed like a mellow guy, kind of like Gaius.

Rean made his way back around the gardens to the gym. The swimming and fencing clubs should be in here... Rean had never been much of a swimmer, what with the waters around Ymir being so frigid year-round—he pretty much only went in the river as part of that grueling training his Master put him through. That was enough for a lifetime... But a heated indoor pool was a totally different story. Laura seemed to have taken to the swimming club, which was no surprise if she grew up right on the lake—Klein was the second year in charge of this club, with Casper and Monica being the other first-years. Laura was trying her best to encourage Monica to let go of the wall—but she seemed rather afraid of deep water. Maybe she had joined to try to conquer her fear...

The fencing club was led by Friedel and Loggins, and it was a little encouraging to see that they were friends despite Friedel being a noble. The first years were Alan and... great, that snobbish guy from the noble class. He hadn't actually introduced himself to Rean, so he had no idea who he was. It seemed his pompousness backfired in that sense... Rean would have actually been interested in learning fencing, but with that guy here, forget it.

Finally, Rean made his way to the field. It looked like Alisa took up lacrosse, but... the other girls almost seemed like they were shunning her. Emily and Theresia were in their own little world, but the other first year, Ferris, was being fussy that Alisa wouldn't tell her her family name. Well... it might sound a little harsh, but maybe if she felt what it was like to be excluded and shunned, she'd stop being so stand-offish towards the rest of Class VII…

Rean made his way around the field to the riding club. The club head, Lambert, was kind enough to let Rean pet his beloved horse, Whitcomb. He could probably tell that Rean was used to being around horses—and Whitcomb actually nibbled half a carrot out of his hand. Jusis seemed right at home in the riding club, lamenting that he was unable to bring his steed Asteion with him—and poor Paula looked like she was trying to find an opportunity to talk to Jusis, but he was freezing her out. Sorry, Paula... even Class VII hadn't managed to defrost him, yet. To be honest, Rean did enjoy horseback riding... but he wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to join the same club as Jusis, no pun intended...

As he made his way back on campus proper, Rean popped into the library and said hello to Instructor Thomas, who was very enthusiastic about Rean expanding his knowledge of the world. He also expressed a desire to visit the Nord Highlands after hearing Gaius' impassioned recollections—though he admitted to being afraid of horses. He also recommended a rather odd series called "Red Moon Rose", about a vampire or a witch, or something.

Well... Rean felt like he'd seen all there was to see out here. There were a few clubs left in the Student Union building that he could hit up on his way to see Towa. He couldn't say that any of them had managed to sway him quite yet—but he might be interested in the literature or fishing clubs. He did rather enjoy ice fishing back home—it helped calm his mind.

He stopped in front of the student council building, going over his mental checklist. He was pretty sure he had seen all the clubs so far, and he had run into all the members of Class VII except Emma and Machias... "Hey, new guy."

He recognized that unserious tone, even if he'd only talked to him a few times. That Crow guy was strolling towards him with a bag slung over his shoulder. Rean tried to relax his stance—he'd gone all rigid again without realizing it. "I have a name, actually. It's Rean." He was about to extend his hand, but Crow didn't exactly seem like the handshake kind of guy. "You're Crow, right?"

His eyebrows went up, though they were still mostly obscured by his bandana. "Well now, I guess my reputation precedes me! Heh—so what juicy stuff have you heard?"

Rean rolled his eyes before he could help it. "Nothing much. Just with you and Angelica sniping back and forth at each other, I couldn't help but remember your names."

"Aw, man. Well, I'm sure you'll hear some pretty salacious stuff sooner or later." Ugh... Great, another eccentric. "So, how are you adjusting to life at Thors?" Crow's tone changed to more casual, almost "friendly"—it was a bit of an odd juxtaposition.

Rean decided to just roll with it, shifting his weight to his other foot. "All right, I guess—I'm looking forward to getting over the hump when I'm no longer exhausted by combat training."

Crow laughed. "Well, with all the work me, Towa, Gelica, and George put in last year, I hope they're not just goin’ easy on ya."

Rean felt his brows furrow. "Last year? Was there a Class VII before now?" Was that the skipped-over Class VI?

"Hah? Guess Towa never explained it to ya." Crow shifted the bag on his shoulder. This guy almost seemed too laid-back for his own good—and his uniform was still the sloppiest of anyone he'd seen. "Well, far be it from me to spoil it for ya. You should ask her about it." Okay...

"Well, I'm on my way to see her right now, actually."

"That so?" Crow made to move past him. "Well, give our little princess my regards." He clapped Rean's shoulder as he passed, and it made Rean stiffen a bit—he just wasn't expecting it. "Oh hey—can you spot me fifty mira, pal?"

Fifty mira? Well, since he had it, it'd be rude to say "no"... "Sure... are you heading back to the cafeteria?" Rean usually didn't carry that many coins on him—they made his wallet too heavy. He dropped the coin into Crow's waiting hand.

"Sweet! Thanks, bud." He set his bag down, then slapped his palms together—Rean wasn't expecting that. "So, Rean... word on the street is that you're pretty good at ‘sensing’ things..." Rean felt himself stiffen up. Where'd he hear that—from who? The only person he'd mentioned it to was Elliot—or was it Instructor Sara? He supposed anyone else could have noticed—maybe it was just his own observation after Rean "sensed" them standing up on that hill. "Watch carefully, now..." Crow's expression changed—he flipped the coin into the air, and with surprising speed snapped both hands as the coin was falling. It was so fast, Rean admitted he couldn't actually follow it. Crow held out both fists, palm-up. "So... which hand is it in?" Crow was regarding him with calm intensity. Rean stared from one hand to the other... honestly, he had no idea. His fists were closed tightly in the exact same way. He hadn't seen the coin at all—obviously this guy was versed in the art of sleight-of-hand. His eyes flicked up to Crow's—he was still patiently bearing his gaze down on him, and he noticed for the first time that his eyes were an intense shade of red even more than Alisa's. Um... sh*t. Rean knew it was just a harmless question, a stupid parlor trick—but for some reason he really didn't want to guess wrong. He felt like this guy was analyzing him, challenging his ability... but he honestly could only make a blind guess. He had a 50/50 shot... Might as well just go with his gut.

"The left."

Crow wordlessly opened his fist, revealing his empty palm. "Too bad." It seemed like he was laughing at Rean with his eyes. "Better luck next time—"

"Wait!" Rean pointed at his other hand. "Open your right hand, too."

"Whoops." Crow smirked, opening his other fist to an empty palm. "You're not too bad, kid—it's not always a fair question being asked, know what I'm sayin'?" His gaze was still a little intense, but then his smirk reached his eyes. "I think you'll do fine. Class VII is meant to be challenging, not impossible." His tone went back to casually friendly again, and he slung his bag up over his shoulder. "Just don’t get too complacent—they’ll ramp up the difficulty as soon as you get used to it. But it wouldn’t be fun otherwise, right?" He winked. "Keep up the good work." He clapped Rean's arm again as he passed. "See ya around, Rean. Enjoy your weekend."

Rean couldn't help but stare after him for a second. Well... that was—something. It seemed like he was trying to be nice there at the end, but... somehow Rean couldn't help but feel a bit humiliated. It showed he still had a lot to learn. Crow probably wasn't doing that just to make him look stupid... but he also kind of felt like he was. Ugh—he wasn't sure what to make of him, he was almost like the embodiment of a back-handed compliment. And he hoped he wasn't walking in on another awkward Machias-Jusis situation with him and Angelica, just being snippy and messing with each other for no reason—well, if that was the case, he could always stop dropping by the garage. At least outside of a routine orbment tune-up…

Rean rolled out his shoulders a bit, shaking off the weird vibes from that interaction. Calm as the surface of a lake... cool as ice over a frozen pond... Man, a cold drink actually sounded pretty good right now.

Rean entered the cafeteria, smiling and nodding at the old couple who ran the kitchen as they were cleaning up. The head chef was a bit uptight, but his wife had typical Gramma energy, always wanting the kids to take more and eat their fill—which worked for Rean, he could have a pretty big appetite.

He went over to the soda machine, taking his wallet out again and counting his coins. One fifty, two, two-fifty... wait. He was fifty mira short. Dang it—freaking Crow didn't even give him back his coin! Agh—he would have had just enough for a drink! Bah... Well, he did lose his little coin trick, so he supposed Crow could keep it for now. He'd just have to go double-or-nothing next time, and get a hundred mira out of him. Stupid coin trick... there had to be something else to it, there was no way that joker could move faster than Rean's eyes... hmm... "It wasn't always a fair question", huh?

Rean put his wallet away, heading for the stairs. It almost sounded like something his Master would say—"See with eyes unclouded by preconceptions." Although "Uncle Crow's" pearls of wisdom didn't seem to be exactly on the same level...

Rean decided to scope out the rooms upstairs, peeking in on the fishing club first—Kenneth appeared to be the only member, or rather he insisted he was a member of the wider Imperial Fishing Club. He was so jazzed that Rean enjoyed fishing that he just gave him a rod for free—he said he didn't even have to join the club. He just wanted to spread the joy of fishing across the whole continent—what a nice guy. His white jacket clued him in to the fact that he was a noble, but he was as down-to-earth as Edel. Machias seemed right at home in the chess club with Stefan, although they didn't seem to have that many members... Fidelio in the photography club seemed to have his hands full with Rex's, um... preferred muses... Hoo boy, and on the other end of the spectrum—Rean had peeked in on the "literature club" with Emma and Dorothee—but the kind of "literature" they were indulging in made him turn around and walk right back out the door. He was a little afraid Dorothee would clock him if he stayed a second longer—but in hindsight it probably looked like he was being really judgmental and closed-minded. Haah... he'd have to go back and apologize to her on his next free day.

He felt a chill go down his spine. A cold breeze seemed to be coming from the next door… was the window open? He hesitantly padded inside the small room, his eyes drawn to a large purple canopy draping from the ceiling. His eyes fell to a table covered by a rich red tapestry, with a large orb swirling with purple smoke sitting at its center. A girl with long black hair was sitting behind the table, as if she was expecting him. "Welcome, Rean Schwarzer." He shuddered at her voice—he thought he heard something echoing behind it, but—"You may call me Beryl." The smoke inside the crystal seemed to seethe and twist.

He swallowed. "Um, nice to meet you… you already know my name?"

"Yes. I know many things." She hovered her fingers over the crystal, not quite touching it. Rean was trying not to show it, but he got an eerie feeling just being in her presence. She beckoned for him to come closer, and he felt almost compelled to oblige. "Tell me—have you ever stared into the abyss?" A dark storm swirled inside the crystal—he couldn’t keep his eyes off it. "You might find the abyss staring back at you… tee hee…" Rean swallowed heavily at her words. "Do you see it?" He didn’t know what he saw—her voice seemed to be coming from somewhere else. "Plunged beneath the depths of turbulent waves, a heart lies clouded in darkness…" His body felt unbearably cold all over, like he had fallen through thin ice over a frozen lake. "You want to reach out, but your own heart is drenched in mud… The flames of wildfire lick and writhe, threatening to burn the sapling in your soul to ash…" He felt unbearably hot, like his insides were boiling and screaming out in pain. "Staring out from across the abyss, what will happen when the two shall meet?" His heart was beating fast. "Tee hee... I wonder… This will be a year of monumentous change for you, Rean Schwarzer... Though you already knew that, didn't you? Tee hee..."

Suddenly he was back in the hallway. He whipped around—the door to the room was closed. He almost reached for the doorknob… but something stopped him. His heart was still beating fast. "A heart clouded in darkness…" What the heck did that even mean?

He felt goosebumps go all the way up his spine. He didn’t like the sound of it at all—it sounded a bit too close to... "that". But how could Beryl know about that? He felt himself swallow before he could help it. No—there had to be some kind of smoke and mirrors he wasn’t seeing, like with Crow’s coin trick—maybe she just picked up on his nervous body language and did what they call a "cold reading"? Either way—as much as he just wanted to dismiss it as cryptic nonsense from another eccentric—he couldn't help but feel like Beryl was tapped into something beyond his understanding.

Rean cupped the back of his neck, willing the hairs that had raised up to settle back down. Well... he'd had his fill of weird vibes for today. He was suddenly feeling exhausted... he just wanted to go home.

"Haah…" Rean took a centering breath in, and out... Calm as the surface of a lake. He wasn’t going to spend any more time dwelling on it. Time to get it together, and check in on Towa. He still had one more task to take care of. Calm as the surface of a lake...

Rean walked to the door at the end of the hall. He knocked, and waited for a response. "Come on in!" That was Towa's voice, all right—it was unmistakable.

Rean opened the door, giving her a warm smile. "Good afternoon, Towa. How are you?"

"Oh—I'm busy as always, but that's when I'm in the zone!" She pumped her fists. He didn't doubt that... "So, how can I help you, Rean?" She settled down with her hands clasped in front of her.

"I'm here to pick up something for Sara—I assume you know what it is?" He realized Sara never actually said what he needed to get...

"Oh, yes! I have these right here for Class VII..." She picked up a cardboard box with two handle indents. "Ta-dah! They're your student handbooks!" Rean peered into the box at the sleek leather-bound books. "Yours is the one on top."

"I see—thank you, Towa." He flipped through the notebook, landing on some technical-looking illustrations. "Wow—are these the ARCUS units?"

"That's right! Since I had to write all-new instructions for the new ARCUS, that's why it took a bit longer for me to get your handbooks out on time. I'm sorry about that!"

"Oh, don't worry about that... wait, did you say ‘me’?" Rean flipped open the book again. "Do you mean you wrote out all these instructions yourself, Towa?"

"Yep! Oh, but it wasn’t that hard—Angie, Crow, and George and I all tested the prototypes for the ARCUS last year!" She smiled, her cheeks pushing up into her eyes.

"Wow, I see..." So that's what Crow meant.

"So you can trust that all that information is accurate! Plus, I don’t mind helping Sara out, with all she does for me."

"Uh huh… so Sara just pawned her work off on you, then."

"Hehe… I don’t really think of it that way." Rean couldn’t help but wonder how Sara of all people got delegated to lead such a bold experiment as Class VII… "Oh! That reminds me—I really appreciate you volunteering to help us out!" What now? His confusion must have shown on his face, since Towa’s brows sloped downward. "Um—you did volunteer to help out the Student Council with our workload, right? That’s what Sara said…" Really, Sara? Haah…

"Um…" She was looking up at him so expectantly with such big eyes—he couldn’t bring himself to disappoint her. It felt like when Elise begged him to attend her stuffed animal tea parties when she was little—he just couldn’t say no. "Well—I just didn’t think you needed my help so soon." He felt bad for the little white lie, but it was true that none of the clubs had really captured his attention—he might as well just help out the Student Council with their seemingly ridiculous workload. Surely his parents would be proud of him for choosing to spend his free time in such a way, whenever he got around to writing to them…

"Yay! I’m so relieved to have a helping hand." She went back around the desk. "Then I’ll prepare your first list of tasks, starting tomorrow—I’ll leave everything in your box at the Class VII dorm, along with some instructions!"

"Sure… so, what exactly do these ‘tasks’ entail?"

"Oh, nothing major—just requests that come in from other students, or from the folks around Trista!"

"I see… so it’s kind of like a request board?"

"Exactly! Think of it as a suggestion box—but instead of just saying ‘we’ll consider it’, we actually go out and help people!"

"I see. I think I get it." Rean rubbed his chin. Well, that sounded better than mindlessly sorting through documents—plus, he could get better acquainted with the other students outside of Class VII, and the folks around Trista. His dad often went around Ymir seeing if anyone needed help with anything—this wouldn’t be much different.

"Hooray! I’m happy to have you aboard, Rean!" She beamed, her hands clasped while she bowed. No wonder Crow called her a "princess"—

"Oh—I ran into Crow outside."

"Crow?" Her expression changed a bit, but he couldn’t exactly put his finger on how.

"Yeah—he said to give you his regards."

"He did?" Her brows knit together. "Ooh, he’s so lazy—why didn’t he just come up here himself?" Her cheeks puffed up in annoyance. Rean couldn’t help but laugh.

"That, I couldn’t tell you." He put a hand on his hip. "Oh—I also stopped by the garage and talked to George."

"George, too?" She smiled—then her little fists flew to her hips. "Let me guess—did he tell you to ‘give me his regards’, too?"

"Haha… actually, I didn’t think to mention I was on my way to see you. He did say I was welcome to stop by the garage at lunch, though?" He didn’t know why he phrased it as a question—it was almost like he was asking her permission.

"He did?" She seemed surprised. Then she clasped her hands in front of her heart excitedly. "Oh, look at you, Rean! You’re already getting along so well with your seniors!"

"Ah, I wouldn’t exactly say that…" George seemed friendly enough, but "getting along" with Crow was stretching it—and Angelica didn’t even know who he was, he obliviously forgot to actually introduce himself.

"Well—don’t feel obligated if you have other friends you’d like to spend lunch with—but you’re welcome to come see us anytime!" She beamed up at him. "The others make fun of me for cooping myself up in this room all the time—so I try to spend time with them when I can. I’m usually with Angie, or George—Crow comes and goes, he mostly does his own thing." She giggled to herself. "But he might start coming around more often if there’s someone new to liven things up!" Honestly… the others seemed all right, but Rean could give or take Crow's company. He had just given him a weird vibe—his friendliness just seemed… facetious? It was hard to describe… although he did seem to go into "big brother mode" with those kids in Trista, which was something Rean could relate to—ugh, honestly it was annoying how much he kept replaying that interaction outside the student council building in his head, wondering if he did something to make himself look stupid. He was terminally concerned with making a good first impression to everyone—perhaps to his own detriment. It was like he was walking around campaigning to everyone he met as the Baron of Nothing.

"Well… we’ll see."

"Yay! I’m looking forward to it!" Well… they couldn’t be a bad group of people if they were Towa’s friends, right?

"Actually—I wanted to ask you about something." Rean shifted his weight to his other foot, his hand on his hip. "To be honest with you… there’s still some tension in Class VII."

"Oh, really?" Her hand covered her mouth. "Oh no—that’s no good, the ‘combat link’ won’t work if everyone isn’t in tune with one another…"

"I know… I was hoping they’d get it all out of their system soon, but it’s starting to affect everyone else now, too… I was hoping you’d have some advice." Rean could feel his brows furrow. "Was it like this for Angelica and Crow when you guys were testing the ARCUS? What did you do about it?"

"Angie and Crow?" Her brows knit together. "Oh! Oh no, don’t misunderstand!" She giggled into her hand. "Those two get along just fine—they just bicker like siblings sometimes." She looked up in the corner of her mind with a little smirk. "I think it’s because they’re more similar than they like to admit." "Similar", huh?

"I see… sorry for making assumptions." He laughed awkwardly. "Guess I was pretty off-base there, huh…"

"Oh, no—I can understand why you’d think that. Hehe." She coughed into her hand. "Ahem. Anyway… I wish I could help more with your situation." She gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you know why they aren’t getting along?"

"Oh, yeah—they say exactly why they don’t like each other about twenty times a day."

"I see… And the reason they don’t like each other is something that can't be overcome with time?"

"… I don’t think so, unfortunately." Rean crossed his arms. "It’s nothing either one of them can change—it’s more of a difference of politics and identity."

"I see… Well, then instead of focusing on what makes them so different, why not help them see what they have in common?" Her squeaky voice belied a quiet wisdom. "After all—knowledge leads to understanding, and understanding leads to acceptance!" Huh…

"I see what you’re saying… that just might be more difficult in practice."

"Hmm... I have faith that it’ll all work out—I know you and the rest of Class VII can get through to them!" She pumped her fists. "But if push comes to shove—you can always tattle to Principal Vandyck, and he’ll whip them both into shape!" Rean actually laughed.

"Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…" Principal Vandyck was intimidating indeed—not only was he physically huge, and still in great shape for a man of his age—but he had this stern aura of intensity, like he wouldn’t let you get away with anything under his watch. "Well—thanks, Towa. I’ll keep that in mind…"

"No problem! I’m always happy to help." She sat back behind her desk. "I’ll be here for a while longer… I hope you enjoy the rest of your night, though!" Geez—poor Towa.

"Well, thanks for working so hard on the handbooks. I’ll be sure to get these back to Instructor Sara." He lifted the cardboard box. "Take care of yourself, Towa."

"I will! Oh, actually..." She drummed her fingers on the desk, as if she was trying to decide on something. "Rean, do you have any plans for the rest of the night? After you give those to Sara, of course."

"Hmm... not really. I already walked around and checked out all the clubs I wanted to." He relaxed with the box under one arm. "The only thing I thought about was doing some fishing, since Kenneth was nice enough to gift me this rod..."

"Really? Wow, that's so kind of him! Kenneth really just wants to spread the joy of fishing!" She giggled into her hand. "You know, your ARCUS can also take photos—I'm sure he'd be really happy if you showed him all the fish you caught!"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Rean got out his ARCUS. "These things really can do a lot, huh?"

"Yep—we wanted to make an orbment that could serve as a multi-tool, since you'll have it with you all the time, anyway."

"I see." Rean would have to start fiddling around with it now that he had these instructions—the ARCUS was probably capable of even more than that. "You guys really thought of everything."

"Tee-hee. You can thank Fidelio and George for helping to integrate the orbal lens function!"

"Wow, really?" He was really going to the same school as some impressive people, wasn't he...

"Yes! And he and Instructor Makarov are always looking for ways to improve the ARCUS units, so we might even have some new functions to roll out this year!"

"That's amazing... man, technology really has come a long way." Rean carefully tucked his ARCUS back in his pocket. "I feel like I was living in the stone age up in the mountains now... I don't even wear a watch."

"Heehee, well I still think there are some things you can't replace with technology. Like good home cooking!" She stood up from her desk with excitement. "Rean, I want to thank you for giving us a helping hand, and you can think of this as a little incentive—can I treat you to dinner at Kirsche's later tonight?"

"Oh—well, you don't have to do that..." Rean couldn't say that a girl had ever offered to treat him to dinner before. "Actually—I'd welcome the company, but is it okay if we go dutch?" He almost felt a bit sheepish. "It would just make me feel better."

"Hmm... very well, I accept!" But she was the one who invited him... "I'll be done in about an hour, so just relax and enjoy the day! I can call you on your ARCUS when I'm closing up here. Maybe you can even get in some fishing!"

"That sounds good, Towa—I think I will. Thanks for the invite—I haven't had a chance to check out Kirsche's yet." He turned with the box under his arm. "Good luck with the rest of your work—I'll see you later, then!"

"Thank you Rean—see you later!"

He closed the door behind him. That was nice of her—now he had something to look forward to tonight. His pride as a man made him want to offer to pay instead—but she had invited him as a thank-you, so splitting the bill seemed like a fair compromise. He wouldn't mind getting to know Towa better, she seemed very sweet and down-to-earth. And something she said really resonated with him—"Knowledge leads to understanding, and understanding leads to acceptance." He’d have to keep that in mind…

As he exited the student union building, he felt a crisp gust of spring wind, and heard something clattering around on the cobblestones. It looked like something was being blown around the courtyard… Well, might as well throw it away if it was just trash.

Rean bent down to pick it up—oh, it looked like it was actually a pretty nice calligraphy brush. He didn’t think he would see something like this in the Empire outside of Ymir… It looked a little scratched up, but he might as well see if the school had a Lost & Found. He’d hate to lose something nice like this, even if it was a little beat-up…

He walked back through the main building, winding around to the faculty room. The secretary Bianca had already gone home, it looked like. When he got to the staff room, he knocked on the open door before entering. Sara was standing next to Instructor Makarov, who had a cigarette behind his ear. "Oh, Rean! Great—looks like you got them just like I asked!" She came over and took the cardboard box from him. "I’ll get these back to the dorm, no worries."

"Uh huh… you know, you could have just told me you wanted me to help out the student council. I probably would have done it anyway without the deception."

"Whoops!" She winked and stuck out her tongue. It was quite a childish gesture for a grown woman… "Wellll… it seemed like you were just floating along without any direction like so much flotsam, so I just wanted to give you a little nudge!" She easily balanced the box on her shoulder. "That’s my job as your instructor. Aren't I just a peach?"

"‘A nudge’, is that what you call it…"

"I do." She pat his shoulder with her free hand. "I may not look it Rean, but I can tell what ‘types’ people are. You’re the type who likes to look out for others. But, you're also the type who wants his feet planted firmly on the ground." Huh... "Blowing around like a tumbleweed’s no good—you have to be able to lay down roots and know where you stand before you can relax!" She got a self-satisfied grin. "Am I right?"

"Well… you’re not wrong. But what does that have to do with volunteering me for the student council?" He shifted his weight to his other foot. "Why me?"

"Hmm… well, why don’t you ask your new classmates?" She winked, walking around him with the box. "I’ll see you back at the dorm, Rean! Find a buddy if you’re going to be walking back after dark." That hardly seemed necessary in Trista—though he supposed he was better safe than sorry.

Instructor Makarov was regarding him with a bored expression while he and Sara were talking. Well, anyway... "Um, Instructor Makarov? Do we have a lost and found here?"

"Not here." He turned back to his orbal computer. "Why don’t you try the student union building?" Haah… he was just there.

Vice Principal Heinrich regarded Rean over his tiny glasses. "What is that you have there, young man?"

"Oh—I found it outside. It’s a nice-looking calligraphy brush, though it got a little scratched up…"

"Let me have a look at it." He held out his hand like a doctor asking for a scalpel. Rean handed him the brush, and he peered down his nose at it. "I see. Well, our Principal is rather fond of these Eastern traditions. I daresay this item belongs to him." He handed the brush back to Rean. "Be a good lad and return it now." He gave him an almost critical look. "What is your name, my boy?"

"My name is Rean Schwarzer… sir." Rean realized his body language got all stiff again.

"Schwarzer… I see. Well—off with you. The Principal’s office is right next door."

Rean bowed. "Yes, sir." He quickly exited the teacher’s lounge. He thought he heard Vice Principal Heinrich yell from behind him, "Makarov—if I’ve told you a hundred times, there is no smoking in this building!"

Rean somewhat-hesitantly knocked on the Principal’s door. "Principal Vandyck, are you in?"

"Come in." A gruff voice called through the door. Rean opened it, and saw the Principal looking out the window at the soft orange sunset, his hands clasped behind his back. "What can I help you with, son?"

Rean was surprised at the Principal’s casual speech, but he still wanted to stay polite and formal. "I found this calligraphy brush outside, and Vice Principal Heinrich said it might be yours, sir."

The Principal walked over to his high-backed chair, his eyebrow raised in interest. "Is that so? Let's see it, then." Rean laid the brush carefully on his desk. "That is indeed mine." His expression softened. "I’m relieved that it was found—I’ve had this brush for many years, it would sadden me to lose it now." He produced a soft cloth from his desk drawer, polishing the brush with clear reverence. "I received it from a rather eccentric acquaintance of mine, with whom I used to enjoy sharing green tea." He smiled to himself at the memory. "Thank you, young man—what is your name?"

"My name is Rean Shwarzer, sir." He bowed.

"Rean Schwarzer." He delicately placed the pen in a little stand made of wood. "Come over here." He strode past his desk, over to a display case decorated with small medals. "Look here—we give these out to students who show outstanding conduct and prowess. I have four I can freely give away myself—the Medals of Valor, Friendship, Compassion, and Heroism." He heavily clapped Rean on the shoulder, and it took everything in him not to stumble. "Our country places much emphasis on individualism and personal accomplishment—but never forget that cooperation and empathy are what makes a country and its peoples truly great." He stood tall, with both hands behind his back. "Keep that compassionate spirit of yours alive, Rean Schwarzer. It will serve you well for the rest of your life."

Rean was at a bit of a loss for words. The Principal seemed so intimidating when he was giving his welcoming speech—but in person, he almost had the energy of a kind old Grampa. A Grampa who was totally jacked, but a Grampa all the same. Actually—he reminded him a bit of his Master. "Thank you, Principal Vandyck—I’ll take your words to heart." The Principal smiled down at him. "Oh—may I ask you about your interest in calligraphy? Vice Principal Heinrich mentioned that you have a fondness for Eastern traditions." He caught a twinkle in the Principal’s eyes. "I come from the Ymir province, and we have some cultural imports from Calvard and even farther East. I'm quite fond of the manjuu buns we make with red bean paste—"

OOO

Rean tried the door to the student union building, which was thankfully still unlocked. Sara never gave them a definitive time when the facilities would "close down", but sunset was probably a safe bet. It seemed like the Instructors in charge of the clubs encouraged the students to make the most out of their time, and they weren't too eager to shoo them out of the club room if they were enjoying themselves. Rean was surprised at how diverse the faculty was—the most serious and straight-laced of them all seemed to be Instructor Neithardt, but he was literally a military Colonel who volunteered his free time to teaching. And speaking of—it took a bit for Rean to relax and stop speaking so formally, but he was pleasantly surprised at how approachable Principal Vandyck turned out to be. He probably wouldn't go out of his way to spend more time in his office, as he didn't want to come across as a brown-noser—but it was good to know that even their Principal was so down-to-earth. It just solidified all the more that Rean made the right decision to come to Thors. Oh, and that was another thing—he never said the name of his "eccentric old friend", but Rean had a sneaking suspicion that the Principal's tea-drinking companion was Master Ka-fai. He wanted to ask more about it... but maybe it was okay for the Principal to keep his old friend a special memory to himself.

Rean made his way up the stairs, and that noble dickhe*d with the slicked-back hair was making his way down with his little cronies. Rean did the polite thing of edging towards the wall so they could pass. "Pardon me."

"Hmph. You're pardoned." Haah... whatever. "Oh—do be careful you don't wander up to the Noble Salon on the topmost floor—there's nothing up there for you, I'm afraid." Wow... this guy was almost comically pompous—if it wasn't happening to Rean and someone else was describing this interaction, he would think for sure they were exaggerating.

"Well, you're right about that." Part of him was dying to see the look on this guy's face if he name-dropped his father and he found out he was a noble, too—but honestly, Rean just didn't want the drama. He had a nice, mellow dinner to look forward to. And this guy would probably still look down on Rean for being such a "minor" noble, anyway. Rean would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted, though... "Have a good night."

"Oh! Where are my manners?" He had passed Rean on the stairs, and was addressing him from a few steps below. "I daresay I've completely neglected to introduce myself—well, we can't have that now, can we?" He straightened his little ascot, the smugness on his face somehow amplifying even further. "My name is Patrick T. Hyarms—a pleasure, I'm sure." He extended his hand, and Rean did the favor of coming down a step so the handshake was less awkward. "I'm sure you've heard of the Hyarms family, whom governs over the holy capital of Saint-Arkh in the Sutherland Province."

"Ah, I have. My mother is a big fan of the dyed cloth that comes from Parm in Sutherland, and I'm sure we have some phonograph cylinders of music from Saint-Arkh."

"Is that so?" Patrick's eyes narrowed. "And what was your name, my dear?"

Well, here goes nothing. "I'm Rean. Rean Schwarzer." He gripped Patrick's hand just a smidge firmer. "I've gotta say—it's really nice to be somewhere where there isn't still snow on the ground in spring. I'm sure everyone's staying nice and toasty indoors in Ymir right about now." Patrick's eyes went wide with instant recognition. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Patrick." Rean let him go, giving him a little wave as he turned back up the stairs. "If you'll excuse me—I have a prior engagement with President Hershel, so I'll be going now." Patrick looked truly flabbergasted. Then, he coughed into his fist.

"—Yes, well... It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Schwarzer. Please give my regards to the Baron and Lady Schwarzer." His little cronies' eyes went wide at that. Obviously they weren't as well-informed as their pompous pal...

"That's a wonderful idea—I'm sure my father would be happy to hear from Marquis Hyarms. Ymir is so isolated, my family doesn't hear from our peers as often as we'd like to." Patrick flinched.

"Yes, well... I'm sure my father will be happy to arrange a gift to be sent to the Schwarzer estate. To celebrate our our two families' meeting at Thors." He smoothed down his ascot, standing stock-straight. "Well, now—please give my regards to President Herschel, Schwarzer. I bid you enjoy the rest of your evening." He turned on his heel, and almost ate sh*t since he forgot he was still on the stairs. "—ah!"

Rean had reached out just in time. "Are you all right, Patrick?" Thankfully he moved faster than Patrick's slack-jawed sycophants...

Patrick composed himself, jerking his arm out of Rean's grip. "—yes, I'm perfectly fine." His eyes flicked up to Rean, then he steadied himself with his hand on the railing. "I daresay you're rather quick on your feet, Schwarzer. Thank you for your timely aid."

"No problem, Patrick." It seemed to irk Patrick a bit that Rean's speech was so casual. He wasn't doing it on purpose, that's just how his family and everyone he knew in Ymir talked...

"Ahem!" Patrick cleared his throat. "Schwarzer, have you had the opportunity to converse much with Albarea?"

"Who, Jusis?" Patrick's eyebrow twitched. "A bit—" Rean decided to dress up the truth, just a little. "We talked about horseback riding, and he told me about his horse Asteion back home in Bareahard." What really happened was Rean meekly tried talking to him about horses, and Jusis ignored him. Then he heard Jusis wistfully talking to himself while brushing one of the horse's coats, "If only I could have brought Asteion along... But I trust Arnauld is taking good care of him in my absence."

"I see. Well, do give my regards to Albarea." With that, Patrick descended the staircase. "Schwarzer. I bid you adieu."

"Good night, Patrick. It's getting dark out—watch your step." Okay, that last one was a little mean. If Patrick said anything else Rean couldn't hear it, and his toadies kept looking between them as they fell in line. Rean generally liked to think he was a nice person—but he did secretly enjoy watching karma get people. Aidios works in mysterious ways...

He had a small smirk as he ascended the stairs towards the student council room.

OOO

The sun had just barely set, giving the sky an almost green watercolor glow. The street lamps had come on, and the stars could just barely be seen in the fading twilight. The two of them had taken their time walking back through town—Towa was easy to talk to, and she told Rean about her aunt and uncle who she lived with in Heimdallr—apparently they ran a general store called Herschel's. She didn't mention why she was living with her aunt and uncle, and Rean didn't ask.

Rean looked up at the faint stars dotting the sky as they walked. Trista was quite cozy even at night—there were enough people sitting outside at Kirsche’s and walking through the park that it didn’t feel like a ghost town. "Trista’s pretty safe at night, right Towa?"

"Oh, yes! Although, we still always recommend students walk home in pairs." She pushed her hair behind her ear. "Just because it’s safe doesn’t mean you should push it! And it’s always nice to have a buddy, isn’t it?"

Rean laughed softly. "I suppose you’re right."

"Man!" Two kids scrambled off the stoop to Kirsche’s, practically kicking the cobblestones as they walked. "I’ll get him next time—double or nothing!"

"Yeah Kay, take no prisoners!"

"You sure sound fired up, Kay!" Towa bent down to talk to them, even though she was practically at their height already. "Are you boys heading home to strategize and regroup?"

"Uh—oh, yeah, Miss Towa..." The normally rowdy boys were unusually shy talking to Towa…

"I see." She clasped her hands behind her back. "Well, don’t be discouraged—if you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be focused and ready to get him back tomorrow!" She flexed her tiny little arm.

"Hah—don’t you worry about that, Miss Towa." The blonde kid, Kay, ran a hand back through his hair. Oh boy, wonder who he picked up those mannerisms from… "Pretty soon, I’ll be the Blademaster around here!"

"That’s the spirit!" She pumped her fists. "Now make sure you call it a night early—your brain needs to recharge so you can come up with the best strategic counter-attacks!"

"You got it, Miss Towa!" The boys excitedly ran back to Keyne’s bookstore, almost a little fast. Once the kids were safely inside, Towa and Rean exchanged glances.

Rean rolled his eyes. "I’ll take one guess who that was about."

Towa laughed into her hand. "I’m actually not very well-versed at Blade… do you ‘counter-attack’, was that the right thing to say?"

"I’m actually not sure—I’ve been hearing about this ‘Blade’, but I haven’t even seen any decks at the stores around here."

Sure enough, as soon as they walked inside Crow was there, sitting by himself with a mountain of candy on the table. It looked like he was snacking on some brightly-colored candy shells.

Towa sighed as she walked up to his table. "Good to see you're enjoying your day off. Can’t you go a little easy on them, just once?"

"No way." Crow didn’t look up from gathering the cards, shuffling them all in an intricate way. "Kay came to challenge me as a man—if I treated him like a stupid kid and went easy on ‘im, that’d just be an insult to his pride." His eyes flicked up to them, and he smirked. "You might not get it, Towa—but I’m sure Rean does, right?"

Rean put a hand on his hip. "Well… I suppose I understand showing respect to your opponent. But if you know you’re just going to destroy them every time, isn’t it unfair to even accept their challenge at all?"

Crow sighed loudly. "You don’t get it, either." He swept an armful of candy off the table and into his bag. "How’s he supposed to get any better without a strong opponent, huh?"

"Well…" Towa cradled her cheek in her hand. "Can’t you at least start a ‘tab’ on their losses? You don’t even like candy that much—do you really have to take it all?"

He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I’m gonna eat all this damn candy if it rots every tooth out of my head. I won it fair and square."

Rean folded his arms thoughtfully. "I suppose that’s only proper etiquette, as the victor—otherwise you’re just undermining their efforts, right?"

Crow had a small smirk to himself. "Who knows?" He flipped his hand and a deck appeared—he was pretty fast at the sleight-of-hand, Rean hadn’t even seen where it came from, again. His sleeves were still rolled up… "I know Towa’s not too interested—but what about you, Rean?" He was talking casually, but he had the same look as this afternoon—like he was laughing at him with his eyes. "You only need one deck to play—spread it around town so I can actually get some worthwhile opponents, yeah?" Crow tossed him the deck, and Rean thankfully caught it less awkwardly than when Angelica threw him the drink. "Maybe if you get good enough, you can take on the Blademaster."

Rean rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, that’s you? Is that a self-appointed nickname?"

Crow actually laughed. "I think I’d pick out something a little cooler than that, now." He stroked his chin. "Like the ‘Blade Lover in the Night’."

"Ugh, that’s so much worse!"

"Really? I kind of like it!" Towa clasped her hands. "It makes me think of a dashing gentleman thief!"

Rean looked at her in disbelief. "… that’s what it makes you think of?"

"See, you get it, girlie."

Rean rolled his eyes. "If I beat you, will I have to take over that crappy title?"

Crow was smirking down at him. "That’s a big ‘if’ there, buddy." "Buddy"?

"Oh, Rean!" Towa squeaked. "If you beat Crow, you should make it a winner-takes-all and take back all the candy! Then you could distribute it back to all the kids, like a real gentleman thief!" Hmm… that was a nice idea and all, but… Well, Towa just couldn’t understand what it was like to be a little boy.

Crow clapped Towa on the shoulder. "That’s sweet and all, Towa—but even stupid kids have a sense of pride." Wow—he said almost exactly what Rean was thinking.

"Hmm…" Towa’s brows were still sloped. "I guess…"

"Heh." Crow smirked to himself. "Hey, when I was their age I was already wildin’ out doin’ things that would make Aidios cry—so if all those punks are doing is blowing their allowance on candy to lose, I think they’re doin’ pretty good." He smirked, giving them both a sarcastic salute. "See ya. Enjoy your dinner-date."

"Ooh—it’s not like that!" Towa practically stamped her foot. Rean couldn’t help but laugh—he hoped Towa didn’t actually think of it that way, he was sure she just invited him to be friendly… right? Crow was out the door without another word, at any rate. "Hrm… sorry about him, Rean—that’s just his sense of humor."

Rean pulled up another chair at the table Crow was sitting at. "You don’t have to apologize. Just from the few interactions I've had with him, I think I've got a handle on his sense of humor, oddly enough." The etiquette that was ingrained in Rean since childhood had kicked in, but he thought Towa might find it weird if he waited to push her chair in for her, so he just circled the table to sit in Crow’s abandoned seat.

Towa sat down, looking to the side with an unsure expression. "Hmm… I wish he wouldn’t just hoard all their candy, though—especially if they’re spending their hard-earned allowance on it."

Rean clasped his hands on the table. "Honestly… Maybe I'm giving him too much credit here, but it kind of seemed like that was Crow’s brand of kindness—in a roundabout way." He tapped his thumbs together. "He even said it himself, it’s better to play cards than ‘wildin’ out’, and they probably like playing with him because he treats them like serious opponents, and doesn’t talk down to them like kids. Kind of like when you were hyping them up outside." Rean scratched his cheek. "At least… that’s the impression I got."

"Hmm." She had an unreadable smile, her eyes closed. "You know, I think you’re exactly right, Rean." She giggled into her hand. "Crow’s ‘too cool’ to admit it, but even he has a soft side."

"You think so?"

"I know so." She opened her eyes, her hands resting in her lap. "I’m surprised, Rean—you must be good at reading people!"

"Haha, I don’t know about that." He suddenly got a bit self-conscious that maybe it seemed weird that he made an observation about Crow like that at all… He did barely know the guy, and Towa would know better as one of his friends, after all.

Her brows sloped again, and she looked a little unsure. "You know… just between you and me, Rean... Angie and Crow are pretty ‘popular’, everyone at Thors knows them—but sometimes I get the impression that they just have a lot of ‘acquaintances’, but not a lot of real friends, like me and George." She sighed with her eyes closed. "I guess George, too. I know he really loves what he does, but I wish he would spend a little more time with people than orbments." She gave Rean an almost pleading look. "I feel a little bad saying so, but do you know what I mean?"

"I do." Rean could read between the lines. He tried giving her a genuine smile. "Well, I’m looking forward to taking George up on his offer. If you guys don’t mind me tagging along."

She looked relieved. "Oh, yay!" She clasped her hands. "No, of course not! We’ll be happy to have you!"

"That’s good." It seemed like Angelica was more or less the "leader" of their friend group, but he almost wanted to ask if Crow usually acted like the "gatekeeper"—judging by that intense soul-boring look he gave Rean the last time… They might not have a lot of other friends because Crow's weird attitude kept people away. Ugh—based on that little comment, maybe Crow was just trying to vet him before letting him around "his girls". Hoo, if only he knew… He couldn’t be sure if Crow was just teasing Towa, or if he actually thought they were out on a dinner-date… Well, if he did, he didn’t seem particularly bothered or over-protective about it… Not yet, anyway. Hoo boy... maybe he should just go up on the school rooftop and shout that he was gay and get it over with. Then if the people around him reacted badly, he could always jump... Haha, Rean supposed dark humor didn't really suit him after all...

OOO

Rean collapsed back into bed. He felt like he had quite the full day. That meatball sub he got at Kirsche's was delicious—the meatballs themselves were juicy like spongecake, and the acerbic tomato sauce and sharp cheese gave the dish an addictive tartness. Even the fresh-baked sandwich roll was delicious, and toasted just right to still be soft and easy to bite into. Thanks to Crow's unnecessary comment, Rean had been a bit nervous that the pleasant conversation might veer towards feeling like a one-sided date—but thankfully the dinner topics stayed light-hearted, and since he ordered a sandwich and she ordered pumpkin soup, the meal went by relatively quickly. Rean had walked Towa back to the commoners' dorm, and it was hard to tell since it was dark out—but he almost thought he saw her blush when she said "Goodnight". He wasn't quite sure, though.

There was a knock at his door. Rean sat up, craning his neck. "… Who is it?"

"It’s me, your favorite instructor~!"

Rean pushed himself off the bed reluctantly. He opened the door, and Sara was smiling innocently, with the box of notebooks in her arms.

"Rean, be a dear and hand these out, would you?" Ugh—she reeked of cheap beer.

"Isn’t that your job, Instructor?"

"Aww come on now—just call me Sara!" She wasn’t exactly slurring her words—but it was obvious she had a good buzz going. "Now, now—don’t you want to bond more with your precious classmates?" She shoved the box in his arms. "Don’t be shy—go on and give everyone their thingies! I’m sure they’d like to hear from you~" Ugh… fine. It really wasn’t that much of an imposition… it was just the principle of the thing, Sara seemed to like to pawn off her work on her students. And it especially annoyed him since she was obviously just sitting around drinking instead. In the dorm she shared with her impressionable young students, no less… You’d think she’d be embarrassed.

"Fine… I’m on it."

"Hooray! I knew I could count on you~" She shuffled back to her own room. Haah… Well, he might as well take this opportunity to check in with everyone. He was a little curious how everyone else decorated their rooms—Rean had a display for his sword and a decorative scroll, but other than that it was a little bare.

The room across from his was empty, so his first stop was Elliot across the hall. Rean knocked on the door. "Elliot?"

"Oh Rean, come in!"

Rean opened the door and saw Elliot sitting on his bed, with an open violin case next to him. He appeared to be polishing the hairs of a bow with a leather strap. Rean couldn't help but look up at the walls as he entered the room—Elliot had violins of different sizes and colors, probably made of different wood. "Wow—-your instruments are beautiful, Elliot."

"Haha... thank you." Elliot set his bow in the case. "I know it seems like I have a lot, don't I?" He closed his eyes. "But when I see a beautiful instrument hanging on the wall of a music shop—it looks so lonely with no one playing it, I just can't help myself!"

Rean chuckled. "I understand, Elliot." He set the cardboard box on the desk, and sat down in Elliot's chair. "You know, in the East they have an indigenous religion that believes the objects we use every day all have a spirit. It makes them happy when we use them for their intended purpose, and take good care of them."

"Is that true?" Elliot's eyes were shining. "Wow—I've never heard that before!"

"Ha—well, I don't know if it's actually true, but it's a nice idea, isn't it?" He let his arm drape off the back of the chair. "My Master also taught me that a warrior's sword is a reflection of their soul—so that's why I treat mine with utmost care. So, I understand how you feel."

"Wow... there are so many different ways of thinking, even just within the Empire..." Elliot was looking up at his wall with reverence. "... I'm really glad I came here. It feels like my world in Heimdallr was so small..."

Rean smiled, letting his chin rest on his arm. "I know just how you feel. It's exciting to think about all the different things we never would've gotten to see otherwise." He sat up straight. "And we still have two years to see it all!"

Elliot had his eyes closed, a small contented smile on his face. "I knew I made the right decision coming here." He turned to gaze down at his open violin case. "Hey... Rean?"

"Yeah?"

"Um... I'm still not used to playing in front of other people, but... I want to build up my confidence in the Wind Orchestra." He lightly touched the polished wood of his violin. "So... will you listen to me play sometime?"

"Of course, Elliot! I'll be looking forward to it."

"Haha... no pressure." He scratched his cheek.

"You said music comes from the heart, right?" Rean stood from his chair. "I'd like to hear what music means to you through your playing." He hoped that didn't sound too forward... He meant it innocently, but he was used to sort of "policing himself" in that way, unfortunately.

"... All right!" Elliot looked motivated. "Then I'll give it my best—if it's to convey how much music means to me, I can overcome any stage fright!" He had his fists clenched, like he was psyching himself up. "Haha... hopefully."

"I know you can." Rean gave him a genuine smile. "Oh—" He reached into the box. "I got so swept up in our conversation, I forgot I came here to give you this." He handed Elliot his student handbook. "Here—there's instructions for our new ARCUS and everything."

"Oh! I see—thank you, Rean." Elliot took the notebook, holding it to his chest. "Haha... if you're going to listen to me play, I suppose I should practice a bit more... You don't think Jusis will be bothered by it, do you?" Elliot looked to his other wall.

"I can't imagine someone like Jusis wouldn't appreciate the fine arts... but maybe nighttime wouldn't be the best time."

"Haah... I see what you mean."

"I can always ask him." Rean picked up the box by the indented handles. "I'm headed to his room next."

"Oh! Well, if you wouldn't mind..."

"No problem." Honestly, Rean had been trying to find an opening to talk to Jusis... but he was just so distant with everyone, it was like he had a wall of glass around him. "I'll see you around, Elliot—I'll let you know what he says either way."

"Thank you, Rean—I guess I'll see you later, then!"

Rean tucked the box under his arm, opening the door. The stack was smaller now, so he might as well put the box back down and carry the notebooks by themselves.

After a quick stop to his room, Rean knocked on Jusis' door. He shifted the handbooks he was holding under his arm. "... Who is it?"

"It's Rean." He licked his lips out of habit. "Our student handbooks are finally finished, so I'm handing them out to everyone."

He waited for a second, then heard even footsteps, and Jusis' door unlocking. He looked bored when he answered the door. "Very well. I'll take it, then."

Rean handed Jusis his notebook, which he had strategically placed on top of the stack. "There's instructions for our ARCUS, as well as a few other things."

He scoffed lightly. "I doubt I'll need those."

"Maybe not—you are pretty skilled with those Space and Wind Arts." Rean shifted the stack in his hands. "So, how are you enjoying the riding club?"

Jusis eyed him flatly. "I've hardly gotten to do much of anything, seeing as it's only the first day the club has been open."

"I see—well, I just hope you have fun with it, and taking care of the horses doesn't make you miss Asteion too much." He thought that Jusis' expression softened just a microscopic amount. "I really enjoyed horseback riding back home—maybe Lambert will let me take the horses out with you all sometime."

"Hmph. You should consider joining the riding club yourself, if that's how you feel." He looked to the side. "Perhaps it would help to have a buffer between that girl Paula and myself."

Rean laughed awkwardly. "She probably just wants to get to know her fellow club member better..."

Jusis scoffed. "Listen well, Rean. I have no intention of becoming 'chummy' with any of you—I came to Thors to challenge myself, and better myself. That is all."

Rean nodded. "I understand. I came to Thors for similar reasons... but, well, focusing on yourself all the time just sounds a little lonely, doesn't it?" He thought he saw Jusis' expression shift, but it hardened again just as fast.

"Hmph. I don't recall asking for your advice." He moved to close his door. "... Thank you for bringing my notebook."

"You're welcome. Oh!" Rean practically put his foot in the door. "I know your room shares a wall with Elliot's—do you mind if he plays the violin sometimes?"

Jusis' eyes narrowed. "Is he any good?"

Rean laughed. "I'd say so—he's clearly no amateur, and he has quite the collection of instruments."

Jusis sighed in resignation. "Very well. I suppose I can tolerate it—as long as he doesn't insist on playing long into the night."

"Oh, I doubt that—and that's good to hear." Rean breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll let him know, then."

Jusis regarded him flatly. "Could he not ask me this himself?"

Rean rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... you can be a little hard to approach."

"Hmph." He saw a small smirk on Jusis' lips. "Good." He closed his door. If Rean didn't know better... he thought that almost sounded like a self-aware joke. Well—maybe Jusis wasn't a lost cause after all...

Rean gathered the books in his arm, continuing on to Gaius' room. He knocked. "Gaius? It's me, Rean."

"Ah, Rean." Gaius came to the door. "What brings you here? Come in." He stood aside, beckoning Rean broadly with one arm.

"Thank you." Rean stepped through the door, and a giant braided cord caught his eye. "Wow—is that something you brought from Nord?"

"Indeed. It's a rope made of reeds and horsehair." He walked over, holding up the bottom end of the cord. "The whole tribe comes together to weave them when one of us is traveling far away—it's meant to say, 'Travel safely, and may the wind be ever at your back.'"

"I see." Rean admired the rough look of it—he could tell it was hand-made. "It must be nice to take everyone's blessing with you, and be reminded of them every time you look at it."

"Indeed it is." Gaius folded his arms, looking proud. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the wide open plains already—but with everyone's well-wishes, I'm determined to make this pilgrimage worthwhile."

"I'm sure you will." Rean smiled up at him. "Elliot and I were just talking about all the new things we can't wait to see—I bet you'll have all sorts of stories about the Empire to bring back with you to Nord."

"I'm looking forward to that, as well." Gaius nodded. "I'll be happy if I can show you and Elliot the beauty of my homeland someday—and anyone else who wants to come along, as well."

"I'd love that. Maybe we can all arrange a trip over our first break?"

"Our first break... hmm." He closed his eyes in contemplation. "Our settlement may move closer to the lake in summer... I think that can be arranged."

"Really? That'd be amazing!" Rean shifted the notebooks in his arms. "I'll have to brush up on my swimming skills, then."

"Haha, well the waters of Lake Lacrima are quite calm." Gaius eyed the bundle in his arms. "Oh, what do you have there, Rean?"

"Oh—I got absorbed in the conversation again, I almost forgot why I came in." He handed Gaius his notebook. "Here—it's our student handbook. There's all sorts of information in there, about the ARCUS and other school policies. It might be useful to look through—although I hope you've been getting used to the Empire's cultural customs more?"

"Hmm... in some ways, yes." He took the notebook, nodding solemnly. "Although it still seems so foreign to me just how much importance is placed on one's class at birth. I don't know if I'll ever get used to the concept."

"Haha... Well, there's a big movement in the Reformist faction to weaken the power of the nobility—someday, we might just abolish the class system altogether."

"Is that so? Fascinating... I suppose social change is inevitable when a country grows large enough."

"You might be right..." Rean didn't particularly enjoy talking about politics, but Gaius seemed genuinely open and curious—he highly doubted he'd ever find himself in a heated debate with Gaius about anything. Machias and Jusis, though... hoo boy. "Well—I should hand out the rest of these notebooks before it gets too late. I'd love to talk about Nord some more another time—or about other things, I hope you aren't getting annoyed with all the constant questions."

Gaius laughed heartily. "Not at all. I'll never get tired of talking about my home."

"I see—that's good to know." Rean smiled. "Maybe I'll talk about Ymir next time."

"I'd welcome that." Gaius walked him to the door. "I hope you rest well, Rean."

"Thank you. You, too." Gaius nodded, quietly closing his door. Rean felt in a better mood after talking to Gaius—he was quickly feeling like he and Elliot would become his closest friends. He was really glad he met them first.

He continued on to the last door on the upper floor, Machias'. Rean knocked. "Machias? Sorry to bother you—I have something for you."

"Rean, is that you?" He heard a chair scrape. In a few moments, Machias answered the door. "I see—what do you have for me?"

"Our student handbooks just came in." He handed Machias his book from the stack. "There's some pretty detailed illustrated instructions on our ARCUS."

"I see. That should come in handy." Machias pushed up his glasses. Rean peered around him, seeing an open textbook on his desk.

"Were you in the middle of studying?"

"Ah—yes, I was." He tucked his notebook under his arm. "Hmph. I have to work harder if I'm to beat the Class President's score."

"Haha... You know, it's okay if you and Emma push each other to do better, but you don't really need to think of her as your rival..."

"Preposterous." Machias almost puffed out his chest. "I need to think of her as my rival, or else I'll never be able to surpass her."

"But what if you both score perfects, though?"

Machias looked to the side, his eyebrows sloped a bit. "Well... I suppose I could be satisfied with that."

Rean chuckled. "Well, I hope focusing on beating your own personal best will be motivating enough."

"Hrm..."

Well, he did what he came here for... it wouldn't hurt to put a feeler out there. "Hey Machias—have you ever gone horseback riding?"

"Horseback riding?" His brow furrowed. "I can't say I have—actually, to be honest with you, I'm so used to orbal cars, I think I'd be afraid to get on a horse." He pushed up his glasses, his eyes scrunched closed. "I've heard horrible things like people breaking their necks and becoming paralyzed after being bucked off a horse—or being kicked and fracturing bones just from walking behind one."

"Well... it's not like accidents like that never happen—" Rean scratched his cheek. "But as long as you learn to handle a horse safely, I think it's quite rewarding earning an animal's trust like that." He smiled. "Orbal cars are certainly more convenient, but like Gaius said in class today—there's nothing quite like riding a horse with the wind rushing past you."

"Hmm... well, it might be worth it to give it a try at least once..." Suddenly, his expression sharpened. "Although I have NO desire to learn how to ride a horse while I'm here—not with THAT GUY in the riding club." Haah... Rean should have seen that coming.

"I see... I'm sorry to hear that." Rean turned to leave. "Let's just hope you and Jusis don't block each other off from any other opportunities..." Machias looked taken aback. "I still have to hand out the girls' notebooks—I hope you have a good night, Machias."

"Oh... you as well, Rean." If he didn't know any better, he thought Machias sounded guilty. Rean did feel a little bad for being so blunt, but it just needed to be said... They couldn't just keep at each other's throats forever. They had to have some common ground, something they could show at least a begrudging respect over—although ideally he hoped everyone could learn to respect others even if they had nothing in common. Rean really didn't want to have to use the last resort of Principal Vandyck "straightening them out"—that also probably wouldn't look too good for Class VII on the whole...

Rean went upstairs to the girls' floor and walked to Laura's door first. He knocked, and thought he heard music coming from inside... "Laura? It's Rean. I have something for you from Instructor Sara." For some reason, he felt a little more like he was "intruding" on the girls' floor, so he wanted to make it sound as official as possible.

He heard the music go quiet, then Laura answered the door. "Rean? I apologize, I couldn't quite hear you—did you say you have something from Instructor Sara?"

"Yes—good ear." He handed her her notebook. "These are our student handbooks. There's information about our ARCUS in there, as well."

"I see—excellent, I'd like to go over those instructions tonight." She folded her arms in a relaxed stance. "It's very interesting that I was given an orbment specializing in Water quartz, which is not typically suited for offensive combat. Although, it is also partially attuned to Fire."

"Is that so? Mine is attuned to Fire and Time." He got out his ARCUS. "They're certainly different from regular orbments... I wonder which parameters they used to assess us, anyway?"

"I'd like to know that myself. It seems there's an intention yet unseen in the formation of Class VII—I'm eager to see whether we can live up to that intention."

"Haha... it'd be nice to at least know what it is."

She had an easy smile. "Indeed."

Rean tried not to be nosy, but he couldn't help but spot the phonograph in her room. "Were you listening to music just now, Laura?"

"Oh yes, I was. Ah, forgive my poor manners—please, come in." She beckoned him inside, stepping to the side.

"Thank you." For some reason... Laura's air of refinement struck him as more "gentlemanly" than "ladylike". Perhaps it was the influence of Viscount Arseid, and a byproduct of his training.

Laura went over to the phonograph, rewinding the cylinder. "This is some folk music from Legram." A surprisingly jaunty string arrangement piped up from the phonograph's horn. "The cool night air coming in through my window reminded me of home, and I suppose I was feeling a little wistful."

"I know what you mean... I'm already thinking of writing my parents." Rean scratched his cheek. "I didn't think I'd get homesick just two weeks in..."

She laughed lightly. "Nor I." She looked to the side, perhaps a bit shyly. "Although I will admit, it's been quite an adjustment not having Klaus here with me."

"Klaus?"

She smiled to herself. "Klaus is our household's head butler, although I consider him more like a member of our family." She gracefully pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "He's helped me grow in many ways since I was small—including playing with me when my father was busy."

"I see—he sounds like an important person to you." Rean's family didn't have maids or anything like that, but he did spend time with the Sisters at the chapel, and Maple and Purple when his father was busy. Now that his father was approaching retirement age, Elise was taking on more and more responsibilities, and helping to sort their province's affairs—and Rean found himself pulling away from them. Haah... he supposed he couldn't keep running from it anymore—he just had to sit down and talk with them, about everything. It would probably help to talk to Elise first... but he'd have to work up the courage to face her as well, after she stormed off to St. Astraia like that...

"Rean?"

"What? Oh—sorry, I was lost in thought." He laughed awkwardly. "I was just thinking about my own family."

Laura was holding her elbows in a relaxed stance. "Rean, your surname is Schwarzer, correct?"

"Um... yes, that's right." Hoo... so she was the first one to make the connection.

"I see." She nodded to herself, her eyes still closed. "Well, I certainly won't pry into your reason for keeping quiet about your family lineage." She finally looked at him, with a gentle smile. "However, I hope once we've graduated and learned all we can from Thors, you can return to your family with your head held high."

For some reason, hearing that made Rean feel at ease. "Thank you... that's what I hope for, too." She nodded in quiet understanding. "Oh—I should hand out the rest of these notebooks before it gets too late." He wouldn't have minded talking to Laura more—but there would be plenty of time for that, maybe even tomorrow.

"I see—thank you for talking with me, Rean. And thank you for ensuring I received my notebook."

"Oh, no problem." Laura spoke even more formally than Jusis—actually, Rean noticed that sometimes Jusis talked a little... well "crudely" wasn't the word, but he couldn't help but think back to when he told Machias, "I'm surprised you of all people give a damn what I do." It just seemed very... informal, for someone from such a prominent family...

Laura walked with him to the door. "I hope you enjoy your free day tomorrow. Rest well."

"Thanks, Laura—you, too. Good night."

"Good night." He closed her door behind him as he left. He could hear the music from the phonograph faintly through the door, but he doubted anyone else would be bothered by it.

The next door was Fie's... "Fie?" He knocked loudly. It seemed like she went to bed earlier than everyone else, and took frequent naps... did she have low blood pressure? "It's Rean—I wanted to give you your student handbook, if you're still up—"

She opened the door. Whoa—he didn't even sense her movement. "Got it." She held her hands out. Not knowing what else to do, Rean handed her her notebook. "Thanks. Night." She moved to close the door.

"—wait!" She turned, the door halfway closed. "You joined the gardening club today, right Fie?"

"Yeah?" She pulled the door open again. "Why?"

"Well—I saw you planting some seeds with Edel earlier—I was just wondering what they were." He found himself smiling apologetically. "I sometimes helped my Mom with gardening back home—I thought about joining the club, so I guess I was just curious."

She looked to the side. "Dunno." She clasped her notebook behind her back. "They're just mixed seeds I got from my comrades."

"... 'Comrades'?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "Even Edel wasn't sure what they were—so I guess we'll just have to find out when they sprout." She stared at him with a flat expression. "Do you need anything else?"

"Oh, um... I guess not." He decided to just give up—she was clearly in a less talkative mood than even Jusis.

"'Kay. Night, then." She shut the door, and that was that.

"Haah..." Rean sighed. Well... that could have gone better. But he supposed she had answered his questions—just in a very blunt way that didn't leave room for idle chatter. Maybe she was just the type of person who liked to get to the point and not waste time...

Rean decided to put it out of his mind, knocking in Emma's door. He thought he heard talking from inside, which abruptly stopped. "Emma? Sorry to bother you—I'm just handing out everyone's student notebooks!"

He waited—he swore he heard a hushed whisper, then Emma called, "I'll be right there!" She opened the door looking somewhat frazzled, which was a surprise. "Oh, Rean—thank you for doing that." She took the notebook as he handed it to her, almost blocking his view of her room.

"No problem—sorry if I interrupted you. Is Alisa in there with you? I have her notebook here too..."

"Oh no, no one's in here!" She laughed a little awkwardly, opening the door all the way. "Sorry—I was just practicing reading out loud. I can get a little nervous when Instructor Thomas calls on me, haha..." Rean noticed her window was open.

"I see—well, don't be nervous. Just because Instructor Thomas can be theatrical, it doesn't mean he's going to give you a bad grade if you don't match his energy."

"Heehee." She giggled into her hand. "Oh, I don't think that—but I also don't want to hurt his feelings when he's so excited and no one else is..."

"Haha, I actually know what you mean. It would probably help if his class wasn't so early in the morning..."

Emma clasped her hands in front of her, looking a bit embarrassed. "... I've been trying to come out of my shell a bit more, since coming here... I think I mentioned that there weren't many others around my age in my village... so it's still taking some getting used to."

Rean tried to give her an encouraging smile. "Well, I think you're fitting in great, Emma—it seems like the other girls all like you, even Fie." Emma had developed a sort of sisterly protectiveness over Fie, and she didn't seem to mind—at least she wasn't brushing her off like she just did to Rean.

"You think so? Well, I'm glad to hear that." She smiled a little more genuinely. "Although... I've noticed that the boys tend to all stick together, and us girls have been doing the same... I hope we can integrate more and get to know each other better going forward!"

"That sounds nice—I'd like that, too."

"Oh! But I know that male friendships are important, too—" She leaned forward, her eyes shining. "Dorothee's been sharing this wonderful literature with me about the beauty of friendship between boys!" Oh boy... "I didn't know men could be so tender with each other... It's truly a wonderful thing to see!"

"Ah... yeah, for sure." Hoo... Emma was either in for a rude awakening, or something would awaken within her...

"Rean, you should come by the literature club again tomorrow! I know you said you were busy today—"

"Ah, I might not have that much free time—I'll be running around helping out the student council tomorrow."

"Oh, I see! That's kind of you to give them a hand." She held her notebook to her chest. "Well, maybe next time!"

"Sure... Well, I hope your reading practice goes well."

"My—oh yes, of course!" She bowed. "I hope you have a good night Rean, and maybe I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah... You have a good night too, Emma." He didn't know what else to do, so he bowed also.

"Thank you!" She gently shut the door. Haah... he had accidentally done it again. He was just worried Emma was going to read into his reactions—it just wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with somebody he barely knew. He didn't even want to have that conversation with his parents. Ah, man... This would be harder than he thought.

He was suddenly feeling drained, but he only had one more notebook to give out. He absently read the cover while he padded to the door... "Alisa Reinford"? As in, Reinford Reinford? Whoa—is that why she introduced herself as "Alisa R."? Well—he'd just pretend he didn't see that.

He knocked on the door. "Alisa? I have something for you—Sara asked me to hand out everyone's student notebooks." He realized he'd been interchangeably referring to them as "handbooks" and "notebooks"—maybe he was more drained from walking around all day talking to literally everybody than he thought. "Alisa?"

"I'm coming!" He heard her footsteps from inside. She looked a little different when she answered the door—oh, she had her hair down. "You said you had something for me?"

"Yeah—" He handed her the last notebook. "It's our student handbook—there's instructions about our ARCUS and everything."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." She took the notebook, then her eyes went wide. She looked up at Rean. "Um... did you see it?"

He looked to the side. "Well... I couldn't help but notice, sorry." He saw her eyes scrunch closed. "But I won't tell anyone! I mean, it's really none of my business, anyway."

She looked a bit relieved, but not by much. "Okay... thank you." Her brows sloped down. "It's just... complicated. I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay."

His eyes closed. "I can imagine. Anyway, your secret's safe with me." He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

She smiled back, though she looked a bit sad. "All right... well, thanks, Rean."

Since he was here, he might as well try to talk to her—it couldn't go as poorly as it had with Fie. "Is that why Ferris was bugging you on the lacrosse field, because you wouldn't tell her your full name?"

"Hmph. She was just being nosy." She looked to the side, her brows screwing together. "Girls like that look down on anyone who isn't a noble—she was probably just looking for an excuse to bully me."

"You think so?" His brow furrowed. "Well, if that's how it is, I would just tell a teacher now before it gets worse. And you only just joined the team—you could always switch to swimming or—"

"I'll handle it." She huffed. "I know how to stand up for myself, I won't let them bully me off the team."

"Well... if you say so. I mean—that's good to hear." Somehow... he felt like this was going as poorly as it had with Fie, maybe worse. "Well... if there's a way any of us can help, just let us know."

She sighed loudly through her nose. "Thanks... sorry for snapping just now." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I have to be able to deal with these things on my own, or else there's no point."

"... I understand." He took a step back, giving her some space. "Just remember that no man is an island... that's something I wish Jusis and Machias would just get through their heads already." She looked down at nothing. That part was probably unnecessary for him to say... "Well... good night, Alisa."

"Right... good night." She quietly closed the door.

Haah... well, that went down like a lead zeppelin. He felt like the last of his energy was just sapped away... he might as well just call it an early night. Who knew what kind of "tasks" he'd be taking on tomorrow...

He decided to make one last stop before heading back downstairs. "Instructor Sara?" He knocked on her door. "Instructor Sara! I'm just letting you know I finished handing out everyone's notebooks!" He listened at the door... Nothing. Actually, he couldn't sense anyone inside... Well, where else would she be?

Suddenly he heard a sound like a log being sawed in half. He rushed down the stairs past his floor—Instructor Sara was passed out drunk on the couch, one hand in a bag of snacks, the other hanging limp off the edge of the couch. Her mouth was wide open, and a truly unflattering noise was echoing around the sitting room.

"... Instructor Sara?" He padded over to the couch. He crouched down and shook her shoulder. "Sara? Wake up—you should go back to your room to sleep."

"—hmm... whahaya..." She made a noise somewhere between a honk and a snore.

"Geez..." Forget half in the bag, she was vacuum-sealed inside the bag. It might be difficult to help her upstairs on his own... Oh wait, these ARCUS had communication features built in, right? Well, no better time to test it out...

He opened the cover, double-checking the numbers he had written down for everyone on a piece of paper taped to the inside. Hopefully he would memorize everyone's frequency before long—he decided that Gaius would be the most helpful in this situation.

"One-one-two point one-six..." The ARCUS beeped a few times, rather than ringing like a telephone.

Eventually he heard a voice. "... Hello? This is Gaius Worzel speaking..."

"Hey Gaius—it's me, Rean." He held the ARCUS up to his ear like a phone. "So the communication feature does work—hey, would you mind giving me a hand? I'm downstairs in the sitting room—Instructor Sara is passed out drunk, and I can't get her up..."

"Oh, my." He heard a door open and close through the ARCUS. "I'm glad you called me, then. I'll be right down."

"All right. Thank you, see you soon." He wasn't sure how to "hang up" the call, but he figured out it was a button on the side.

He gently lifted Sara's limp hand out of the bag of salted beef snacks. He rolled up the top of the bag, setting it on the table. She was still snoring with her mouth wide open, and her breath smelled like cheap beer... Ugh, it killed any lingering curiosity he had for trying alcohol. Even when his parents decided he was old enough to have a glass of wine at dinner, he just didn't particularly like the taste of it...

He heard Gaius' footsteps swiftly bounding down the stairs. "I'm here, Rean." Rean stood up as he approached. "Oh, dear... not the most dignified position to fall asleep in."

"I think we might just have to carry her... even if she does wake up, I don't know how steady she'll be on her feet."

"Hm, you may be right." Gaius crouched down next to the couch. "Instructor Sara." He pat her cheek a few times—but not too hard. "Instructor Sara!"

"—hn?!" Her eyes cracked open. "Oh... boys, what'rya doin' here?" She snickered. "Kids aren't allowed in the bar..."

"Instructor Sara, we're in the dorm..."

"... naaahhhh... that's not right..." Her eyes fell closed.

"Instructor!"

"—hn?!" She rolled ungracefully onto her stomach, her hand weakly groping at nothing. "—where's m'snacks?"

"Instructor—let's get you up to your room first, and you can eat as much as you want..." Rean tried to at least get her to sit upright, but it was awkward since she was basically dead weight.

Gaius had turned around, offering her his back. "Instructor, I'll carry you upstairs. Just make sure you hold on tight, all right?"

"Oh my..." Sara's face collapsed against his back. "Gaius, you're so reliable, do you have any older brothers?~"

"No, Instructor, I'm the oldest of four siblings."

"Oh my..." She at least wasn't fighting them, but it took Rean a bit to get her limp arms around Gaius' shoulders. "Whattabout uncles? Single dad?"

"No, Instructor, my parents are happily married." He gripped onto her legs. "Up we go." Rean had a hand on her back as Gaius stood up. He leaned forward just enough that she stayed collapsed against him, even with her arms hanging down loosely over his chest. Rean decided it would be best to walk behind them with his hands at the ready, just in case.

"You got it, Gaius?"

"Well, she's a bit heavier than a five-year-old, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Hey..." Sara's eyes were closed again, her cheek mushed against Gaius' shoulders. "... you sayin' I'm fat?"

"Not at all, Instructor." Gaius shifted her weight a bit, and Rean kept his hand at her back. "I'm just used to carrying my little sisters to bed."

"Aww... what a good big brother..." She sounded like she was nodding off again. "Hey... d'you have any uncles?"

"Oh, brother." A bored voice could be heard at the top of the stairs. Fie was peering down at them with her usual flat expression. "It looks like you guys got a handle on it..." She turned away from the staircase. "Next time, just tell her there's a single hot DILF on campus, she'll come running—" Oh my Aidios—

"—wha?" Sara squirmed a little, peering up over Gaius' shoulder. "Fie, have you been holdin' out on me?"

Fie actually smirked. "See? Sara's easy." She disappeared back down the hallway.

"Rean, would you mind keeping a hand on her while I go up the stairs?"

"I'm on it."

One step at a time, they managed to ascend two staircases with Sara's dead weight. Rean understood why they made it that way, but in that moment he internally cursed that the girls' rooms were up on the third floor. When they finally got there, Fie was waiting by the open door to Sara's room. "Just chuck her in her room—she's stronger than she looks, she can handle it."

Rean laughed uncomfortably. "I'd rather not risk injuring our instructor..."

Fie just shrugged. "Whatever. I'm just telling you, she's pretty sturdy." Rean heard another door open down the hall.

"Oh, my... is Instructor Sara all right?" Emma came walking over, her brows knit in concern.

"I think she'll be fine—she just had too much to drink."

"Oh, I see... I'll be right back, I may have something that will help!" Emma quick-walked back to her room.

Disregarding Fie's suggestion, they were able to safely deposit Instructor Sara back onto her bed. "Mmm... bed..." She nuzzled her face into her pillow.

"Pardon me." Emma entered the room with her staff. "Here, Instructor..." She cast an Art, and a cool healing mist swirled around Sara's body.

"Hmm... that feels nice..." She opened her eyes, looking up at no one in particular. "Hey, I was told there were hot single DILFs in my area?"

Emma and Gaius exchanged glances. "Did she say 'elfs'? As in 'elves'?"

"No—Fie said the same thing earlier, it sounded more like 'dilfs'..." Gaius stroked his chin. "Rean, do you know what that means?"

"Uh..." How could he explain it in a less-vulgar way... "Well, it's basically slang for a good-looking older man—but it's a pretty crude word, so I wouldn't use it in polite company."

"Ah, I see."

"Oh, my." Emma clasped her hand to her mouth. "Well, it's just us here, Instructor—I hope you're not disappointed..."

"Awwww..." Sara groaned into her pillow. "It's so unfair... life sucks and then you die."

Emma laughed awkwardly. "Now, now, Instructor—that simply isn't true at all." She snapped up a blanket, tucking it around Sara's shoulders. "There are so many wonderful things that make life worth living—even the simple joys, like having your favorite tea in the morning, and listening to the birds sing outside your window. Tomorrow will be a new day, Instructor!"

"Hmm... you're so sweet, Emma..." She went quiet, then another horrendous sawing noise escaped her open mouth.

"Geez—just leave her, she'll live." Fie finally left to go back to her own room. Rean and Gaius exchanged glances, then silently left the room, turning the lights off behind them.

Gaius closed Sara's door. "That was a rather impressive Art you used, Emma—what was it?"

"Oh—just a little trick I learned from taking care of my grandmother." She giggled into her hand. "She's rather fond of her alcohol, too."

"I see. Well... I hope this won't become a pattern." No one in Rean's family was a particularly heavy drinker, although his Dad enjoyed a glass of brandy in front of the fireplace sometimes... it just wasn't something he was used to. His Master was a big drinker, but Gehenna would probably freeze over before he had to be carried up the stairs... "At any rate—thanks for your help, guys. Especially you, Gaius—I don't think I could have carried her all the way up the stairs on my own."

"It's no problem, Rean. I'm happy to help anytime." Gaius crossed his arms. "Although I wonder... do you think this is something we should bring up to the other instructors?" The three of them were quiet.

"Well... That's a good question, actually." Rean sighed. "I guess tomorrow's a free day, so we're all technically on our own time right now... It might not be the most professional thing in the world, but Sara's entitled to spend her free day however she wants."

"I see." Gaius' eyes closed. "Then I'll abide by that." He noticed Fie had come back out of her room, and was heading down the stairs.

Emma still looked a bit concerned. "I hope Instructor Sara won't over-indulge like that too often... I'm more worried about her health." Fie did seem to indicate that this was par-for-the-course for her...

"Well... I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Rean rested a hand on his hip. "If it becomes a problem, I'll talk to Beatrix about it."

"That sounds like a plan."

Fie came back up the stairs, holding Sara's rolled-up bag of snacks. "I'll check on her later." She opened the bag and popped a beef stick in her mouth. "Sara's the 'work hard to play hard' type. But she won't mess around when it counts." With that, Fie went back to her room. Rean, Emma, and Gaius all looked at each other.

"Well... I guess we'll just take her word for it." For now, anyway—it honestly wasn't something Rean wanted to get used to, even if it was just a "weekend thing". "Haah... anyway, thanks again for your help, guys. Let's hope your trick doesn't come in handy too often, Emma..."

"Well, I'm happy to help... but I hope it doesn't, either." Emma went back towards her room. "I hope you two sleep well—and you too, Fie, don't stay up too late worrying about Instructor Sara!"

"Hm." Fie made a small laugh, it was mostly a snort. "If I'm losing sleep over anything, it won't be Sara." She disappeared into her room. Emma's brows were furrowed in concern, but she went to her own room, too.

"Well... good night."

"Good night, Emma."

Rean made his way with Gaius back down to the boys' floor. "Rean—I could be wrong about the brewing methods in the Empire, but it seemed to me that Instructor Sara wasn't even indulging in particularly quality liquor..."

Rean actually laughed. "No—it smelled like pretty cheap beer. Geez—you'd think she'd at least want to break out a nice Steinrose if she's going to lose the braincells anyway..."

"Haha." They stopped in front of Gaius' door. "My parents will share a cup sometimes, mostly when my father comes home after a long campaign. But they're not heavy drinkers, otherwise."

"A campaign? Is your father a soldier?"

"Not exactly—Nord doesn't have its own military. Although there is an Imperial base right at the border, Zender Gate—Lieutenant General Vander oversees it."

"Wow—really?" Rean had heard of him, of course—the Vander family were all direct descendants of Roland Vander, and they still served as vassals and bodyguards to the Imperial family to this day.

"Yes—my father sometimes participates in military exercises with the Lieutenant General, but mostly he rides around the highlands checking in with the other elders, and making sure the other tribes are taken care of."

"Wow—that sounds like a big responsibility."

Gaius nodded, with a proud smile. "It is, indeed. It's a duty I look forward to taking over, someday."

"I bet you'd be great at it." Rean gave him a genuine smile. "You know—it's funny, my dad does the same thing—just rides around, seeing if anyone needs anything." Whoops—he gave the goat away a bit there... but even if Gaius picked up on it, he somehow doubted he'd have any negative feelings about it.

"I see." Gaius nodded to himself, with a somewhat knowing smile. "Then I hope someday when we succeed our fathers, we can forge strong international relations, Rean." Hoo... he totally gave himself away. Honestly, Rean was at a loss for what to say after Gaius made such a heartfelt declaration.

"Well..." He laughed somewhat uncomfortably. "At this rate, it seems more likely that my little sister will take over. So you'll have to talk to her about it."

"Hm. Is that so?" Gaius folded his arms. "Well, if your sister is anything like you, Rean, then I don't think we'll have much to worry about." Gaius gave him a warm smile. He really was a good guy...

"Thanks... Honestly, I think she's got her head on straighter than I do." He didn't mean to phrase it quite that way...

Gaius laughed heartily. "How old is she? I have a little brother, Thoma, who just turned fourteen."

"Really? Well actually, she's fifteen."

"Interesting..." Gaius was rubbing his chin. "Perhaps you should invite her along on our trip to Nord!" Uh... he wasn't sure he liked what Gaius was getting at—obviously he meant it innocently, and probably as a joke—but Rean didn't like the idea of Elise growing up too fast, to him she was still his little sister. It was just too soon to be thinking about her being courted, let alone getting married! Gah—

"Haha... We'll see." He obviously didn't want to go off on that tangent with Gaius, so he just left it at that. "I feel like I've said it so much already—but thanks again, Gaius." Rean was feeling a bit self-conscious, so he didn't look right at Gaius' face. "I'm glad both you and Elliot decided to come here."

"Hm. I'm grateful as well." He could hear the warmth in Gaius' voice. Uh oh... No no, Rean would quash that thought before it even formed—he wasn't going to go through this cycle again.

Rean clutched his arm, feeling really self-conscious now. "Well—I think I'm going to call it an early night. Seeing Sara like that made me want to start making better life choices."

Gaius actually laughed. "While I think that sounds a little mean... I understand."

Rean finally looked up at him, but he had to force a smile. "Well, good night, Gaius."

"Good night, Rean. Sleep well—remember, we can finally sleep in on our free day."

"Haha, will you actually sleep in for once?"

Gaius rubbed his chin. "I don't know... I wouldn't be surprised if my body woke up at the same time, anyway."

"I see." Rean turned back towards his room, and he gave Gaius a wave. "Well, I hope you sleep well, either way."

"Thank you, my friend." He couldn't help but mentally wince at the word "friend". Rean started walking back to his room, feeling more than ever that he just wanted to go to bed. He heard Gaius' door close behind him. Oh, wait...

He stopped and knocked on Elliot's door. He tried to put on a smile before Elliot answered. "Hey, Elliot—Jusis said he doesn't mind if you play, as long as it's not 'long into the night.'"

"Really?" He sighed in relief. "That's great—well, I'll give myself a ten PM curfew for the violin! Thanks, Rean—I appreciate you asking him."

"No problem." It was probably only around nine... it wasn't even late, Rean just felt so mentally exhausted. "Well, good night, Elliot."

"Good night, Rean!" Ordinarily he might have waited to hear a sneak peek of Elliot's playing... but he decided to just go back to his room.

He closed his door, flipped off his lights, dragged himself to his bed and fell into it face-first. "Hrngh..." He groaned into his pillow, rolling his face to the side so he could actually breathe. This sucked... it was only a few weeks in and he was having those thoughts again... The guilty thoughts of bringing unnecessary feelings into a perfectly good friendship. No—he would nip this in the bud now. Gaius was a good guy—he was Rean's friend, just like Elliot was his friend, just like Emma was his friend, and Laura, and like he secretly wanted Jusis to be his friend—that was it. It shouldn't matter that he was handsome, and reliable, and pretty strong, and had a good relationship with his family, and he'd probably make a good boyfriend or husband—

Rean curled up into himself, the guilt washing over him in waves. He didn't want to do this again. He didn't want to ruin another friendship by catching feelings and then feeling guilty—he didn't want to push any more friends away because he was afraid of them finding out, of them looking at him differently. He just wanted friendship to be good enough. He didn’t want to be like one of those cringey guys who complained about being in the "friendzone" with girls, as if their friendship was just useless, and it was all just a long con to date them eventually—he knew he wasn’t like that, but he still hated the feelings that arose when he made a really good guy friend, but then that turned into attraction or a crush—he just felt so guilty, like he was doing something wrong. Actually... moreso than even that... he was just scared of his parents being disappointed in him. After everything they’d done for him, adopting this strange kid they found half-dead in the snow and raising him with such love and care—he just felt like he was letting them down. He felt like he was a mediocre student of Master Ka-fai, he didn’t feel that he was the right choice to take over the province after his father retired, and he probably wouldn’t be giving them any grandchildren—even if he honestly believed that they would tell him to his face that it didn’t matter, and they loved him anyway—he was still afraid that they’d secretly be disappointed.

Ugh... he was so mentally exhausted, but he felt like he'd never be able to sleep. No—he would stamp this out, right now, while he was already thinking about it. Friendship was good enough, camaraderie was good enough—he wasn't trying to audition every decent guy he met as "boyfriend material" in his head. He would stamp this out now. Gaius was a friend, just like Elliot was a friend—just like he hoped Jusis and Machias would be his friends. No more, no less. That was it—that was all he needed to know.

Rean breathed through his nose, and it made a slight squeaking sound. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted brain off. But there were so many thoughts swirling in his head now—like when he was fourteen and tried desperately to convince his parents he didn't need a home tutor anymore, and when he was just a stupid kid and said to the neighbor kid who moved away, "Really? When I grow up, can I marry you?" and his eyebrows instantly shot together in disgust, and he said, "Ew, gross—boys can't marry each other!" When he saw that blonde noble who liked to falcon hunt with his father and he thought, "Wow—I didn't know men could be so beautiful!" It was all flooding his mind unbidden—and he didn't want it. He'd rather think of anything else—he'd rather think of homework and combat practice, at this point.

He rolled onto his back, staring blankly at the dark ceiling, trying to recall that day's lessons. Instructor Thomas' lecture about Emperor Dreichels had been surprisingly interesting, and listening to Gaius—no, cut that train of thought. What else—well, Sara's announcement about the practical exam and her other "mystery announcement" stood out the most. Then he spent the rest of the day wandering around checking out all the clubs—then he got ripped off 50 mira by freaking Crow, then he ran out of the "literature club" like the room was on fire—and then... wait, what did he do after that?

An unpleasant tingle went down his spine. That's right... he went into that cramped room... and that girl, Beryl, told him about "a heart clouded in darkness." He didn't want to place any stock in what she said, but... something she said did hit him where it hurt, he did feel like his own heart was "cloaked in mud". He felt like he had kicked up a cloud of mud in the shallow waters of his heart, and it just wasn't settling back down again. He couldn't be still as the surface of the lake. He was afraid of walking out onto the thin ice and falling through, like Beryl said in her cryptic reading... "Plunged into unfathomable depths", or something like that...

"Hoo..." It gave him chills all over to even recall it, and he threw his blanket upside-down over his body. And the fire... She said that a "wildfire would consume his fledgeling soul", or something to that effect... If Beryl really knew what she was talking about, that could only be "that". That "thing" inside him that scared Elise so bad, she still looked up at him with fearful eyes even after they were safe, and the yeti was slain. "That" was something too powerful to control—just like a wildfire. He didn't know if he'd even be able to contain it someday—or if it would just consume him. Even with all of Master Ka-fai's patient teaching, he had failed to be able to control it—in truth, coming to Thors was his last resort. If he couldn't learn to control it here, then...

Rean scrunched his eyes closed. He didn't want to think about that. He would learn to control it. He had to. There was no other choice.

Rean tried to will his body to relax, one bit at a time... he let his hand settle loosely on his abdomen, the other slack at his side. He wanted to be able to feel his breathing, getting slower, more steady... He let his feet fall gently to the side, his leg muscles unclenching, his shoulders unclenching... his jaw unclenching... He breathed easily, in, and out. In the cool darkness of his room, there was nothing else—just a sweet flowery scent on the breeze from his cracked open window, and the faint sound of a violin being played from down the hallway. There was nothing else.

He would be fine. He almost had to tap into "that" down underneath the old schoolhouse... but he wasn't alone then. He didn't need to do it all alone anymore—he had new friends, and he had no doubt he'd come to consider them as allies, and brothers- and sisters-in-arms in time. Or how did Fie put it, "comrades"? Right—and tomorrow, he would go around helping people, just like his father did back home. Living his life by helping others sounded just fine to him—he might as well start now. That was all he needed to know, all the direction he needed to be given. Then maybe, hopefully—he'd be worthy of that scroll his Master left him. No—he would be. He didn't have any other choice.

OOO

OOO

OOO

Poor Rean—I feel like his internal struggles in the first game translate pretty well to a queer reading. And he really is a people-pleaser with poor personal boundaries—the "Baron of Nothing" line was inspired by a John Mulaney bit XD

These first two chapters have been pretty Rean-heavy, but we'll be getting Crow's perspective more as it goes on. How many other queer peeps can relate to feeling guilty about catching feelings for friends, and pulling away from them? :') Well, since this is gay fanfic, it'll have a happier ending than it usually does in real life XD

ANYWAY, thanks for reading! I'll be writing more original scenes that hit on the major plot beats of the story, so some things will be ordered differently, or remixed altogether ;) I didn't want it to feel like I was just literally recapping the games lol. Gotta keep the people on their toes ;) I'm double-checking the footage and the wiki to make sure I get details right, but these games have a lot of interconnected/retconned minutiae to keep track of, so I apologize in advance if I just miss something XD Constructive criticism is always welcome haha

Thankfully I took a f*ck-ton of screenshots of funny NPC dialogue I can refer back to, especially all the sus/gay sh*t Crow would say XD "I have some broad shoulders you can cry on" on the ferris wheel... like okay my guy, y'all really aren't boyfriends XD

See ya next time~

Chapter 3: The Final Boss of Bullsh*t

Chapter Text

Mandala – Chapter 3

The Final Boss of Bullsh*t

OOO

4/18 - Sunday - S.1204

The sun was warm on his arms, and Rean pushed his sleeves up a little more. It was the first time he had the opportunity to wear his casual clothes on campus. He just changed into black slacks and a white long-sleeve shirt—it was a little warm today for his red cardigan, which was pleasantly surprising. Rean realized that he didn’t really have "warm weather" clothes—it just wasn’t a thing up in Ymir, the most he could hope for was "mild".

He took his time strolling around the school grounds, people-watching for other students wearing their casual clothes. He had been surprised that Machias in particular was so stylish—he ran into him in the library, and the turtleneck with the dark green vest and ochre jacket combo was really working for him. Machias just had to make a snide comment about "finally getting the library to himself" since Jusis wasn’t there... haah. He hoped seeing them more in their element would help him brainstorm a better idea to force them to get along.

"Haha... Well, what can I say?" He recognized that husky voice—around the corner near the orbal garage, Angelica was sitting on her bike chatting up Emma. "I consider myself an epicurean of beauty—and you, my dear, are a complete breakfast."

Emma giggled into her hand. "That’s very kind of you to say, Angelica." She admittedly did look stunning in a simple lilac dress over a black high-neck blouse—it was so understated that her serene beauty shined through.

Angelica leaned over the handlebars sensually. She was rocking her skin-tight catsuit again... "Well, I wouldn’t want you to scuff up your boots—how about I give you a lift?" Dang—Angelica was pretty smooth.

"Oh, that’s all right! I’m just heading right the student union building." Dang—and Emma just completely missed it.

Angelica gave her a confident smirk. "Next time then, Miss Millstein—I’m sure you’d love the feeling of the wind whipping through your hair." She revved her engine. "Anytime you wanna let it down, you know where to find me." Emma backed up, and Angelica sped off on her bike, giving a cheeky wink to Rean as she passed.

Rean joined Emma as she watched Angelica disappear down the slope into town. "Wow—I’ve never seen a bike quite like that! I wonder how it works?"

"Right? I was pretty fascinated by it, too."

"Oh—then you should ask Angelica about it the next time you see her! I'm glad that our seniors are so friendly." Rean was looking at Emma in his peripheral, and he almost wanted to ask if she could tell that Angelica was flirting with her—I mean she had to, right? But it had either gone right over her head, or she just pretended not to get it. "Oh Rean, are you free right now? I was just about to head to the literature club!" She clasped her hands together in an almost pleading gesture.

Rean smiled gently. "How late are you going to be there? I’m sure I can make time later."

"Wonderful! Well—I’m not sure what the set schedule is yet, but we’ll at least be there until lunchtime! Dorothee was excited to get some feedback on a story she’s been working on, and she wanted to hear me, um, ‘springboard’ some ideas for what I want to write!"

"That sounds like fun." Rean relaxed his stance, realizing he had gone all stiff again. "I hope you girls can inspire each other in your writing."

"Heehee, thanks!" She turned and waved. "Well, I’ll see you later, Rean!"

"Right, see you." He returned her wave. He took an easy breath, letting his eyes close, feeling the relaxing warmth of the sunny morning. After tossing and turning, not sleeping very well, and having a nightmare that he was literally sinking into a black ocean and couldn’t resurface no matter how hard he struggled—he decided that it wasn’t healthy for him to keep pushing it down and running away from it anymore. He was determined to face whatever "that" was inside of him—and compared to that, being gay was like, nothing. Aidios didn’t have anything in particular to say about it in Her teachings, after all. Just let it go... today is a new day. Just let it go... calm as the surface of the lake on a sunny, windless day...

He opened his eyes, and had to squint as he adjusted to the brightness. If he wanted to be sappy and read into it, it was like the day itself was telling him it’d all be okay, and today was a new opportunity. He was at least doing better than Instructor Sara... Who knew if anyone would see hide or hair of her before noon. Fie told them, "She didn't puke, so she'll live." Ugh...

Well—his internal musings aside, Rean at least decided not to mentally beat himself up if he ended up finding one of his new classmates attractive—it was just an inevitable part of youth. He'd especially give himself a pass for someone like Gaius—even blind nuns could see that he was just the total package. Even Angelica would probably agree, if he asked her—actually, he was a little curious about that. After all, Rean could acknowledge when women looked good, like Emma and Laura. Oh—he forgot to compliment Emma on her outfit. Oh well—he’d see her again in the literature club. He’d actually stick around for a bit this time. And if Dorothee clocked him—oh, well. One less thing to dread over.

Rean continued at a relaxed pace towards the orbal garage. He only had two requests today—one from George, and one from Principal Vandyck himself, which was a bit of a surprise. He wondered if the Principal would have put that request in either way, or if he warmed up to Rean after their conversation and wanted to entrust it to him specifically—he hoped that was the case. He decided to help George out first, since his deliveries seemed pretty straight-forward—and the Principal’s request was... odd, to say the least. He figured the old schoolhouse was just a one-time thing, he didn’t think they had any reason to head back down there...

George wasn’t outside in the yard, but Rean could see him through the open garage doors. He was behind the counter this time, tinkering with something small and compact. "Hey George, good morning!"

"Oh, Rean. Morning." He smiled warmly, setting down whatever he was working on. "Thanks for coming by." He slid heavily off the stool he was sitting on. "Sorry for asking you to do something so menial—one of the downsides of running this place by myself is I can't really get away."

"Oh, I don't mind—it's actually nice that I get to go around and talk to people on my first 'task'." He followed George to the end of counter, where he had a canvas bag waiting. It was one of those kinds that had a hard bottom panel so it stood up on its own, with reinforced sides to give it a square shape. Rean peered inside, spying three carefully-wrapped items of different sizes.

"It's just these three things—it shouldn't take you too long honestly, so take your time and enjoy walking around while it's nice out." George lifted one item that was rectangular-shaped. "This one's for the cooking club—it's an orbal scale that displays the numbers digitally."

"Wow—that's neat, kind of like our ARCUS displays?"

"That's exactly right." George had a laid-back smile. He probably didn't get many chances to chat about tech stuff with the students who just needed new quartz, so Rean didn't mind indulging him a little. "And this one I wrapped up double, definitely handle it with care—it's an antique lamp I fixed up for Micht. Oh, have you been to the pawn shop in Trista?"

"No, I haven't." Rean shifted his weigh to his other foot, resting his hand on his hip. "Where is it?"

"Just turn left when you see Jane's Gardening Shop. It's at the end of the alley, just keep an eye out for his sign." George set the lamp carefully back in the bag. "He gets his hands on some pretty interesting stuff sometimes, so you should drop in on his shop every so often."

"I see—I'll have to check out his inventory while I'm there, then." The bag George was using almost had little "cubbies" inside that kept the items from all jostling together. "That's an interesting bag—it seems like it'd come in handy getting groceries and stuff."

George laughed lightly. "Well, I actually borrowed it from an instructor—I won't say who, but it's actually a wine bag for keeping the bottles from clinking together."

"Oh." Rean had a flat look. "Will she be needing it back at the end of the day? I might as well bring it to her when I'm done."

George gave him a sympathetic look. "No, it's fine. She said I could borrow it for however long I needed—and it does really come in handy." So Sara's reputation was pretty well-known—wait, if Towa said that the four of them tested the prototypes for the ARCUS and combat links last year, did that mean Sara was also their instructor? Hmm... "Oh—and this is the last item. I packed it up separately." He took out a small wooden box, and inside was a nice-looking watch. "I fixed this up for Director Michael over at Radio Trista, right across from the train station. Definitely handle with care."

"I will." Rean gingerly slid the straps of the bag over his shoulder. "Is there anything else you need while I'm out and about, George?"

"Actually, I'm glad you asked—could you pick up a half-dozen eggs and a grinder of rock salt at Brandon's in town?"

"Sure thing—I've been there already, so I know where it is."

"Perfect. I'll reimburse you for them when you get back." He shifted his hat on his forehead, and Rean noticed his hair was a little matted. George seemed to prefer to wear his hat backwards, unless he was working outside. "Like I said, take your time—I'll be here all day."

"Thanks, George—I'll try to get everyone their items in a timely manner, though." George nodded with a small smile. Rean did like George, he was definitely growing on him. He was just a nice, laid-back guy who was very passionate about niche things. Rean could relate to that as a "sword nerd". He just hoped he would fit in with them if he ever decided to join them for lunch for real...

Rean decided to just carry the bag in his arms, since he didn't want the delicate items to shift too much, even within their cubbies. He decided to make his way to the Home Ec room first, and Nicholas was grateful to get a new orbal scale. Margarita asked Rean his opinion on using "snake venom" to spice up her food—she claimed a small amount wouldn't hurt you, but it would make your tongue tingle... even as a connoisseur of spicy food, that just seemed like a bridge too far for Rean.

He took his time people-watching as he strode through town, following George's directions down the side-alley to Micht's pawn shop. Rean wasn't sure what he was expecting, but Micht turned out to be a rather grumpy man, who barely looked up from his newspaper to grumble, "Thanks, kid" when Rean dropped off his lamp. Well... whatever. Rean still decided to take a look at his "interesting stuff", and he had this odd business on the side where he would "trade up" for higher-quality quartz and accessories if Rean brought him enough "unknown material". Rean wasn't sure exactly how he swung that... but he was intrigued nonetheless.

His last stop was Radio Trista. The director, Michael, was busy in the sound booth, so he entrusted his watch to the secretary, Lala. "Thank you, sweetheart—I'll be sure Michael picks this up when he's done recording."

"No problem." Rean had a soft spot for when older women called him "sweetheart" or "honey", it reminded him of his Mom. "I'm glad George was able to repair it!"

"Well, of course—we're all proud of our Thors students, that's why we trust them with jobs like these!" She clasped her hands, resting her chin on her fingers. "Did you know that your engineer was one of Professor Schmidt's disciples?"

"Professor Schmidt?" Rean wasn't exactly familiar...

"Yes—Professor Schmidt runs the Institute of Technology in Roer, and he was one of Professor Epstein's three disciples!"

"Oh, wow!" Rean was obviously familiar with Professor Epstein, the grandfather of orbal technology. "I knew George was skilled, but that's amazing!" No wonder he single-handedly built something like Angelica's bike—that was probably just a summer project for him. And George was still so humble about it...

"Hehe, I'm just glad that old codger didn't rub off on his disciples too much—Professor Schmidt goes through apprentices like crazy since he's so difficult to work with, you know."

"I see..." Rean wasn't sure what to say to that. Poor George—it's no wonder that he left such a prestigious opportunity behind to come to Thors, then. He seemed pretty laid-back, but no one wants to work in a hostile environment. Rean was just glad his own Master was an agreeable if eccentric old man, outside of his brutal training...

Lala smiled at him. "Thank you for bringing the watch, sweetie—please give George my regards. And take this for yourself!" She handed Rean a round sticker.

"What's this?" The sticker was about the size of his palm, and had a rather eye-catching pop-art illustration of a woman with long hair wearing giant headphones.

"It's a promotional sticker for our new talk show, Abend Time!" She pointed to the lower-left corner. "Each one has its own individual serial number, so they're one-of-a-kind! Tonight's going to be our premiere show, so be sure to tune in at nine PM!"

"I see—what kind of show is it?"

She casually rested her chin in her hands. "We like to describe it as having coffee and chatting with a friend you haven't seen in a while. Our host Misty has a really relaxing voice that makes you feel like you've known her forever." She winked. "As for what specific topics she'll chat about, you'll just have to tune in to find out!"

Rean laughed lightly. "Well, I guess I'll have to, then." He carefully tucked the sticker into his pocket. "Thanks for the recommendation—that actually sounds really relaxing to listen to, it might help me while I'm studying—" Suddenly a man with headphones around his neck burst out of the recording booth.

"Lala! Have you heard from the engineers at Thors yet?!"

She laughed. "Oh Michael, relax—this young man just dropped off your watch, safe and sound."

Rean could see the relief wash over his face. "Is that so? Whew." He walked over to the desk, taking the watch out of its little box. He inspected the face, turning a knob on the side. "Well I'll be, he actually got this thing working again! Great craftsmanship, that George."

"Tee-hee—see Director, there was never anything to worry about."

"Hoo." Director Michael slumped over. "I apologize for coming in hot, Lala—and you too, young man. Thank you for your timely delivery." Director Michael gave him a warm smile. "I was getting a little antsy there without my watch—we don't have a clock in the sound booth, you see—I wouldn't want to start our hot new radio drama without a quick way to check the time!"

"I can see why you'd be nervous—I'm just glad I was able to get it to you in one piece."

"Thank you, young man—what was your name?"

"My name's Rean, Director."

"Well Rean, I hope you'll be tuning in to our new show tonight—we want it to be a relaxing way for both adults and students to unwind at the end of their day."

"It does sound nice..." He looked up in the corner of his mind, trying to imagine the layout of the dorm sitting room. "I'm pretty sure the dorm has a radio, but I'm not sure..."

"You need a radio? Well, we have plenty of those!" Michael laughed heartily. "Here, young man—Rean." He walked over to a display shelf, and pulled off a somewhat-bulky yellow radio. "Go on and take it! Wouldn't want you to miss the show!"

"Oh—are you sure?"

"Of course! We had George fix up this vintage model a while back, but it's just collecting dust on this shelf—I'm sure it'll be happier to be listened to!"

"Well, thank you!" Rean tucked the radio under his arm. "I appreciate it—I'll have to let George know."

"Please do—just consider us paying it forward!"

Rean bowed to both of them. "Thank you again—I'll be sure to tune in! I hope the first show is a success!"

"Tell your friends! Spread the word—every Sunday night at nine PM!"

"I will—thank you." Rean left the radio station, and noticed a student in a green jacket hovering by him. He was a little—Rean wasn't trying to be mean, but "creepy" was the word that first came to mind.

"'Like having coffee with an old friend'..." He was muttering to himself. "Hehe... I can't wait." Uh... it seemed more like he was talking to himself than Rean, so Rean just decided to keep walking past the train station towards the dorm.

No one else was in the sitting room, but there was a package by the door. Rean decided to head upstairs and drop his radio off in his room before doing anything else.

As he left his room, he saw Elliot's door open. "Haah..." He sighed to himself as he walked out of the room, slumped over.

"What's wrong, Elliot?"

"Oh, Rean!" He looked surprised, but relieved to see him. "Nothing's wrong—I was just taking a break from lugging all these packages upstairs..."

"Oh, is that yours by the front door?" Rean made for the stairs. "I'll grab the last one for you, don't worry about it."

"Oh... well, thanks, Rean." Elliot sounded a little guilty.

"It's no problem." Rean collapsed the wine bag he had over his shoulder and set it on the sitting room table. He crouched down and got a good grip on the package, lifting it with his legs while keeping his back straight. It wasn't especially heavy, but he could see why it would be hard for someone like Elliot to lift it off the ground properly. Rean made his way carefully up the stairs with the box in his arms. "Where do you want it?"

"Um... just on the desk is fine." It looked like he had two other packages on the floor. "Haha... I could only manage to drop the ones I was carrying on the floor."

"Well, I could see how they'd be a little awkward." Rean set the box down on the desk. "What's in these—books?"

"I'm not sure, actually—this one looks like it's all food and snacks. Geez... I'm grateful that she's thinking of me, but I wish Fiona would stop treating me like a kid."

"Who's Fiona?"

"Oh, she's my older sister." Elliot smiled as he started taking boxes of pancake mix and canned fruit out of the box. "I guess she's alone in the house now, since my Dad's away at work... so she might just be feeling lonely." Then Elliot pulled out a bundle of papers that look like sheet music. "Aww."

"What is it?"

"It's a piece she used to play all the time on the piano." His eyes pored over the notes. "It looks like she adapted it for a violin solo."

"That's sweet of her—so you come from a musical family?"

Elliot closed his eyes. "I suppose you could say that." He sat cross-legged on the floor, delicately holding the sheet music. "Actually... I wanted to go to a music academy before I came here. I just ended up changing my mind."

"I see." Well... obviously there was more to it than that, but Rean knew better than to pry. "Well, I'm glad you can still play while you're here—even outside the days when the Wind Orchestra meets."

"That's very true." Elliot looked up with a small smile. "Thanks for helping me, Rean. I think I'll take some time to go through these boxes—there's way too much food for just me, so I'll put anything I think we can use down in the kitchen."

"That's kind of you, Elliot—I'll have to thank Fiona if she comes to visit."

"Haha... Yeah, I'm sure she will." Elliot had kind of a sad smile as he looked down at the sheet music. Hopefully that wasn't the wrong thing to say... Well, either way, it seemed like Elliot wanted some time to himself now. He'd open up to them when he was ready.

"All right Elliot—I'll see you later, then?"

"Oh, for sure!" He smiled up at Rean. "I'll be around!"

"Okay—oh! Since you’re here, I’ll let you know—Principal Vandyck wants us to investigate the old schoolhouse again." He saw Elliot’s brows slope down. "I think sunset will be the best time to meet up, since I want everyone to be able to finish with their clubs."

"I see..." Elliot looked to the side. "I can’t say I’m eager to go back down there again... but if everyone’s there together this time, I’m sure it’ll be fine." He tried to give Rean a reassuring smile.

"I’m sure it’ll be okay—the Principal wouldn’t send us down there if he wasn’t confident in our ability to work as a class." He leaned against Elliot’s desk. "And now that we have experience with the combat links, I think we can fight more effectively as a team."

"Yeah... yeah, you’re right!" Elliot gave him a more genuine smile.

"All right—if I don’t see you before then, I’ll at least see you in front of the old schoolhouse at sunset."

"Okay—I’ll be there, for sure!"

"Sounds good—see you later, Elliot."

"See you!"

Rean made his way back downstairs, grabbing the wine bag on his way out. Since his deliveries were all done, he decided to take George’s suggestion and have a little break in the park, enjoying the smell of the fallen lino blooms littering the cobblestones, and the calming sound of little birds chirping and flitting between the branches. Trista was truly a peaceful town... Rean was dazzled by the hustle and bustle of Heimdallr when he went with his family to see Elise off to St. Astraia, but he still preferred small towns like this, where everyone knew each other and life moved at a slower pace. He could see himself relocating to a small town like this, someday... It was looking more and more like Ymir wasn't the place he wanted to spend the rest of his life—although he still loved his hometown, and his parents. He'd probably never stop taking trips home to visit them, and to enjoy the hot springs at the Phoenix Wings... But he was getting way ahead of himself, he didn't even have a clear idea of what he wanted to do when he graduated. He just hoped he would figure that out along the way during his time at Thors...

Rean let himself relax against the bench, his boots slipping down the cobblestones, his face angled up to absorb the warmth of the sun. It would be all right. He would figure things out one day at a time.

OOO

Rean was feeling nice and relaxed after his mini-shopping trip around Trista. He had picked up the eggs and salt George asked for, and he also stopped in Keynes' Bookstore and found a copy of that "Red Moon Rose" volume Instructor Thomas recommended he read. He might take a look at it tonight—he just wanted to remember to tune in to Radio Trista at nine PM. And he should tell all his friends!

Rean hadn't seen Angelica around town with her bike, so she must have taken off down the highway. He couldn't help but wonder if she would actually convince any of the girls to "let their hair down" and ride with her—honestly, it seemed pretty fun to Rean. But Angelica probably wasn't going to ask him...

He rounded the corner to the orbal garage, making sure the eggs were still tucked safely in their little cubby. He could hear someone's voice over the wall.

"Ah, man—it's pretty warm out here, how can you stand to be in that hot box all day, man?" Well, two guesses who that was... "It's like you're a lizard in a terrarium, my guy!"

He heard George laugh. "Give me a heat lamp and some food any day, and I'm happy." Crow laughed loudly.

"Hah! Sounds like the life, buddy. Heh, could use a couple more lady lizards around here though, know what I'm sayin'?" Ugh—so Crow was one of "those guys". Now Rean really didn't know what to make of him...

Rean hesitated for a moment outside the gate. It didn't sound like Angelica or Towa were with them. He almost didn't want to walk in on their conversation, and debated whether he should keep strolling around a bit more first—but he didn't want the eggs to start getting warm in the bag. He might as well just go in now...

"Hoo—I dunno about you, but I'm takin' this sh*t off." As he rounded the corner, he saw Crow peeling off a tan corduroy jacket with a fur hood, showing a black tank shirt underneath—then to his surprise, he pulled off his bandana and shook his head like a wet dog, running his hand back through his hair a few times. "Whew—that's better. Hey, you want a drink, bud?" For some reason, he looked a lot different without his bandana—his hair was wild and all in his face. Honestly without his jacket—

"Sure, I'll take a soda. Thanks." George's voice snapped him back to reality.

Crow hopped off the stool he was sitting on, then he noticed Rean standing there. "Oh, hey buddy! What brings you around here?" He called him "buddy" again...

Rean licked his lips before he could help it. "I'm just running an errand for George." For some reason he felt self-conscious—well, he knew why, he just didn't want to admit it. Ugh... maybe Rean was giving himself too much slack about not feeling guilty.

"Oh yeah yeah, that." Crow clapped Rean's shoulder as he passed. "Well I'm getting me and George some drinks, you want one?" Rean stopped for a second.

"... Sure, I'll take a sparkling water, if they have one."

"You got it." He strolled off towards the cafeteria, tying his jacket around his waist. Okay, so... was this guy actually really chill and friendly, and yesterday Rean caught him on a bad day? Or was he a dick until he got to know you better? Haah... whatever, Rean wasn't going to get all bent out of shape over it. Crow was nice enough to offer to get him a drink this time, so Rean would just go with it—hey wait, he still needed a rematch on that coin trick! Forget the 50 mira—Rean just wanted to prove that his eyes were faster and he could see through the sleight-of-hand. Then we'll see who has the smug look...

Rean set the bag down on the counter, and it was noticeably warmer inside the garage. Though Rean ran pretty hot himself—he had ever since he was a child, poor Elise's hands would be so cold in the winter and she'd clutch onto his hands saying, "You're so warm!" When they were kids, anyway—he honestly had a hard time imagining being close like that with Elise ever again... the thought made him pretty sad. Haah... she was only a half-hour train ride away in Heimdallr, once he got everything figured out in his head, he had to make a trip there to talk to her about everything. He just didn't want Elise or his parents to think he was pushing them away after they told him he was adopted—he didn't think of them as any less his family. It was just... everything else. Ugh, it was complicated.

"Thanks for doing that, Rean." George's voice snapped him out of it, again.

"—oh, no problem." He carefully pulled out the half-dozen eggs. "Brandon was nice enough to give me a little carton to put them in."

"Nice." George opened the recycled carton that was cut in half, inspecting all the eggs. "These should do. How much was it?"

"Not much—just three hundred and eighty mira for everything."

"All right." George started counting coins on the counter. He chuckled. "I guess I'll have to write an expense report for Instructor Makarov for three hundred and eighty mira."

"I was going to ask you—what are the eggs for?"

George smiled, sliding the coins across the counter. "It's just you guys and Instructor Sara in the Class VII dorm, right?"

"That's right." Rean dropped all the coins in the middle pocket of his wallet. He still couldn't tell where George was going with this...

"Well, in our dorm the instructors all take turns on cooking duty, and the students help out a lot of the time, too..." He gave Rean a sympathetic look. "But as I'm sure you've noticed, Instructor Sara isn't exactly an early riser..." Rean rolled his eyes. "So it might be better to set you guys up to be self-sufficient. Take a look." George handed him what looked like a well-loved pocket-sized cookbook. "These are all our old standbys—and there's room in the back to add your own recipes, too." George turned the book back around, scribbling down some notes in one of the blank lined pages. "I don't know how good of a cook you are, but I wanted to give you guys something quick and easy that pretty much anyone can make every morning—omelets." Rean turned to peer at the page—the only two ingredients were eggs, and rock salt. "Obviously you can add whatever else you want to it, like cheese or chopped veggies—it's just a simple jumping-off point." George started scribbling again. "The only real technique is getting the temperature and cook time right."

"I see—thanks George, that's thoughtful of you!" He wasn't expecting a "reward" like that, that's for sure.

"Well, there is one more trick to it—" George bent down, pulling out a frying pan from the cabinet, brandishing it like a tennis racket. "The flip." He laid the pan on a large square thing, and turned a knob. "That's why a demonstration is in order."

"Oh, is that a portable range?"

George grinned proudly. "It's actually an invention of mine—I call it the 'orbal induction stove'." It works without fire or gas—but you need a special type of quartz pan. The sepith in the pan and the range react with each other in a unique way that produces heat, to simplify it."

"Interesting... I can't believe you invented that just in your spare time!" George looked a little sheepish. "Oh, that reminds me—Director Michael over at Radio Trista gave me an orbal radio that you fixed up for them—they said it would be happier to get used and listened to than just sitting on a shelf."

"Haha... is that right?" George looked like he wasn't used to being praised or thanked—it seemed like he did a lot of work for pretty much everyone, so that didn't seem fair.

"Yeah—I'm impressed with all the work you do around here, no wonder you have this place locked down by yourself!" George was looking down at the pan pretty shyly.

"Aw, you gotta learn to just take the compliment, buddy!" Crow tossed him a soda from the open garage door. George caught it against his chest somewhat awkwardly. Rean hadn't been paying attention, and he didn't even sense that Crow had come back. "Whoa, what you got goin' on here—cookin' up some grub?"

"Yeah—I'm showing Rean how to flip an omelet like a pro." Rean watched as George spread some oil evenly over the pan. It seemed like he recovered from Rean’s onslaught of compliments. "The texture will change depending on what you grease the pan with—butter will give the egg a melty taste, which goes well with cheese or ketchup as toppings—but if you're going savory with lots of veggies, you might want to use oil."

Crow leaned against the edge of the counter, setting Rean's sparkling water down in front of him. "Hey, listen to what this guy says—he knows his stuff when it comes to food." Crow cracked open his own drink. It was a little distracting hearing him gulping it down right next to him, and he made a loud noise when he was finished. "—aah. That hits the spot."

George watched the oil in the pan carefully, cracking open his drink without looking at it. "And now we play the waiting game." George sounded so serious, it was almost funny. "If you decide to use oil, just don't add more than the ratio I wrote down."

"Got it." Rean was watching the pan now too, even though it was literally just sitting there. Crow was leaned back against the counter, and he crossed his arms. Rean glanced up at him in his peripheral—he really did look completely different without his uniform, and that bandana he seemed so fond of wearing. He had a somewhat gaudy silver chain around his neck, and faded dark grey jeans—he was still rocking a wallet chain, Rean hadn't seen someone unironically wear one of those in a minute... His arms were pretty cut for a guy who came across like a stoner slacker... Ugh—the intrusive thoughts were back again—stop looking.

XXX

XXX

If Crow didn't know better, he'd say the kid was giving off a nervous vibe—like a little rabbit the split second before it took off into a bush. It was just a coincidence that Crow decided to take off his jacket and bring the gun show to town when Rean came walking in, but—he was here now, so he might as well put a feeler out there. Call it a hunch, but...

"So, you're the one that got roped into helping out Towa?" Crow curled his palms around the edge of the counter, flexing just a little bit.

He saw Rean lick his lips, probably subconsciously, still staring at George's pan that didn't even have any eggs in it yet. "I wouldn't say I was 'roped into it'—I'm happy to help her out, and it gives me something to do with my free day since I haven't joined a club."

"Is that so? What, nothing catch your eye?" Rean was staring like a stray dog outside a butcher shop window earlier, but now he was almost stubbornly refusing to look at him.

"Not really... Well, I can't say I wasn't interested in a few clubs, just not enough to commit to a schedule."

"That right? What kinda clubs are you interested in?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw George give him a look. What kind of look, it was too quick to say—his eyes went right back to the pan, and he hovered his palm over it to check the heat.

"Well—probably the riding club. I like being around horses, and Lambert seems like he'd be a good club leader." Uh-huh... so Rean was a "horse girl", great. "Oh—my friend Elliot joined the Wind Orchestra as a violinist, so I thought that might be fun, but... I'm not really that good, it's mostly just a hobby." Crow's ears perked up at that.

"What do you play?"

Rean looked up at him all shy. "The mandolin." Oho—now we're gettin' somewhere.

"Is that so?" He grinned at George, rubbing his chin. "That's pretty close to a guitar, wouldn't you say?"

George just sighed. "Rean... take my advice, if this guy ever gets you up onstage, just don't let him design your outfit."

Rean laughed awkwardly. "What, why?"

"Never you mind." He put his hand on Rean's shoulder. "Hey Rean—you're probably bored of playing classical music and folk songs all the time—I'm sure you've heard of rock music, yeah?" Rean was looking up at him like a wide-eyed little rabbit who just got spotted by a fox. "Forget a club—if you want, Uncle Crow'll teach you how to play." Time to move in for the kill—

"Quiet. The pan's ready." Haah... Thanks there, George, buddy. "Look—when you can just barely hear little sizzles, that's when you want to mix the eggs." George jerked the pan back and forth, swirling the oil around.

"Geez." Crow's hand slipped from Rean's shoulder, and he leaned back against the counter. "After all this waiting, it better be worth it. Can’t say I’ve ever been edged by an omelet before."

George was stone-faced, but Crow knew him well enough. "—I don't know what you mean by that." Crow snickered, and Rean just looked between them, totally lost. Mm-hm—it was a little risky, but Crow might as well flash his cards a little. He already had a pretty good idea what hand Rean was workin' with.

"Well, George—when a man and a woman—or two men, two women, whoever—love each other very much..."

"Crow... please." George let out an exhausted sigh. "It's Rean's first day on the job—if you scare him away, Towa'll never forgive you."

"Uh oh." He pushed himself off the counter. "Well, we don't want that now, do we?" He gave Rean a wink. He could tell Rean tried his best, but Crow was pretty skilled at reading people's body language—the second he casually threw out "or two men", Rean flinched—then while George was talking, he subconsciously clutched his arm and rubbed his elbow. Got ‘im. Well—Crow didn't exactly need "proof" to clock a little twink like Rean—a blind monk who spent their whole life meditating up on a mountain could probably sniff him out. No offense.

"Rean, I'm sure you've seen this trick before." George just moved right along, like nothing even happened. He rolled the egg back and forth on the counter under his palm, then cracked it. "You're less likely to get little shell fragments if you crack it on a flat surface."

Rean nodded along, probably eager to change the subject. "Got it."

George expertly split the eggshell, dropping the yolk down into the bowl, then letting the whites drip as he lifted the shell in one fluid motion, like a real chef. "You wanna mix the eggs up first, to get the yolks broken up more uniformly. Then you can add the rock salt, or any other spices you want." Rean nodded along. "Once you're more comfortable playing with the recipe, you can add milk or water to fluff up the eggs, too."

"Do you mind if I take notes as you go?"

"Of course, go right ahead." George laughed a little. "I mean, uh—no, I don’t mind." Crow’s stomach was getting a little gurgly, he hoped none of the other guys could hear it.

"Aw man—I'm getting hungry just hearin’ that oil sizzle. You should throw a couple of your burger patties on that griddle too George, if you really wanna show off."

George cracked the third egg, and he looked a little guilty. "Uh... Sorry Crow, this is a little awkward—you weren't around when I asked Rean to pick up the eggs, so I only have six of them..."

"Oh. I see. Et tu, George? I can’t believe you’ve done this to me."

Rean had been pretty quiet for a minute, but his brows instantly furrowed. "—I can run and grab more, I'm a pretty fast runner—"

Crow chuckled, and clapped Rean's shoulder. "Nah—don't worry about it, I’m just bein’ a dick." He noticed Rean flinched just a hair when he clapped his shoulder. "I'm probably gonna head straight to the cafeteria after this, though—you just sit back and watch the Master at work."

He heard George laugh awkwardly while he was whipping up the eggs in the bowl. "Sorry, Rean—I’m so used to Crow’s sense of humor, I don’t even respond to it half the time—I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m being callous." George looked up from the bowl all sheepish.

"Oh—it’s okay, I didn’t think that at all." Geez—if Rean was a shy guy like George, they’d just get stuck in a feedback loop of apologizing to each other forever. Well, not with Uncle Crow around.

"Geez, get a load of this guy—my best bud just ignores me half the time!"

"‘Best bud’?" George shook his head with a little smirk, pouring the runny eggs into the pan. "We all know your only ‘best bud’ is the devil’s bud."

"Whoa, hey now!" Crow pressed a finger to his own lips. "Don't go snitching me out to the Student Council's little helper, now!"

Rean gave him a flat look. "I don't think it would take an investigative journalist to figure that one out, Crow..." Hey—Rean actually acknowledged him, and he got a little sassy! That was a good sign, right?

George got out a spatula. "Okay Rean, this is how you fold it to get it to cook evenly..." Rean gave George his full attention. Well—it looked like the kid finally relaxed a little, at least—he still wasn’t really getting a word in edgewise with Crow and George rapid-firing back and forth, but if he minded he didn’t show it. Actually, George was being unusually chatty and a lil sassy today, too—he was probably just in high spirits since he got to show off his cooking skills to one of their bright-eyed juniors. And it was probably nice for him to have someone to talk to besides the girls and Crow’s sardonic ass—George could use more guy friends, that much was for sure... Yeah, well—he better not get any bright ideas about snatching Rean up from under him—Crow already called dibs.

"Hey, Rean." Crow leaned one hand into the counter. "What’s with the omelets, anyway—you planning on making breakfast in bed for a special someone?"

Rean looked predictably flustered. "No—it was George's suggestion, and I think it's a good idea—I want to keep that cookbook in the dorm kitchen so anyone can use it." Rean closed his eyes. "I've already seen what a certain instructor's like the morning after, so we're just going to have to feed and take care of ourselves."

"Attaboy! That's what it means to become a man—you gotta be self-sufficient. Can't rely on Mommy or Wifey to take care of ya." Rean's brows screwed together. "Hey—you should swing by Micht’s pawn shop in town—sometimes he gets recipe books for lazy guys like us who don't know what the f*ck we're doin’."

"Is that right?" Rean turned his focus back to George delicately folding in the eggs as they cooked. "I was just there today, but he didn't have anything like that."

"Yeah, that guy's inventory comes and goes. It's kind of like a treasure hunt, ya know? Oh—keep an eye out at Keynes’, too."

George turned to both of them, looking solemn. "Rean, are you ready for this?"

Rean nodded. "Yes."

George gave the pan a gentle jerk back and forth, checking the slipperiness of the eggs. "Just do it in one, don't hesitate—"

"You got this, George."

George jerked the pan at an angle, and the omelet neatly flipped in the air—landing safely on its other side in the center of the pan.

"Whoo-hoo! That's what I'm talkin' about!"

George looked all shy again. "... I’m glad I didn’t biff it with you guys watching."

"What? Never." Crow snickered. "Although, sorry George—if you had totally whiffed it and flipped it onto the floor or something, I’d probably just bust out laughing."

George gently sidled the pan back and forth, letting the eggs cook on the other side. "I’d have to laugh to keep from crying."

"Haha—hey, that’s my philosophy." He looked down at Rean, who was still laser-focused on watching George jerk the pan around. Crow ran his hand back through his hair. "Don't ask me about breakfast stuff, but I'm pretty decent at grilling meat and making hot pot." He bounced his eyebrows. "But my specialty is drinks."

Rean finally glanced up at him with a flat look. "Is that right?"

"Yeah, check it out—" Crow stretched to snatch up the beat-up old cookbook, flipping back several pages. "George shouldn’t be the only one who gets to show off here..." Now where was it... "—aha! Read it and weep." He turned the book so Rean could see. Rean hesitantly leaned in just a hair to peer over the book, his eyes flicking up to Crow’s then back down. Crow almost wanted to say, "Hey, I don’t bite"—but he figured that’d be teasing the guy just a little too much. He was still trying to gauge where the line was so he could nudge right up to it. Man—he was lucky George was so used to it by now he didn’t even bat an eye—if it was Gelica here instead, she’d be all over it like white on rice, he couldn’t even make a single innuendo without her doubling-down—poor Rean probably would’ve crawled into a crack in the floor by now. "I call it a Red Hot Kiss—it’s kinda like a Bloody Mary with bubbles. Whoops." Crow crossed out the vodka. "There we go. Now it’s a Red Hot Soda." Rean's expression suggested he was thoroughly unimpressed.

"I’m guessing you’re not twenty, are you."

"Well, I’m either nineteen or twenty, depending on where I’m trying to get into."

"Haah..." Rean sighed in what Crow perceived as exaggerated annoyance—or he hoped was, anyway. So—Rean was a total square who didn't know how to have any fun. Got it... Haah, Crow should be the one doing the deep sighs over here. If this guy really was the Awakener they were looking for, this would be a long year... Hmm. But wait—this guy was all doe-eyed and innocent, and if he was asking George for pointers on how to make a freaking omelet, he was probably a spoiled rich kid who never had to work a day in his life. And he was probably on his own for the first time without Mommy or his maids to take care of him—which meant he was totally corruptible. Hehe... Well, Crow could work with that. That actually sounded pretty fun—it’d spice things up around here to drag a goody-two-shoes down the road to hell with him. He just had to turn on the charm, and sweet little Rean would be putty in his hands. [Author's Note: I'm writing Crow to be kinda sh*tty at this stage on purpose lol]

Crow got a sly smile. "What, you’re tellin’ me you never sipped the devil’s water?"

Rean had his eyes closed, looking annoyed. "I could have a glass of wine with dinner if I wanted at home, so alcohol doesn't hold this forbidden mystique to me. I certainly have no desire to indulge just to look cool."

"‘Look cool’?" Crow turned to George. "Is that why folks do it? And here I was, thinkin’ it was just to have a good f*ckin’ time."

George was poking the spatula under the edges of the omelet. "You know I wouldn’t know, Crow." He turned his fancy orbal stove off. "You and Angie can have all the wild times to yourself—I’m with Rean on this one. Give me life’s simple pleasures any day."

Crow folded his arms. "That is one of life’s simple pleasures, bud." Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Rean get a little self-satisfied smirk—oho, so it was like that, was it?

"All right." George stepped back with his hands at his waist, looking satisfied with his handiwork. "And that's all there is to it." He grabbed a plate and fork from the low cabinet, and carefully slid the omelet off onto it, folding it over. He set the plate in front of Rean, with another sheepish smile. "Let me know what you think."

"Thank you George—I appreciate you walking me through the steps like that." Rean took the fork, but then tucked it under the eggs. "Um—do you want to make one for yourself, too? I'd feel a little bad eating just by myself..."

George actually looked relieved. "Sure—I can whip another one up real quick. Oh—actually, I'll take that plain one—how do you normally take your eggs? I'll make 'em however you want, just consider it a little bonus."

"Oh..." It sounded like Rean was about to say, "You don't have to do that," but he changed his mind. "That's really kind of you—are you sure you're okay with the plain one?" Just then, Crow's freaking stomach had to growl.

"—damnit."

"Haha—Crow, why don't you sit tight, and I'll cook you up something, too." George nodded to Rean. "Sorry to ask you to run out again Rean, but can you grab me—"

"Don't sweat it." Crow pushed himself off the counter. "I'll run down to the dorm and grab all the stuff from our kitchen. I'll just hit up Brandon's to replace it later." He made a "gimme" gesture to George. "You got some beef jerky or something I can snack on so I don't keel over on the way?"

"Sure thing." George opened up another cabinet and grabbed a bag. "... Just don't tell anyone where I keep my secret stash."

"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy." George handed him the bag of cheesy poofs. "Thanks, man. I already know what you like—what about you, Rean?" Rean finally looked up at him again. "Cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms? You want a little smiley face drawn in ketchup?"

Rean made a small laugh. "Well... since you're asking, I do like mushrooms and tomatoes, and cheese. All kinds of cheese—as long as it's not bleu cheese or something like that."

Crow clapped his back. "You got it, buddy." He grabbed the wine bag, slapping the doorframe as he left the garage. "I'll be quick."

Crow slung the bag over his shoulder, taking long strides through campus and out the front gate. He shoved a handful of cheesy poofs in his mouth, rolling up the bag and tucking it in his back pocket. Well—Lady Luck had thrown him a bone, hadn't she? Crow felt like he had a better handle on what this would-be "Ashen Awakener" was like—he was a nice, good kid, a little insecure and overly-apologetic, wasn't a rulebreaker and was probably a people-pleaser, if not an outright doormat. In short—Crow would easily sweep the floor with him. Rean might even refuse to fight him, if it came down to it—he'd have to ask Vita what to do in that case, if it "counted" as a victory in the cosmic scheme of things. She was still being annoyingly evasive on why he had to fight the other Awakeners so bad, and why he had to wait to pick off the newest one instead of just hunting them all down with Ordine while the iron was hot. According to Vita, the only confirmed Awakener who'd been at it longer than he had was their Seventh Anguis, that immortal "Arianrhod". Crow was pretty confident in his skills with Ordine, but even he wasn't eager to go up against a living legend who'd been at it for like two hundred years... Not right off the bat, anyway. It made sense from a technical standpoint why Vita would want him to "cut his teeth" on a novice—but Crow was getting antsy over here. He was just upholding this part of the deal out of obligation, all he really cared about was taking out the Chancellor—so the next time she contacted him, he'd need to press her for some answers. "It is the destiny of all Divine Knights to clash, until only one remains" wasn't cutting it—he needed to know why.

Crow made his way to the dorm pretty quick, throwing a few "heys" and "how's it goin's" to some folks he passed on the way. He just started grabbing everything he could possibly think would go in an omelet—plus some tomatoes, mushrooms, and hard cheese with a low melting point. Any little thing to get Rean to warm up to him would make it easier in the long run—although Crow did feel a little bad for having to stomp such a cute, bright-eyed kid into the ground—but them's the breaks, sucks to be him. Take it up with Aidios why life was so unfair, not Crow.

"Haah... geez." ... Crow really was a sucker for the kind with the big doe eyes though, huh? Well—maybe he'd get to play around a little more before sh*t hit the fan—that had been his mantra this whole last year, after all. It was all just temporary anyway, so—might as well have a little fun.

OOO

OOO

George was carefully cutting the omelet down the middle with his fork. "Haha... I'm a little surprised." He speared one half, sliding it onto his own plate. "Just between you and me... Crow doesn't normally warm up to people like that."

"You call that 'warming up'?" Rean didn't mean for it to come out so snippy, he was just floored by that statement.

"Haha—well, the three of us know how to 'speak Crow' by now—so yeah, I'd say so." He cut into his half of the omelet, taking a bite. "... mm." He covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "Go ahead and try it—I know it's kinda plain, but I hope it came out well, at least..."

Rean took a bite, concentrating on the mouth-feel of the eggs. "Hm—I like it with the rock salt, I think it brings out the savory flavor of the eggs, especially with the oil you used."

"Whew. All right, do you want to give it a try next, or just want me to make yours?"

Rean twisted off the cap of his sparkling water. "I want to give it a try. I think I got the technique down, thanks to you." He realized he forgot his sparkling water was even there—he was too distracted by... all that. It was just one thing after another—he really didn't know what to make of Crow now. He was starting to think he wasn't so bad when he and Towa ran into him last night... Then he made that creepy comment about girls earlier, and then it almost felt like he was making suggestive comments towards Rean—and Rean could admit he could be a little dense when it came to these things, so if even he could pick up on it, it had to be obvious, right? It was just bizarre—Crow was just strange. It was almost like—Rean couldn't really put his finger on it, it was almost like Crow was butting in on George's cooking lesson on purpose, like he really wanted the attention. He even literally said it, when he randomly decided to show off his co*cktail recipe or whatever... Haah. His odd sense of style aside, he was a good-looking guy, which Rean wasn't exactly eager to admit—did he really need the attention that bad? Well... Towa had said that he and Angelica had a lot of "acquaintances", but not a lot of real friends... so who knows.

"Well, if you're adding a bunch of goodies, you'll probably want to fry those up separately." George took a swig of his soda. "—then just spread 'em on top after the flip, like I showed you. That's when you want to add the cheese, too."

"Got it." Rean really wanted to ask... but he also didn't want it to seem like he really wanted to know. He tried thinking of a way to bring it up casually... "So what did you mean earlier, Crow's not normally like that?"

"Oh no—he's like that all the time." George laughed. "He's always 'on'—well, most of the time. Angie likes to say he's 'extra'." George was wiping the inside of the pan with a clean kitchen towel. "But—I guess I'd say the four of us are kind of an insular group, so I was just surprised he warmed up to someone else who just came in." George gave him a warm smile. Even though they were talking about Crow, Rean got a fuzzy feeling from reading between the lines—George pretty much said he had been welcomed into their group. "But..." George looked to the side, absently folding the towel on the counter. "Well... I'm not trying to talk about him behind his back, but—Crow's the kind of guy who knows everybody, and he's really outgoing—but I'd call most of the people he's 'friendly' with more like acquaintances." That was almost exactly what Towa said. "I don't know how many true friends he has, besides us." George gave him a somewhat guilty look. "So I guess what I'm saying is—it'll take the pressure off me if you're friends with Crow too—sometimes I just can't keep up with his jokes." Rean actually laughed. "It's just hard to relate to what he's talking about sometimes." George looked away. "Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." George at least kept up with Crow pretty well, but he definitely seemed in the weeds with some of the more sus things Crow said. Who knows what the deal was with that... Rean didn't know him well enough to be able to tell if he was joking or not. But—he could definitely see now why Towa said Angelica and Crow were similar... Honestly Rean wanted to get to know Angelica better, he still felt a little bad since he hadn't gotten the chance to properly introduce himself to her—she seemed to like to take off on her bike the second classes got out. Well—after attempting to cruise for girls first. That was another thing... Rean had never actually had gay friends, or even really knew anybody who was—well, he wasn't quite sure what was going on with Maple and Purple at the Phoenix Wings, but—he definitely never had any guy friends he could talk to about it. He could talk to Angelica about it, though... Honestly, even if it wasn't exactly the same for women, having a friend who was so openly queer would be so encouraging. Angelica seemed pretty cool and laid-back, Rean just wanted to be friends with her outside of all that other stuff.

Maybe that's what Towa meant by "similar"—when Crow wasn't being so "extra", he did seem pretty laid-back and... well, maybe "cool" was stretching it. Let's go with "interesting", it sounded a bit less back-handed than "eccentric". Rean just wanted to know what his deal was—he had gotten such mixed vibes, every interaction with him had felt different. But maybe that was just the stages of Crow "warming up" to him... Who knows. And that was another thing... Dismissing it as "his sense of humor" was one thing, but after today Rean was getting a pretty flirtatious vibe off Crow—although he might just be the kind of guy who wasn't too picky and would do anything that moves. Ugh... if that was the case, maybe Rean should just keep his distance... But then why would George encourage him to be his friend? You'd think if he knew Crow that well, he'd be warning Rean to run for the hills—who knows. It was too soon to tell, so he might as well just not go in circles about it. He'd get a better feel for what Crow's deal was if he kept hanging out in their group—he'd decide then if he was someone he actually wanted to be friends with or not. He could always just be another "acquaintance".

Suddenly Rean heard a loud engine gunning down the pathway outside. "Oh hey, Angie's back." George came out from around the counter, and Rean joined him as he stood in the lot outside the garage. Sure enough, they heard the engine slow and putter as Angelica's bike approached from the other side of the fence—but Rean was not prepared to see Crow sitting on the back of the bike behind her, with an armful of groceries.

He hopped off the second they stopped. "Can't believe you made me ride bitch..."

"Haha, sorry 'bout it—everyone rides bitch with me." Angelica gracefully swung her leg over the bike, walking it over to its parking spot.

"Hey, Angie—did Crow tell you we're making omelets?"

"He sure did—I can't wait, I love your fluffy omelets, George." She set the kickstand, smoothing down the sides of her hair that were a bit windswept. She gave Rean a friendly smile when she saw him. "Hey, Rean—how is it working with our little angel?"

"Hey, Angelica—I've only had one task so far, but I'm happy to be helping her out." He felt his brows slope in a guilty expression. "I'm sorry—you already know my name, but I realized I forgot to actually introduce myself properly."

"Oh, don't worry about that—so, tell me about your friend Emma." She propped her elbows on the outdoor table, a mischievous smirk on her face. "What's her favorite food? What does she like doing in her free time?"

"Um..." Rean laughed a bit awkwardly. He didn't want to give Angelica false hope... but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to just answer her questions. "Well, she likes sweets, and warm comfort food like gratin—and she likes reading." He couldn't bring himself to say she liked cheap boy-boy romance novels. Well—even that was debatable, she seemed to see it as "a beautiful expression of friendship"—maybe she really was that sheltered in her village.

"Uh-huh—what else? Gimme more." Angelica was resting her chin on her fingers, like they were gossiping at a sleepover.

"Geez—give it a rest, Gelica." Crow walked past them, setting the full bag on the counter. "Is that any way to greet your junior who's just trying to be polite? Some noble you are." There was a bit of an awkward pause after he said that. Uh oh—was that supposed to be a secret, was she in a similar position to Rean?

"Hah!" Angelica put her hand on her hip. "I'm beyond your petty little quips, Crow—we know that nobles come in all shapes and sizes, right Rean?" It was like a phonograph cylinder scratched.

"What's that mean?" Crow took a cluster of tomatoes on the vine out of the bag, setting it on the counter. "You a noble too, Rean? Geez." He snickered. "No wonder you didn't know how to cook an omelet. I'll commend ya for wanting to learn, though."

"See, Crow? Variety is the spice of life—maybe you should learn how to cook an omelet instead of your foofy little co*cktails."

"Hey, now! I can cook—I just don’t feel like it!"

Rean hadn't said anything, and he clutched his arm. He didn't know how Angelica knew that—she probably just recognized the Schwarzer name. But... he really wished she hadn't said that, even though she just said it innocently. "Rean, what's wrong?" Her brows knit in concern.

"Um..." He felt really self-conscious, all three of them were looking at him now. "Well... it's true that I'm technically a noble. But... I'd appreciate it if you could all keep that to yourselves." He closed his eyes, not wanting to see their gazes on him anymore. "My family situation is... complicated. I haven't even told most of the people in Class VII—there's one person who hates nobles and is pretty vocal about it, and I'm just dreading when they're going to find out—they already asked me but I weaseled out of it by saying I don't have any noble blood because I was adopted." He realized he was rambling, hard. "I'm sorry." He laughed uncomfortably. "I don't know why I said all that..."

Angelica looked like somebody kicked her dog. "Oh—Rean, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dredge up all that." She came forward and placed her hands on his arms. "Me and my big mouth—I had no idea that's something you wanted to keep a secret, forgive me."

"Well—it's okay, it's not like you could've known." He laughed nervously, his body didn't know what else to do. "I guess it doesn't matter that you guys know—it's already something you're used to since you guys were like the pre-Class VII, right?" Nobody answered him right away.

"Well damn, Rean—we're not gonna hate on ya for being a noble, if that's what you're worried about." Crow had stopped unpacking the groceries, and was standing out in the yard. "Sorry if that’s the impression you got from what I said—I was just giving Gelica sh*t for being so rude and crude."

"Hah! Says the blackest kettle in the world." Angelica gave Rean a friendly shoulder rub. "Just ignore that guy, Rean. We're all friends here. Well—I can kick Crow off the island if it makes you more comfortable."

"Nope. Too late." Crow walked back into the garage. "I decided I’m gonna take Rean under my wing." What now?

"Oho, is that right?" Angelica’s eyebrows went up. "Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you?" She let Rean go, following Crow into the garage. Rean exchanged a glance with George, hoping he could provide some clarity—but he looked just as lost as Rean, and just as surprised as Angelica. With no other recourse, Rean decided to follow her, hovering in the doorway to the garage.

"Um... Any particular reason you just decided that on your own? Don’t I get a say in this?"

"Of course you do." Crow carefully pulled the rubber band off a carton of eggs. "You can say no, you don’t want a really cool and popular guy like me who’s really skilled and strong and handsome to look out for ya—" His eyes flicked up. "But that’d be really boring, wouldn’t it?" He winked, he actually winked. Ummm...

"Wow." Angelica merely stood in disbelief, her arms crossed. "I don’t know which part of that sentence was more wrong. You could sue yourself for libel."

Crow leaned both hands on the counter. "Well I’m sorry that I’m not a prepubescent girl, Gelica—maybe then you’d—"

"Prepubescent?!" She touched her chest in shock. "To think the day would come when I would suffer such slander... George, call a medic! But not for me..."

"Hey, guys..." George finally stepped in, albeit meekly. "Come on... If you fight like that, you’re gonna make Towa upset."

"Well, Towa’s not here."

"Oh, yeah?" George whipped out his ARCUS. A distorted squeaky voice shouted as firmly as she could,

"No fighting!!"

Angelica and Crow froze on the spot.

"I can hear you from my window, you know!" Sure enough, Towa was leaning out her open window up on the second floor of the student union building. Rean couldn’t see her face very well from here, but she exaggeratedly shook her fist at them like an old man telling the kids to get off his lawn, which almost made Rean laugh. "I can't believe you guys have to make everything about you—can't you just welcome Rean like good seniors? I'm so embarrassed—you're setting a bad example!" Crow actually looked away, and Angelica folded her arms thoughtfully, her eyes closed.

"You're right, my sweet angel. I'm sorry for getting carried away." She turned over her shoulder and gave Rean an expression he hadn't seen her make before—her brows were sloped down in an almost self-deprecating sadness, like when Elliot would over-apologize for things that weren't his fault. "I'm sorry, Rean—I invited you to hang out with us and then made it an awkward family BBQ with Mom and Dad fighting." Rean almost laughed at that odd metaphor. "Lemme start over." She walked over and put her hands on Rean's shoulders. She composed herself for a second, and her usual laid-back yet confident smile returned. "Thanks for coming by, Rean—we're happy to have you." She gave his shoulders a friendly squeeze, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. "Our group may be a little 'unconventional', but you're welcome to hang with us anytime." She clapped his shoulders. "All right, enough sappy stuff. Let's get cookin', George! Fire up that grill!"

"You got it, Angie." George looked relieved, and his easy smile returned. "You're coming down, right Towa?" He was talking into his ARCUS while he circled back behind the garage counter.

"I'm just wrapping up here!" Rean looked up, and she was closing the window. "I'll be down in about ten minutes, so start on someone else's omelet first!"

Rean stepped forward. "Hey, Towa? Do you need a hand with anything?" George held out the ARCUS across the counter so he could talk into it more easily. "I wanted to give you a progress report anyway, so I'll head up there, okay?"

"Oh Rean, you don't have to do that!"

"It's okay—I think I need some fresh air." He didn't mean for that to sound passive-aggressive—but he did feel like he was caught in the middle of an "awkward family BBQ" there for a minute. He appreciated Angelica's apology, and he felt like she was being genuine—but Crow notably hadn't said anything at all. Maybe he was just too stubborn to admit when he was wrong... That wasn't a very good quality for a would-be "mentor"—and what was with the whole "taking Rean under his wing" thing, did he just decide that on a whim?

"I'll go with you." Angelica sounded like she was back to her usual self. "I haven't seen Towa all day—I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms~<3" Haah... back to normal, indeed... "You boys make yourselves useful and start chopping veggies." She crossed her arms, staring at Crow. He pointedly wasn't looking at her, just taking items out of the bag one at a time, like he was really purposefully trying to drag it out. "Crow? Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

He shrugged, not looking up. "No? You're the one who started making a scene, saying I'm not cool and handsome and all that—that really hurts my feelings, you know."

"Crow." Angelica tapped her foot just once, looking so done. "You wanna take one of our cute little first-years under your wing, but you're not man enough to step up and apologize when you're in the wrong?"

Crow set down a head of cabbage. "Haah." He spread his hands on the counter, leaning heavily over it. His eyes flicked up to Angelica in a brief but pointed glare, then his expression totally softened when he turned his gaze on Rean. He was actually surprised—both of them had shown him expressions he wasn’t expecting—Rean noticed for the first time that Crow's eyes were naturally downturned, and with his brows sloped down like that in an apologetic look, he almost looked like one of those manipulative fliers of the sad puppies in the shelter waiting to be adopted. "Sorry there, Rean—guess I don't know when to quit while I'm ahead." Rean wasn't expecting such a guilty look from him, and he almost wanted to blurt out, "It's okay, don't worry about it—" "Haah—that's just me and Gelica's sense of humor, but I guess it's pretty abrasive if you're not used to it, huh? Sorry for making the vibe awkward around here." He closed his eyes, looking a little more composed. "Don't let me color your perspective of these guys—Towa, Gelica, and George are all real ones." He gave a casual smile, though Rean couldn't help but feel that he looked a bit tired. It seemed like he was actually being serious, for once...

Angelica snorted. "Listen to this guy." She put a hand on Rean's back, turning to leave. "Don't fall for it, Rean—he's just throwing a pity party so you'll feel bad and agree to be his little duckling."

"That ain't it at all!" Crow exaggeratedly shook his fist, just like Towa. "Geez! I'm genuinely tryna apologize over here—it's not easy for a perfect guy like me who's never wrong!"

"Whoa, call the Imperial Chronicle—we got a major case of libel on our hands! Perjury and propaganda!"

"That doesn't even make sense, Gelica—those are three different things, ya know!"

"Yeah, you'd know, you slippery eel!"

Rean couldn't help but laugh to himself, shaking his head. Towa was right on the money—they really did just squabble like siblings, or perhaps like cats and dogs. "Geez... I dunno George, what do you think I should do?"

"Me?" George looked a bit surprised that Rean acknowledged him—it was probably his usual MO to quietly fade into the background while Mom and Dad got it out of their system. "Um... well, I think you should just do what you want." He laughed a bit awkwardly, pouring some fresh oil into the pan. Angelica and Crow were still both trying to have the last word, so it felt like Rean and George were having their own conversation on the side. "But... if you're asking me, it'd be nice to have you around." George gave him a relaxed smile. "Like I said, you'd be welcome anytime—but I'd also understand if you turned around and walked right out again if these two are going at it."

Rean actually laughed. "I'll keep that in mind..."

"You're being so weird, Crow." Angelica put her hand on Rean's back again, steering him towards the open gate. "What, did you have a bump before lunch?"

"How dare you. I can't believe you'd accuse me of having a good time and enjoying life while I'm still young."

"Ugh." Angelica rolled her eyes heavily. "Let's go, Rean." She whipped over her shoulder again. "And you better not chop those vegetables all crappy on purpose so we have to redo it!" She pointed at both her eyes, then turned her fingers to point at Crow. Her message was clear.

"Hrm..." Crow grumbled under his breath, pulling the head of cabbage in front of him and making a steady chop all the way through.

As they were leaving, Rean heard George laugh lightly and say, "Thanks for doing that, Crow." And he thought he heard Crow mumble something like, "No problem, buddy—thanks for cooking," but he wasn't sure.

"Aidios’ sweet rack. Those boys." Angelica shook her head, leading Rean towards the student building. He felt like he took psychic damage from that blasphemous expression. "Well—not George so much, I can't really get mad at him for snitching to Towa." She smirked down at him. "He was probably just calling her down for lunch and she heard our loud-ass voices through the ARCUS."

Rean laughed a bit. "You might be right..." He felt like the mood had whipped around so much in the last few minutes, that now that it was just him and Angelica, he wasn't sure what else to say. He realized that he actually knew her mostly by reputation, and had only talked to her the one time before...

"Hey, Rean." She gave him a casual smile. "Thanks for helping Towa out—I can tell you're a good kid. You don't have to worry about the student council taking advantage of your time—she'll act as a good buffer. Hmph." She flipped her short hair off her ear. "Although I wish they wouldn't push so much onto her in the first place—but, I guess she's in the zone when she's working hard. It gives her energy, you know?"

"I think I know what you mean—Towa said something like that, too."

"Hah—we all have our special thing that gets us going—for me it's my bike, George likes tinkering with his machines—and Crow likes gambling and losing all his money like a fool."

Rean laughed awkwardly. "You and Crow don't really secretly hate each other, right?"

"Nah." She put her hand on Rean's shoulder. He noticed that both her and Crow were pretty touchy-feely... it just wasn't something he was used to. "Well—to be honest with you, when we first met last year we really didn't get along." She smirked down at him. "But he's come a long way. I know that guy has his heart in the right place—it's just wrapped up in a few layers of bullsh*t and sarcasm." Rean actually laughed.

"I'll take your word for it..." Maybe that was it. Angelica probably picked up on the same weird mixed vibes when she first met Crow—well, maybe it wasn't exactly the same, since she said he had "come a long way" since last year—now he was really curious what that meant.

"But hey—" She leaned down and slowed their pace before they entered the student union building. "Between you and me—just keep on your toes with that guy, okay?" She talked low by his ear. "I don't know why he's so keen on you all the sudden—just keep your wits about you and don't fall for his charms. All right?" She clapped his shoulder and pulled away. "Haha—though once you get a feel for Crow's smooth-talker BS, it's actually pretty fun to keep one step ahead of him and watch him get all butthurt." Wow—he said he believed they were really friends earlier, but hearing that almost made him feel bad for Crow... Now he really wanted to ask—he just couldn’t bring himself to breach the subject. Even with just the two of them, being outside and at school made him clam up...

"Well... I don't think I'm as quick on my feet with comebacks as you are, but I'll keep that in mind..."

"Attaboy." She clapped his back. They did have kind of similar mannerisms, didn't they—Rean couldn't help but wonder who started what first. "All right—that's all I wanted to say, let's go rescue the princess from her lonely tower~<3"

"Haha..." Well... at least Angelica sort of acknowledged it, in not so many words. The specific phrasing of "don’t fall for his charms" gave Rean pause... He really hoped whatever the deal was would just become obvious so he could stop second-guessing. But at least Angelica was someone Rean could consider in his corner...

He couldn't help but stare at the closed door next to the student council room as they passed—he could sense that someone was behind it, and that weird energy from his hallucinatory psychic reading was still there—that's what he decided he'd chalk it up as, just a parlor trick that seemed oddly specific in hindsight. Yeah... just a coincidence.

Angelica knocked on the door at the end of the hall. "Towa, it's us!"

"Come on in!"

Angelica opened the door for Rean. "Oh, thank you." He stepped through, then realized Angelica was so smooth and gentlemanly, he did it without even thinking.

"There's my girl!" Angelica strutted over to Towa behind her desk, wrapping her up in a big hug. "Ooh! I feel like I'm being healed~"

"—Angie!" Towa closed one eye as Angelica rubbed their cheeks together. "Hey, I'm still working! You're embarrassing me, stooop—"

"Oh, all right." Angelica pulled back, fixing Towa's hair on one side. "Oh no! You're all static-y!" Sure enough, some fine hairs were standing up on the side of Towa's head. "I didn't shock you, did I?"

"No—" Towa desperately pawed her hair down, but that just made it more static-y. "Ooh, Angie—don't undermine my professionalism in front of my associates!"

Rean laughed. "Sorry, Towa—I don't mean to laugh." He shifted his weight to one foot, his hand at his hip. "Don't worry about it—I've seen how hard you work, I don't think Aidios herself could undermine your professionalism."

"Tee-hee. You really think so?" Towa had mostly got her hair under control, although it looked a smidge flatter on one side since she was smoothing it down so much. "Well, I appreciate that, Rean." She sat up straight, in a satisfied and dignified pose. "I'm glad someone around here takes me seriously."

"Ah, Towa, you wound me!" Angelica sat on the edge of her desk, throwing her head back with her arm over her eyes quite dramatically. "I take you seriously every day! So seriously, it hurts..."

"Oh, Angie..." Towa sounded like she'd seen this song and dance a million times before. She gave Rean a sympathetic look. "I hope those two haven't scared you off with their antics... Me and George are normal, I promise..."

Rean chuckled. "No, don't worry about that, Towa. If things get a little too weird, I know I can always sit at the adult's table with you and George."

"Haha—see Rean, you can dish it too!" Angelica actually sounded proud of him—hoo that was good, Rean took a bit of a gamble there on that sassy response, he hoped she would get it. "I think you'll get along with us juuust fine." She nodded to herself, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

Towa clasped her hands on the desk, her eyes shining. "So, how did it feel to finish your first job?"

Rean smiled. "Well, George was a good first client. I got to visit two places in Trista I probably wouldn’t have set foot in otherwise, so—"

XXX

XXX

Crow was chopping the cabbage into little strips, and he could just feel that George was dying to say something. "Haah. All right, just spit it out. What are you thinking over there, buddy?"

George laughed awkwardly behind him. "I think Rean's a good kid... just don't be a bad influence on him, okay?"

"What are you talkin' about?" Crow smirked, pushing the strips of cabbage aside with his knife. "I'm as pure as the cloth covering Aidios’ sweet tit*."

"... I'm shocked you haven't been struck by lightning saying things like that."

"Yeah, well—" Crow set the half-cabbage down flat. "I know I'm goin' to hell anyway, might as well have fun on my way down." His knife "thocked" in one smooth chop.

He heard George sigh from behind him after a second. "Well... if that’s really what you think, just don’t drag any first years who don't know any better down with you."

Crow cut down the strips in half sideways. "You don’t know people as well as I do, George—trust me, straight-laced kids like that all have an inner freak just dying to get out. I'm practically doing a public service by helpin’ ‘em!"

"Now you're really pushing it. That's the worst excuse I've heard you make yet." Crow laughed, handing George the cutting board full of finely-cut cabbage. "Oh, thanks."

"No problem, bud." Crow rolled his eyes. "Think those are good enough for Gelica?"

George lifted a limp strip of one of the outer leaves. "... Actually, some of these are a little long—better give 'em another pass." He handed Crow back the cutting board. "Thanks."

"Haah... these picky vegetarians." Crow got to work cutting down the strips that looked "a little long"—again. "Anyway—I'm just f*ckin' around. I didn't say I'd take the kid under my wing for anything nefarious—I just get the feeling he's a total doormat who can't say 'no' to people. So the guy can use some advice from a professional bullsh*tter on how to spot the bullsh*tters." The knife made a satisfying "crunch" through a thick white stem. "Know what I mean?"

"... I guess." He could hear the oil sizzle as George dropped some minced garlic in the pan, by the smell of it. "... Is that really the only reason, though?"

Crow grinned. "What other reason could there be? What are you asking, George?"

"Come on... do I really have to say it?"

"Say what? I'm in the weeds over here, pal—what are you talking about?" Crow couldn't hide his grin. Sometimes it was fun to tease George a little—the guy was just too wholesome for his own good.

George pushed the garlic around with a bendy rubber spatula. "Well... maybe you'll actually calm down a little with a good kid like Rean."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

George finally looked up at him, like a tired dad trying to get his hyperactive kid to come down off the monkey bars. "Well, Rean's the one you called 'dibs' on, right?"

"Hey now—I told you I was just f*ckin' around, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Crow set the knife on the edge of the cutting board. "Come on—you guys still aren't lettin’ that go?"

"Well... why else would you push the 'take you under my wing' angle so hard?" The garlic started browning and crackling in the pan. "I know you, Crow—I've never seen you go out of your way for someone you just met like that—not since Edel bruised your ego last year."

"Hey—" Crow leaned back against the counter. "My ego wasn't bruised, okay—actually, she let me down easier than the others! All she said was, 'I'm flattered, but I'll have to decline, I'm sorry.'"

George chuckled. "See, that's my point. You complained, but you just let it go—and I haven't seen you bother to pursue anyone since then."

"Well yeah, man—what's the point? Gelica just swoops in and steals all the girls, anyway! Haah." After that quasi-hookup that ended so weirdly with what’s-his-nuts, Crow wasn’t exactly willing to roll the dice on any other dudes around here, either. Don't sh*t where you eat... "I keep tellin' ya—before you guys got to the top of that hill, Gelica was bein' her usual self and called 'dibs' on all the girls—all of 'em—so I was just bein' a smartass and picked out the most effeminate guy and said, 'Well, I call dibs on that one.' It was just a joke, geez!"

"Well... if you were just trying to make a joke, why didn't you pick Elliot?" George poured some soy sauce over the garlic with a sizzle. "He's small and cute and looks the most like a girl—uh, no offense to him... That would've just made the most sense." The pungent soy sauce simmered in the pan.

"Haah... because Elliot's not my type, okay?" George chuckled. "Fine—you got me. Rean's a cute kid—so what? I'm not blind." He leaned back against the counter, pointing the toe of his boot into the ground. "You really wanna know why I said I'd take Rean under my wing? 'Cause contrary to popular belief, I don't actually like to see people who mean well get taken advantage of." George looked up at him again, and his smirk was gone. "Towa was like that last year before we got her to stand up for herself—and she still has a hard time saying 'no'." He shrugged. "I just don't like seeing it, that's all. So I figured hey—who better to teach how to spot a scumbag than a scumbag?" George actually laughed. "You know what I mean? Prepare the kid for the real world, and all that?"

"Well, I guess you've got a point, there. The Intelligence Division sometimes contracts hackers to help catch other hackers, and so on."

"See? Exactly what I'm talkin' about." Crow snickered. "So, are you gonna keep busting my balls about it?" He rolled his eyes. "Do I have your permission to show a first-year the ropes, Dad?"

George chuckled. "I don't know why you're asking me."

Crow clasped his hands together. "Can I keep him, pleeeaase?"

"Geez—if you keep acting like that, you're just gonna weird him out and scare him away, anyway."

"Haha—hey, I may have struck out once or twice, but I haven't scared anyone away, yet. That's Gelica's problem, not mine."

"Hey... play nice, please."

Crow snickered, turning back to the cabbage strips. "Well, that's all I have to say about that." He grabbed the knife, and went at it chopping again. "I plead my case—guess I don't really have a better explanation for it than that. The kid just kinda grew on me—I couldn't tell you why." He enjoyed the satisfying motion of rolling the knife over a bunch of strips at once.

George was quiet for a second. "... I guess I can understand that. Rean's a good kid, he’s kind of grown on me too." He sighed. "Which is why I'm saying—if you're just gonna go back to your old ways of going through people like tissues, I'm gonna have to insist you just leave him alone."

"What, me?" Crow put on his best angelic smile, even though George couldn't see him. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Crow... I'm being serious, here."

Crow put the knife down for what he hoped would be the last time. "Yeah, I am, too. You guys are all so jazzed about Rean, you'd probably flay me alive if I f*cked it up." He heard George laugh lightly. "How do these look?" He held out the cutting board, and George inspected his handiwork.

"... I think these'll be good enough."

"Yeah, right on! See, I can do something right!"

George sighed. "Just don't push it, Crow. Please?" He dropped the cabbage into the simmering soy sauce. "I think it'll be good to have some new blood around here, for once. And I like Rean."

"Yeah? Well don't get any funny ideas, bucko—I already called dibs." George just laughed.

OOO

OOO

Rean sank his fork into the omelet, watching the gooey cheese separate. He speared a tomato and mushroom together, trying to get everything balanced in one bite. He noticed George watching for his reaction, which he could understand—he just wished Crow would keep his eyes on his own plate. He almost wished Angelica hadn't given him that "advice" earlier—or at least waited until after they were all going to sit down and eat together. He was too conscious of Crow now, he felt like he couldn't relax.

Rean willed himself to just focus on his plate, watching as a comforting steam billowed from the cut of his omelet—the simmered tomato did look flavorful, and the mushrooms had a nice glaze—George said he used brown butter. George still prepared all the toppings, and Rean took notes in the cookbook along the way—but he at least got to practice flipping his own omelet. He didn't exactly make it perfectly in the pan—but he was able to scrape the side hanging on the edge back in quickly enough. The others were all watching and cheering him on, so despite trying to clear his mind and concentrate, he still managed to "whiff it".

Rean took a bite—the mushrooms had a sweet earthiness, and the tomato was so flavorful it made his mouth water. The sharp cheese reminded him of his meatball sub from Kirsche's, and the eggs were nice and fluffy. "—it turned out really good!"

"Whew." George looked genuinely relieved. "I experimented a little with the mushrooms, since I'm not a huge fan of them myself—I'm glad it turned out well."

"I'll say." Angelica had asked for some mushrooms on the side. "They're almost sweet, like a summer squash!" She hummed as she took another forkful. "Sweet and earthy—just like my dear Towa!"

Towa sighed. "Angie, honestly... The mushrooms did turn out really good though, George!" Towa was sitting next to him, and she was cutting into her omelet with a knife. "I'm glad you convinced me into adding the cabbage—it gives it a nice crunch!"

"Oh, right." Rean speared a forkful of cabbage he asked for on the side. "I'm curious about this—it almost reminds me of cucumber salad from back home." He took a bite—"Oh, it's savory! Is that garlic?"

"Yeah—Angie's always pushing me to eat more veggies, so I finally found a way to cook cabbage and greens in a way I like. It's mostly just garlic, oil, and soy sauce."

"I see—for some reason I was expecting it to be sweet." He took another bite, and it was pretty tasty, now that he knew what to expect. "Back home, we would cut the cucumber extremely thin, press out all the water, then let it soak in a sweet soy sauce mix with some sesame seeds on top."

"Yeah? That kinda thing common where you're from, Rean?" Crow was sitting next to Angelica, but he was still technically next to him, as Rean was on the smaller end of the table by himself. "Sounds more like an Eastern side dish."

"That's right, it is. Ymir has a lot of cultural imports from the East—my Dad told me it started because Master would bring back so many souvenirs and snacks, the locals just got addicted."

Crow raised an eyebrow. "'Master'?"

"Yes—Master Yun Ka-fai, he taught me pretty much everything I know about swordsmanship. He's the progenitor of the Eight Leaves One Blade style that I use." Rean didn't have his sword on him, regrettably, since he was just running errands today. "He travels around a lot, so I don't get to see him that often. But he still sends me letters to keep track of my progress." Whoops—Rean realized he had gone all "sword nerd" and rambled a bit.

"Wow. I see." Crow sighed. "Geez Rean—you scared me there for a second."

"Oh, come on." Angelica punched his arm—hopefully lightly. "You've heard me call the woman who trained me 'Master'—you knew exactly what he meant by that. Just grow up."

Crow snickered. "Is that what you meant? I thought you were just telling us about your kin—"

"Ahem!" Towa coughed loudly. "No fighting at the table!"

"Aw c'mon, Towa—we're not fightin'. Right, George?"

George was cutting into his huge omelet with a knife. "No inappropriate conversations at the table."

"Aw, man!"

Even Angelica scoffed at that. "Well, that's lame. Rean's not a little kid, he can handle it." She winked at him.

"Um..." Rean decided to just change the subject. "Actually, Angelica—I was curious what style you trained in? You’re a hand-to-hand practitioner?"

"You got it!" She demonstratively flexed her bicep, curling her fingers around her arm. "I learned Taito from a traveling martial artist, but I started incorporating my own moves into it."

"I see..." Rean wasn't overly-familiar, but he had heard that the Taito school was all but disbanded after the previous Master's passing. "I don't think anyone in Class VII has martial arts training—even my Eighth Form unarmed stance is just meant to be a last resort."

"Hah—well, if you ever want to see my moves up close and personal, I'll be happy to show ya."

Rean reached for his drink. "That would be interesting, thank you."

"Hey Rean—just make sure she's punching a training dummy or some other unlucky sucker, and not you."

Rean laughed. "I'll keep that in mind." He speared both a mushroom and a tomato as he forked another chunk off his omelet. The cheese was really stretchy, too...

"How's the cheese?" Crow was cutting his omelet into little bites before eating it, like a picky kid.

"The cheese is good—I was just thinking that it's nice and stretchy, and it goes well with the tomatoes."

Crow grinned. "Good."

Angelica reached her fork over Crow's plate. "Lemme try some of that."

"Hey, hands off, lady!" Crow swatted her hand away. "I asked if anyone else wanted the salmon, and you guys said no. Ya snooze ya lose!"

Rean was looking at Crow's plate now, too. "I wouldn't have thought of putting salmon in an omelet—although I've had 'lox' on a bagel for breakfast, is that what it's called?"

"Yeah—lox is cured salmon. This one's just been cooked through like normal." He turned his plate towards Rean. "Wanna try some?"

"Hmph! Well that wasn't predictable."

Crow smiled. "I don't want your germs on my sh*t, Gelica. Go ahead and try some, Rean." The blatant favoritism made him a bit uncomfortable... it was one thing to get hit by a stray comment when it was just him and George... but now it felt like every eye at the table had turned to him.

He decided to just keep the conversation moving. "What kind of salmon is it?"

"This one's a pink salmon—the kind that swims back up the river to the spot where it was born, I'm sure you've heard folk tales like that." Rean speared a chunk that Crow had helpfully already cut up. The salmon flesh was still a bit pink, and it looked flaky.

"What else did you put in it?"

"Just some herbs—mostly dill. With a fatty salmon like this, I like to let the flavor speak for itself." Rean took a bite.

"—you're right, it doesn't need anything else." The salmon practically melted in his mouth, and it was even juicier than Kirsche's meatballs. "The salmon must be so fatty this time of year since they're getting ready to spawn, that's probably why the meat's so flavorful."

Crow snickered. "Well geez—I was being good and avoiding inappropriate talk at the table, but there you go talking about ‘spawning’." Rean could feel his cheeks get a little warm. "I can't believe it, Rean—I’m rubbing off on you already."

"—I didn't say anything weird! It's just a fact of nature!"

Crow took a bite of his omelet, almost too casually. "You're right—nothin’ weird about it."

Rean saw George give Crow a look like a disappointed dad, like he was internally shaking his head. Great—so they said something while he and Angelica were gone. Well... whatever. Rean felt pretty confident saying that George was the reasonable one of the group, like Towa—so he was hoping that whatever their private conversation consisted of, George's contribution was something along the lines of, "Crow, whatever you're thinking... Can you just not?" It almost made him laugh to picture it—poor George probably had to put up with a lot of awkward conversations.

"What's so funny, Rean? Care to share?" Crow had a deceptively laid-back grin on his face.

Rean pointedly speared another hunk of omelet. "You guys said you were like ‘Mom and Dad’ earlier—but I think Towa and George are more like the tired parents who never catch a break." He saw George start a bit while he was taking a drink—it wasn’t quite a spit-take, but it could have been.

"Hah! Then I guess that makes me the Mistress—Crow’s the only bratty kid around here."

"A mistress—how noble of you."

"So Rean! When are you planning on getting everyone together for the Principal's special task?" Towa had her hands poised in her lap, sailing right past that conversation.

"Well, I want to give everyone time to wrap up with their clubs—so probably when the sun starts setting." He reached for his drink again. "So there's more to the old schoolhouse than just the basem*nt, huh?"

"That's right." Towa looked to the side, her brows sloped. "Even we weren't able to explore it all last year... We got a few floors down, but then there was a door that was locked with some kind of sigil."

"Really?"

"Yeah—I threw everything I had at it, and George walloped it with his combat shells—but it didn't budge an inch." Angelica rolled her eyes. "Of course this guy's dinky shots were useless."

"Well, no sh*t." Crow waved a hand dismissively. "That door was obviously cursed with some freaky-deaky magic."

Rean's brows furrowed. "Magic? Not Arts?"

"That's what Instructor Sara surmised—she said it looked like something from the Dark Ages, so that's when Principal Vandyck told us to just leave it alone." George dumped some more hot sauce on his eggs. "Now that it's been a while, the floors under the old schoolhouse have moved around again."

"So they really do 'reconfigure', like a labyrinth..."

Crow shrugged. "I’m tellin’ ya, that building ain’t right. Although..." He rubbed his chin. "You guys have two people with those orbal staff things, and none of us were really strong Arts users, so who knows." He turned to Rean. "Just don’t go touching any evil-looking objects! I can’t help ya if you get turned into a worm." Rean rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn’t feel particularly inclined to touch anything down there in the first place, ‘evil’ or not." He turned his attention back on Towa. "I’ll try to round everyone up for our mission before the sun sets—why do you ask, Towa?"

She closed her eyes, an almost mischievous smile on her face. "Well, I was talking it over with George—and we want to give Class VII a little celebration for the completion of your first mission together!"

"Really?" He had to stop himself from saying, "You don't have to do that." It was a terminal habit of his... His mother always reminded him, "Instead of saying 'sorry', say 'thank you.'" "Wow—that's really kind of you guys—I hope whatever you have in mind isn't going to break the bank, or anything."

"No, not at all." She giggled into her hand. "George had the perfect suggestion—a cookout! We'll fire up the grill and have some homemade burgers under the stars, like a camping trip!"

"That does sound pretty fun—are you sure you're okay doing all that, George?"

"Hey, he's not the only one getting in on this action—" Crow flexed his arm obnoxiously, and Rean couldn't help but peep his biceps—ugh. "I'm gonna be manning the grill, too—I said I was pretty good at serving up meat." Rean predicted he was going to do it, but he was still annoyed and disappointed when Crow winked at him. Great—now he was even predicting his behavior... hmm. Angelica did say, "Once you know his pattern, it's pretty fun to stay one step ahead of him"...

Rean put his fork down. "I just became a vegetarian."

Angelica busted out laughing. "Haha! Well look at that—he's already sassing ya back!" Angelica gave him a thumbs-up. "Guess your little plan backfired."

Crow folded his arms with a content smile. "Au contraire, Gelica—I've never been more proud." Ugh... well Rean's plan backfired on him. "Stick with me, kid—you'll reach heights of smartassery no man ever thought possible."

"I think I'll pass..."

Towa giggled into her hand. "Then it’s decided! Keep the details a surprise, but let everyone know to look forward to dinner after you’re done exploring the old schoolhouse!" She pumped her fists. "I can't wait! Oh—do you know if anyone from Class VII has any dietary restrictions or allergies? Is anyone vegetarian or pescetarian?"

"Oh... I don't know, actually." Rean rubbed his chin. "I have no idea, to be honest with you—I could ask everyone."

"Yes, please do!"

Rean noticed that Crow and Angelica were having their own conversation on the side. "Look—I cut it up so you could have your own little bite, okay? Don't just shove your fork in my plate like a damn caveman!"

"Haha, what's a bite between bros? You just don’t want to look bad in front of Rean—"

"You just want to make me look bad—"

They kept squabbling back and forth, and Towa just sighed. "Well, Rean—I'll get everything ready for tonight, so don't worry about a thing! If you could drop off a list of any allergies at the garage before you head to the schoolhouse, I'd appreciate it!"

"Thanks, Towa—" He felt his brows slope down in a guilty expression. "I appreciate you guys doing all this—you’re sure it isn’t too much work?"

"Not at all! It's our job as seniors to welcome our juniors, and set a good example. Ahem!" She cleared her throat loudly. "Isn't that right?"

"... Yes, ma'am."

"Of course, darling~"

Towa beamed. "Good! Then we're all in agreement."

OOO

It was nice for Rean to go around seeing everyone in their element—Gaius had blocked out a lot of green at the bottom of his canvas, dotting in some simple brown shapes—but he still wanted to keep it to himself what it was supposed to be. Elliot hadn’t gone back to the music room, so he’d just have to keep an eye out for him. At least he already let him know about the old schoolhouse.

Rean spotted an amusing sight down on the field—it looked like Patrick was desperately trying to talk to Jusis, but he was being completely blown off. Jusis was brushing his horse, and at one point he just hopped on and rode away, even without a saddle. Rean almost felt bad for Patrick—but clearly he was just trying to network and schmooze, so he didn't feel all that bad. Rean couldn't help but notice that Jusis cut a rather dashing noble figure flying across the field, his hair blowing back—but he decided to put that thought out of his mind. Alisa was down at the other end of the field with the girls' lacrosse team, but after that awkward interaction last night, he thought it best to just leave her alone.

He made his way to the gym, but couldn't spot Laura at first—then he noticed a girl with a rather bulbous swim cap. As he walked up to her, he could tell by the color of her eyes it was definitely Laura. "Hey, Laura."

"Oh, Rean." It looked like she was having a hard time keeping her hair contained in the cap. "What brings you here?"

"I'm just going around letting everybody know about our first mission as a class—the Principal wants us to investigate the old schoolhouse again."

"Is that so?" She was tucking her hair in behind her ear. "I do hope another fantastical creature isn't waiting for us down there—" She smiled easily. "Although I have every confidence that we can handle it as a class, together."

Rean smiled. "That's what I think, too." He couldn't help but notice blue bits popping out of the swim cap. "I don't suppose those come in bigger sizes?"

Laura sighed. "To be honest, when I would swim in the lake back home, I'd always leave my hair down, or sometimes braid it." She smiled to herself at the memory. "I rather enjoyed the feeling of the water running through my hair as I swam, even if it wasn't optimal for speed." She laughed softly, looking a bit embarrassed. "When I was a little girl, I even liked to imagine that I was a mermaid."

"That sounds really cute—you must have a lot of precious memories of swimming in the lake."

"Indeed, I do."

Rean rubbed his chin. "Why don't you just do what makes you happy then, and swim with your hair down?" Laura's eyes got a bit wide. "Your goal is to become a stronger swimmer, right? Think of your hair as training weights." He scratched his cheek. "Maybe that's easy for me to say, since I'm not in a club and I've never been all that competitive—but isn't it better to have fun and do what you love?"

Laura closed her eyes, a contented smile on her face. "You're absolutely right, Rean. And with how unwieldy this swim cap is, it's not like I'm doing myself any favors, anyway." She peeled off the cap, and her incredibly long hair came spilling out. "Five years from now, I may not remember my best time—but I will remember the feeling of swimming with the water rushing through my hair."

"That's the spirit! You can still strive for your personal best time, even with the 'extra challenge'." Rean realized that she didn't have her hair in the usual ponytail under the cap, and it was the first time he had seen it down. "Wow, Laura—you look different with your hair down. It almost makes you look more mature."

She looked to the side. "Is that so?" Oops—he just meant it as a neutral compliment, he didn't mean to make her embarrassed.

"Right—oh, do you have any food allergies, or dietary restrictions?"

"Allergies?" She seemed to recover just fine. "Not that I'm aware of, no. Why do you ask?"

"Well, there will be a little dinner provided after we're done investigating the old schoolhouse." He didn't want to hype it up too much, so that's what he had said to Gaius. "They just want to make sure to cook things on different surfaces, and that everyone will get something they can eat."

"Well, that's very kind of these mysterious hosts of ours." Laura smiled gently. "I'll be sure to work up an appetite in combat." Rean almost said, "Please, do!" in response, but he thought that might sound a little weird.

"I'll probably be there with you—I can get pretty hungry after training." He turned to leave. "I'll see you later then, Laura—we'll all meet in front of the old schoolhouse at sunset."

"I'll be there." Laura ran her fingers through her hair, like the mermaid from the storybook combing her hair with a fork. Laura really was effortlessly beautiful, and easy to get along with—not to mention determined with a quiet confidence, and the strength to back it up. Rean had a bit of a cynical thought before he could help himself... If he ever decided to marry out of obligation and continue the Schwarzer name, he could probably stomach it with someone like Laura. Loveless marriages for the sake of convenience or consolidating land and power were unfortunately common among the nobility... That was when he started growing distant from his family—he had just accepted that as his reality, and the default fate he had to follow. Whether he wanted to or not, whether it made him happy or not—he just couldn't take the idea of sleepwalking through his own life, stringing some poor woman along whom he'd never truly love—in a way, he almost started to resent his parents and the fact that he was adopted into a noble family, even though that wasn't fair at all. It's not like they were forcing anything on him against his wishes, he didn't even tell them how he felt in the first place. He was just afraid to—so he ran away. Ran away to Thors, hoping he could find some answers here... about that, and "that", and many other things. He just hoped being away from his family wouldn't make him feel more lost... Just because he didn't want the plan he felt was laid out for him, didn't mean he wanted his home and place to come back to to disappear. "Rean?"

"What? Oh—sorry, I was just thinking." He laughed awkwardly. [Author's Note: In my first playthrough, I decided if I was going to pick one of the girls, it would have been Laura. But then this weird stoner started being sus with me XD] Laura had, perhaps subconsciously, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and it was almost covering her like a shawl. Ugh... he hoped he hadn't been staring while he was spacing out, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. That would be something he'd have to keep in mind... if the girls didn't know he wasn't interested in girls, he'd have to be careful about the compliments and where he looked while talking to them—he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. "Well anyway, Laura—I'll see you later this evening."

"Take care, Rean." Well—if she was bothered, she didn't show it.

Rean somewhat-quickly exited the gym. He almost bumped into Patrick on his way out—great, he was probably heading back to the fencing club. "—Schwarzer. If you'll excuse me." Wow, that was it—Patrick just booked it to the fencing room without a scoff or sneer to be heard... he probably just got his ego bruised because Jusis couldn't care less about his existence. Well, since Patrick wasn't down at the field anymore, now would be as good a time as any to try to talk to Jusis. "Try" being the operative word.

Now that it was past noon, the surprising warmth of the day was in full force. Rean's stomach was full, so he was feeling nice and relaxed—he was glad he already had at least one lighter casual outfit, but he'd have to stop by Le Sage for more clothes—he couldn't just keep wearing the same white long-sleeved shirt every free day.

He spotted Jusis trotting back towards the stable, and Lambert rode up alongside him on Whitcomb. "Haha! I never took you for a bareback rider, Jusis!" Oh dear—no no, Rean was not going to pick that low-hanging fruit like a certain someone would. Ugh.

"Hmph. Desperate times call for desperate measures." Jusis smoothly hopped off the horse, going into the stable to fetch a proper saddle.

"I daresay I admire that young Hyarms boy's spirit!" Lambert was certainly one of the more approachable nobles—actually, the same could be said about Edel and Fidelio, and Kenneth—Rean could only tell they were nobles because of their white jackets.

"'Spirit'? Is that what you call it?" Jusis sounded thoroughly unamused. "Elbow-rubbing and sycophantic sucking-up—I can't stand nobles who 'play the game'." He was muttering angrily to himself. "They're just like my father—viewing people like chess pieces on a board to be strategically played..." Wow—it sounded like Jusis had a complicated family situation... so even one of the most powerful families wasn't immune to the trappings of the nobility. "And what have you come here to do, Rean? Hoping to foster future relations between Kreuzen and Ymir?"

"What? No—I just wanted to talk to you. I have something to tell you about our class mission." Rean realized he just answered automatically, and the implications of what Jusis just said sailed right over his head. "So... you know already? About me?"

Jusis affixed the saddle to the horse's back. "It's my job to know." He tightened the girth around the horse's abdomen, but not too tight. "I prefer to know whose dagger may come for my back someday."

"Jusis... I won't pretend to know what your situation is like, but I'm sorry you have to be so mistrustful of people." Jusis straightened up with a glare. "Um... but while you're here, I hope you can just be normal friends with us... I mean, we're not our parents."

Jusis let out a tired sigh. "What was this 'mission' you mentioned?"

"Oh, that—" Rean straightened his stance. "Principal Vandyck wants us to further investigate the old schoolhouse. Apparently there may be some supernatural phenomenon at play—the schoolhouse's basem*nt has rearranged itself since the last time we visited."

Jusis' eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'rearranged'?"

"Well... I couldn't tell you much more than that—" For some reason, the only thing that popped into his mind was, "—but our seniors who investigated it last year said it was some freaky-deaky magic."

Jusis stared for a second. Then, he snorted. "Is that so... 'freaky-deaky magic'..." He stroked the horse's neck while he chuckled to himself. "Very well. I shall accompany you to observe these supernatural phenomena for myself." His intense gaze leveled at Rean again. "However! Should we require moving in smaller groups to cover more ground, I REFUSE to be paired up with that hypocritical proselytizer Regnitz." Haah... well, he had seen that coming.

"Well, that's not a headache I particularly want to deal with, either."

"Hmph. If you all find it such a 'headache', then you should knock some sense into that oaf and tell him to leave me be."

"Oh, stop it, Jusis—you're not exactly an innocent victim here—you obviously enjoy provoking him." Jusis was glaring. "And don't get mad at me—it's just the truth. You both need to just stop acting like children. I don't care if you become best friends—but don't let your little squabbles become a burden on the rest of us." He kind of regretted saying all that—but the look on Jusis' face suggested that maybe it was just what he needed to hear.

"... I see." His eyes were closed, and he was absently stroking down the horse's long nose. "And when are we meant to convene for this mission?"

"At sunset, in front of the old schoolhouse. Oh—dinner will be provided afterwards. Just a small get-together." He wanted to especially temper Jusis' expectations—who knew what kind of lavish meals he was used to. "Do you have any allergies or dietary restrictions?"

"No." Jusis affixed the bridle to the horse's head without a bit. He gave the horse's thick neck a pat, then circled around to mount up. "I will be there at the schoolhouse right at sunset, though I can’t guarantee I’ll want to stay for this dinner."

"I see..." Rean wanted to head off any potential drama at the pass, so he might as well say it now—Jusis wasn't present when Machias asked everyone that awkward question, so he didn't know that Rean was passively hiding it. "Jusis? If you don't mind... could you avoid mentioning that I'm a noble to anyone?" Jusis' eyes predictably narrowed. "Please."

"Why on earth would you want to conceal such a thing?"

"Well..." He clutched his arm. "My family situation is... complicated."

Jusis gave a deep sigh. "Very well. I suppose it isn't any of my business." He placed his foot in the stirrup and mounted up smoothly. "I'll avoid mentioning it. However—" He addressed Rean from atop the horse. "As those fortunate enough to be born into privilege, it is our moral obligation to guide, provide for, and act in the best interests of the common people. Such is noblesse oblige." Jusis took the horse's reins. "Are we in agreement?"

Rean sighed. "Do such obligations exist for someone who has no intention of taking over the title? Or continuing the bloodline?" For a silent second, Rean could see in Jusis' eyes a hint of mutual understanding. He knew he pretty much just outed himself there, but—for some reason he just really wanted Jusis to understand.

Jusis turned away, poising himself to start the trot. "Yes. I believe 'nobility' comes from one's character and convictions. The title is just secondary." He gently tugged the reins. "Trot on." The horse started off at a steady gait. Rean was glad Jusis didn't use a bit or spurs for his horses—he personally found them unnecessarily cruel, and preferred to aid his own horse with vocal commands and pats. Despite his crappy attitude, Jusis obviously wasn't a bad person—and Rean was starting to get a better idea of why he was like that. Maybe Jusis wasn't so different from him...

OOO

"Good afternoon Emma, Dorothee." Rean smiled as he stood in the doorway of the literature club room.

"Oh, Rean!" Emma turned around in her seat. "Thank you for joining us—please, come in!" Rean did just that, pulling out the chair next to Emma. Dorothee was flipping through the pages of a book with one hand, her other hand curled in front of her mouth, snickering softly to herself.

"Oh, my..." It didn’t seem like she even registered that Rean had come in. "Hehe..."

"Dorothee?" Emma called gently. "My classmate Rean is here!"

"—oh!" She instinctively snapped her book closed. "—I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in!" She pushed her glasses up her nose. "W-what was your name, again?"

"I’m Rean. I’m a friend of Emma’s from Class VII."

"Oh!" Emma gasped. "I’m sorry, Rean—I hope it didn’t sound cold of me to introduce you as my classmate—I should have just said you were my friend!" She had a small smile.

"That’s okay, Emma—I honestly didn’t even notice." He could tell it made her happy to call him a friend—he hoped she’d be able to say the same of everyone in Class VII before long.

Dorothee was regarding him somewhat warily. She had hunched-over sitting posture, and was looking up at him through her thin glasses. "Are you interested in joining the literature club?" Her eyes darted to her massive bookshelf and back. "If you are—I-I should warn you, it’s a special kind of literature that we read here."

"Oh, I’m not here to join the club—but I am aware of it from Emma." He tried to relax in his chair, even though he found himself getting mildly nervous. "I have no judgment towards what makes others happy. But I was curious about the origins of this club?" Dorothee’s eyes got wide behind her glasses.

"You are?" She actually sat up somewhat straighter. "I see." She held her book in front of her face, almost like a shield. "I never thought an actual boy would be interested..." She muttered it mostly to herself.

"Do you mind if I ask you girls a few questions?" Calm as the surface of the lake... He had chickened out with Angelica, but these were probably the two safest bets in the whole school besides her. He got an odd boost of confidence from indirectly outing himself to Jusis earlier—he just wanted to ride that feeling before he clammed up again. "I was just curious how you came across this genre, and why you’re so passionate about it?" He tried to sound very neutrally inquisitive, and keep his voice friendly.

Dorothee pressed her book to her chest with reverence. "Ahh—what’s not to be passionate about?" Her eyes were closed while she spoke, probably lost in her mind’s eye. "There’s nothing quite like the pure love between young men—the furtive glances, unsure if the other might feel the same—the normal masculine creed of ‘don’t show any emotions’ cast by the wayside as they’re open and honest about their feelings—it’s all just so intoxicating!" Her face was flushed, looking at no one in particular. "Haah—sorry, I got a little carried away there!"

"You don’t have to apologize." Rean was rubbing his chin. "‘Open and honest about their feelings’... I suppose that’s something we men aren’t always taught to do. Stoicism is still thought of as the ‘default’ male emotion..."

Dorothee was looking up at him with bared interest now. "Wow... the rare male perspective..."

Rean laughed. "Do you not normally consult with guys before writing your stories?"

"Well... no..." She looked down to the side. "To be honest... it’s a lot more intimidating to talk to real boys than it is to read my stories."

"I see."

"That’s something I can understand, Dorothee." Emma’s voice was soft. "I would often read by myself in my village—it's easy to get lost in a good story, I feel like I can understand what the characters are thinking..." She laughed a bit timidly. "... but I realized since coming here it’s a little more difficult for me to be an active participant in the conversation. But I’m feeling more comfortable every day!"

"That’s good to hear, Emma."

Dorothee was clutching her book to her face again, hiding all but her eyes. "Rean... if you wouldn’t mind, would you be okay being my special consultant sometimes? I want my stories to feel more accurate to the male experience—after talking to Emma, I realized that the girls will enjoy my stories no matter what—but if any boys out there are brave enough to read them, I don’t want them to be disappointed because they can’t see themselves in it..." Wow—that was surprisingly mature of her. Rean felt a little bad now for dismissing it as cornerstore trash... "I’ve decided." She set the book down on the table, her eyes closed. "I want to write a new story that speaks to the real lives of young men. I’ve indulged my fantasies plenty—I really want to challenge myself to write a compelling story with something to take away from it." Ah—Rean got the picture now. That’s why Emma was so insistent on Rean coming to the literature club—Dorothee seemed like she was really determined. But... does that mean Emma sniffed him out already, or she just thought he was the "nice one" who would probably agree to give Dorothee a hand? Gaius or Elliot probably wouldn’t have minded, honestly—but with Elliot... Rean was walking on eggshells a bit, he didn’t want to make any assumptions. If Emma had asked him to help them write gay romance stories, it probably would have just made him feel insecure, asking why they wanted his help. Well, Rean supposed he could just chalk her asking him up to her intuition, and emotional intelligence.

"Sure, I don’t mind." He shifted in his chair. "I’m not much of a writer, so I probably won’t be much good as an editor—but I can at least give you the ‘male perspective’ for how realistic things are."

"Excellent!" She clasped her hands. "I appreciate it, Rean—I can even give you a special credit as my consultant!"

"Uh... We’ll see, I might have to get back to you on that."

Emma giggled next to him. "Thank you, Rean—I think with your help, the literature club can debut a mature new work we can be proud of!"

Dorothee pushed up her glasses. "Well, I’m proud of all my works—but I’m looking forward to reaching new heights!" Dorothee made a small gesture of pumping her fists, almost like Towa. That's right—she was actually a second-year.

"I’m happy to help." He was trying to determine if they had clocked him yet, or if they thought he was just being nice... He supposed it didn’t matter, in the end. "Do you have any examples of something you want my consultation for?"

"Hmm... Well..." Dorothee got out a folder, poring over what looked like extensive notes. "The idea I had for my setting was two warring nations—I wanted the Princes of each nation to fall in love on the battlefield, thus uniting their countries and bringing about peace."

"I see." Rean rubbed his chin. "And both nations just accept that? There isn't any pushback?"

"Well—I suppose there would be a little bit, but their countries' respective rulers would be in awe of their pure love, and put aside their differences." Hmm... so by "realistic" and "reflecting the lived experience of young men", she meant "not at all." Okay, that was a little mean of him—it just seemed so convenient and wrapped up more neatly than it ever would in real life, it almost annoyed him.

"... Rean? Do you have any thoughts?" Emma seemed to pick up on his silence.

"Well..." Rean clasped his hands on the table. "If you want my perspective, I think more realistic conflict would make it more compelling. Usually things don't sail so smoothly in real life same-sex relationships—maybe the King and Queen would just outright forbid it, since they need the Prince to produce an heir—or they might start threatening to disown him or start grooming the second-eldest to be their heir instead." He tapped his thumbs together while he spoke. "Depending on how religious or conservative their kingdom is, they might even banish the Prince or worse." His brows were sloped. "Sorry—I don't mean to be a downer, that's just the first thing I thought of."

Dorothee looked like someone kicked her puppy. "Oh... well, you're not wrong about that..." Her hands were meekly curled around the edge of the table. "But that's the joy of my stories, for things to have a happy ending..."

Rean laughed uncomfortably. "I understand that, really. Hmm..." He closed his eyes, trying to compose his thoughts. "Well—what if one of the Princes’ countries is more traditional and religious, and the other Prince comes from a more progressively-minded country, where there's less of a stigma around non-traditional relationships?" He had Dorothee's full attention. "That could be the central conflict—the Princes fall in love, and the Prince from the free nation doesn't see why it should be such a big deal—but the Prince from the religious country says, 'You don't understand... I have moral obligations, and a duty to continue on my royal lineage. I can't go with you... my life isn't mine to lead.' Or something like that." Rean was inserting a bit more of himself than he intended... "Or you could have it be an internal struggle with the Prince from the religious country, since he's been raised in such a rigid way with specific expectations laid out for him..." Both girls were looking at him with shining eyes.

"Rean." Dorothee picked up her quill. "What would you think about a tragic ending, where the warring nations refuse to accept them, and they only realize the error of their ways after the Prince from the religious country dies?"

Rean actually laughed. "I thought you said you wanted a happier ending?"

Her eyes were the size of saucers. "I just got so inspired—maybe I'll write my first bittersweet ending! The religious nation amends its laws to honor their beloved Prince—social progress was made, but at what cost? Hehe..." Dorothee was working her quill feverishly.

Emma was covering her mouth. "Oh, my... But I feel so bad for the poor Prince! What if he faked his death, and after his country changes the laws, the Princes get married?" Dorothee looked up at her like she was a golden goddess.

"I have so many ideas... too many!" She was scribbling what looked like indecipherable code to Rean. "Keep 'em coming—I want to hear all the ideas! Ooh—this will be my most compelling story yet!" Rean couldn't help but chuckle—she was so into it, and he was actually relieved that his suggestion didn't come off as dismissive or callous...

"Well... what about—"

OOO

The trees shook gently with a silent breeze, and only the caws of flapping birds could be heard in the fading twilight. The last member of Class VII came strolling nonchalantly down the path towards the ominous building, looking unbothered like she just woke up from a nap.

"Hey." Fie yawned into her hand. "I’m here."

"Hmph." Jusis turned on his heel. "Do be punctual if we are to perform these investigations at regular intervals. Next time, we'll leave you behind."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Rean got out the keys Principal Vandyck gave him. "The Principal said it was entirely possible that the creatures down here will regenerate. Including that gargoyle."

"Oh, my." Emma had her orbal staff at the ready, even though they hadn't entered the building yet. "Well—we were able to overcome it the first time! I'm confident we can do it again, together!"

"I concur." Laura stepped forward. "I'm already feeling emboldened that we can overcome this trial." Whew—Rean was ready to step in if Emma's enthusiasm was met with awkward silence like Instructor Thomas' lecture, but thankfully they were surrounded by emotionally-intelligent people.

"Indeed." Gaius whipped out his cross spear. "I'm eager to see what else awaits us down there, personally."

"As am I." Jusis elegantly unsheathed his sword, running his fingers down the blade.

"Hah. You're not the only one who wants in on this action." Machias pumped his shotgun. "I've been practicing my technique, and I'm all loaded up with petrifying shots."

"Hm." Jusis had a smirk. Just don't, please... "I daresay you may prove useful this time."

"You're damn right I will! A-and hey—I held my own last time, too!"

"Was that before or after you sulked off alone?"

"Enough." Rean took the giant key out of the lock. "If you two keep it up, we'll leave you behind." They both looked away, teeming with obvious irritation. Rean half-expected one or the other to pipe up, "He started it!"—but thankfully they didn't.

Rean put the key back in, twisting the heavy lock. He pushed open the doors, and the faintly glowing walls greeted them the same as they had their first day. Rean was looking around the upper levels and windows as he stepped into the foyer—but it didn't appear that the gargoyle creature had regenerated. Not here, anyway.

"Hrmm." Elliot shuffled in with trepidation. "That same eerie feeling is back... do you feel it, Emma?"

"Yes... I wasn't sure the first time, but it seems the 'higher elements' are more active here."

Rean turned around to face her. "What does that mean?"

"Well... normally, Space, Time, and Mirage Arts aren't as universally effective as the normal elements—Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth." She raised her staff, and a soft light emitted from the tip. "But do you see it in the air? It's almost like it's swirling with small particles..."

"Now that you mention it..." He could see a slight distortion in the air above them, with the help of Emma's light... had it been that way the last time?

"Curious..." Gaius was gazing along the ceiling. "I think I've felt this phenomenon in Nord, in the ancient quarry."

"Really?" Gaius nodded. "Is it more dangerous?"

He rubbed his chin. "It can be a boon to us, if we're able to harness the higher elements. But, we'll also be more vulnerable to them, should our enemies also possess an affinity."

"Hmph. I was already aware of that advantage." Jusis held his ARCUS in his non-dominant hand. "My Golden Sphere is strengthened when the Space elements are more active."

"I see... Well, that definitely came in handy last time, Jusis—it seemed to blind the gargoyle with its light."

"But of course." Jusis had a confident smirk. "Overwhelm your enemy before they can counter you—such is one of many strategies employed in court fencing." Rean thought he heard Machias huff from the back, but he chose to ignore it.

"I see..." Rean opened his ARCUS cover. "I’m attuned to Time as well as Fire—anyone who’s attuned to the higher elements, feel free to utilize them."

"Got it."

Rean didn't sense any enemies on this first floor, so he hadn't unsheathed his sword. "Since these corridors are so cramped, I feel like we should split up into teams gain. But since we stayed so down the middle between guys and girls last time—we should mix up the groups so we can get a better feel for everyone's fighting style."

"I agree."

Rean turned to Laura first. "Laura, would you and Emma be okay accompanying me? I'm curious to see how your Arts differ from Elliot's..." He laughed. "And I just plain want to see the Arseid style up close."

Laura laughed softly. "I understand, I'd be happy to accompany you."

"I would, as well!" Well—that was good. After talking to Laura in the pool, and especially after brainstorming story ideas with Emma today, Rean would be surprised if either of them turned him down. He felt like he was probably closest to Emma, amongst all the girls—but he was hoping to get to know all of them better.

Rean turned to Elliot. "Elliot, would you and Gaius mind heading up the second group? I think each team should have a strong Arts user—and you two worked really well together." He gave them a genuine smile.

"Oh!" Elliot looked a bit taken aback. "No—I don't mind!" He looked up at Gaius, a bit relieved.

"That's fine by me." Gaius folded his arms. "We should also make sure that each team has adequate coverage, both in close-quarters and long-range combat."

"I'll go with you, then." Machias strode over to their team. Rean wondered if there was any particular reason... Machias might just be stuck on his rivalry with Emma.

"Very well. Then I'll be accompanying you, Rean." Jusis said it a bit pointedly, striding over to Rean's side. That seemed a bit uneven with three sword fighters on their team already...

"I guess I'll go with you guys." Fie strolled over to Gaius. "I'm okay being in the front—though I prefer to come out of the shadows when they least expect it."

"Um..." Elliot laughed awkwardly. She definitely wasn't joking...

Now only Alisa was left. She looked between the two teams with an unreadable expression. "Hmm... well, you guys already have the long-range cover, but you guys have a lot of power up front..." She closed her eyes, her finger cupped under her chin. "I guess I'll go with your team." She walked over to Machias. "If we can pick off the enemies before they get close, that puts less pressure on Fie and Gaius." Huh... a surprisingly sound strategy.

Fie sounded bored already. "Works for me. I'm better at crowd control and sabotage."

"Haha." Gaius laughed. "I'll feel at ease with all of you at my back, like a powerful wind." Rean couldn't help but feel like the teams ended up being pretty unbalanced—but if Gaius and Fie were fine with it, then he wouldn't push the issue. [Author's Note: This mission was originally just an Elliot and Gaius group, but they're going to be in the party pretty much permanently as Rean's BFFs, so we can have a little team-building class adventure now ;)]

"All right." Rean raised his voice so both teams could hear him. "Now that we have our teams, we can navigate more effectively—but we don't have to split up completely, especially if we encounter another formidable enemy like that gargoyle."

"Hmph. Let's hope we do—I'll be rather irritated if we end up wandering around aimlessly without a final challenge." Jusis had his sword poised in front of him like a lord posing for a portrait.

Gaius laughed. "As will I—but as long as we keep each other safe and emerge unharmed, I'll be satisfied with that."

"Me too!" Emma raised her staff. "I'll be keeping an eye on everyone's health, but please let me know if you're injured—don't put on a brave face!"

"I can promise you that, Emma." Rean finally unsheathed his sword. "Let's go, everyone." He started leading both groups down the dark tunnel—then he realized something. He had just sort of taken the reins without realizing it—but everyone just followed his direction unquestioningly, even Jusis. He sort of expected that Emma or Machias would step up to be the "leader", being Class President and Vice respectively... Well... maybe this is what Sara meant when she said, "I'm sure everyone wants to hear from you!" Did they already think of him like a leader already? That was a little embarrassing, if so... But if that was the case, then he had to step up and make sure he wasn't letting them down.

OOO

"Fie, what do you think?"

Fie was consulting a hand-drawn map. "Yep. It's definitely changed." She made another mark, peering across the large open room. "Pretty drastically, too—I wonder when that happened?"

Rean could sense that enemies were further down the corridor, so he was keeping an eye at the mouth of the hallway. "The Principal said it's been happening for years. Although they haven't been actively observing the building since last year."

"That's strange... I wonder why?"

"Well... according to our seniors, there was a 'magic sigil' a few floors down that blocked their progress, and the Principal ordered everyone to leave the building alone after that."

"Magic?" Emma's eyes went wide. "Of what kind?"

"I'm not sure... I wouldn't even know, if it wasn't the normal 'Arts' we're used to..."

"Hm. Evidently the magic was of the 'freaky-deaky' variety." Jusis strode down the hallway, leaving everyone perplexed, and Machias gobsmacked. Rean went to catch up with him, with Laura right alongside him.

So far, their group hadn't ended up "splitting up" so much, but they did focus their efforts when clusters of enemies appeared. Elliot centered his healing on Gaius’ group, while Emma focused on Rean’s. They had encountered new enemy types, too—slug monsters that were weak to Rean and Jusis’ slashing attacks, as well as Wind and Fire Arts, and odd rock-like creatures that were impervious to all but blunt attacks and Wind Arts. Laura’s massive blade was expertly effective against the latter. Rean observed that Jusis switched between a "slash" and a "thrust" in his fencing style, the latter being more similar to Gaius’ spearmanship. Rean was able to observe the other team's fighting styles as well—Machias and Alisa were adept at shooting down the flying cats, as well as piercing the hard shells of the golden beetles. They also had some supportive skills which came in handy, like Elliot. Fie seemed the most well-rounded out of all of them—her projectiles could surprise enemies from a distance, then she smoothly switched to dual-wielding for up-close damage. Her attacks didn't pack as much power as the other close-quarters fighters, but there's no denying she was fast.

In the distance, Rean could make out a silhouette—it wasn't one of the rock-like creatures, but it was round... and it appeared to be bouncing. There were three of them—they looked like little sheep hopping around, but the one in the middle was shining.

Jusis didn't lower his sword, but he looked thoroughly unimpressed. "... What the hell is that?"

"It's a Shining Pom!" Emma raised her staff. "Quick—get it, Jusis! Poms are known to grant boons and blessings to those who can catch them—like faeries!"

"Is that so?" Jusis readied his blade. "Then consider yourself caught!" He thrust his sword—but the Pom evaded it. "—what?!" The Pom opened its big mouth, countering by sucking up some of Jusis' energy. "—gh! What the devil—?!"

"Stand back!" Machias' voice was cool and collected—his shot connected, but it barely did anything. "Wha?!"

"Hyah!" Laura caught the Pom in the whirlwind of her blade, then slashed it away. The Pom was caught off-balance, which gave Rean the opening he needed to slice into its fluffy hide. He could feel the power of the combat link coursing through him—he could tell what Laura was about to do and prepared his next move in turn.

"I have you now!" Gaius thrust his spear, piercing the shining fluff.

"Got it!" Massive bubbles of energy spiraled out of Elliot's staff, hitting the Pom square in the face. It let out a little "Meep!" "Oh—I almost feel bad for it!"

"Don't worry, Elliot—Poms always come back!" Emma was finished casting her Art. "Take that!" She unleashed a fireball which engulfed the Pom, its shine finally fading away. Rean wasn't sure whether his eyes were playing tricks on him—but it looked like a little Pom spirit with a halo and angel wings rose up out of the fluffy skin and faded away... "Teehee—did you see it?" Emma put away her staff. "Shining Poms are playful spirits meant to test humans, and keep us on our toes!" She pumped her fists. "I don't know about you, but I feel a surge of energy after outwitting it! Good job, everyone!"

"Yeah... I do actually feel a little boost after that!" Rean gripped his sword with newfound strength. "Do you, Laura? I think our combat link went really smoothly!"

"Haha, I do, indeed." Predictably, she hadn't even broken a sweat. She really could wield that sword like it was nothing... "Our teamwork was perfectly in sync."

"Hmph." Jusis sliced his sword down, as if he was flinging off blood—though it didn't have any. "What an irritating little creature..."

"Hah, don't get all sore just 'cause you missed!" Jusis shot Machias a glare.

Emma giggled. "Now, now... the normal Poms aren't terribly formidable, but we mustn't underestimate the Shining Poms! They only want to test us and help us get stronger!"

Fie flipped her daggers. "Man... I wanted to get a hit in too, but I couldn't get a clear shot with you guys all crowding it."

"Haha... Well, I appreciate you not shooting right through us in that case, Fie..."

Alisa flipped her hair. "I think we should actually split up, then—we're too crowded as it is."

"I think that's—" Suddenly, a deep roar resounded from the pit of the labyrinth.

Rean was on guard. "Stay sharp." He looked around, but couldn't sense the creature in the immediate vicinity. "I think that's the 'final challenge' you wanted, Jusis."

"Excellent." He brandished his blade confidently.

Emma put her staff away. "Let's rest up ahead—I can detect an energy similar to a septium vein."

"Really?" Rean followed her through the dimly lit tunnel, and the corridor widened to a small room, with two orbments on either side. A stone door with a giant lock sat ominously at the back of the room. "What are these?"

"This is an orbment charging station—but this one is a bit different." Emma hovered her hand over the cooling, golden light emerging from the cylindrical device. "We can also use it to synthesize quartz, in addition to recovering our stamina."

"Whew—I'm glad to hear that." Elliot put his staff away, touching the golden light. "Ah—that's much better." Everyone took turns, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

"Curious..." Laura fixed her ponytail, her ribbon having come a little loose in combat. "I wonder what this other device is for?"

"I'm not sure..." Emma walked over to it. "It doesn't appear to be active, whatever it is."

Rean rolled his eyes. "Well, best not to touch it, Emma—our helpful seniors warned us not to touch any 'evil-looking objects', or else we might get turned into a worm."

"A worm?" Emma's hand covered her mouth. "Oh, my! Well, we wouldn't want that!"

"Hmph." Jusis finally sheathed his sword. "Does Aidios' teachings account for such perversions of nature?"

"Haha..." Rean scratched his cheek. "Well, Her teachings didn't mention a stone statue coming to life, so I guess anything is possible." Jusis almost rolled his eyes.

Gaius was regarding the dormant orbment with interest. "Have you already become acquainted with our seniors, Rean? Who was it who warned you against touching things in this labyrinth?"

"Oh—well actually, four of our seniors were responsible for testing the ARCUS prototypes last year! So we have them to thank for both those, and the combat links." He was glad the conversation steered towards them—now Rean could give a little introduction before they all met them at the cookout tonight. Without ruining the surprise, of course. "Have any of you met Towa, our Student Council President?"

"Oh, I have!" Emma clasped her hands. "She's very sweet—Machias and I met her when discussing our class budget!"

Machias pushed up his glasses. "She did appear to be juggling several plates at once, I'm surprised she could keep up with it all."

"Haha—that sounds like her." Rean relaxed, though he stayed conscious of the door—even though it had a lock, he could sense whatever creature was down here with them was somewhere on the other side. "She was actually responsible for writing up our ARCUS instructions, too."

"Wow, that's amazing! Those illustrations were so technical..."

Machias strapped his shotgun to his back. "Who were the other members of the test team, Rean?"

"Have you all met George in the orbal garage?" Most people chimed in in the affirmative, which Rean was glad for. "Well, if you haven't met him yet, he's really handy with orbal tech—and he's looking for ways to improve our ARCUS units, so give him any feedback you can!"

"I see." Jusis got out his ARCUS, flipping the cover. "Very well—I can track my performance if it benefits us in the future."

"Yes, please do." Rean relaxed his stance. "The other two members of the test team are Angelica and Crow." Gah—Rean's bungled introduction meant he didn't actually know their last names—or George's either, for that matter. He only knew that Towa's last name was Herschel...

"Oh, I didn't know that!" Emma smiled. "I'll have to thank Angelica the next time I see her!"

"Angelica... Do you mean Angelica Rogner?" Alisa had her hand on her hip. "I thought I saw her whizzing by on this mechanical bike, but I wasn't sure..."

"Yep, that was her." Rogner—so that was her family name. Roer was the closest territory to Ymir, being down a long river at the base of the mountains—so Rean was aware of Marquis Rogner. He was a pretty imposing man—no wonder they said "she probably gets it from her old man."

"I see. So that was Marquis Rogner's daughter." Laura had her arms folded thoughtfully. "I had no idea, since she wasn't wearing a uniform." Rean hadn't actually seen her in a uniform, either... "I'm curious—have any of you ever ridden on one of those mechanical bicycles?"

"Haha... did she ask you to ride with her, Laura?"

"She did—although I was a little hesitant to take her up on her offer. The bicycle was rather loud..."

"Oh! Well if you do ever ride on it, please let me know what it's like!" Emma's eyes were shining behind her glasses. "I'm a little curious... but it's also a little intimidating!"

"Haha..." Rean had a crisis of conscience over whether he should warn the girls or not... "Well, I'm sure Angelica will make sure you're safe—just don't accept her invitation lightly." He hoped the girls could read between the lines... He didn't want to dash all of Angelica's efforts, but some of the girls were a little on the naïve side.

"Haah..." Alisa rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised Angelica isn't satisfied with her fanclub back in Roer..."

"Oh my, what kind of fan club?"

Rean decided to just change the subject. "Well—those are our seniors who tested the combat links. Oh—I don't know if any of you would’ve met Crow, but you'd know him if you saw him." He rolled his eyes. "He has a bunch of piercings and likes to wear a bandana."

"Piercings?" Gaius seemed intrigued. "Where?"

"Well... I guess just on his ears." Rean was about to say, "As far as I can tell"—but he did not want that mental image. "But he has a whole bunch of them—it almost looks like the rings in a spiral notebook."

"I see." Gaius folded his arms. "Piercings are not uncommon among different tribes, although it seems that mostly only women have them in the Empire."

"Hmm... I guess you're right about that." Rean supposed he didn't know very many "wild" people who would have them otherwise, not all the way up in his quiet mountain village...

"... Gaius?" Elliot was looking up at him. "I've been curious... is that marking common in Nord, too?"

"This?" Gaius turned his arm to show his tattoo. "Yes—we receive this tattoo to signify our journey into adulthood." He laughed lightly. "Although I suppose in the eyes of the Empire's laws, I'm not considered a legal adult." He folded his arms proudly. "My father has many, and my little brother Thoma will receive his soon enough."

"Wow... did it hurt?" Elliot and a few others gathered around Gaius while he showed them his tattoo, answering their questions. Rean admitted he was curious too—but he couldn't help but notice Fie looking up at him like she wanted to talk to him.

"Hey, does that Crow guy you mentioned have hair like mine?" She pinched the end of her stiff bangs.

"Yeah, I guess so—his is a bit darker, I suppose."

"Heh." She laughed to herself. "Got it."

Rean couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Why? Did he say something weird to you?"

"Not to me—well, kinda." She was opening and closing the blade of her dagger. "That biker chick came up to me and asked if I wanted to ride, and then he came up saying, 'Give it a rest, lady—hey kid, if you know what's good for you, you'll stay off her bike and out of her dreams.'" Rean couldn't help but press his palm to his forehead. "Or something like that."

"Haah... Sounds like him. And Angelica."

Fie was looking up at him with disinterested curiosity, if such a thing was possible. "How do you know our seniors so well, Rean?"

"Well—honestly I just ran into them while I was wandering around our first day." He supposed they were all going to have a cookout there soon... but for some reason Rean didn't want to give up their "secret spot" for lunch just yet. He was sure George would appreciate more company, but he decided to just leave it to them if they wanted to invite the rest of Class VII, too.

After a few more minutes of chatting and rest, everyone warmed themselves up to prepare for combat. They all decided to flank the creature in groups, making it easier for Emma and Elliot to focus their healing.

Rean set the old key in the lock, and thankfully it fit. "Are we all ready with our combat links?"

Jusis made a few decisive slices with his sword. "I am. Emma, are you prepared to assist?"

She readied her orbal staff. "Ready!"

Machias pumped his shotgun. "Alisa, you feeling confident?"

"I've got it!"

Elliot was starting to look less like he was cowering behind his staff, and more like he was wielding it. "I'm right behind you, Gaius!"

"Thank you, Elliot—I won't let anything get past me."

Rean glanced at the other team, and realized they didn't have an even number of people—Fie was the odd one out. Could combat links be utilized with more than two people simultaneously? It seemed that way, when they fought the gargoyle... Well, no one was as quick as Fie, so it might actually benefit her to be able to move more freely, independent of a partner.

Rean nodded to Laura. "Ready, Laura?"

She brandished her blade. "As ready as ever."

"All right." Rean turned the lock, and readied his sword. He pushed the heavy doors open with his shoulder, and leapt back. "Be on your guard—whatever it is, it's big."

"Rrrrggghh..." A deep, guttural growl could be heard within the chamber. Rean could make out the hunched silhouette of a hulking beast with horns, clutching something in its claws. Rean looked to Laura and Gaius on his left and right, and they nodded.

"Let's go!" They rushed in, with Jusis and Fie right behind them. The creature growled, throwing the carcass of a flying cat which slapped the stone wall with a sickening "splat". "Here it comes!" The dust on the ground vibrated as massive footsteps lumbered towards them.

"Stand back, everyone!" Elliot's voice rang out over the clamor, and a calming melody filled the room. It sounded like... music? The creature was surrounded by energy waves, and it slowed in its tracks—the next moment it had stopped and was staring at them slack-jawed. "Whoa—it worked!" If Rean didn't know any better, it looked like the creature fell asleep standing up.

"Wow, Elliot—what did you do?" Rean hadn't lowered his guard an inch, but he was still impressed that Elliot managed to stop it in its tracks.

"Hehe—it's a new technique I've been working on! I call it the 'Blue Lullaby'."

"Heh—that's pretty handy." In a flash, Fie had circled around the monster. "With that technique, you could always get the surprise advantage—" She readied her daggers, in the perfect position to slash the creature's ankles.

"Let's not waste this chance, then!" Rean readied his Autumn Leaf Cutter. "Everyone, in position!" Gaius, Laura, and Jusis all poised their weapons. "And—now!" Steel flashed, Arts swirled, and the creature was totally overwhelmed by the relentless assault—it lumbered backwards, guarding with its massive arms, but not able to protect itself completely from the barrage of attacks from all sides. Rean felt that empowering surge of energy—he was totally in tune with Laura's movements.

Gaius' spear thrusts seemed to catch the creature off-guard, so it turned its attention on him—but he deftly dodged, and landed a smooth counter-attack. "Take this!"

"I've got you!" Elliot followed up with a swirl of orbal energy from his staff, which required no casting time.

"Rrrrggg—!" The creature slid back on its hind legs, being pushed by orbal energy. It hunched over, readying some kind of counter-attack—

"Look out!" Rean and Jusis managed to dodge, but Laura was in mid-swing with her massive sword.

"Agh—!" She was hit with a dark cloud of foul breath that escaped the creature's maw. She retreated back to escape the horrid cloud.

"Laura!" Emma cast an Art that looked similar to the one she used on Instructor Sara, and Laura was back on the offensive.

"I've got you—don't hold back!" Alisa fired a golden arrow straight into the air, and an empowering shower rained down on the group. Rean felt it was time—

"Second Form... Arc Slash!" He leveled his blade and sent a powerful shockwave along the ground, which knocked the beast off its feet. "Now!" The group unleashed their final assault—Jusis with a flurry of jabs, Fie with her stinging cuts, Machias with a piercing shot, Elliot with a freezing water jet, and Emma with an assault of silvery energy blades.

"Hyah!" Laura brought her blade down hard on the beast's head, breaking off one of its horns. Gaius pierced its chest with his spear, and Rean readied himself for the decisive strike—time seemed to slow down, and with one swift slash, the beast's head came clean off. Rean leapt back as blood spurted from its neck, narrowly avoiding the spray.

The beast's heavy body collapsed to the stone floor, kicking up a cloud of dust as it fell. Then, it burst into the same purple energy as the gargoyle, dissipating into nothing. The carcass of the poor flying cat also dissolved in purple light, like it was being cleansed. The oppressive aura filling the room faded away, and the lights embedded in the walls appeared to glow brighter.

Rean sheathed his sword. "Good job everyone." He turned and smiled at the group as a whole. "We did it."

OOO

The group had debated whether they should walk back through the dungeon, to confirm whether there were other branching paths, or if the rooms had reconfigured while they were down there—but Fie was confident in her map, and the group concluded that it would have raised quite a clamor if the walls had shifted around behind them. That inactive orbment had regained its energy once they exited the room—and Jusis had been the first to step forward to see what it did, confidently declaring he didn't believe in "freaky-deaky magic." He disappeared in a flash of light, which alarmed most of the group quite a bit—but Emma assured them that it was "simple matter transference." Rean immediately called Jusis on his ARCUS, who confirmed that he had been "teleported" to the foyer of the old schoolhouse safe and sound, and that he was not a worm.

Rean was suddenly face-to-face with Jusis, who smirked confidently. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Rean stepped off the platform, still reeling a bit from the odd sensation of being "teleported". It was almost like that feeling of falling back into bed when suddenly waking from a dream.

He looked at his hands, pulsing all his fingers. Everything seemed in order—he still had his sword, and his ARCUS. His fingers hadn't turned into worms... Nothing they had encountered appeared to be a "magic sigil", so he supposed devices like this were a safe way to quickly return to the entrance, should they need it.

One by one, the members of Class VII appeared in flashes of light, all seemingly unharmed. Machias seemed the most disoriented by the whole affair, actually dropping to one knee.

"Ugh... that felt like looking down from a high bridge..."

"Oh, my." Emma went to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Do you not do well with heights, Machias?" He looked up at her blearily, then it almost seemed like he got embarrassed.

"I—I'm fine!" He pushed himself to his feet, gently tugging away from her. "I just got a little dizzy because I haven't eaten—where are we supposed to have this 'little dinner' at, Rean?"

"Yeah—I'm getting pretty hungry after all that!"

Rean smiled. "We shouldn't have to walk far."

At last, they emerged from the old schoolhouse, and night had gently fallen. Crickets could be heard softly chirping in the grass, and owls called from the woods behind the schoolhouse. The stars were out overhead, and some smoke from a fire could be seen by the orbal garage.

Rean pointed ahead. "There! That's where they're all set up."

"... I see." Jusis wiped his hands on a handkerchief he produced from somewhere. "And what kind of meal are we to expect... there?"

Rean smiled, quickening his pace up the slope back to campus. "You'll see!" He broke into a jog, wanting to get there first to let them know everyone was coming.

Rean made his way around the fence, and a cozy bonfire was set up in the lot—he noticed that the machines that were littering the yard were either pushed back or moved, so there was a lot more space. He spotted George and Crow working a long grill on wheels—but who really stood out first was Principal Vandyck. "Ah, Rean my boy!" He stepped up to Rean with an imposing presence, but a warm smile. "How fared your foray into that spooky old building?"

Rean actually laughed. "Well—we were able to confirm that the layout had changed. One of my classmates drew up a custom map." He turned over his shoulder. "They should be coming up now!" Rean scanned around the lot and the garage, which appeared to be locked. "Where are the girls?"

George looked up from the grill. "Angie should be back any minute—she and Towa just went to grab one more thing."

"Oh, okay." Rean noticed George was wearing the same yellow jumpsuit, but Crow had put his jacket back on—as well as that godforsaken bandana. Well—that was probably for the best.

Rean stepped out of the lot, waving to the others who were coming around the corner. "Right here, guys!"

"Hmm." Gaius hummed in contentment. "Well, whatever we'll be having, it smells delicious." It did—the patties must be getting nice and juicy. Thankfully they were able to work around people's dietary restrictions—Machias was allergic to shellfish, which wouldn't be present, and Emma said she didn't eat much meat, so alternative patties were provided.

"Hrn—hey kids!" Rean heard a grunt in the darkness—Instructor Sara was lugging what looked like a cooler along the path. "Who wants a cold drink?! Non-alcoholic, of course~"

"Do you want a hand with that, Instructor?" Rean went over to her other side.

"Nah, I got it—and hey, I said to just call me Sara, right?" She walked backwards, dragging the cooler by a long handle. She lugged the cooler inside the lot, then stood proudly with her hands on her hips. "Da-da-da-dun! Let me be the first to congratulate you all on a job well done!" She gave them a thumbs-up. "Good job, Class VII!"

The Principal gave them a hearty clap. "Well done, indeed. I look forward on hearing a report about those ruins later—but for now, who's hungry?!" His voice roared like a sports announcer.

"Step on up!" Sara pumped her fist in the air with a little jump. "Grab a plate, kids—burgers are up!"

George stepped out from behind the grill. "We have grilled corn on the cob too, with plenty of butter." George gestured to a little station that had jars of sauce and butter knives. "And we got all the fixin's—ketchup, mustard, and saurkraut—and Sara wants me to tell you all that you don't have to put lettuce or tomato on your burger—but she'd appreciate it if you guys weren't too picky."

"Hey!" Sara shook her fist. "You didn't have to tell them I said that!" George just chuckled.

Rean smiled. "Thanks guys—we really appreciate all the effort."

"Yeah!"

"Thank you so much!"

"I can't wait—it smells so good!"

There was a chorus of gratitude and eagerness, and everyone formed a line by the grill, some people cracking open cold drinks from the cooler filled with ice. Principal Vandyck asked Sara to help him set up the chairs in the meantime—Rean didn't know where they came from, but apparently the school had a bunch of camping chairs with canvas backs and little cupholders built in.

"All right!" Crow barked over the line. "Any of you guys who don't eat meat, there's a special patty over here! Gelica swears by it, but you'll have to ask her what it's made of." As if on cue, a loud engine could be heard gunning it in the distance. "Hey—speak of the she-devil."

The bike barreled down the main walkway, then slowed down to a purr as Angelica appeared, with Towa on the back. "Hello, Class VII!" Towa hopped off the bike, taking off her cute half-helmet and placing it on the seat. "I hope you enjoy our little cookout—just our way of saying we're proud of you as your seniors!" Rean was starting to get a little embarrassed by all the praise... but he could endure it if it made everyone happy.

"Ain't that the truth—" Angelica took off her full helmet, unstrapping something from the very back of her bike. "You kids get to continue our work with the ARCUS—ah, I feel like a proud parent! <3" She carried whatever it was over to the table—it was a compact orbal device of some kind, stout and cylindrical like a rice cooker. "Here we go—all right kiddos, eat to your heart's content—but save a little room for dessert!"

"Ooh, what is it, Angelica?" Alisa was the first to pipe up.

"Hehe—you just wait and see, my little angel." She winked at her. It seemed like they really did know each other...

"Good evening, Angelica!" Emma bowed politely. "I heard you recommend the special patty? What is it made of?"

"Oh, it's a really juicy black bean blend, with some tempeh for texture!" She gave Emma a thumbs-up. "It's pretty satisfying as a meat replacement, you'll hardly miss it!"

"I see!" Emma looked intrigued. "I've never heard of such a thing!"

Rean couldn't help but be curious. "Do you not eat meat, Angelica?"

"Hah, not anymore." She flexed her bicep. "But don't worry about me—I eat like a horse, and I get all the nutrients I need! My muscles are living proof."

"I believe it!" Rean supposed that wasn't unheard of—monks often fasted and abstained from consuming certain foods, including meat. And Angelica's muscles did speak for themselves...

"Is there a special reason you don't eat meat, Angelica?"

Alisa pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, please don't ask her..." Rean's brows furrowed. Why, what did that mean?

"Haha, well..." Angelica purred in an almost seductive way. Uh oh... "There is a reason... but I'll tell you later." She winked at Emma.

"I see... Well, if the special patty is as juicy as you say, I'll be happy to try one!" Rean ultimately decided that it was none of his business, and put it out of his mind.

Rean fell in at the back of the line, and when it was his turn to grab a plate, he spread some mustard on each bun. Then he put some saurkraut on one side, and covered it with a leaf of lettuce. He did like tomatoes and ketchup, but he decided he wanted a different flavor profile than his omelet at lunch today.

George and Crow were both behind the grill, and Crow happened to be free first. "Hey, buddy—you want one with cheese?" Rean sighed internally—Crow had apparently decided Rean was already his "buddy". He didn't care to admit that he had listened in when Jusis got to Crow ahead of him, and he just said, "Hey, there. Want it plain or with cheese?"

Rean peered at the patty, with some pale cheese melted on top. "What kind is it?"

"Just a mild cow's milk cheese, nothing crazy—don't wanna overpower the meat, ya know?"

"Hmm... I'll take one, then."

"You got it." He delicately spatula’d the patty onto the bun without lettuce. "Man—mustard and saurkraut?" Crow pulled a face. "Couldn't be me."

Rean rolled his eyes. "Well, it's a good thing it's not your burger."

Crow snickered. "At least you didn't mix the ketchup and mustard together—I'd have to reconsider my offer in that case." Bleh—did someone ahead of him actually do that? Some things just don't mix... And "reconsider his offer", like he was doing Rean this huge favor?

Rean's chronic need to be polite won out over his desire for a snappy comeback. "Thanks for cooking, guys."

"Hey—thank the girls, too. And Principal Vandyck for moving all that sh*t outta the way."

"Wow—he did that all by himself?"

Crow nodded past him. "Look at 'im." Sara and the Principal were chatting with Towa and Angelica at the end of the line, and he towered over even Sara. "He could probably snap me like a glowstick!"

Rean laughed a bit. "Like a what?"

Crow made an exaggerated sigh. "You don't get out much, do ya, Rean?" Rean felt his brows furrow. "Well—we'll fix that." He winked. Ugh... he hoped no one else saw that.

Rean rolled his eyes. "I'll be sure to thank everyone again later."

"Hey, that's the spirit!"

"Crow, you're holding up the line." George sounded like a tired dad. Rean couldn't help but snicker.

"Hey, it's not my fault those guys are stitchin’ and bitchin’ like housewives back there!" Stitching and—whatever, Rean wasn’t even going to question it. He took the opportunity to slip out of line.

Thankfully Elliot kept a seat open next to him, and Rean sat down with his burger and drink—dang it, Crow had distracted him so much he forgot to get a corn on the cob. Oh well—there'd probably still be more left.

The camping chair was a little low, and Rean settled in, stretching out his legs. Gaius cracked open his drink. "So, Rean—I couldn't help but notice that it seems you're pretty friendly with our seniors."

"Oh... is that what it looks like?"

Gaius laughed. "It's a nice thing to see, is all I meant." Well—what did Gaius think Rean thought he meant? Haah—for some reason Rean was getting all paranoid.

"Yeah... it seemed like you were in the know with this whole dinner plan." Elliot had a warm smile. "That must be nice—I hope our seniors will continue to watch over us and guide us this year!"

"Yeah..." For some reason, that made Rean feel guilty. They were all really friendly—even Crow, his problem was that he was overly-friendly. But—besides the whole "take you under my wing" thing and the ambiguously flirtatious vibes, it's not like Crow had really done anything—besides just stare into his soul. Tch, and bum 50 mira off him... but he'd get that back. Not tonight, when they were all treating them—but some other time.

Sara and the Principal were the last through the line, then George and Crow got their own food. Towa stayed standing by her chair next to Angelica. "Before I sit down, I just want to introduce myself to all of you! Some of you I've already met, but to everyone else—I'm Towa Herschel, your humble Student Council President!" She bowed to the group at large, holding her plate of food. "I'd like it if we could go around in a circle and all introduce ourselves—oh, but no one else has to stand up!" She quickly sat down in her chair, and she looked like she wasn't expecting it to be so low. "Ah! ... haha, thanks, Angie." Angelica was quick to steady her arm so her food didn't spill all over.

"Of course, my dear." Angelica turned in her chair to face the group. "I'm Angelica Rogner, nice to meet ya. I'm the one-woman show of the orbal bike club." That sounded made-up... but it would be pretty funny if she actually got funding for it. "I'm fast, I'm fun—and I'm available." She winked at all the girls sitting together. Hoo boy...

Crow was sitting next to her, and he sighed. "Well what am I supposed to say after that? Geez... I'm Crow. Armbrust." He leaned casually on the arm of his chair, which he was clearly too tall to sit in comfortably. "If you wanna know more than that, come hit me up." He winked—right at Rean and no one else, of course. Ugh—he was doing this on purpose.

George was quickly finishing a bite of food—clearly he was expecting Crow’s introduction to be longer than two seconds. "—I'm George Nome. I run the engineering club out of the orbal garage, so come to me if you need any tune-ups." He gave them all a relaxed smile. "I like tinkering with unusual stuff, too—so if you find any cool orbments or antiques, please bring ‘em by!" Hmm... Rean didn't really have anything like that, but he'd be sure to keep it in mind.

Sara was next in the circle. "Well, you kids already know me—so you're up, little missy." Fie was sitting next to Sara, with a mouthful of burger. She took her time chewing, then swallowed.

"... I'm Fie." There was a few seconds of silence. "Um... I'm in the gardening club."

Emma was next, and she giggled at Fie's short introduction before giving her own. One by one, everyone introduced themselves, and said what club they were in. Rean noticed in retrospect that Crow didn't say he was in any clubs, but he might just be "saving" that no-doubt fascinating information for anyone who "hit him up." Rean wouldn't be surprised if he was in a made-up club like Angelica, with himself as the only member. Maybe the Devil's Bud Enthusiasts.

When it was Rean's turn, he decided there was no point concealing his last name anymore—most people here knew it already, anyway. "I'm Rean Schwarzer. I'm not in any clubs at the moment, but I am helping out with the student council."

OOO

Rean had made the right call going light on the condiments—the burger patty really shined with the saurkraut, it reminded him of the sausage stew his Mom would make back home. And the corn was sweet and juicy, complimented well by the salted butter.

There was a pleasant vibe around the bonfire—after eating and thanking the second years, Sara, and the Principal again, most people had stood up to mingle, playing musical chairs as they talked amongst themselves. Rean had to move to sit upwind of the bonfire when the wind shifted, but otherwise the smell of the wood burning was somehow nostalgic.

Angelica sank into the empty chair next to him. "So, neighbor!" She was talking low, leaning in across the chair. "How's life treating you down off the mountain?"

Rean leaned off his own chair, so Angelica could still hear his whispered voice over the chatter. "Pretty well—I realized I don't have very many clothes prepared for warm weather."

"Haha." She propped her elbow on the canvas arm of the chair. "Have you spent your whole life in Ymir?"

"Yeah... though, don't ask me where I'm originally from, since I have no idea."

"I see." She nodded. "Well—what's that matter? You're a Schwarzer, right?" She winked.

Rean felt himself smile. "Yeah, you're right."

Angelica relaxed back in her chair, taking a swig of her drink. "—you know, I've always wanted to visit the hot springs up there. I've heard they work wonders for your skin."

"That's true!" If Rean was a "nerd" for anything else besides swords, it was hot springs. "Let me know when you plan on going—I can call and arrange a room at the Phoenix Wings Inn."

"Wow, pretty swanky." She grinned. "I'm a simple, down-to-earth gal, though—I don't need any special treatment."

"Haha, I see—well, I at least want to make sure they have availability, especially if it's during peak season."

"Alrighty!" Angelica gave him a thumbs-up. "Sounds good to me." She clapped him on the shoulder. "Ooh—dessert should be up any minute now."

"I can't wait, thank you." Rean scanned around the lot, trying to decide which group he wanted to mingle with next. Elliot, Emma, Machias, and Laura were watching George give some kind of demonstration with the ARCUS, and Angelica went over to talk to Alisa. Towa was keeping an eye on that little machine, and Gaius was talking to Sara, and Rean couldn't help but notice that Fie was still clinging to her side. She made fun of Sara for being a mess—but she still followed her around like a little chick. It was pretty cute, actually—but Rean would never say that to Fie. Jusis was talking to the Principal—as far as Rean knew, Principal Vandyck wasn't a noble, but he was the former Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army, so he imagined he'd be a wealth of knowledge about swordsmanship and the art of war.

Rean watched as Angelica and Alisa went over to try to talk to Fie, and Crow started chatting up Gaius. He must have asked him about his tattoo, since Gaius was showing him his forearm. Gaius must have asked Crow about his piercings, since he cupped the back of his ear to show them off. He noticed for the first time that all the piercings were just in the one ear, and not the other.

Rean decided to join the group watching George give his ARCUS demonstration.

OOO

Towa dipped a spoon into the machine, tasting whatever was in there. "All right, it's ready!" She chirped over the muttering crowd, and everyone gave her their attention. "Courtesy of our friend Edel, the head of the gardening club—we made some fresh peach ice cream!" She stuck a clean fork into a bowl of sliced peaches. "With some fresh peaches on top—it's the perfect spring treat!"

"Wow—that sounds really good!"

"That sounds yummy—I can't wait!"

They all lined up to get a bowl of some homemade ice cream—Rean had red bean ice cream before, but not peach. Most fruits were still rather expensive to have imported into Ymir...

Rean couldn't wait to taste it once his turn was up... mmm, it was subtly sweet, and the ripe peaches gave a hint of sourness that complimented the sweet cream. "—it's delicious, I'll have to thank Edel for growing such great peaches."

"Please, do!" Towa beamed. "I'm sure she'd be so happy to hear that!"

OOO

Gaius had joined Rean to talk to Principal Vandyck, and Rean noticed that Elliot was over with George and Crow. He couldn't fathom what they were talking about... Oh, Rean had mentioned that Elliot was in the Wind Orchestra, and then Crow mentioned something about "rock music"—maybe he and George played together?

Crow motioned for Angelica and Towa to come over, and the five of them were all talking, and Elliot started laughing. Okay, now Rean was totally lost—what could they be talking about?

OOO

Rean noticed that Jusis had sat back down by himself at some point, so he decided to give talking to him another try. "How'd you enjoy the food?"

Jusis folded his arms. "I'm sure you must think I was born with a silver spoon filled with caviar in my mouth."

"Um... well, I wasn't thinking that." Rean laughed awkwardly. "I enjoyed the food... I just hope you did, too."

Jusis sighed. "I enjoyed the ice cream quite well. If you must know, my burger was a tad dry—but I'm not such an ungracious guest as to complain to our hosts."

"I see... Well, I hope you liked meeting our seniors." Rean smiled. "They're all pretty friendly, I think."

"Hmph. Some, more than others."

Rean laughed lightly. "I guess that's true..." Crow was talking to Sara and Fie now, and Fie was showing him the mechanism behind her weapons. Crow was rubbing his chin in interest, then he struck a pose and made a shooting motion with his fingers—oh, did he use projectile weapons, too? That must have been what Angelica meant when she said "this guy's dinky shots", or whatever it was. Did he have a weapon that went from long- to short-range, like Fie's? Otherwise, that seemed like kind of a waste with his physique...

OOO

Okay... Rean was already annoyed at how much attention he'd been paying to it, but after all that buildup, it really seemed like Crow was ignoring him on purpose. It felt like he had talked to everybody else in the world and their moms, and Rean was just over here orbiting. Now he was talking to Emma—and honestly, he couldn't even fathom what they could have to talk about. Emma asked him something, and he sighed and rolled his eyes, motioning for someone to come over—Angelica joined them, Crow said something to her, and Angelica grinned. She looked around for a second, then beckoned for Emma to come closer... then she whispered something in her ear. Emma touched her hand to her lips, and it looked like she said "Oh, my!" or "Oh, I see." What the heck were they talking about??

OOO

"Haah." Crow sank heavily into the empty chair like an old man. "All right—I'm here, so you can stop looking all lonely and mopey without me."

"Who's lonely and mopey?" Rean was picking at a slice of peach that was too soft and mushy for his liking, but he didn't want to waste it since he already put it in his bowl. "Geez—are you really like this all the time?"

"Sure." He grinned, cracking open another drink. "Go ask Gelica—actually wait, don't ask her—ask Towa or George."

"Haah." It was Rean's turn to sigh loudly. "Oh... I saw Angelica whisper something to Emma earlier." He gave Crow a flat look. "I hope it wasn't something weird."

"Weird?" Crow took a swig of his drink, then licked his lips. "Well, I guess that depends on your perspective." He smirked down at Rean. "Never you mind, though—it's just a girls thing." Rean wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Hey—trust me, you probably don't wanna know." He rolled his eyes. "I wish I didn't know. I don't exactly want to picture that when it comes to Gelica..."

"Okay—I need to know now, just tell me." Rean set his bowl in his lap. "Emma told us she's from a remote village where there aren't really other people her age, so I just don't want—"

"Whoa—easy, there." Crow had a lopsided smirk. "Hold your horses, now—Emma just asked a question, and Gelica answered." He took another drink. "She's not seducin' her over to the dark side, or anything."

Rean had a feeling he'd regret asking... "What was the question?"

"Haah... she just asked her why she doesn't eat meat." Crow made an exaggerated shrug with his hands up, in an almost surrender gesture. "If you wanna know—ask Gelica. But don't say I didn't warn ya."

Rean looked over at Angelica, who was standing behind Towa playing with her hair. Towa didn't seem to mind, she was just chatting with George animatedly.

Rean turned back to Crow. "Well... I don't really want to ask her—I just want to know what she said to Emma." He looked up with what he hoped was a sincere expression. "Can you just tell me?"

Crow sighed with his eyes closed. "All right." He leaned down, cupping his hand around Rean's ear. His warm breath tickled him as he whispered, "She says it's because girls who eat meat taste different." Rean got goosebumps involuntarily—he realized nobody had really whispered in his ear since he was a little kid.

Crow pulled back, and Rean almost wanted to wipe his ear since it somehow felt moist—but he stopped himself, since he thought that would come across really rude. Wait—what did he say, exactly? Rean had been so distracted by the goosebumps and the whispering—"Girls who eat meat taste different"? What, like when they were kissing? Oh—oh.

Realization must have dawned on Rean's face, since Crow started laughing. "See, told ya!" He took another swig of his drink. "—hah. I wouldn't know, the only vegetarian I ever asked out turned me down." What, who? "Hah—but at least she shot Gelica down right after, so I didn't lose that one!"

Rean was still a little stunned that this guy whispered something so dirty in his ear—even though Crow had warned him several times and Rean still asked. "... Do you have some kind of competition going on with Angelica?" He couldn't think of anything else to say, his brain just picked something.

"Nah, it's not like that—well, kinda." He twisted the bottle in his hands. "It was just satisfying to see her strike out for once, heh." They truly had a bizarre friendship... Rean couldn't imagine finding satisfaction in poor Elise being rejected by a suitor, even if he did secretly feel like it was too early for her...

"I see..."

Crow relaxed back in the chair, stretching his long legs out like Rean had done earlier. "Hah... Well, anyway—that's old news." He took another drink, and somehow his posture reminded Rean of a dad drinking a beer. "So, how are you liking Class VII? You get over that 'hump' you were talkin' about?"

Rean peered out at all his classmates, mingling and chatting and laughing—even Jusis had gone back out there to talk to Laura. "Yeah... I'd say so." Rean smiled. "There's still a few wrinkles to iron out—but I'm proud of how well we work as a team."

"Good for you." Crow said it with a smile, and not like sarcastically. "See, what'd I tell ya? They want to push you to be better, not break ya."

Rean laughed to himself. "You know—Emma said something similar when we ran into one of those Shining Pom creatures down there. She said they were like trickster faeries who want to test humans and keep us on our toes."

"No sh*t?" Crow leaned off his chair. "You guys actually saw one of those shiny ones?"

Rean's brows furrowed. "Well, it was shiny—and we did feel a little 'boost' after we managed to corner it."

"Hey, hey—that's pretty sweet!" Crow grinned. "I've traveled all over, and I've only seen one of those slippery f*ckers once. It was pretty hard to hit too, even for me!"

"Really? Emma seemed pretty familiar with it... Does it have a folk legend around it?"

"Hmm." Crow rubbed his chin. "I dunno about that—but you guys were pretty lucky to run into one." He clapped his back. "It's like Lady Luck came down and kissed you right on the forehead."

Rean rolled his eyes. "Is that a separate deity from Aidios?"

Crow took a drink. "Who knows?"

Well, against all odds, something Crow said did catch his interest... "You said you traveled all over? Do you mean in the Empire, or abroad?"

Crow grinned. "All over. I've been from Ordis in the west to Edith in the east—though I didn't make it much farther than that. Too much political turmoil in Calvard back then." He took another swig.

"I see... What was your favorite place you visited?"

"Hmm... That's a hard one." He twisted his hands around his drink. "Well—I guess go with your gut, right? This might seem like an odd choice, but there's this dinky little town in the hills by the west coast called Raquel—I guess I kept getting drawn back to it while I was in the area." He watched Crow’s profile as he talked, lit up in dark orange by the bonfire. "It's just a little drop of civilization surrounded by chaparral and woods. Heh." He smirked sideways at Rean. "That spot's got a scratch for any itch—seedy night clubs, classy jazz clubs, casinos, strip joints, theaters—and 'cause it's still kinda rinky-dink in the middle of nowhere, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Dunno what it is about the place—it's just kinda cozy. And they don't check ID that hard." Rean gave him a flat look. "Hey, you asked!"

Rean sighed. He did ask... "Did you travel around with your family?"

He grinned down at Rean. "Hey, now—I still gotta leave a little mystery." He winked, which Rean wasn't surprised by, at this point.

Rean stretched out his legs, trying to get more comfortable. "Can I ask what your favorite food was, then? That you discovered while traveling?"

"That’ll be impossible." Crow set his drink in the cupholder. "I had way too much good food—I guess the best variety was in Crossbell and Edith. There’s a lot of people from the Central East and far East living there, and that means some bomb-ass authentic food." "Bomb-ass"—that was a new one. Crow could be making up these expressions on the fly, and Rean wouldn’t know the difference... "Hmm... Gimme a minute, I’m trying to narrow it down." Rean snickered.

"I guess it would be hard for me to narrow it down, too—I’d have a hard time deciding just with the food I’ve had here."

"Yeah?" It looked like one of Crow’s eyebrows raised, but it was mostly hidden by his bandana. What an odd fashion choice, Rean just couldn’t get over it. It would be like if Gaius decided to wear giant ski goggles. "Well what flavors stood out the most?"

"Hmm... I guess George’s mushrooms were a pleasant surprise—they almost tasted like caramelized onions, I might try to make them on my own." He looked a bit sheepish. "I’m still just a beginner when it comes to cooking, I just wouldn’t want to waste the ingredients until I got better."

Crow shrugged. "You’re eating it—what’s wasteful about that?"

"I guess..." Rean supposed Crow wouldn’t jive with the Eastern idea that everyday objects have a soul and want to be used in a particular way, like Elliot did... Or maybe he would, if eating the food honored its purpose regardless of how well-prepared it was... Hmm. It was an interesting philosophical musing. "Oh—but that meatball sub I had at Kirsche’s was really good—I especially liked the tomato sauce in combination with the sharp cheese."

"Yeah?" He crossed his boots at the ankle. "You should hit up Edel’s garden in summer—I’ve seen her pick one of those suckers off the vine and bite right into it." He pulled a face. "Hoo—I like tomatoes just fine too, but it makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it."

"Hmm..." Rean’s lips curled around his teeth. "I don’t know—I’ll give it a try, at least." Biting into a raw tomato... well, why not? He’d tried stranger things...

Crow laughed. "Hey—did you ever read that f*cked up kids’ book called ‘Tomatonio’? It’s about a tomato who really wants to get eaten—like he’s devastated when he can't get eaten, it’s his whole life’s purpose."

Rean raised an eyebrow. "This is a kids’ book?"

"Yeah, it’s real!" Crow was slouching horribly in the camping chair, his legs all splayed out. "Ask ‘the world’s loneliest bachelor’ in the library."

Rean’s brows screwed together. "Who? If you mean Instructor Thomas, that’s not very nice." For some reason, that really bothered him that Crow said that.

Crow had a somber look. "So you haven’t ran into him at Kirsche’s yet." He was looking down at Rean ominously. "You will. You will." ... What the heck did that mean?

"Ah, Rean." Gaius appeared in front of them, and since the chairs were so low to the ground, he looked extra-tall. "I just noticed that it’s eight-thirty already!"

"Oh, it is?" Sara didn’t really give them a curfew, per se—and it seemed way too early to call it a night already, not when everyone was finally mingling and having a good time.

Gaius gave him a quizzical look. "Well, didn’t you want to listen to that new show tonight?"

"Oh!" Rean shot up in the chair. "I completely forgot!" He looked around, making sure he wasn’t leaving any trash behind—he grabbed his drink bottle which was mostly empty, and picked up his bowl with a single sliver of mushy peach. "Geez—thanks Gaius, I would have completely sailed right past the time it started!"

Crow was snickering. "What is this now? A show?"

"Yeah—it’s a new talk show that’s starting tonight." Rean was debating what to do with his peach... he really didn’t want to throw it away, maybe he could bury it in the garden to enrich the soil? Would it help, or would it just rot down there and become mush?

"A talk show? You have to go listen to it now?" Crow sat up in the chair, bending up his long legs. "I thought we all had a cozy vibe goin’ on here."

"Well—yes, but I promised the Director I would listen to it. They even gave me a radio so I could—it was an old radio that George fixed up, so I can’t just not listen to it." Crow was giving him a look.

He sighed loudly. "All right. I get it." He pushed himself up with a grunt. "You really have a hard time sayin' no to people, huh?" Rean's brows furrowed. "It's not like they'll actually know if you listen to it or not."

Rean clutched his arm subconsciously. "That's not the point."

Crow clapped his shoulder, with a somewhat-tired smile. "I get it. I'll walk ya back, just lemme say my goodbyes."

"Oh—you don't have to do that."

"How did I know ya were gonna say that?" Crow snickered. "To be honest, I'm kinda hittin' the limit of how much fun I can have sober." Rean's brows screwed together. "Hah, just kiddin'. Or am I?"

"... I have a feeling you're not."

Crow's smirk looked rather facetious. "Who knows?" He clapped Gaius' shoulder as he passed, which was a bit of a surprise—"Hey pal, thanks for the heads-up." "Pal", huh...

"No problem." Gaius folded his arms. "I was keeping an eye on the time, since I like to go to bed early."

"You do?" Crow's eyebrows went up, again mostly obscured by his bandana. "Color me surprised."

"Haha." Gaius had a contented look, his eyes closed. "I value my morning routine."

"I guess." Crow was scratching the back of his hair. "Couldn't be me, nothing good happens before eleven AM." Haah... Crow really was that kinda guy, huh?

"I guess I'll say goodnight to everyone, too—are you coming too, Gaius?"

"I'll be along a little later." Gaius smiled. "I want to enjoy this night with everyone while I can."

"Oh..."

Crow sighed. "Rean, you really wanna dip out to go listen to a talk show on the radio? Who are you, my Grampa?"

"Well..." He really didn't want to "dip out", he was enjoying watching everyone having a good time—but he also felt like he owed it to Michael and Lala and George, and everyone else today for being so kind to him. And he dreaded the feeling if he ran into Director Michael in town, or George asked him how the show was, and he hadn't actually watched it...

"Haah... don't get all self-conscious about it now, I'm just givin' you sh*t." Crow clapped his back. "Go say bye to everyone, I'll meet you at the front gate."

"... Okay." Rean realized he was still awkwardly holding the bowl. "Hey—" Both Gaius and Crow turned around. "Do you think if I buried this peach in the garden, it would help the soil?"

"... What kinda question is that?"

Rean looked to the side, feeling really self-conscious. "Well... it's just too ripe for me to eat, but I don't want to throw it away..."

"Oh for Aidios'—give me that." Crow grabbed the bowl from him, pinching the little sliver of peach and dropping it in his mouth.

"Haha." Gaius folded his arms. "To not let a scrap go to waste is very much a Nordic philosophy. Though I admire your suggestion to use it to enrich the soil, Rean."

For some reason, Crow seemed annoyed. "Lemme say bye to Towa and the guys, I'll meet ya out front." He stalked off, carrying the bowl with him.

Rean realized he was anxiously twisting his mostly-empty bottle in his hands, but he wasn't sure why. "So you're going to stay for a bit, Gaius?"

"Yes—though I'll see you back at the dorm before long."

"Okay." He was hoping Gaius would walk back with them... it just might be a little awkward with just him and Crow. Maybe Elliot would want to come back with them... Well, actually, that "don't be lonely" line aside, Crow had been surprisingly easy to talk to for a minute there. It was like he was back in "chill" mode and just threw in weird little comments to spice things up—maybe that was how he normally was. It probably helped that Angelica wasn't around... Actually, Rean hadn't seen her in a minute.

"Hey, I'm gonna walk this guy home, but I'll be back to help with cleanup." Crow was standing by Towa and George, and he put the bowl on the table with all the other dirty dishes. "Where'd Gelica take off to?"

"Oh—" Towa looked around. "That's a good question!" Rean noticed that her hair was styled different—it was in two long braids at the back, that must have been Angelica's doing.

Crow looked around too. "Uh oh." Just like that, they heard exhaust fire like a gunshot, then an engine revving.

"Hold on tight, mama!" The bike sped past the fence, and Rean caught a blur of lilac as it screamed past.

"Wah—! Hahaha!" Emma laughed into the night as she sped off with Angelica, sounding like she was having the time of her life.

"Oh, brother..." Crow turned and gave Rean a sympathetic look. "Well, so much for your friend. It was nice knowin' her."

Rean rolled his eyes. "You guys give Angelica crap, but I'm willing to bet Emma's actually in safe hands." George was giving him a curious look. "She'll probably just bring her right back after gauging how much of the bike she can handle." They were all looking at him now, and suddenly he felt like he said something wrong. "Um... that's just my impression, anyway."

"Teehee!" Towa laughed into her hand. "See, you are good at reading people, Rean!"

Crow rolled his eyes heavily. "Rule number one with Gelica—never give her the benefit of the doubt." He gave the guys a casual wave, strolling through the open fence. "Let's hope that blind faith in people never comes back to bite ya." And he walked off into the night.

Towa sighed. "Now that's not true at all. Crow could stand to be a little less cynical, don't you think?"

"Honestly, I still can't really tell when he's joking..."

George laughed lightly. "Well, you'll get a feel for it soon."

Towa's brows sloped somewhat. "So you're leaving already, Rean? I hope you enjoyed the food..."

"Oh, I did! Everything was wonderful—thanks for putting in all the effort, guys." He smiled. "Honestly—I wouldn't want to leave yet otherwise, but I promised the folks at Radio Trista that I would check out their new show."

"Oh right, that!" George had his hands on his hips. "Well, that's sweet of you to remember that."

"Yeah..." For some reason, Rean felt embarrassed. "Well—I'll go thank the Principal and Sara one more time, then I'll slip out." He almost wanted to just duck out without saying goodbye, since he'd see everyone back at the dorm later anyway—but his manners wouldn't let him. He knew that Director Michael told him to "tell all his friends"... but it's not like they were all going to rush back to the dorm and crowd around Rean's radio in his room to listen to some random show they'd never heard of. And after Crow's reaction, he could see that his reasoning for dipping out so early might seem strange or weak to everyone else... No, he decided to just keep it to himself. Then after he'd listened to the first show, he could honestly recommend it to all his friends next week. Maybe he could ask Instructor Sara if they could get a radio in the common room for everyone—that would be nice to be able to listen to music while he practiced cooking.

"All right, Rean—well I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! It looks like the cookout was a success!" Towa pumped her fists.

"I'll say—everything was delicious, thank you again." His brows sloped again. "Sorry to be a party pooper, I hope everyone else stays a while, though!"

"Oh, don't worry about that—to be honest, I'll probably go straight to bed after cleanup anyway!"

"I'm sorry." Rean laughed awkwardly. "Do you guys want some help cleaning up before I go?"

"Nope—it's our job as your hosts! And as second-years." She clasped her hands behind her back. "Maybe you'll feel the same way next year—it's hard to explain."

George laughed lightly, pushing up his hat. "What did Crow call them, 'our little chickadees'?"

"I think that was it!"

"'Chickadees'?" Rean was laughing incredulously. He was so odd... "I think Crow just makes these words up half the time."

"Hey, you might be onto something."

Rean bowed to both of them. "Thank you again, I appreciate the treat. Maybe us 'chickadees' can throw you guys a special graduation party at the end of the year."

"Oh!" Towa clasped her hands at her cheek. "That would be wonderful, I'd certainly welcome a chance for all of us to get together again!" Rean decided to try to take a page from Towa's book—if he was in her shoes, he would have automatically said something like, "Oh, it's no trouble!" or "You don't have to do that!" It sounded much better as the person offering kindness to have it received with gratitude, than pushed away with modesty. That was probably what his Mom had been trying to teach him... he finally actually got it.

"Sounds good—well, hopefully I'll see you guys at lunch soon!"

"Yes—please come by anytime!"

Rean was in a better mood when he went around saying goodnight to everyone—he decided to phrase it as, "I'm heading back to the dorm a bit early, I hope you guys enjoy the night! I'll see you all later"—that way it didn't sound so "final" that he was leaving and the night was over. He thankfully didn't get much pushback—although Elliot did offer to go back with him, but Gaius stepped in and said that he'd be leaving soon as well, so he would walk back with Elliot later. It almost seemed strategic on Gaius' part... but that might also just be Rean overthinking.

"Principal, Instructor?" Rean stepped up to them while they were talking. "Thank you for helping out with the cookout—we really appreciate it." He bowed.

"Ha ha, it's my pleasure, my boy! Thank you for agreeing to keep an eye on that freaky-deaky old building for me!" He rubbed his chin. "I'm just glad you all made it back safe and sound, and didn't turn into worms! Wa ha ha!" Geez—did he hear that from Jusis?

"Well, I hope we can actually answer some of the questions surrounding the ruins for you."

The Principal clapped him on the shoulder with a heavy hand, and Rean was prepared for it this time. "I'm sure you will, Rean Schwarzer. Now—rest well, I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow!" That's right—they only had the one free day, and it was back to school as usual tomorrow morning. Rean felt like he had such a full day though, and didn't regret the way he spent it at all. He really felt like he made the most of his "second chance" after having such a crappy night. But he'd have a more relaxing night tonight—he might just lay on his back and listen to the new show, or try to do some reading—or who knows, maybe he'd be inspired to pick up the mandolin again.

"Thank you, Principal."

Rean said a few more goodbyes, then he left the smoky warmth of the bonfire to the cool spring night outside. He could hear the crickets more as he got farther away from the garage—oh, someone was standing outside the library? He could just barely make out two round orbs of light—oh, it was the light shining off someone's glasses. Wait—was that Instructor Thomas?

Rean made his way down the walkway, and sure enough, Instructor Thomas was standing outside the door to the library, which still had all the lights on. "Instructor Thomas? What are you doing out there?"

"Oh, Rean." He laughed awkwardly. "Well, truth be told—I got absorbed in my reading and ended up having a late night, and then I noticed out my window that it looked like you were all having a 'soiree' over there." He pushed up his quite thick glasses. "Part of me wanted to see what all the hubbub was about... But, well, I suppose I got a little shy." He laughed.

"Really?" That was surprising—Instructor Thomas seemed so animated during lectures. Actually—no, that wasn't surprising at all—he probably was pretty awkward normally, he just came "on" during lectures because he loved history so much. "Well, it was just a little cookout put on by our seniors—Instructor Sara and Principal Vandyck are down there too, if you want to join them?"

"Oh—are you sure they wouldn't mind?" He sounded nervous.

"No, why would they?" After that weird comment Crow made—Rean just felt bad for Instructor Thomas, he didn't want him to be standing over here by himself wishing he could join everyone... "I'll walk back with you, I was just on my way back to the dorm."

"Oh—well, that's very kind of you, Rean! You're such a thoughtful young man!" That was another thing—Rean couldn't actually tell how old Instructor Thomas was—he had this out-of-touch way of speaking, and the way he dressed was a bit... eclectic, but looking at him, he could be anywhere from twenty-five to forty-five.

"It's no trouble." Rean walked with Instructor Thomas back towards the lot. "There might not be much food left—but there should still be some ice cream!"

"Oh, my! Well, doesn't that sound lovely?" As they approached the fence, Instructor Thomas slowed behind him. "Haha... I assume this is a dry event because it's just for the students?"

"Dry? Oh, you mean there's no alcohol—no, I didn't see any—unless Instructor Sara snuck some in for herself."

"Haha... I see." Great—Instructor Sara was even infamous among the faculty.

They passed through the fence, and Rean went up to Sara. "Sara? Instructor Thomas wanted to join us, are there any drinks and ice cream left?" Rean noticed Instructor Thomas was hanging back a few feet behind him.

Sara sighed. "I guess that's fine... But it's just soda and sparkling water Thomas, don't get excited!" Oh... what did that mean? Was Instructor Thomas asking about alcohol for himself? That was a bit surprising... he couldn't even imagine what he'd be like drunk...

"Ha ha! But the night is still young, Sara my dear! What say you we invite Thomas out for a night cap after we help the students clean up here, hmm?" Wow—he was a little surprised to hear the Principal say that out loud in front of his students.

"Oh, my—I'd be delighted, Principal!"

"Ugh... you've really done it now, sir." Wait. "You haven't seen him at Kirsche's yet"... Uh oh, was Instructor Thomas one of those people who completely changes when he drinks? Well—Rean supposed it wasn't any of his business. Oh—but he was curious about something.

"Instructor Thomas? You're familiar with folks legends, right?"

"Oh, of course! Folk legends are a huge part of our ancestry and cultural identity!"

Rean smiled. "That's good to hear—we ran into a Shining Pom underneath the old schoolhouse—"

"Oh my, you did?!"

"Yes—and Emma's not here to explain more about it, so I was hoping you had some interesting stories about them?

"Oh, dear—do I ever!" Instructor Thomas walked over to Elliot and Gaius, who happened to be closest. "I heard you students encountered one of the fabled Shining Poms?"

"Oh, yes—it was actually shining, and it was way tougher than a normal Pom! It felt like half our attacks didn't even connect!"

"Haha—but of course! The origins of the Shining Pom are as numerous as they are mysterious—one such legend goes that Aidios Herself came down to Zemuria disguised as the humble Pom, to check up on her people—"

"Oh no! And I whacked it right in the face with my magic!" Elliot looked genuinely shocked. "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have done that!"

"Haha—fret not at all! For you see, the Shining Pom always comes back to test us in different ways! Gaius, I believe indigenous Nordic religions incorporate a similar belief to the Eastern 'reincarnation'?"

Rean smiled to himself, slipping away before anyone else noticed him.

As Rean strolled down the main road through campus, he couldn't help but admire the stars. Trista had little light pollution, like Ymir, so every star in the sky was visible, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The moon was still a crescent, like a delicate little pastry.

He could make out Crow's silhouette under the street light at the main entrance, and it looked like he was snacking on something—then a cloud bloomed and dissipated around him. Haah... great.

"Angelica must've run over a poor skunk out here on her bike, huh?"

Crow tapped out whatever he was smoking on a little case, tucking it away in his pocket. "Must have—poor little guy." It sounded like he had a bubble in his throat. Rean rolled his eyes. Crow shot out a cough.

"Geez—the Principal is right over there, you know."

"Ah, I know. That's what makes it more fun." Rean rolled his eyes again, though he didn't know if Crow could tell. Crow got out his ARCUS. "It's eight forty, so you still got time to head back and catch your show."

"Oh, thanks." Crow smoothly tucked his ARCUS in his back pocket. Rean had been a bit apprehensive about trying to come up with ways to curb the inevitable, "So you think I'm pretty cool and you want me to take you under my wing, right?" conversation—but he was feeling so mellow and optimistic after such a nice night, he decided not to let it bother him. Crow seemed like he was at the point where he just wanted to "mellow out"—so Rean would just go with the flow of the conversation on the short walk back to the dorm.

They were walking for a bit, and Crow hadn't said anything, though he was peering up at the sky with his hands in his pockets. "... I think I narrowed it down." He looked down with a smirk. "This'll probably sound like an odd choice again—but one of my most memorable meals was this little food cart in some back alley in Edith."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah." Crow laughed to himself. "There's a bit of backstory on this one, but I'll keep it brief." He kept walking with his hands in his jacket pockets. "So I may or may not have been drunk off my ass—"

Rean sighed. "How old were you?"

"That part's not important—but this was 'a few years ago', I'll just say that." Rean rolled his eyes, but decided to just let him keep going with his story. "So, anyway—I'm stumblin' down this back alley, 'cause they actually kicked me out of the casino—I don't remember what I did, my ID was so good they couldn't really turn me away at the door, but I guess they got sick of whatever I was doin' and got an excuse to throw me out." Rean had to fight the urge to interject several times in that one sentence alone. "Anyway—I'm plastered, I'm pissed off, I'm f*ckin' hungry—it's not like I have an ARCUS on me, nothing like that even existed then—so I'm just bumbling my way around, trying to count the mira in my wallet to figure out where the f*ck I'm supposed to stay tonight." This story wasn't very "brief" at all—but against his better judgment Rean found himself oddly hooked on listening. "So I see this dinky little food cart lit up at the end of the alley—and I'm like, 'sh*t—I might as well siddown here.'" His drunk impression of himself was probably not exaggerated at all... "So I sit down, and I try to order another damn drink—I was kinda goin' through it, it's not important why—and this guy's not havin' it like, 'Yeah I don't think so, kid.'" He smirked to himself at the memory. "I actually remember tryna get out my card to show him like, 'Wait, just look at my ID—' like that would convince him—he already clocked that I was a stupid kid and wasn't havin' any of it, he'd probably seen it all." He snickered. "Anyway—so since I'm here and I feel like I'll fall over if I stand up and I'm hungry as sh*t, I order some kebabs and a noodle bowl—and I don't know what it was, but it was the most delicious f*ckin' food I've ever had in my life." It was a little hard to read his facial expression since the street lights were placed a bit far apart, but it looked like he was smiling. "I practically inhaled the noodles, I drank all the broth—and the kebabs were so juicy the meat fell right off the stick. I couldn't tell you what the spices were, or any of that sh*t—I just know it was f*ckin' good." He shrugged. "Maybe if I had it again I'd think it was just okay, maybe I was so drunk anything woulda tasted good—but that's the food I remember the most. It was so good it's like, 'Yeah, sh*t is hard—but life is good, sometimes.'" He made an exaggerated shrug, his hands still in his pockets. "'Maybe it is worth waking up tomorrow!'" Rean couldn't help but laugh awkwardly. He was obviously exaggerating... but that was still a rather dark thing for such a young guy to say. Especially if he was "a few years" younger—then he was what, seventeen? Sixteen, even? Rean had been listening to the whole story, but got a little caught on that part towards the beginning—"I was kinda goin' through it, it's not important why." Rean really wanted to know, but that would be incredibly rude and personal to ask—and Crow probably wouldn't tell him anyway, he'd probably just evade it with a smartass answer or "Who knows?"

"I see... It's really interesting that you can't remember specific flavors, but the meal stood out so strongly to you." Rean was rubbing his chin. "I remember reading a children's story where a little mouse almost drowned, and when she washed up on the riverbank she saw a flower, and the narration was like, 'It was the most beautiful flower she had ever seen.'" He realized the implication of making that comparison, and instantly felt guilty. "—sorry, that's just the first thing that popped into my mind." He laughed a bit awkwardly. "Sometimes I just think out loud..."

"Heh." Crow still had his hands in his jacket pockets, even though it wasn't that cold out. "You might be onto somethin' there." They had already passed the train station, and would be at the dorm in minutes. Rean never thought he'd say it... but he almost wished he didn't have a prior obligation, because he wouldn't have minded walking around and talking to Crow for a bit longer. That story was certainly a roller coaster... Rean had led a pretty privileged life, all things considering—he realized his bubble had been small, and his life experience was limited, but his parents loved him, and he had never wanted for anything. He couldn't imagine "going through it" so badly that he was stumbling drunk in a foreign city without even a hotel room booked, and some street food probably loaded with MSG being the only thing to convince you that life was worth living... Actually, he was a bit surprised Crow even told him that story at all.

Before he realized it, they were at the dorm. "It's here, right? I think I've seen you guys coming out of here from up the hill."

"That's right—thanks." Suddenly his brain couldn't think of a follow up. "That story was certainly interesting." Rean laughed awkwardly—he felt bad that "interesting" was the word he came up with, that felt so reductive... "Thank you for telling me." He didn't know why he said that, either—well, he did know why, it was just embarrassing that he ended up saying it out loud... Ugh...

"Hm. Hey, Rean." His voice was even, standing at the edge of the street light. "Don't stress about the whole 'taking you under my wing' thing—I won't bring it up anymore." What? Oh... "But lemme give you some advice, as your senior." The harsh light overhead was casting unflattering shadows under his eyes. "You're allowed to 'protect your peace'. That means sayin' 'no' when you need to, and not making everyone else's feelings a priority all the time." He paused for a second. "Some people, once they see you're a giver, they'll just take, take, take. So don't let that happen to you, okay? It's not 'selfish' or whatever to stand up for yourself." He turned like he was getting ready to leave. "I'm not accusin' anyone of doin' that today, it's just something to keep in mind going forward."

"Is that why?" Rean ended up blurting it out. He licked his lips out of habit. "I mean—you just said you wouldn't bring it up anymore, but is that why you kept saying you wanted to 'take me under your wing'?" He was embarrassed that he even asked...

"Heh. I guess that's part of it." Crow had taken something out of his pocket, but Rean couldn't tell what it was. "It's hard to explain—I think you'll get it when you become a second-year, and you see all the little first-years rolling in like, 'Oh man, that used to be me.'" He snickered. "I mean, I don't plan on ever havin' any f*ckin' kids—but I imagine that's kinda what it feels like." Rean actually laughed. "Like, you want a little better for them than what you got, you know?"

"That's a little surprising to hear."

Crow shrugged. "Hey, I'm a multi-layered, complex guy." Rean rolled his eyes. He could hear a sound in the distance—Angelica was riding back up the highway, but noticeably slower than he would have expected.

Emma was clinging to her waist as they puttered in a lower gear through the east gate. "Haha—that was so exhilarating! I'm glad my glasses managed to stay on... Oh look, it's Rean!"

Crow backed up as Angelica idled the bike up between them, and stopped it with one foot. Emma took off the little half-helmet and shook out her hair, which was flat on top but almost circular outside of her braid, with how windswept it was. Angelica pulled off her jet-black helmet. "Heya, boys. Is the party over already?"

"No—I just decided to call it a night a little early." He looked to Crow. "Everyone was still in a pretty good mood when we left, wouldn't you say?"

"I'd say so."

"I see." Angelica fit her helmet back on. "Well, I'm going to drop Miss Emma off up there so no one thinks I kidnapped her."

Emma laughed. "Oh Angelica, that's so silly!" She strapped on her little half-helmet again. "I'll see you later, Rean! If not tonight, then tomorrow morning!" She waved, then slipped her hands around Angelica's waist again. "Good night!"

"Good night, Emma."

Crow nodded to Angelica. "I'll head back up to help clean, see ya in a bit."

"Oh, is that so? Too bad for you." She purred, revving her engine. "Better luck next time." She shot down the straightaway, zipping around the corner and up the slope. Oh, boy... Rean couldn't help but feel bad for the residents of Trista... but at least Emma was enjoying herself.

"Geez." Crow rolled his eyes. "That woman can learn to keep some thoughts to herself."

"Yeah..." Rean just kind of said it automatically, but then realized what he was acknowledging. Angelica had been more subtle before... but that was definitely less ambiguous. He started getting embarrassed, grateful that he was by the door where there was less direct light. Crow was flicking something down by his leg—oh, it was a lighter. Haah... well, whatever. After hearing that wild story, he supposed smoking some "devil's bud" surrounded by friends wasn't the worst thing in the world. "I wonder if Emma can even tell that she's being hit on or not..."

"Hah, I wouldn't worry about your friend." Crow flicked the lighter, snuffing the flame again. "If I really thought Gelica was up to no good, I'd just shoot out her tires." He reached for his hip. "—oh sh*t that's right, I don't have my guns on me."

"Guns, those are your weapons?"

"Yeah—orbal pistols, if you wanna get specific."

"Interesting... do they have a mechanism that switches them to dual-wielded weapons? I saw you talking to Fie earlier..."

"Nah." He got out a "devil's bud cigarette", or whatever you call them, from his silver case. "I'm a lover, not a fighter—I just like to hang back with my guns and focus on crowd control." He grinned. "You feel me?"

"Uh, not exactly—that's pretty much the opposite of my fighting style."

"Heh." He was tapping one end of the thing on the case. "We might make a good pair." Rean rolled his eyes, but it was probably too dark to see. He had asked for less ambiguity, but now he found himself just wanting to change the subject.

"Well, if you think Angelica's harmless, then—"

"Hey now, I didn't say she was harmless."

Rean sighed loudly. "Well, I'll choose to trust her. And Emma's judgment." He folded his arms. "I meant what I said up there—I think Angelica talks a big game, but she's obviously not a bad person. I think she knows where to draw the line."

"Heh." Crow closed his eyes. "You're too trusting. You ever heard the expression 'with rose-tinted glasses, red flags just look like flags'?"

Rean rolled his eyes. "I'd rather be fooled trying to see the good in people. The other way just sounds really sad."

"'You'd rather be fooled'..." He snickered to himself. "Well, okay." He finally turned to leave. "Just do me a favor and keep a healthy level of skepticism, all right?"

Rean rolled his eyes, again. "Does that include you, too?"

"Especially me." Crow flicked his lighter against the end of his cigarette, and a little cloud bloomed. "—I can teach you to spot the bullsh*tters, but your training's not complete until you can see through me." He spread his arms with a flourish like a hack magician, his smoke between his fingers. "Just consider me the Final Boss of Bullsh*t."

Rean sighed loudly. "I'm going to miss my show."

Crow snickered, taking another drag—or Rean supposed it was called a "hit". "Enjoy your night, Rean. Don't stay up too late."

"Thanks... good night." Crow waved overhead without turning around, heading off into the darkness. Trista was so sparsely lit by nine, it looked like he was disappearing in and out of existence when he passed under a street light. For some reason... maybe Rean was reading too much into it, or maybe his perception was colored by that story... but for some reason seeing Crow's dark silhouette getting smaller down an empty street looked really lonely.

Rean turned and opened the front door, padding quietly into the sitting room.

XXX

XXX

Crow took one more hit, stubbing out the spliff on his Grampa's old case. Game Over. Whelp, if Rean even had a shred of "healthy skepticism", he would've been able to see though that bullsh*t. Sorry, kid—you already lost. Crow didn't have to feel bad anymore—he told ya upfront, he literally could not be more clear than that. This would be so easy, it probably wouldn't be any fun at all.

"Haah..." He didn't even have to whip out that bullsh*t explanation he workshopped with George, looks like after telling his sad little story about "going through it" that added just enough vulnerability to his character, Rean just took everything at face value. Hook, line, and sinker.

Well... maybe it was just 'cause he was a little stoned, but he was starting to feel bad about this whole "dibs" thing—he hadn't actually done anything yet, it wasn't too late to change course and look after the kid like a "little brother" or whatever instead. He didn't need to sleep with the poor guy. Even though Rean's eyes got as big as Instructor Thomas' glasses when he flexed his arms, and he was nakedly staring at his side profile while he talked, and he definitely got all mopey and jealous when Crow was mingling with Mr. Handsome and Vita's sister—that didn't give Crow free reign to just take advantage.

"Hrm... Heugh!" He coughed up hard, what felt like straight from his lung—heugh, this sh*t was pretty rough, he'd have to ask Edel if her special harvest was ready yet. Hmm... Well, Crow had ended up surprising himself, after tonight—Rean was pretty lame, and a straight-laced horse girl who wouldn't know a good time if it smacked him on the ass—but that was actually kinda cute. Like he just made you want to say, "Oh, you sweet summer child." Hehe... Crow couldn't help but picture some scene down the line where he was lighting up, and Rean was eyeing his joint, and Crow gave a cheeky grin and said, "Wanna try some?" And Rean asked some sweet summer child question like, "Well, what is it like?" And Crow would go, "I think it'll be too rough for you to do it straight your first time, c'mere a sec—" And Rean would do what he was told and look up at him with the big doe eyes, and Crow would draw in without inhaling, then cup his chin all gentle-like and lean in and blow the smoke right into his mouth, careful not to touch his lips—and Rean would probably go all stiff like a wild rabbit, and he probably wouldn't know how to inhale it properly so he would probably just end up coughing it all over—and Crow would laugh and say, "I don't know how much of it you actually got—wanna try again?" And Rean would look up at him all shy with wide eyes, his heart probably beating all fast, thinking, "If I say yes, is he going to kiss me this time?" And Crow would lean down and give him another shotgun, and maybe the third time he'd give him the ol' virgin-brain-melting kiss. Hehe—that sounded pretty damn cute, honestly—damnit, why couldn't Rean have said some narc sh*t like, "You're technically on school property—there's no smoking" so Crow could've swung that into asking if he wanted to try some, and gotten a cute lil shotgun kiss out of it?! Bah... well, whatever—there was always next time.

Crow smirked to himself, trying to warm his cold-ass hands in his pockets. Yeah—playing "big brother" would be boring as sh*t—he had to snap this guy up before some other jackass got to 'im. Like Mr. Handsome—that dude from Nord was one cool customer, and Crow didn't get any particular vibe off him, but if he ever decided he was gay he'd be pretty stiff competition. Hoo—if he turned out to be the Awakener, that'd be pretty rough—Crow learned his lesson last time going for a guy he thought would be cool, only for him to turn around and literally pace around the room going, "I can't believe I did that—what if my f*ckin' old man finds out, what if Friedel finds out, I'm not gay—" Heugh—it was giving Crow the ick just remembering it. Then again—he should've known those "delinquent" types usually have a lot to hide—he was a pretty punk-ass kid "goin' through it" in his heyday, too.

"Heugh..." Crow actually shivered, even though it wasn't that cold. Nah—if Gaius turned out to be the Awakener, he'd just be bro material—no more swordfighting for him, Crow decided if he was gonna put up with virgins or a guy who'd never been with another dude before, it might as well be a total bottom like Rean who would just defer to Crow on everything and go along with whatever. At least, that was Crow's assessment. Heh—maybe he'd do the less-sh*tty thing for once and leave the ball in Rean's court—he literally warned 'im, so if he still wanted to get all cozy up on Crow, he'd at least give it to 'im good.

"Hehe... yeah, I'll take you under my wing—in bed..." He snickered all the way up the slope—he probably coulda done without that last hit, he was gettin' a lil giggly—but whatever, he wasn't looking forward to having to do f*ckin' dishes. Stupid Rean, he could've at least invited him up for coffee—it sounded like Angelica would've just figured if his ass disappeared. "Radio show"... even his old man didn't have old man hobbies like that, or he'd at least pour himself a bourbon and kick up his foot rest in front of the fire if he was gonna listen to it. Heh... Crow could imagine busting into the room all, "Hey Pops, can I read you these lyrics I wrote?" And the old man would bark, "Quiet, kid—I'm tryna listen to my show." And Crow's stupid ass would quip, "What? That's boring—they're not even playing any music, why'd you wanna listen to that?!" And his old man would grab him in a headlock or ruffle his hair all hard if he got too close, and mutter, "Kids like you can't appreciate adults' hobbies—" and stupid kid Crow would laugh, but not try all that hard to get away... heh, yeah probably somethin' like that. Damnit—he was too stony-bologna, time to get it together.

He slapped his own cheeks—harder than he meant to. "Ah! ... damnit." He gently brushed his cheeks with his fingers, as if that would do anything—then shook his head and mentally reset himself. It was Showtime.

He strolled back through the fence, the smoky heat from the bonfire hitting his stinging face. "Hey, kiddos—what'd I miss?"

OOO

OOO

Rean was sipping a warm cup of loose leaf tea he made in the Remiferian press, with only his orbal lamp on for ambiance. They were still just playing jazz before the show actually started.

He stretched to set the teacup on the matching coaster on his desk. He was all cozy in his sleep shirt, sitting up against his propped-up pillow. Elliot and Gaius would probably be back pretty soon—if they wanted to they'd be welcome to join him, but he was also fine having a quiet night to himself. If the show wasn't that good, he'd feel awkward if they were there listening in too, like it was his fault...

He drew his bent-up legs into himself. "You're allowed to protect your own peace", huh? Well... Rean knew he could stand to say "no" to people more often, but that also made him feel bad—his Mom had taught him that kindness is its own reward, and he fully believed that. He felt good about helping people and making their day—maybe a cynical guy like Crow would've just spied Instructor Thomas hovering outside the library and been like, "Geez, that's sad—well whatever, not my problem." Well, that wasn't exactly fair—he didn't actually know Crow that well, and if he was such a "multi-layered and complex guy", he might just think that, but still sigh loudly and walk over like, "What's with you, Thomas—if you wanna go down there you can just do it, ya know." Yeah... Rean preferred to give others the benefit of the doubt first, and that included people like Angelica and Crow who were a bit rough around the edges. Rean wasn't sure what to make of that whole "Final Boss of Bullsh*t" thing... it almost seemed like reverse-psychology. Well... whatever. He'd probably get a better feel for it in time... When they were just standing around outside the dorm, it almost felt like he was "shooting the sh*t" with someone he'd known longer than what, two weeks? Not even that, since it's not like they'd had a bunch of conversations before now... Hoo. No, no—it wasn't that, the guy was just easier to talk to than he thought he'd be, that's all. Ugh—why'd Angelica have to say that?! He thought she was on his side... dang it.

A modern-sounding upbeat jingle replaced the jazz as it faded out, and a smooth female voice came on the radio. "Good evening, Trista—it's nine PM, and you're exactly where you need to be. Don't touch that dial, now—and thank you for joining me on this cool spring 'abend' for our very first Abend Time." Wow—they weren't kidding about the "having coffee with an old friend" vibe, for some reason her voice was really relaxing and inviting. "I'll be your host, Misty. I may have a special guest or two planned for you all in our upcoming shows, but for now it's just me, hm-hm." She had a low, but playful laugh. "Ahh—I don't know about you, but there's something special about drinking coffee at night, especially when the moon is out and the stars are so clear... I have a local blend from Kirsche's with hazelnut notes tonight—not sponsored folks, but I certainly wouldn't turn it down. Hm-hm!" Rean picked up his teacup, letting it warm his palms as he sipped his white peach tea with floral notes. He let his eyes close as he listened. "I'm sure we all associate a full moon with romance, but there's something sultry about a perfect crescent moon—after all, the best lovers always leave us wanting more!"

XXX

XXX

Principal Vandyck lifted some huge-ass machine under a tarp up on his shoulder, Crow couldn't even tell what it was. "Damn, Principal—I hope I'm even half as strong as you are when I get up there!" At this rate Crow would be lucky if he even made it to fifty—or rather, he didn't particularly want to live past then—but who knows, he wasn't the "Daddy" type, but being a sexy silver fox with rough hands might not be so bad either, heh.

"Ha ha—you better start training now then, my boy!" The Principal set down whatever it was like it weighed as much as a cardboard box. "Now, Crow—weren't you talking about finally joining a club this year? Why not take up swimming?" He stood ramrod straight with his huge arms crossed. "Colonel Neithardt will whip you into shape lickety-split!" Yeah, right—and have to see that guy's wide-eyed face every time he walked in the gym? He didn't even have the courtesy to have big doe eyes like Rean, so it just looked wrong.

Crow rolled his eyes. "I said maybe, old man—whoops." He braced his teeth. "Sorry, Principal—it's a habit."

"Ha ha! 'Old man'... well, as long as it's meant to be a term of endearment, anything's fine, my boy! Ha ha!"

"Oh, Principal—you're so strict with us instructors, but you have such a soft spot for the students!" For some reason, freaking Instructor Thomas was here, he must've wandered over from the library. Sara sure as hell didn't invite him...

"But of course, Thomas—we educators have a heavy responsibility on our shoulders! We must shape the youth into those capable of both inheriting the world after we're gone—and changing it."

"Oh Principal—I couldn't agree more!" Then, in unison, they both shouted, "'Rise up, O youth—and become the foundation of the world!'" Aidios—Crow was too baked for this.

He stuck to George's dinky little outdoor sink the rest of the time, his hands getting all pruny and splashing more than a bit of dishwater on his jeans and favorite jacket... haah. Well, whatever. He got to try some of George's homemade patties after all, and Edel's ice cream was pretty f*ckin' choice. Hmm... the burgers tonight gave him an idea... nah. Best keep that one to himself.

Finally, after what felt like f*cking forever, the lot was more or less back to the way it was, and Crow had washed and dried every damn dish. "Hey. Be a gentleman and walk a lady back to the dorm?"

Crow rolled his eyes. "Sure thing, m'lady."

"Ugh, stop—" Gelica cringed. "You sound like one of those guys with the beards on their neck." Crow snickered.

Gelica walked a few steps ahead, and Crow clasped his hands behind his head. If she didn't want to just ride her bike back, she probably wanted to corner him and pester him about Rean. Haah... well, he'd already prepared what he was gonna say, pretty much the same BS he fed George already. "Hey, just so you know—I'm a little stony, so—"

"Oh, I can tell." She rolled her eyes over her shoulder. "I don't feel like having this big conversation, I just wanted to make sure we're clear. The rest of us like Rean, so if you hit-it-and-quit-it, I'll murder you."

Crow snickered. "Loud and clear, lady." He let his arms drop and swing back at his sides. "You didn't even need to say that, ya know—I don't know what I'm gonna do, but not that." He slid his hands in his pockets. "The kid's so innocent, I'd actually feel a little bad."

"Hah—how magnanimous of you."

Crow shrugged. "Maybe I'm just more mature in my old age."

"Yeah, I'll believe that when Gehenna freezes over." Crow snickered. They walked in comfortable silence for a bit. "You 'don't know what you're gonna do'? That's a surprise."

Crow scratched the back of his neck. "Well... maybe it's just 'cause I smoked a little, but I started feelin' kinda guilty. Maybe 'guilty' ain't the right word—but eh, if the kid just wants an 'older brother' or whatever, that's fine too. That might even be better."

Gelica stopped under the streetlight, regarding him with surprise. "That does sound mature of you." Her eyes narrowed. "What are you really planning?" Crow laughed out loud.

"Figured you wouldn't believe that." He kept walking. "Hey, maybe it's true this time."

"I think the sun'll explode before you gain some self-awareness."

Crow snickered. "You know, these little comments really do hurt my feelings!" They walked in silence for another minute. "Hey, Gelica—you're in the know with all this noble stuff. Did you know Rean was adopted?"

"No, I didn't." Her brows furrowed in a guilty expression. "Haah—I still feel bad about that, Ymir is our neighbor to the north, so I knew about the Baron and Lady, and that they had two children—but I didn't think that was supposed to be a secret! How was I supposed to know?" She walked with her arms folded, uncharacteristically insecure.

"Well, I guess he just wants to keep it under wraps since the four-eyes with green hair hates nobles so damn much." Crow rolled his eyes. "I heard him make a little comment about blondie, so I assume that's who it was."

"Hmm." Gelica clenched her biceps. "I'll keep an ear to the ground." They kept walking for a bit. Gelica sighed. "Poor Rean, he probably has other reasons... Aidios knows my old man is always hollerin' at me to get married. He'll probably never get it through his thick skull."

"Sounds rough." Crow snickered at her comment, but it wasn't that funny of a subject, so he let it die. "Yeah, maybe... who knows." They were already at the crossroads between the common and noble dorms, and they decided to keep walking down to the bridge over the river. Folks around here could get pretty nosy, from either dorm. "I don't blame you for the whole 'noble' thing, but you do realize you did kinda out the guy in front of his little friend with your last dig."

Gelica stopped. "Oh—you know, I didn't even think about that. Oops." She covered her mouth. "Dorothee told me Emma's her new disciple in their little boys' love club, so I guess my brain just categorized her as one of us."

Crow rolled his eyes. "Don't lump me in with you. And hey, that's still only half of us!" He was still trying to keep his voice relatively low. "And I'm only half so that's what—a fourth? No—a third? sh*t—"

Gelica was shaking her head. "Sweet Aidios... you really are dumb."

"Hey, I'm not dumb! I just can't whip out fractions off the top of my head without a piece of paper!"

"Haah... Well, let's just think about it for a second. With me, we're one-fourth, and you're 'half' so you'd be one-eighth." Uhh... "So that would make me two-eighths, which would make the two of us together three-eighths."

Crow turned around. "I'm too stoned for this sh*t."

"Hah—don't bother using that as an excuse, I know you have a tolerance like an ox." Whelp—she got him, there. "Hey, so..." Her voice was lower. "What do you think about Rean, 'one-fourth' or 'one-eighth'?"

"Oh, definitely a fourth. No question about that." He turned to face her again. "And hey—with him in our little group, we'll be fifty-fifty!" Gelica pressed her fist to her forehead. "What?!"

XXX

Someone actually knocked on his door, which was unusual. He was just cleaning his guns, since he felt a lil bad leaving the poor girls behind all day. "Who is it?"

"It's me!" Well, that could only be Towa.

He went to the door and opened it. Her cheeks were pretty rosy—probably from the bonfire and all the smoke blowing on her all night. "Hey girlie—looks like we all got smoked like little sausages tonight, huh?"

She was undeterred by his comment—he thought she might say "Oh no!" and clutch her hair to sniff it—but she was humming with her hands behind her back, swaying back and forth in this sing-songy "I know something you don't know~" kinda way. "It looked like you were getting along pretty well with our juniors, Crow!"

"Yeah, I guess so. They seem like a good group of kids." He folded his arms. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all." She shook her head, closing her eyes with a mischievous smile. She was still humming to herself, like she was waiting for Crow to say something else.

"Haah... All right, out with it. What are you thinkin', short stuff?"

"Oh, nothing..." She clasped her hands in front of her heart. "That was very considerate of you to walk Rean back to the dorms. I didn't know you had such a sweet side!"

"Where have you been? I'm as sweet as George's mushrooms!" He leaned against his doorframe. "And by that I mean, only under very specific conditions if the other person knows what the hell they're doing."

She giggled into her hand. "Well, let's hope 'the other person' knows what they're doing!" Hoo boy... "Well, I'm on my way to wash all the smoke out of my hair—you should take a shower too, Crow—and remember to wear a clean jacket tomorrow until ours can get washed!"

"Haah, what a pain..."

She wagged her finger at him. "Unless your 'special someone' is a caveman or a sasquatch, you should take better care of yourself, and practice good hygiene!"

"Good hygiene?" He almost gave himself a sniff test, but stopped. "What's wrong with it?" Crow could be a little lazy, but he wasn't a slob—he imagined his "hygiene" was pretty average, for a guy.

Towa sighed. "Boys always think there's 'nothing wrong'—you'll feel nice and refreshed for bed after a shower! Just do it!~" She said that last part in a pointed sing-songy way, like Sara used to do. It kinda left little room for argument.

"Haah... Okay, I'll go a little later. Just lemme put my pistols back together."

"Oh, good!" She had a spring in her step as she went back down the hallway. "I'm sure your 'special someone' will appreciate it!"

"Hey, who said anything like that?!" She was already practically skipping down the hall, humming a little conspiratorial tune to herself. Geez... he really f*cked up by calling "dibs", he shoulda just kept that to himself.

He closed his door, going back over to his desk where his babies lay all disassembled. Haah... well, at least she wasn't lecturin' him like those other guys—wait a minute. She did say explicitly say Rean's name—so what, if she already clocked it was him, she wasn't gonna bust his balls over "corrupting her new assistant" or whatever? What, was that her way of giving the thumbs-up? That seemed a little odd... you'd think Towa would be just as protective of their darling little Rean—or at least wise enough to Crow's patterns to shake her fist and tell him to keep it in line. Hmm... Who knows what women were thinking, honestly.

He carefully finished cleaning the parts he still had out, and his mind started wandering. He had been kinda getting burnt out on the whole "school" thing, so he supposed he hadn't been putting in much of an effort lately—he hadn't bought new threads in a while, but if he looked too good his rizz would probably be too intimidating for poor quiet-mountain-town horse girl Rean. Heh—well, maybe he could take the guy on a trip to Le Sage to Heimdallr, and Howard could hook him up. That guy would be way better at bringing out his inner je ne sais quoi, if it were up to Crow he'd probably just drip him out like a mini-me—hehe, 'course that could be fun, too.

Crow was meticulously cleaning and greasing up the parts to reassemble, and decided he needed some background tunes. Wait—he did have a radio... haah, might as well see what all the fuss was about. Then he'd at least have something to talk to Rean about next time—as long as it wasn't f*ckin' horses, Crow could fake interest in just about anything, if he had to.

He flicked on the knob, dialing the needle to Radio Trista's frequency. "—That's a very interesting question, and one I think we can all relate to—" Wait—what the f*ck?! "Thank you for calling in—hah, relationships can be so complicated, can't they? Even your humble host isn't immune to what I call 'the chain of excuses'—" That was definitely Vita—what, did she get bored with being an opera diva and thought it'd be fun to slum it with some chicken-sh*t gig?

"Vita?" He half-expected her to be using one of her freaky-deaky spells to take over his radio to mess with him—but it really did seem like she was live on the air. So that meant she was just down the street in the studio? Interesting... Well, whatever—he wasn't going to accost her in the middle of the night leaving the building like some stalker fan, he'd just ask her what her little talk show was about the next time they were face-to-face. He was a bit overdue to check in on his comrades, so he might as well call a meeting on the Pantagruel.

"Take my advice, especially you younger listeners out there—if they won't make time for you now, they never will. I wish I could take back all the time I spent trying to get a certain fiery friend of mine to look my way—hah, but he can't even care about his job, let alone a lady's feelings—" Ew, who was she talking about, McBurn?! Talk about bad taste lady, yeesh... Actually that was kind of a shock, Crow always got the vibe that Vita swung the same way as Gelica, with how she went on and on about the "Grandmaster"... Well geez, now he had to keep listening. "So after you make that first excuse, stop—really think about whether the person you're trying to give the benefit of the doubt to even exists, or if that's just the version of them you want to exist." He turned up the volume a smidge. "Don't keep chaining one more excuse onto the next—because let me tell you girls, boys, and others—that chain will stay around your neck and just keep dragging you down. And not in a sexy way!" Wow. There was a pause. "Haha, sorry there, folks—my producer didn't like that, so I'll be keeping it PG for all our student listeners out there."

"Aw, c'mon!" Crow was tipping back the legs of his chair, and had stopped working on his guns. "The tea was just gettin' piping hot!"

"... ohhh... it's so unfair...!" Crow turned towards his open window. He'd recognize that ghoulish wail anywhere... "I'm so lonely... Sara, why are all the good men taken..."

"You're asking me?!"

"Oh... I'm on the wrong side of thirty... pretty soon I'll be forty, and then pretty soon I'll be dead...!"

"Geez Thomas, haven't you ever heard of a 'silver fox'? The best years of your life are after forty, I say!" Crow couldn't help but peek down out his window—sure enough, Sara was more or less dragging Instructor Thomas up the slope back towards the common dorm. If it was anyone else besides her, he'd probably bite the bullet and give 'em a hand—but she was strong enough to carry him if need be, and maybe having to deal with a sloppy drunk would give her cause for self-reflection. But he somehow doubted it.

"Oh, Sara... you're so kind... your students are all so kind... especially Rean, he's so kind..." Crow's ears perked up at that.

"Yeah, yeah, Rean's a real peach—let's get you up to your room before your students see you, Thomas." Interesting... was Rean the one that foisted Instructor Thomas on everyone? Well, he probably just felt bad for him...

"Haah..." Crow pushed himself up out of his chair. Might as well give 'em a hand...

OOO

OOO

She sighed. "Relationships can be so complicated, can't they? Even your humble host isn't immune to what I call 'the chain of excuses'—you make one excuse because you want to give them the benefit of the doubt , and before you know it you've woven a whole daisy-chain together."

Rean was lying on his back listening to Misty, and he was starting to feel a little tired—but hearing her talk about making excuses in relationships caught his interest.

"Take my advice, especially you younger listeners out there—if they won't make time for you now, they never will." Hmm... Well, everyone had the potential for personal growth, and to learn from their mistakes, especially with open and honest communication... "So after you make that first excuse, stop—really think about whether the person you're trying to give the benefit of the doubt to even exists, or if that's just the version of them you want to exist." Huh... Well, maybe that was something he needed to hear. Maybe Crow had been half-right, that there was a middle ground between cynicism and blind faith—"healthy skepticism". Rean still preferred to give people the benefit of the doubt, and their actions could prove him right or wrong—he just had to make sure he didn't start making "excuses" for people he didn't want to be disappointed by. "Don't keep chaining one more excuse onto the next—because let me tell you girls, boys, and others—that chain will stay around your neck and just keep dragging you down. And not in a sexy way!" "Girls, boys, and others?" How oddly progressive... "Haha, sorry there, folks—my producer didn't like that, so I'll be keeping it PG for all our student listeners out there."

"Haha..." Rean could picture Director Michael wide-eyed, desperately making a "Cut!" motion at his neck. Hopefully she was just referring to the "not in a sexy way" part, and not the attempt to be inclusive. Maybe when he gave some positive feedback, he could just casually sandwich that in between his other notes... "Fwaaah..." Rean yawned into his hand. He was nice and relaxed from the tea, and Misty's voice was so soothing, he was starting to get sleepy...

OOO

OOO

OOO

I loved this chapter—I just kept wanting to add more and couldn't stop XD I hope you guys enjoyed it too :3 Let me know how you feel about the characterizations! It's been fun to reimagine these characters in different scenes, and I want to expand on their different dimensions without it feeling straight-up OOC.

I double-checked the fan wiki to remind myself what Rean's first quests were, and "Orbal Delivery" listed eggs and the Omelet recipe as rewards, making it seem like he got them from George XD I thought that was a cute idea so I ran with it, sorry Nicholas haha

I know Crow seems really scummy now, but trust me, he'll get better XD Also this probably doesn't need to be said, but the "I can fix him" thing only works in gay fanfic, not in real life lol. Value yourself and stay safe out there, y'all!

See ya next time~

Chapter 4: Integrate Your Shadow

Chapter Text

Mandala - Chapter 4

Integrate Your Shadow

OOO

4/24 - Saturday - S. 1204

Rean breathed in the fresh country air, which smelled like honey and soil. Celdic was a quaint farming community not too far from Trista, and the air was so crisp it practically tasted sweet. Tomorrow the spring Grand Market would open in the center of town, and the square was already decorated with colorful flags. The whole town seemed to be in high spirits, and Rean was enjoying a leisurely stroll, chatting with the locals and browsing the stalls. Crow had asked him to "pick him up a souvenir"... but he somehow doubted local hand-made stuff was his speed. He said it in a joking way, but it would feel lame if Rean went back completely empty-handed...

~OOO~

A few days earlier...

~OOO~

"So, you kids get to go on field studies, too?" Angelica twirled her fork in her angel hair pasta. "Sounds fun—is Sara going to be chaperoning you, or you get to be self-sufficient?"

"From what I understand, we'll be given a budget and an itinerary, and the rest is left to our own judgment." Rean sank his fork into the soft quiche. "I'd imagine that plays into our evaluation, how well we can be self-sufficient and make our own decisions."

Crow was chewing his hot dog. "—yeah, but how're they gonna know what you're doing? Unless one of the kids is supposed to narc on you."

"Hmm... Well, they must have some way of monitoring us." Rean got out his ARCUS. "I know these can take photos—but is there a video function?" He looked up at George. "Can they be tapped into remotely?"

George considered for a second. "Well, considering ARCUS are connected to the orbal network so you can send orbmail, it would be theoretically possible to 'hack' into them remotely—but the person attempting it would have to know as much about the ARCUS as I do." George gave a small but self-assured smile. "I don't know how many people there are like that out there—but maybe Sara has a way of doing it."

"... I see." Rean slipped his ARCUS back in his pocket. "Haah—that's not a very comforting thought."

Crow laughed. "Maybe you should keep it in a drawer when you're alone in your room. Or in a soundproof safe." Rean rolled his eyes.

Angelica took a sip of her tomato juice. "Knowing Sara, she'll probably be watching from up on a cliff."

"Well... our class is supposed to split up into two groups and go to separate locations, so I don't know how she'll be able to swing that."

"Is that so?" Angelica delicately pat her mouth with her napkin. "Well, that's interesting..." Despite Crow saying she was so "rude and crude", she clearly had well-ingrained table manners, just like Rean. And she definitely didn't talk with her mouth full like certain other people...

Rean could hear shoes rapidly scraping the cobblestones. "Hah—I'm here!" Towa was a little out of breath, pushing her hair back from her face. "Sorry I'm late—I had to finish up one last task!"

Angelica sighed. "You should take a longer lunch to make up for it, girl."

"Angie, I can't just be late for my next class..." Towa padded around to the empty stool next to George, and he took the wax paper off the slice of quiche he saved for her. "Ooh, what's this?"

"Just a little something I wanted to try out." He gave her a warm smile. "There's fresh asparagus and mushrooms, since those were such a big hit last time."

"Oh, it looks yummy! Thank you, George!"

Crow took another bite of his chili dog. "I'm sure it's pretty good, bud—sorry, I was just craving junk food today."

"Haha, that's understandable... well there's still an extra slice if anyone wants to take it to-go."

Angelica set down her glass. "There's no tallow or beef stock or anything, right?"

"Nope—just the cheese on top." George smiled. "I'd let you know it there was anything in there you couldn't eat, Angie."

"Aww, you're such a sweetheart, George."

It looked like Crow was chewing quickly so he could talk. "—so where you guys gonna go?" Rean supposed he appreciated that he wasn't talking with his mouth full... but his table manners still left much to be desired. "We went on a few field studies in our day too—the last one was Saint-Arkh, right?" He rolled his eyes. "Lemme tell you, that was pretty boring."

"Speak for yourself!" Angelica was winding her pasta around the fork with the aid of a spoon, which struck Rean as quite noble. "I got a great idea for a berry shake from that food cart we stopped at, it's still part of my repertoire!"

Crow rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you could've picked that up anywhere."

"Untrue—I was struck as if by divine intervention when concocting 'Meine Liebe Kiss'." Angelica winked. "And the ladies still love wetting their whistle with it."

"Ugh—and you're even worse at naming things than me."

Rean rolled his eyes. "It's better than 'Blade Lover in the Night'..." He mostly mumbled it to himself, but Crow still heard it.

"Hey, now!" Crow leaned his cheek in his hand in an obnoxious way. "You wanna know how I got that nickname, Rean?"

"I quite liked Saint-Arkh—the cathedral was beautiful, wasn't it, George?"

"I liked it, too—I found some interesting stuff at the pawn shop to boot." Towa and George were experts at sailing right past the others' antics, that much was for sure...

Rean took another bite of his quiche. The egg was nice and soft, and the cut-up asparagus broke it up with a nice crunch. "I'm glad I came by today—thanks for letting me try the quiche, George. I'd definitely call this 'comfort food'."

"No problem, Rean—I think I'll get in the habit of making extra in case anyone from Class VII wants to stop by."

"That's so sweet of you, George!" He looked shy at Towa's compliment, moreso than when Angelica said the same. Hmm... well, George seemed to get shy if anyone praised him, but Rean couldn't help but wonder...

Angelica wiped her fingers on her napkin. "So where are you guys going, Rean?"

"Oh—it's a small farming town called Celdic, apparently they're known for their Grand Market. A special spring harvest festival is going to happen while we're there."

"How nice—I don't think I've ever been."

Crow took another bite of his hot dog. "So are these just supposed to be 'enrichment' field trips, or what? What are you supposed to do while you're there, stimulate the local economy?"

"... That's a good question, actually."

"I mean, you don't expect to end up in live combat, right? So what's the point of sending you out to some farm?"

Rean was rubbing his chin. "There must be some reason." He had set down his fork. "Sara made sure to push the point that Class VII was a 'bold new experiment' and 'not cheap to run'."

Crow shrugged. "Well, I hope you get somethin' out of it, even if it's not what Sara intended."

"I do, too..." Rean admitted to not having given it much thought, as he had just ridden the wave of excitement after the announcement of field studies being a regular part of their curriculum. His first practical exam as a three-man team with Gaius and Elliot had been a success, so he was confident in their ability to work as a team. They even found out they could switch their combat links up on the fly, which came in handy. "Oh, George—during our practical exam, Instructor Sara brought out this thing she called a 'combat shell'—Angelica said that's what you use, right?"

"That's right—mine is modified to my own specifications, but the base of the technology is the same." George beamed proudly. "I like to use mine as more of a 'tank', to help keep the heat off of Angie."

"Hah—as much as I like to get right up in the fray, I do appreciate that I'm free to cut loose and show off with Naggy watching my back." Angelica flexed her bicep.

"... 'Naggy'?"

George looked to the side a little shy. "Well... its name is 'Naglfar', but these guys said that's a little hard to pronounce."

"Haha, don't be shy, buddy! My girls have names, too..." Crow winked. "But they're a secret." Rean rolled his eyes. He was starting to think Crow was just like that... but he also couldn't help but feel that it was targeted somehow. Either way, the others didn't seem to react, so they were probably used to it...

Rean decided to take a page from Towa and George's book and just sail past it. "Well—it would be nice to have more opportunities to hone my skills, but I certainly hope we won't be seeing live combat in Celdic."

"Hmm... they might be throwing you a softball for your first one, but knowing Sara, she has a trick or two up her sleeve." Angelica grabbed her plate and silverware. "I think I'll try the quiche next time, George—I'm gonna ride a bit before the bell rings. See you guys later." She took her plate with her—she must be dropping it off at the cafeteria instead of leaving it in George's sink.

"Sounds good—see you, Angie."

"Later."

"Bye, Angie!"

"Bye Angelica—I'll let you know how the field study goes!" Rean was starting to feel like the odd man out—he thought about asking Angelica if it was okay if he called her "Angie" too. But Crow called her "Gelica", so who knows if she actually had a preference...

The rest of lunch was more mellow—Rean noticed that Crow was far less quippy without Angelica around. He called Towa "short stuff" one time, but she didn't seem to mind. Before they knew it, the gentle bell signifying lunch was over chimed across campus.

Towa picked up her empty plate. "That was delicious George, thank you for saving me a piece."

"You're welcome, Towa."

Crow was tugging on his uniform jacket. "Hey, bud—you said there was an extra slice, right?"

"Yep—it's all yours if you want it."

"Sweet! I'll save it and have me a niiice dinner." Crow followed George into the garage, to his little orbal fridge.

Rean took his own plate and followed Towa. "I suppose the polite thing to do is to drop these off at the cafeteria, and not leave them for George to clean up."

Towa giggled. "Well, if we don't have time, George doesn't mind if we leave them in the sink for later. The cafeteria staff has enough on their plate—no pun intended!"

"Haha, I guess that's true."

"Hey, you guys heading to the cafeteria?" Crow appeared with a covered plate. "I'll go with ya—ol' Samantha'll probably stash this for me."

"Crow, please don't call her 'old' to her face!"

"Hey, she calls herself 'Auntie'!"

Rean looked over his shoulder as they started heading to the student union building. "Is George not coming?"

"Nah—that guy has a free period since 'orbal science' is up next." Crow rolled his eyes. "No point putting him in that class, Thors isn't about the easy As."

"I see... Maybe I have time to go back and at least say goodbye, and thank you..." Rean was mostly mumbling to himself.

Crow shrugged. "Why not just call him?"

"Oh, that's a great idea! Rean, you should program all of our numbers into your ARCUS!" Towa was so short, she easily walked under Crow's arm while he held open the cafeteria door. "It's better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them!"

"I guess that's true..." Rean got out his ARCUS. "Wait, you can 'program' the numbers into it?"

"Yes! That way you can quickly select a number you've already called!" Towa's brows sloped down. "George said it's still better to memorize the frequencies in case of an emergency—but it's still a nice convenience!"

"I see... Wow, technology has really come a long way."

"Let me give you mine—it's one-one-zero point one-six!" Towa left her dishes in the bin by the door. "I have to run to pick up some documents, but call me and I'll save your number that way!" Towa practically booked it out of there. That seemed a little sudden... Well, he had seen first-hand how busy she was.

Rean was still selecting the numbers on the internal keypad. "One-one-zero point one-six? Is that what she said?"

"Yep." Crow whipped out his ARCUS. "I got all those guys' numbers memorized, so I'll give 'em to ya. I'm sure Gelica won't mind." His thumb was moving fast. "Oh, by the way—you can't just call a normal phone like the one you have in your house, these can only talk to each other."

"I see—that makes sense."

"C'mere, I'll show you how to program the frequencies." Crow sidled up next to him, then got a mischievous grin. "So, Rean... what's your number?"

Rean couldn't help but roll his eyes. "It's one-one-two point zero-eight." He watched as Crow punched in the numbers. He hoped he wouldn't call him for superfluous things now... Rean was still getting used to the idea that people could call him when he was out and about at all, though so far the only person who had done so was Sara, to ask him to pick up more food for the dorm... Just then his ARCUS started beeping, and a number appeared—"One-three-four point six-nine, that's you?"

"That's me, buddy!" Rean could hear him talking right next to him, and distorted through the ARCUS. He ended the call on his end. "Now watch—you just press this button here and it saves it... Then see how the numbers have some letters underneath 'em?"

"Oh—I was wondering why those were there."

"Yeah—that's how you 'type' like on a typewriter, you just press the numbers enough times to get the letter you want, then wait half a second to skip to the next letter." [Author's Note: Early ARCUS are going to be like flip phones XD] Crow showed him a few more things, like his "contact list". "See how I'm at the top, then Towa? It'll save the last few people you've called. Handy, yeah? Heh—looks like you got a lotta numbers there to memorize—" He brushed Rean's list taped to his ARCUS cover that was starting to peel up at the edges. "But mine's easy—it's an unlucky number, the number of death, and then sixty-nine."

Rean gave him the flattest look he ever had in his life. "Are you serious?"

Crow put up his hands. "Hey now, don't blame me! That's just the frequency that was assigned, I didn't pick it out!" He snickered. Rean still couldn't help but sigh. That would be easy to memorize, unfortunately...

[Author's Note: I have a bit of storytime for y'all XD So I'm in my thirties, and in the early 2000s I got really into Yu Yu Hakusho, which had premiered on Adult Swim. I had a fat crush on Hiei and later Kurama, and back in ye olden days having a family computer with internet access was still the hot new thing. So I remember searching up "Kurama and Hiei" on like Yahoo! or whatever, and I stumbled onto somebody's gay fanfic hosted on their Angelfire or Geocities website lol. That was my first exposure to the wide world of BL—even though I felt conflicted about it at the time since, as stated above, I had a crush on edgelord twink Hiei and wanted him all to myself XD But I still read it—no shade to this author, but I remember it not being particularly good, and they inserted lots of romanized Japanese expressions like "gomenasai" and "aish*teiru"—but the thing I remember most was Kurama had convinced Hiei to go around town with him trying out more "human" things, which disgusted Hiei—and at the end of the day they went to an ice cream parlor, and Kurama was like, "Oh Hiei look, this flavor would be perfect for you—'bloody ice-fire'!" And even as a kid I was like, "What kind of horsesh*t is this? The ice cream place has an improbable flavor that would never fly with the general public, and it just so happens to fit Hiei's demon aesthetic perfectly—'bloody ice-fire', I can't believe..." That's when I just closed the window lol. So in memory of that, I thought it'd be funny to give Crow an inexplicable and painfully on-brand ARCUS frequency XD So there's a little window into my world :P]

"Haah... Well, can I have Angelica and George's numbers?"

"Of course, buddy..." Rean spent a minute entering and saving their frequencies, making a mental note to try to memorize them later with flash cards. And then, the bell signifying the end of their passing period sounded.

"Gah—crap, I wasn't paying attention!"

"Wow, that's the first time I've heard you say such an uncouth word, Rean." He clapped his back with a grin. "Me and Gelica are rubbin' off on ya after all, I'm such a proud parent <3"

"Ugh—can I re-give myself up for adoption?" Rean thought Crow would find that funny, but his snickers died down.

Crow kept his hand at the top of his back. "Hey, that reminds me... Gelica feels real bad for airing out your family business." His brows were sloped down again uncharacteristically. "Sorry it put you in an awkward spot. Don't feel like you owe anyone an explanation, though—your business is your business."

"Oh—it's okay." Rean was caught off-guard by his sudden sincerity. "It's probably common knowledge among the other nobles—I had a noble classmate of mine literally ask me, 'Why on earth would you want to conceal such a thing?'" Rean sighed, walking through the door that Crow held open behind him. "I guess it is unusual..." He lowered his voice just a bit. "And as far as being adopted, that's not something that really bothers me. I'm grateful to my family for everything they've done for me—and they only told me a few years ago."

"I see." Crow was still holding his plate. Oh—he hadn't gotten the chance to drop it off with Auntie Samantha. "Do you know anything about your birth family? If you don't mind me asking."

"No..." He debated whether to say any more than that. "My parents just kinda found me, to be honest." Rean laughed awkwardly.

"Gotcha. I won't ask any more about it." He gave Rean a friendly but brief shoulder rub, before his hand slipped away. "I just thought you might be Eastern. That black hair is kinda unusual."

Rean subconsciously fingered the ends of his hair. "I suppose you're right... even my Mom and my sister have a lighter blue-ish tint to their hair."

"Sister, huh?" Crow grinned. "Older or younger?"

"She's a few years younger."

"Mm-hm, I see." Crow rubbed his chin. "For some reason I pictured you as the younger sibling." Rean found himself clutching his arm. He didn't know what that was supposed to mean, exactly...

"What about you?" He mostly just asked to shift the focus away from himself.

"Me? I'm an only child." Crow was looking to the side as if he was recalling something. "Heh—guess I had this kid who would follow me around and want to see card tricks who was almost like a little brother." His eyes closed. "Hope he's doing all right now." Rean noticed that Crow was more willing to part with personal information than dismiss it with "Who knows?" as of late. "Anyway—" Crow unwrapped the wax paper from his quiche. "I don't give a sh*t about being late, but doesn't it look bad for you?"

Rean sighed. "Honestly... at this point it wouldn't matter if I was one minute late or five."

"Wow." Crow took a bite of his quiche straight like it was a slice of pizza. "—well don't tell George, he'll get mad at me for being 'a bad influence'." Rean rolled his eyes. So George had said that...

"You're just going to eat that like that?"

"Yeah, why not?" He talked with his mouth full... "It's still a little warm, and that hot dog wasn't enough after all."

"I see..."

Crow swallowed his bite, setting his quiche on the plate to clap Rean on the arm again. "Hey—good luck on your field study. Just keep your eyes and ears open for whatever it is Sara wants you to see." Rean noted that he didn't rub his shoulder this time. "And hey—pick me up a souvenir while you're at it." He winked. "Nothin' too crazy—make sure it doesn't cost more than a meatball sub at Kirsche's."

What did that mean, exactly? "... I'll see what I can do."

"Sweet." He started walking away, taking another bite of his quiche. "See ya later, Rean."

"See you."

He watched Crow go, decidedly not towards the school building... although he supposed he could be going in the back way through the courtyard. Haah... He really was a bit of a delinquent, Rean was holding out hope he might be the "work hard to play hard" type, like how Fie described Sara... but it seemed like he was missing the first half. Gah—Rean didn't have time to just stand around, he was getting later by the second—

He booked it past the student union building to the school's main entrance, calling George on his way. "George? Hey, it's Rean—I got your number from Towa and Crow, I hope that's okay... Oh, good. Well, I just realized I left without saying goodbye—"

~OOO~

Present Time

~OOO~

Rean was browsing the jars of honey of all different colors, ranging from pale amber to dark ochre. What would Crow even like? He made it seem like he'd treat Rean to a meatball sub if he brought him back a souvenir, which he certainly wouldn't turn down... Hrmm, but then that was where Crow called his and Towa's outing a "dinner date", so what did it mean?? Haah... he wasn't sure how seriously he was supposed to take Crow's flirtatious personality—and what was he supposed to do if that was the case? Crow wasn't exactly his "type"—although Rean supposed he didn't have a type, since he literally had no experience dating or even flirting with anyone...

"Wow, they all look so good!" Elliot's voice snapped him out of it. "I love honey with some soft cheese on toast—what were you thinking of using it for, Rean?"

"Ah—honestly, I was just browsing." He gave a sheepish look up at the girl manning the stall.

"That's perfectly fine—look away!" She opened a jar she had behind the counter. "I can also give you a sample on a little spoon..." She said it in a tempting sing-song way.

"Ooh, I'd love some!" Elliot stepped forward. "What's the difference between the different types, is it the flowers they come from?"

"That's right! Different pollen means different honey, and eating honey from a local source can help with seasonal allergies..." Rean wandered to the next stall while she went on. He'd feel bad sampling her honey if he didn't intend to buy any... He didn't have much use for it, as he liked his tea unsweetened and wasn't much of a coffee drinker.

He was surprised that his mind was wandering so much, now that they were here—everyone had been excited and a bit nervous boarding the train by themselves, without Sara's supervision—Rean passed the time by teaching Blade to the others with his deck, which had been surprisingly fun. When they arrived, they already had a room booked at the Weatherco*ck Inn, which made delicious fresh-baked cookies. The owner Margot was even nice enough to give Rean a recipe, which he wrote down in his notebook. They had already finished the first tasks on their itinerary without incident—namely monster-hunting, replacing an orbal lamp to keep the roads safe, and procuring medicinal herbs from the local farmers for the chapel. The idyllic amber fields of rye were quite relaxing to patrol through—Rean even saw wild rabbits darting around. And exterminating that giant "dinosaur" had been an exhilarating challenge—with the combat links Rean and Laura proved to be a rather formidable team.

Rean was browsing a stall with accessories and everyday goods, like wallets and jewelry. He really didn't know Crow that well, and even though he wore a wallet chain, getting him something like that seemed a bit... Haah, he was overthinking it.

Rean wandered to a stall bursting with juicy-looking fresh vegetables, then a translucent bottle caught his eye—"Excuse me, what is this?"

"Ah, good eye, sir!" The merchant held up the bottle. "This is Clear Gelatin, perfect for making sweet treats and drinks! Normally you have to harvest this stuff from slimes, which can be messy work, let me tell you!"

"Don't I know that..." Rean got out his notebook, double-checking Crow's "Red Hot Soda"—the recipe did call for Clear Gelatin. Well—despite being a pure ingredient it wasn't that expensive, and Rean was coming up short on other ideas. "I'll take it!"

"Good choice, young man!" Rean handed the merchant 800 mira. It was a bit more than a meatball sub, but less than the "Special Pizza" at Kirsche's, so Rean supposed it was fine. He pocketed the bottle, since for some reason he got embarrassed thinking about explaining it to Elliot and the others.

"Oh, Rean!" Elliot came walking over with a jar of vibrant amber honey. "When we get back to Trista, would you like to help me taste-test a new recipe I've been working on?"

"Sure, Elliot—are you going to use that local honey?"

"Yep! Haha..." He looked a bit embarrassed. "Fiona used to make this really delicious custard pudding back home—I thought about making my own version to serve for when she visits me."

Rean smiled. "That sounds really sweet, Elliot." They started walking back towards the head of the market. "If it's even half as good as your egg soup, I'm sure it'll be a hit!"

"Haha... well, I'm not too good at cooking besides that..." Elliot had surprised them all by adapting George's omelet recipe back at the dorm, and transforming it into a wonderfully warming egg soup—it reminded Rean of the egg flower soup his Master made for his family on New Years. Seeing Elliot be so confident and creative with the recipe inspired Rean to take his own cooking more seriously, too. Although apparently "baking" and "cooking" were entirely different skillsets...

Laura was browsing a stall that displayed expensive-looking boots. "Ah, there you both are." She gave an easy smile. "While the Grand Market isn't in full swing yet, I'm grateful that we can still relax and take our time browsing the local wares."

"Yeah, it might get pretty crowded tomorrow..." Elliot looked towards the sitting area at the back of the market. "Although I am looking forward to watching Andre perform!"

"That's right—you two seemed to really hit it off."

"Haha, I guess I can get a little carried away when violin is involved..."

Machias came strolling in from the direction of the inn. "I don't suppose any of you have seen a stall that sells coffee beans? Margot said she gets her blend locally, and I certainly must take some home with me." [Author's Note: I'm going to be shuffling the groups around a bit, mostly because I was a certified Alisa hater for a while XD Eventually I became neutral towards her, but if she's not essential to the story at the moment, I'm just going to quietly shuffle her into the background or replace her with someone else.]

"I think I saw some coffee beans at one of the produce stalls."

"Excellent, then—"

"I REFUSE!" A voice shot out above the crowd, quieting the clamor. "I paid for this space far in advance, and I won't be yielding it just because of some clerical error!"

"Well I don't think your high-fallutin' city wares have any place at this here market—and there's no way you can reserve a spot that far ahead of a local!"

"Listen here, you country—" They looked like they were a second away from a fistfight.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Laura stepped up with an air of quiet authority. "Surely there is enough space for both of your wares, is there not?"

The well-dressed merchant from the city eyed her up and down. "No offense, miss, but this is hardly an issue for students to be concerned about."

"I see." She folded her arms. "That may seem true at first blush, but we are here as representatives of Thors Military Academy. We can hardly turn a blind eye to such public conflict."

"Tch, from that military school, huh..."

Rean stepped up. "Whether we students are capable of resolving the issue or not, I don't think shouting each other down is going to solve anything."

Machias stepped in, pushing up his glasses. "May we see your documentation for the space reserved, gentlemen?"

The city merchant sighed loudly. "Fine kid—knock yourself out." He produced an official-looking document. "This is a signed-and-sealed permit from the ruling lord of Kreuzen." Rean eyed the contract as well—without seeing a prior example, he couldn't be sure whether this was the real deal, but it looked legit to his untrained eye.

"Hmph... I suppose we are in their territory." Machias grumbled.

"Well lookit mine!" The local merchant also got out a rolled-up document. "I reckon mine's just as good as yours—so it ain't my fault if they double-booked the space!"

"Oh, dear—" The voice of an older man could be heard behind them. "What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?" He had on a grey suit and a flat black hat.

"Otto—this here city-slicker's tryin' to shove me out of my stall!"

The city merchant in the suit turned to face him. "You're Otto? Hm. I expected less of a dog-and-pony show with this being called the 'Grand Market', but how can such an egregious mistake as double-booking the stalls be made?"

The older gentleman, Otto, took the pointed comment in stride. "I'd be happy to take you gentlemen aside so we can resolve this issue peacefully. I just ask that you refrain from making a further scene, and dampening the good spirit of this Grand Market." He spoke with a relaxed air of authority, leaving little room for argument.

"Tch..." The city merchant looked to the side. "Very well."

Then, Otto turned to address their group. "Students from Thors—I thank you for stepping forward and trying to resolve this issue. I am the Manager of this Grand Market, please just call me Otto. I wish to speak to you later in my residence, if you would. Oho." He laughed jovially. "Feel free to relax at Margot's until then, but leave some room for tea and my wife's homemade biscuits."

"Oh—thank you for the invitation, Ma—Otto."

He smiled beneath his bushy mustache. "It's my pleasure. Now, gentlemen..." He turned to address the quarreling merchants. "Let's see if we can resolve this issue of the stalls, shall we?"

With Otto's leave, Rean and the others made their way back towards the Weatherco*ck Inn. On their way they passed by the Provincial Army's gatehouse, and couldn’t help but notice the soldiers standing stock-stiff outside their barracks, like so much as a leaf hadn’t been disturbed by the wind. Machias couldn't help but mutter under his breath. "Hmph—looks like that guy's private army was completely useless to diffuse that situation..."

"Come on, Machias—Jusis is no less responsible for his father's actions than you are for your father's."

"Hmph." Machias pushed up his glasses. "The difference is my father doesn't have his own organized unit of trained soldiers at his beck and call." It would be exhausting to keep arguing the point with him, so Rean just let it go.

When they got back to the inn, a familiar head of purple hair was sitting at the bar with a giant beer stein. "Instructor, what are you doing here?"

"Oh heeey Rean!" She turned around, making it obvious that half-empty stein wasn't her first... "I just wanted to check in on you kids and make sure you got settled in okay." She took a big swig of her beer. "Hah! Too bad you guys are too young for this—the local rye beer here is the best!"

"I'll take your word for it." Rean took a seat on the stool next to her. "We've already finished with our tasks for the day—would you like a progress report, Instructor?"

"Suuure, lay it on me!"

Rean got out their itinerary, which was given to them by Margot. "Well, we exterminated a monster that was terrorizing the highway. Then we replaced an orbal lamp that had burned out along the road, and we also procured ingredients for the church to brew more medicine." Sara was listening, but she was still chugging her beer. "Oh—and this wasn't part of our assigned tasks, but I also helped return a lost wallet to its owner." [Author's Note: I'm not going to describe Rean doing every single quest, but we can just assume he's the bestest nicest boi and helped out every single person ever and got all the AP.]

"Excellent!" Sara clapped him heavily on the back, harder than he was expecting. "Looks like you kids did a bang-up job on your first round of tasks!" She slammed down her empty stein. "And I saw you step in during that excitement outside." She winked. "I think you'll find that Thors carries a certain weight even to average citizens—and pretty soon Class VII will be just as famous. That's the idea, anyway!" She pushed her beer stein forward. "Hit me again, Margot!"

The innkeeper sighed. "Coming right up, Sara—if it was anyone else but you, I would've cut you off by now." Yeesh—Sara's penchant for alcohol was even known outside Thors... Actually—was Sara well-known before she became an instructor?

Sara looked past Rean at the other three who were still standing. "How about you guys? Have anything to add?" They didn't really have anything else of significance to report—Laura echoed Rean's sentiment that they made a formidable team, and Elliot said he was finally getting used to combat—although he typically stayed back far behind even Machias. That dinosaur hit even Rean hard enough to knock him to his knees—but he was grateful he was able to pull through and defeat it without having to rely on "that". Of course Machias had to make another snide comment that "that guy's" private army was useless, deeming it beneath them that two citizens were causing a scene right in front of them—and he made another jab at "the almighty lord" of this province not paying enough attention when issuing permits. "I see... so that's what you make of it." Sara almost sounded like she sobered up for a second. "Well, just keep your eyes and ears open." That's more or less what Towa's group had said...

"Oh—the Manager of the Grand Market wanted to speak to us later."

"Hoho, is that right? Looks like you're moving up in the world!" Sara swigged her fresh beer, and it left a sudsy mustache. Rean wanted to tell her—but at the rate she was chugging, it probably wouldn't matter.

OOO

"Thank you for the tea, Otto." Rean took another warm sip, savoring the earthy tone that reminded him of Liberlian breakfast tea. "So, you were the one who wrote our itinerary for our field study?"

"Indeed I did." Otto was dipping one of the biscuits into his tea. "I hope you were able to experience a good vertical slice of what our little town has to offer. Oho!"

"I believe we did." Laura held her teacup in a refined way. "I rather enjoyed patrolling the fields myself—when the wind rustled through the rye it created quite a calming soundscape."

"That's lovely to hear—I'm rather proud of our fields myself. Our granaries were our claim to fame before the Grand Market started attracting more attention." His mustache curved up in a smile. "Although I'm rather proud of our market as well, as I'm sure you can imagine. Thank you again for stepping in when you did—I'd be saddened for anything to sour the mood of the spring harvest before the big event."

Rean set down his teacup. "Otto, if you don't mind me asking—what was your solution for the issue of the overbooked stalls?"

"Well... the most egalitarian solution would be to allow both merchants to share a single stall at half the fee." He shook his head with a sigh. "But both of them refused that arrangement, so we compromised that they will rotate use of the stall on alternating weeks. Thankfully we do have an open stall left, but it's not exactly in an ideal location for foot traffic..." He set his teacup in the coaster. "Although I'm surprised Duke Albarea would make a mistake like that—the man is very thorough when it comes to giving his stamp of approval." Rean was glad that Machias decided to hold his tongue.

"It is rather curious... Having a larger influx of permits and documents that need approval is hardly an excuse for a ruler of his caliber." Rean was glad Laura was here to navigate all the noble-adjacent conversations.

"Hmm." Otto's eyes were closed. "I suppose our relationship with the Dukedom has become rather... complicated, at present."

Rean exchanged glances with the others, then turned back to Otto. "Can I ask what you mean by that?"

Otto rested his hands on his legs as he spoke. "Well, the sales tax for our market has been increased by no small amount in recent months. As you can imagine, it's created a knock-on effect for both the merchant and the consumer—the price of their wares increase so they can still turn a profit, which means less wares are being sold, which causes word of mouth to spread that the market is getting expensive, then there are less visitors to the market in turn. It creates a rather vicious cycle—and with tensions running higher amongst the merchants, unfortunately scenes like the one you saw play out are becoming more commonplace."

"I see." Laura's arms were folded. "'Taxation without representation' very rarely ends well, as history has shown us. The ruling lord of each province has to carefully consider the effects of such a dramatic tax increase, and whether the benefits outweigh the loss of goodwill for the citizens."

"Exactly right." Otto looked like the wind had been taken out of his sails. "I've drafted a local petition and attempted to meet with Duke Albarea several times since the mandate, but I've been turned away every time."

"Hmph—well of course the 'lords' would rather lord over us peons from their ivory tower, sucking up all the money for themselves." The vibe in the cozy home suddenly got awkward. "You saw it outside, when the Provincial Army soldiers stood by and did nothing while a fight almost broke out in the streets—they don't care about the lives of common citizens, they only care about protecting their best interests."

"Machias..." It was too late—the damage had been done.

"Hmm." Otto looked like he was in contemplation. "You might not be coming completely out of left field, young man." He opened his eyes. "It's clear something has changed within the Dukedom—but I've been unable to find out what." He turned to Rean. "I will say this, however—before this tax increase mandate, our local gatehouse guards would have intervened in a public scuffle, no matter how small, if it threatened the peace of our main source of tourism. Their job is to protect the peace, after all."

Rean had has chin cupped in his hand. "It's almost as if they've been ordered not to interfere—maybe that mix-up with the permits wasn't a careless mistake after all." The others seemed taken aback.

"W-what are you saying?" Elliot seemed nervous to even be talking about it, as if the walls had ears.

Otto had a small, barely perceptible knowing smile. "My old friend was right—the students of Thors shine brighter with each passing year." He raised his teacup. "Well—thank you for meeting with me today and sharing your insight. Though I suppose the responsible thing for me to say is 'leave this matter to us adults.'" He took a sip of tea. "Please take your time savoring the tea and biscuits, then rest well to prepare for your new tasks tomorrow."

"We will—thank you for your hospitality, Otto. And please thank your wife for the biscuits." The older man smiled. Rean had a feeling he knew who his "old friend" at Thors was...

OOO

"... Instructor Sara, are you going to be all right getting on the train?"

"Of cooourse I am, who do you think I am?!" Sara made a few stretches like she was doing morning calisthenics. "This is nothing for me—I only get sideways on cheap beer, but this is quality stuff right from the source! Goes down like melted butter~" Eugh—that sounded disgusting. "Plus, I still need to get a progress report from Team B. So if I leave now, I should make it by nightfall~" Rean was following close behind her in case she stumbled. He actually wasn't sure if she even remembered having to be carried by Gaius the other week—she certainly never apologized for her slovenly behavior... Sara suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and Rean almost bumped into her. "Oh great—what brings you out here?"

Walking out of the station was a smartly-dressed uniformed woman with minty blue hair in a side pony. "Haha—well, it's lovely to see you again, Purple Lightning." She folded her arms casually, speaking in an even tone. "Or I suppose I should call you 'Instructor Sara' these days?" Her tone sounded friendly... but her words didn't exactly match.

"That's MISS Instructor Sara to you, 'Icy Maiden!'" The other woman bristled at that title.

"... If you could please refrain from calling me that. I never agreed to it in the first place..." The vibe between them was a little uncomfortable. Then the woman with blue hair turned to regard Rean and the others. "Oh, these must be your students?" Her tone was a little warmer.

"That's right—and they're already showing up the Provincial Army in keeping the peace around this quiet little town, howdya like that?!" That probably wasn't the best information to reveal to... whoever this woman was.

"Is that so?" She folded her arms with her eyes closed, almost like Laura was wont to do. "Well, then I suppose it's a good thing we followed that tip-off and showed up here ourselves."

"Oh brother—'tip-off' my foot, it was probably your little spy 'Scarecrow' skulking around in the rye!"

She gave Sara an almost pitying look. "You know I'm not at liberty to discuss that, Sara." She turned to address Rean again. "Forgive my lack of manners—I'm Captain Claire Rieveldt of the RMP. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, students of Thors." The RMP, wasn't that the "railway military police", the elite investigators employed by the Imperial Chancellor? Isn't that a bit overkill for a disagreement about a stall permit...?

"Likewise—I'm Rean Schwarzer." One by one, they all introduced themselves to Captain Rieveldt.

She laughed lightly. "Please, just call me Claire." She folded her arms. "I'm sure as soon as I walk away, Sara will say something unfavorable about me—so I just want to wish you well in your studies and future success, from a fellow Thors alumnus." She gave them what felt like a genuine smile.

"Wow—you went to Thors, too?"

"That's right—I think you'll find a great many impressive individuals are Thors alumni, both noble and common." She gave Sara a salute. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my own investigation to conduct." She walked away, and Sara didn't even wait until she was all the way out of earshot.

"Hey, Rean—" She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Be careful around that slippery fish—she may seem nice on the surface, but she's as cold as they come. They don't call her 'Icy Maiden' for nothing." Rean swore he heard a soft snicker from behind him. Claire had read her like a book...

"... I'll keep that in mind." Rean took a half-step back, so Sara wasn't quite all up in his personal space. "If you don't mind me asking, Instructor... where does the nickname 'Purple Lightning' come from?"

"Who? Never heard of her!" Sara walked towards the train station, waving over her head without turning around. "You kids be good now—and enjoy the festival tomorrow once you're finished with your tasks!~" Well... that wasn't altogether unpredictable.

Machias was rubbing his chin. "Elliot, you're from Heimdallr as well, are you not?"

"Yeah... I could've sworn I heard the name 'Purple Lightning' around somewhere, but now I can't remember where..."

Rean was watching her to make sure she got into the station all right, and didn't blow all her train fare on booze. It looked like she got through just fine... "I'm sure Fie would know—I'll be curious to ask her when we all reunite at the dorm tomorrow evening."

"That's right—we only have one more day left of this field study. It felt like the day just flew by." Indeed, the quiet town was now stained a pleasant shade of orange as the sun got lower on the horizon. A crisp breeze blew in from the west, carrying with it the pleasant smell of the fields.

"You're right—I almost wish we had one more day." The group made their way to the inn. "Oh, did you manage to get some coffee beans, Machias?"

"I did—I can't wait to try them when we get back home." "Home"—Rean supposed the idea of going home to Thors was comforting...

"Shall we have an early dinner and discuss what we've learned so far before writing our reports?" Rean took a seat at a table in the far corner. "I think Sara will still want a written account, even though we gave her a verbal summary."

"Hmph. What's there to discuss?" Machias sat across from Rean. "Either the Almighty Duke is getting careless or greedy—and I don't know which is worse." Haah... Rean was at least glad Jusis hadn't been sent here with them, he didn't even want to think about what a nightmare that would be...

"It does seem rather calculated, given what we've learned from Otto." Laura took a seat next to Rean, and Elliot sat at his other side. "It almost seems as if the Duke is attempting to stir up discontent."

"... But why? How could people losing faith in one of his territory's biggest tourist attractions benefit him?"

"Hah—who knows what one of the 'Four Great Houses' are scheming?" Machias had his arms crossed in naked irritation. "Perhaps there's an internal struggle amongst them, and House Albarea is trying to amass even more wealth and influence. It's no better than a dick measuring contest in a bathhouse." Rean was surprised Machias said something so crude, even in front of Laura.

"Hmm." If Laura was bothered by it, she didn't show it. "I wonder..." Machias actually did look a little guilty—it seemed like he forgot she was a noble whenever he went on one of his famous rants.

"Well—at any rate, the issue of the stalls was resolved peacefully." Rean folded his hands on the tabletop. "Although... I wonder why the RMP found it necessary to come all the way out here..." The others sat in silent contemplation. Rean couldn't help but think of his Masters words—"See with eyes unclouded by preconceptions." There must be something more going on behind the scenes here that they weren't seeing...

"—well anyway, are you guys hungry?" Elliot laughed lightly. "I'm curious to try the tomato stew, myself—oh, but the potato croquettes also looked good!"

"Those both do sound delicious, Elliot." Laura had a warm smile. "I'm rather fond of more 'rustic' food like this, and I'm curious how the flavor of the stew compares to the tomato jelly from my favorite inn back home..."

"Tomato jelly?! That sounds—well, interesting, that's for sure!" Elliot laughed, and Margot came around to take their orders.

XXX

XXX

Crow walked through the treeline to a deeper part of the woods which was blocked off from the moonlight. He hadn't seen or heard any signs of being followed, so now would be as good a time as any. He had thrown on a long dark coat for the walk—this was just an informal meeting with his comrades, no need to get decked out in his full tactical suit. As long as he wasn't wearing his school uniform, like when Vita summoned him for that emergency—S and V still never let him hear the end of it.

He got out his second modified orbment, twisting the little charm Vita gave him, which glowed with a faint blue light. "I'm ready, Vita." The next second he was surrounded by a blue sigil, and then he was aboard the Pantagruel.

S, V, and G were already seated in the conference room, but Vita remained standing by the window. The ship was hovering above the sea in stealth mode, and the night was clear with no clouds—if C had the time or the inclination, he might have noticed that the night sky reflecting off the dark ocean looked really pretty.

"Welcome, Comrade C." S was the first to greet him. She leaned her cheek in her hand. "Aw, you're not in your cute little uniform this time!"

"Sorry to disappoint you." C took his seat at the head of the long table. "Thanks for gathering together on such short notice. I realize it's been a minute since I checked in."

G pushed up his glasses. "I believe your position is the hardest to stray away from, so such is understandable."

V crossed his huge arms. "So what's the situation, Boss?"

"Well, I wanted to touch base with you all about our upcoming demonstration in Heimdallr." He turned to G. "And I also want a progress report on that artifact you've been testing, as well as that side errand in Kreuzen."

G got out the Demonic Flute. "I have every confidence in my ability to control and summon fiends. And I've obtained some interesting test data for reanimating the dead." He delicately placed his fingers over the holes of the flute. "The reanimated foes are rather formidable, and the artifact can even restore them to their original form—to an extent."

"I see—go on."

"I've also observed that the artifact allows for a 'second wind' should the summoned target become fatally injured in combat—but I've been unable to test whether the 'contract' will immediately shift to another fiend should the current one become unable to be reanimated."

"Interesting." He eyed the flute, adorned with glowing crystals of unknown origin. "Well—only one way to find out. We have a pretty big target in mind, so we have to be sure it'll work when it counts."

S chuckled. "You'd be surprised, C—some artifacts operate on strange rules and limitations, and others do little more than parlor tricks."

"Guess you've seen your fair share of 'em up in Arteria, so I believe it."

G pushed up his glasses. "I can assure you that the power of the Demonic Flute is no mere 'parlor trick'."

"I wasn't saying that now, Dear G."

C looked up to Vita, who was still partially turned towards the window. "What's your assessment, Vita?"

She turned from the window with a somewhat mischievous smile. "Well, as you know the Goddess' artifacts aren't exactly my forte—my own 'contract' with Grianos binds him to me as my familiar. That flute may serve a similar function, with its original player 'binding' certain souls to their service—or it may simply grab whichever fiend from the nether plane it deems the most powerful."

"That is interesting." C rubbed his chin. "Go ahead and test it a little more—we don't want any surprises. I want to know exactly what this thing is capable of."

"Yes, Leader."

C got out his regular ARCUS. "For now, I have another task for you—consider it a 'secondary objective'." He produced a photo he sneakily snapped of Rean. "This kid isn't a direct target of the ILF, but he is a person of interest. His group should be in the area where you've been carrying out your task in Kreuzen." G studied the photo. "There's a site along a septium vein where the higher elements are more active—Lunaria Nature Park. That would be the ideal place for you to run your tests, and to observe their group should you encounter them. There will be at least three others with him, but this guy is the primary target." He put away his ARCUS. "They'll probably come sniffing around over the course of their own mission—but if they don't, just raise hell with one of those fiends, and I'm sure they'll come running. Observing their combat capabilities will be your secondary objective."

"That shouldn't be a problem." G carefully tucked away the artifact flute. "I can even make an orbal recording."

"Please, do."

V spoke up with his not-indoor voice. "What's the deal with the kid, anyway? That looks like a uniform, but it's different than the one you wear..."

"It is different. But he's also a student." C folded his arms. "That's all the relevant information I have for now."

S leaned her chin in her hands. "Well, what's the kid's name? Is he someone from your school?" Haah...

"That's all the information I have that's relevant." For some reason, he didn't want to actually give out his name. He thought he heard S say something to the tune of "Oh, my" under her breath, but he chose to believe he misheard. "Now, onto more pressing matters—our grand appearance at Heimdallr."

XXX

Vita walked with him down the grand hallway to the open bar. "I assume by your request that you haven't had the chance to observe our junior Awakener in action?"

"Not yet." C went behind the bar, grabbing himself a nice whiskey. The ship was still operating on a skeleton crew before its big debut, but it's not like like Cayenne would stock this stuff if he didn't intend for them to drink it. Actually... C put the whiskey back, and grabbed himself a smoky bourbon. "Want some?"

"Oh my—if you're pouring it, I suppose I'll indulge."

C grabbed some of those fancy round ice cubes from the little fridge. "Maybe I should request a crewmember who can at least double as a bartender. It's a little uncool having to pour my own drinks."

"Hm-hm, I'm sure McBurn would love that—Vulcan too, no doubt."

"Uh-huh—yeah, speaking of—" Crow got out two glasses, rolling the ice inside at an angle so it wouldn't crack. "I heard your little local radio show—what's that about?"

"Oh my—you were listening in on my little side-gig?" She giggled into her hand. Yep, Emma was definitely her sister, all right... "However did you hear about it?"

"That's not important—who's this 'fiery friend' you were talking about, huh?" He rolled his eyes. "It better not be who I think it is... 'Cause lemme tell you, I don't recommend you tangle with that dude."

"Hm-hm—well you see, that was just my little trap for anyone who might be eavesdropping." She sat elegantly at the bar, one leg crossed over the other. "And it looks like you're my first big catch!"

"Uh-huh..." He poured her bourbon about halfway. "... So it's not true though, right?"

She raised the glass to her lips. "I wonder?"

C poured his own bourbon. "Isn't that guy like a demon, or something?" He placed the bottle back on the middle shelf. For some reason, he didn't feel like having top-shelf stuff at the moment. "I mean, he pulls that evil-looking sword straight outta hell." The bourbon had a nice ashy flavor with a caramel aftertaste, and a pleasant burn going down.

Vita was slowly swirling the ice cube around in the liquor. "That just makes him all the more fascinating, doesn't it?"

C rolled his eyes. "I guess. He'll probably just burn you to a crisp from the inside out."

"Oh my—what an active imagination you have." She laughed behind her hand.

C took another sip, which was cooled by the ice. "—I thought you were 'wholly devoted' to the Grandmaster?"

Vita had her eyes closed, and she stopped swirling the drink. "I am wholly devoted to her." She took another sip. The two enjoyed the bourbon in comfortable silence for a minute. "So... I am curious—how did you hear about my little show? I have a hard time imagining you tuning in to a radio talk show..."

C rolled his eyes. "Well, you have a fan who was so jazzed about catching that first show, I had to leave a pretty cozy bonfire early so he could tune in."

"Oh, my—a friend of yours?" She snapped her fan, which she had produced from somewhere. "Is it the boy who's good with machines?"

"No, not him—" C realized he set himself up, but he planned on talking about Rean, anyway. "What if I told you it's our target?"

"Our target is a fan of mine?" She fanned herself, the little black feathers shaking back and forth.

"Well, I don't think he has any idea it's you. He probably would've mentioned it, otherwise." He savored the taste of the bourbon on his tongue. "—I mean you introduced yourself as 'Misty', right?"

"That's right." Only her eyes were visible above her fan, and she looked to the side. "I wonder if little Duvalie listens to the radio, or Ennea? If she did, she might go and tell McBurn..." C rolled his eyes. "Just a little trap" my ass... "But enough about me..." She snapped her fan shut, pressing the end of it playfully into C's knee. "So you were getting cozy in front of the radio listening to my sultry voice with our target, were you?"

He actually shorted. "That ain't it at all." He took another cooled swig of bourbon. "I was just dickin' around cleanin' my guns, and I thought I might as well tune in since he made such a big deal about it." He rolled his eyes. "I think he got pressured into listening to it after the radio station gave him a radio, or something like that—I dunno, that guy's a total pushover, so he probably just did it because someone told him to."

"I see." She stopped prodding him with her fan, snapping it open and closed. "So, you've been able to observe our target closely enough?"

"I guess you could say that—I haven't seen him in combat yet, but I got a pretty good read on his personality." C smirked, swirling his whiskey around the melting ice cube. "He's a goodie-goodie who gets suckered into helping people, even if he doesn't get much out of it. He's pretty much a pushover who has a hard time saying 'no', but it looks like the other brats kinda designated him as their leader." The ice clinked in the glass. "So you might've been onto something there."

"I see." She was fanning herself again, her long side bang billowing back a bit. "Well, good leadership qualities does not an Awakener make. It's something ancestral—those who are tied to the Divine Knights are bound by fate."

C set down his glass. "So what does that mean? I'd appreciate a straight answer, for once—if this guy does turn out to be another Awakener, why do I gotta duel him so bad before the others?"

Her eyes were closed, the only part of her face visible above her fan. "It is the destiny of all Divine Knights to clash, whether their Awakeners want to or not."

His eyebrows went up. "What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said." She snapped her fan shut. "There will come a time when you will be compelled to duel one another, until only one remains. The victor shall absorb the defeated's power, and so on and so forth. However—before that time comes, I hope to bend the rules a little and jumpstart the proceedings." She was looking to the side, and her brows were actually sloped down. "I can't guarantee it will work—but we must try. You don't want to lose yourself to bloody conflict."

He folded his arms. "So, it's a fight to the death?"

"Not necessarily. Only the Divine Knights need be defeated. However, the conditions still remain rather nebulous..."

"... I see." He stared into his glass. "And what about Arianrhod?"

He heard Vita chuckle. "The Seventh Anguis has sealed her Divine Knight away for the time being."

His eyes flicked up. "She can do that?"

"It is her decision." Vita took another delicate sip of bourbon. "I believe Argreion currently sleeps in its former resting place, beneath a castle off the shore of Lake Ebel."

"Interesting..."

She set down her glass. "But fear not, my dear—Ouroboros has a backup plan in place. We are currently in the final development stages of Aions that even more closely resembles the Divine Knights. Our goal is to trigger these duels before conflict becomes inevitable." She closed her eyes. "At that point, your free will will be swallowed up by violent impulse, no better than a wild beast."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Is that why you're still working with these jokers?"

She chuckled softly. "I believe I've already told you why." She took another sip. "—this bourbon goes down rather pleasantly. I'm surprised, since I noticed you didn't grab it from the top shelf."

C shrugged. "Guess I was in the mood for something more familiar." He took another sip himself, savoring the gentle burn. Freaking Rean making him reminisce about his Grampa... well, he supposed that was only indirectly. "Oh yeah—I tried asking that guy about his origins, but even he doesn't know." He shrugged. "He said his parents 'just kinda found him'—that's pretty weird, don't you think?" He swirled the smooth ice cube around his glass. "I have a theory that he's Eastern, and that 'Master' of his brought him over and dropped him off on the Schwarzers' doorstep, and that's why he still looks out for him." He shrugged. "But I guess that doesn't help us determine whether he's an Awakener or not. I think we just have to wait until he gets down to that sigil in that freaky-deaky dungeon." He downed the rest of his bourbon, careful not to let the ice cube hit his teeth.

"I see... it's an interesting theory." Vita was breaking up the condensation on her glass with her long fingernail. "So, somehow you got close enough to that boy to ask him such a personal question, and he actually answered you?" His eyes flicked up to meet hers, and she was smirking. Uh... sh*t. "And right under my nose, too! You certainly work fast, my dear."

"Aw c'mon—gimme a break." He rolled his eyes heavily. "I told ya, that guy's a pushover. Heh—and you know me, I could probably charm the intel out of a spy about to bite a cyanide capsule."

"Hm-hm—I have no doubt you can, my dear." She was tracing her finger around the rim of her glass obnoxiously. "Now dish—I'll tell you about McBurn if you tell me about your little friend."

"Ugh—I don't wanna hear about that! And there's nothing to tell!" He was done with his drink, so he dumped the ice cube in the well and stood up. "Geez, you're nosy—I thought we agreed you stay outta my business, and I stay outta yours?"

"But you pried into my business first, I'm afraid. Tsk-tsk—asking a lady about her love life!"

"You literally broadcasted it on the radio, lady."

"Ah-ah-ah!" She wagged her finger. "'Misty' talked about her love life live on air. And I don't believe the two of you have met!"

"Haah... I'm going back down to the surface."

She chuckled. "I believe you'll find that rather difficult without me, little loverboy~"

"Ugh! I'd rather swim back to shore than put up with this." Geez—she was worse than Gelica and Towa. He thought it was kinda sad that Vita made no attempt to contact her sister—but if this is what she was like as a "big sister", Emma was probably better off without her.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean to get under your skin!" She followed him while he stalked away to the elevator. At this point, he'd rather risk getting spotted flying away in Ordine... "Fine—I'll accept your apology, as long as it's sincere."

He sighed loudly. "I'm sorry for getting nosy about your private business, which you broadcast live to hundreds of strangers—" "—if that", he wanted to add, but he didn't feel like provoking her any further. "Now can you stay out of my sh*t, please?" He folded his arms. "I know what I'm doing—I'm keeping an eye on the Awakener, just like you asked. I don't think it's the other two, but I'm keeping 'em in the back of my mind, just in case." He shoved his hands in his coat pockets. "It'd be more convenient if I was in that little class with 'em—maybe I can swing it as their chaperone, being the nice senior that I am." He was more thinking out loud, at this point.

"Hmm... that would be more convenient, then I would have someone to watch over Emma, as well... Oh!" Her fingers flew to her lips. "That reminds me—have you seen an unusual cat around?"

"... an unusual cat?"

"Yes—her legs are rather long and slender for a cat, and she has purple-ish fur, and long ears like a fox—" She demonstratively poked her hands straight up behind her head—it was almost funny. "And big yellow eyes that make her look like she understands what you're saying."

"Can't say that I have." He shrugged with his hands still in his pockets. "But hey, I like cats—I'll probably go around trying to pet every cat I see until I run into her."

She chuckled. "Well, this cat would probably be rather unfond of being pet by the likes of you, no offense meant—oh yes, and unlike Grianos, she can talk."

"Ah, I get it—this cat's like Emma's familiar?"

"Exactly so. She must be skulking around that school somewhere—and I wouldn't be surprised if she caught wind of what's beneath that old... how did you put it, 'freaky-deaky dungeon'?"

C turned to leave. "I'm gonna check up on Ordine."

She laughed from behind him. "Well, call when you want to be transported back down, my dear!" He pressed the elevator call button. "Please don't try to swim for it, you'll break every bone in your body the second you hit the water~"

"I got it." He smirked over his shoulder. "I wouldn't want to go out in such an anti-climactic way." He waved overhead as he turned back to face the opening doors. "See ya around, Vita."

"Until next time, Crow." He flinched. He really didn't like to be called that when he was on C business.

The doors slid closed behind him, and he pressed the button for the observation deck.

He had a minute to think while the elevator whirred through the upper decks. At this rate, he wouldn't get a very good opportunity to assess Rean's combat ability up close, unless he agreed to a friendly sparring match. But while he was confident he could wipe the floor with Rean or anyone else with his saber, his guns were a different story—his main strategy was stacking ailments and preventing the enemy from closing the distance, and he could tell at a glance that what Rean lacked in power, he made up for in speed. And if Rean just stood there frozen while he wailed bullets on him, that wouldn't tell him much—tch, too bad he didn't catch their practical exam out the window until his turn was already over. Ah well—C would make his public debut soon, and that was as good a time as any to see what Rean was really capable of... They say you draw on your true strength when you're in mortal danger, and boy was C living proof of that.

The elevator doors slid open, and the cold night air whipped through like a vacuum. Hoo—it was pretty damn cold up here. He pressed his coat around his body, his hands still jammed in his pockets. He stalked quickly over to Ordine, who was still standing tall where he left him in "sleep mode". "Hey, partner—got a sec?" He could barely hear his own voice over the howling wind.

Ordine's eyes lit up. "Yes, I'm here."

"All right—I'll make this quick 'cause it's f*ckin' cold—actually, I'm comin' inside." He felt himself "phasing" into the pilot's seat, not unlike the feeling of Vita's teleportation magic. "Haah. That's better." It wasn't particularly warm in here, but at least there wasn't a bracing windchill. "So listen, pal—I just heard an interesting tidbit from Vita. She said that the Divine Knights all have to fight each other, and if we don't do it soon, us Awakeners will be 'consumed by violent impulse', or something like that." He knew it was a longshot, after the last time he asked... "What can you tell me about that?"

The translucent screens flashed red. "I don't have access to that information."

"Haah... figured not." He tapped his fingers on the console, trying to come up with a sneaky way to rephrase it. "'When' will you have access to that information?"

"When the stage is set for the Rivalries to commence."

"'Rivalries'? Are those the duels?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... Why are the 'Rivalries' necessary?"

Red, again. "I don't have access to that information."

"Haha... I know you're not doing it on purpose, partner. I'm sure you'd tell me if you could."

"I apologize. Areas of my memory are still encrypted until the conditions are met." "Encrypted"—there was that word again, it sounded like a technical term George or Instructor Makarov would know—but he didn't really have a way to ask about it. He could try saying he got an "encrypted" orbmail on his ARCUS, but he deleted it because it looked sketchy...

"Don't suppose I can ask what these 'conditions' are?"

"The world must be engulfed in conflict."

"The world?"

"Yes."

"Well, sh*t." C rubbed his chin. "What does that have to do with the Rivalries?"

"I don't have access to that information."

"All right." He licked his lips. "Well pal, lemme ask you this—what happens to the other Awakeners when they're defeated?"

"The Divine Knight's power will be absorbed by the victor."

"Okay, Vita said that—but what about the Awakener themselves?"

"Nothing in particular will happen to the Awakener. But there is potential for injury."

He relaxed back in his seat. "Well, as long as it's not a duel to the death."

"For an Awakener to survive or perish is incidental to the Rivalries." Well that sounded a bit ominous, didn't it...

"Interesting..." He rubbed his chin. "So... the Rivalries aren't just a test of skill for the Awakeners, to see who's the best..."

"That is correct."

He sat up straight again. "That's correct, the Rivalries aren't a test of skill?"

"An Awakener will require great skill as a Divine Knight pilot to defeat and absorb their opponents, but to test such skill is incidental to the true purpose of the Rivalries."

"I see... They aren't to determine a supreme ruler, or something like that?"

"No."

"Um... I dunno, is it for the benefit of the Divine Knights somehow?"

"..."

"... Ordine?"

"I'm not blocked from accessing that information, but I also can’t answer the question. The nature of the question is subjective, so I am incapable of forming a subjective answer."

"Incapable?" Ordine had never said anything like that before... "So, what you're saying is, from your perspective—you can't really say whether it's for the Divine Knights' benefit or not?"

"That is correct."

"... the Rivalries aren't for the benefit of the Awakeners?"

Red screens flashed. "I don't have access to that information."

"Haha... well, that kinda says it all, huh?" He pat the console, as if he was clapping Ordine on the shoulder. "Okay partner—that at least eases my mind a bit. Thanks."

"If I was able to provide satisfactory answers for your questions, then I've served my purpose."

"Aww—I was hoping you were gonna say 'glad I could help', or somethin' like that."

"That is a subjective opinion I’m not capable of forming."

"Haah... I guess not."

"Although I do sense less discord in your vital signs."

He snickered. "Well, I guess that's close enough." He pat the arm of the seat. "All right, partner—I'm heading back down to the surface. I'll call ya if I need ya—though hopefully that won't be anytime soon."

"I’ll be waiting in sleep mode to conserve mana, however I will always answer your call, Crow."

"I know ya will, pal." He phased back out of the co*ckpit. "Hoo—I'm outta here, maybe next time I'll park ya in the hangar!" He braced himself against the whipping wind which felt a hell of a lot colder. "Oh sh*t—damnit, I forgot to ask ya—would you be able to tell if you saw someone else who was an Awakener?!"

"Divine Knights which have been awakened are linked to one another. I would be able to sense another Awakener through their Divine Knight."

"Interesting—but not before then?" He shuddered violently. Damnit—should have thought of that while he was still in the co*ckpit.

"... I have insufficient data to be able to accurately answer that question."

"Got it—okay, thanks partner! Go back to sleep!" He was booking it towards the elevator. "See ya!" He heard the sound of Ordine powering down. Well—he supposed he told him to go to sleep before he said goodbye, so that's probably why he didn't say it.

He got in the elevator, madly mashing the button for—wait, where the hell was he going? He could just call Vita to teleport him down from here...

He twisted the little charm on his souped-up orbment. "Vita, I'm ready—hoo—" He hoped he let go in time, and she didn't hear him shudder like that. Oh—Ordine called him "Crow" just now, huh? Ah well—it was fine when it was that guy. Not like he really understood the nuance—it would probably seem irrational or "too subjective" to him, anyway.

He was enveloped in a blue light, and the next second he was back in the dark woods. Crow twisted the charm again. "Thanks." The cool spring night wasn't nearly as cold, but he still pressed his—rather stylish, in his opinion—long black coat around his body. He might as well put more effort in and up his rizz—why not, it's not like anything else about being stuck at school like a f*ckin' kid made him happy anymore. Well... in his heart of hearts, he knew that wasn't true—but it was gonna suck for everyone when the time came, so he was better off shoving those thoughts out now than later.

He tucked his second orbment safely away in the inner lining of his coat. He felt his other pockets, making sure his decoy baggie of devil's bud was still there in case he got caught sneaking out—what the f*ck?! Oh sh*t—it was just in his other pocket... whew. For a second there he was worried the wind whipped it right out of his pocket, or it got displaced when Vita teleported him—wait a second. The bag was in his right pocket, with his ARCUS—and he always kept it in his left.

He got near an orbal lamp along the road and got out the bag. "... What the f*ck?" There was a little note inside the bag—how the hell did that get there?? He pressed the bag flat so he could read whatever was written on it—

Crow,
This stuff will stunt your growth, and you could pop a lung!
Alcohol is bad for your liver, and will only worsen your mood when you're feeling down.
Please only indulge in moderation ;)
Love, Vita

Geez—what the hell was with that?! Was that some crappy PSA she had to read out as part of her crappy show? Booze was one thing, but didn't she know the devil's bud had no long-term side effects?!

"Haah..." He took the note out, sliding the baggie back in his pocket. Well—whatever. At least she didn't teleport the bud out of the bag. And what part of that looked like "feeling down"? It was just a pretty standard meeting.

He whipped out his ARCUS and destroyed the note in a puff of darkness.

XXX

Crow was lying on his back, not feeling particularly tired. The narc in the next room complained when he played music too loud, and it wasn't even worth it to play it low enough to where he could barely hear it. Haah... all this stuff about the "Rivalries" just raised more questions than answers. If it was so important that they'd be compelled to fight, whether they wanted to or not—what was the end goal? Ordine couldn't say whether it benefited the Divine Knights themselves or not, but his involuntarily "plead the fifth" seemed to indicate it was for the benefit of the Awakeners—but how? And how did Vita know so much about it in the first place? Haah... he couldn't shake the feeling there was a lot more to it than she was telling him. Maybe she thought the knowledge was "too much of a burden", or whatever—well, not knowing and driving himself crazy thinking about it was enough of a burden, so he'd rather just know at this point.

He rolled onto his side, his arm gripping the cool underside of the pillow. Guess there was no need to rush. All of the Imperial Liberation Front's actions had been meticulously planned out, setting the stage for Crow to take out the Chancellor, his fateful shot signaling the Noble Alliance to invade Heimdallr—and they had contingencies in place along the way for whatever the hell was going on in Crossbell. Honestly, if the situation in Crossbell kept escalating, it would push the Chancellor to even more desperate measures, tightening his grip and overreaching his authority even more—which would only play into their hand. Heh, f*cking idiot—even kids knew the idiom "the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Crow rolled onto his back again, feeling more relaxed than before. Yeah—his comrades were capable, the ILF was in good hands while he was playing "school". Thankfully everyone's expectations of him around here were so rock-bottom, no one blinked an eye anymore when he f*cked off for days at a time. And if it became too inconvenient—he'd just disappear. Right—the ILF's movements were all that mattered, he'd deal with the Rivalries as they came. He doubted even Arianrhod knew about his ace in the hole—provided Vita was more on his side than her fellow Anguis. But who knows what those Ouroboros guys were thinking... it seemed like a bunch of alliances of convenience at best. Except for those Stahlritter chicks, who worshiped the ground that lady walked on...

He exhaled through his nose, and it sounded more laborious in the dark. He could say that the Rivalries were secondary all he wanted... but he still found himself thinking about it. If Rean was the Ashen Awakener, that didn't seem fair to just stomp him into the ground when he didn't even know what the hell was going on, did it? At least Crow had somewhat of an idea—whelp, guess it was just his duty as a responsible senior—get the kid out of the running early to spare him from having to go through all the other duels. He'd never make it to the end as a newbie anyway—whatever the hell these Rivalries entailed, it was up to Crow to see them through to the end. Why not—it's not like he had anything else to look forward to after shooting the Chancellor.

"... haha." He just had it as an impulsive thought—but it was kinda true. Whelp—it's not like he didn't know that already.

OOO

OOO

Rean found himself staring up at the wood-stain patterns in the rafters, unable to sleep. True to her word, Laura was already sound asleep, not caring about having to share a room with the boys one bit—Machias was actually the most apprehensive, and had taken up the bed at the opposite side of the room. Elliot was in the spot between Rean and Laura, and as far as he could tell, Elliot was fast asleep. Rean wished he had someone to talk to... but he didn't even want to risk waking anyone up by asking if they were awake. And it's not like he had anything pressing to add about their speculation over dinner—nothing that couldn't wait until morning, anyway. He supposed he was just feeling restless, and frustrated. Laura's words had managed to cut him deeply, almost as deeply as his own words that came spilling out like a flash flood...

~OOO~

A few hours earlier...

~OOO~

Elliot and Machias were dragging themselves up the stairs to finalize their reports. "Well, Laura—it was a privilege to fight alongside you today. I feel like I learned a lot just watching you, and I think we make a great team." Rean smiled easily. "I hope we end up getting sent on more field studies together, haha..." He remembered to pull his compliment back at the last minute, not wanting to sound like he was coming on strong...

"I agree. I learned a lot from watching you, as well." She folded her arms easily. "However, after today, I feel like there is something I must ask you."

"Oh—what is it?"

She gave him a sharp look, as if she was seeing right through him. "Why are you holding back?"

He almost wanted to swallow, but managed not to. "What do you mean?"

Her gaze fell to the sword at his side. "I haven't had the opportunity to witness the Eight Leaves One Blade style in person until now, but my Father would often hold the Divine Blades in the highest regard. As high as the Sword Hermit Yun Ka-fai himself."

"I see... Well, it's an honor to even be acknowledged indirectly by someone on your father's level." He couldn't stop himself from laughing uncomfortably. He was dreading where this conversation was going...

Her eyes were closed. "Which is why I must ask you, as a disciple of that honored school—" She was peering right into his soul. "What are you holding back, and why?"

Rean had to close his own eyes to escape her gaze, considering his answer carefully. "Honestly... I'm not sure I have anything to hold back."

"... What do you mean by that?"

"Just as I said." He laid his hand on his sword hilt. "I'm incredibly proud of my Master, and I'm grateful to him for taking me as his disciple. He even trained my sister when we were younger, although she ended up gravitating more towards court fencing." His blade felt heavy in his hand, and he almost felt unworthy to grip it. "I'm honored to be counted among the Eight Leaves One Blade school’s legacy—but at the same time, it's terrifying." He let his hand slip from the hilt. "I'm afraid of disappointing my Master, and my parents, and sullying the name of the Eight Leaves school—I feel like I've stymied at the beginner level, but if I push myself just a little more, and reach my peak and plateau out—then all my Master's hard work that he poured into me will have been for nothing. Haha..." He was laughing awkwardly again, for lack of any other way to express how he was feeling. "Though I suppose it's all the same—my training has actually been suspended. Indefinitely." He looked to the side, anywhere but her face, and he could feel his brows sloped in guilt. "My Master told me before he departed that my heart was ‘like a cloud of mud kicked up in shallow water’—and I still feel that way. I was hoping that coming to Thors would get me closer to my answer—anything, at this point, to push me past that shallow peak, and prove that my Master's faith in me wasn't a mistake... haha." He had really rambled irredeemably—there was no way he could pull it back or ask her to forget what he just said. "I guess... when you asked me 'why I'm holding myself back'... It's not that I'm consciously holding myself back… but if there is something holding me back, it can only be my own self." He was feeling deeply embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Laura—clearly I had a lot on my chest, I'm sorry it all just came out when you asked me such a simple question."

"There's no need to apologize." Her even voice reassured him. She wasn't being gentle or condescending—her tone carried the same quiet self-assuredness it always had, so he knew she was being genuine with him. "After all, it wasn't a simple question."

"Haha... I suppose not." He heard the floor creak behind them up on the second floor—he knew without looking that either Elliot or Machias had stopped to listen—probably both. Honestly... that was fine. If he was going to humiliate himself in front of Laura, he might as well do it all in one fell swoop. It would've just come out sooner or later...

"Thank you for sharing that with me." Laura had a hand at her hip. "Hearing your thoughts has given me much to think about." She gave him an easy smile. "I sincerely hope you find your answer, Rean—though I suspect it may come from within, rather than without."

"Hah... you may be right about that." Rean appreciated her kind words... which just made him feel all the more guilty.

"I'll be outside the inn getting in a bit more training—don't worry about waiting up for me. I'll be asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow."

"Oh—well, is there anything we can do to make the room more comfortable for you? I'm sure we can put up a makeshift screen to give you some privacy..."

"That won't be necessary." She had a small, confident smile. "Mixed accommodations are common among warriors and soldiers—it is something I'm quite accustomed to."

"I see." He felt like he could finally give her a mostly-genuine smile. "Well I hope you have a fruitful training session, Laura—and if I don't see you before I fall asleep, good night."

"Thank you. Good night, Rean."

He made his way back up the stairs. In their room, Elliot was sitting up in bed writing his report against a book propped on his knees, and Machias appeared to have quickly decided to pretend to be asleep—judging by the fact that he still had his glasses on. "Hey, guys. How's the report coming along, Elliot?"

OOO

Rean rolled onto his side, curling up in a ball with his arms resting between his legs. He couldn't help but replay that conversation with Laura over and over in his head—it wasn't so much a conversation as Rean word-vomiting at her. He was so embarrassed looking back on it... but, well, he hadn't said anything that was untrue. No, that wasn't why he was feeling guilty—he had just lied by omission. He never once mentioned "that".

He drew his legs up tighter to his chest. "That" was one thing he was actively holding back. He wasn’t confident in his ability to control it after last time—and if he went out of control and put his allies in danger, it didn’t matter whether it was "that" or not—he’d still be guilty for not knowing his limits. At a particularly low point when his Master was traveling and Rean was desperate for some clarity, he secretly perused one of his Mom's self-help books, which he previously dismissed as armchair quackery—but anything would've helped at that point. This particular book talked about "integrating your shadow"—it said that suppressing that which is "unacceptable" would just make the impulses stronger, and destroy you in the long run. Well—this was one "shadow" he didn't think he could ever integrate—it might just destroy him if he did. It wasn't something he could separate from himself—it literally felt like it was wrapped around his heart like a serpent. So he could either attempt to integrate it, and risk being consumed completely—or try his best to keep it at bay, and risk destroying everyone else around him. When he put it in that perspective—the answer was clear.

He tossed and turned, rolling onto his other side when his limbs started getting numb—his mind wouldn't quiet no matter how hard he tried to slow his breathing, his thoughts just wouldn't empty. They had an early day tomorrow starting at 6:00am—and he wasn’t close to sleep at all, he just felt frustrated. He didn’t blame Laura—obviously she had seen the hesitation in his blade, and that was just his own fault. He just wanted a distraction from his own thoughts, but he didn’t have the heart to wake anyone else up—at this point he’d even take Instructor Sara as company, if she had secretly taken a train back and was drinking herself stupid down on the restaurant floor, he’d be happy to go down and sit with her.

He tried breathing lightly through his nose, holding for three, exhaling for three... Easy… smooth, slow breaths. His mind kept wandering—he pictured the view of the valley from his window back home, the snow still capping the distant peaks—he imagined the sounds of crickets in the grass outside the old schoolhouse—he felt the cool night air and small-town quiet standing outside the dorm shooting the sh*t with Crow—he never really had a reason to "sneak out" to meet up with a friend before, nor any real friends to meet up with—but he supposed it might've felt something like that. Well—he had snuck out of the house exactly twice, both times to scale the tree next to the hot springs at the Phoenix Wings and take a dip after hours, during the off-season... the second time Manager Baggins actually caught him, but he was relieved it was just Rean and not some creepy sheep sneaking in—he knew Rean was a hot springs fiend so he very lightly chastised him for making so much noise, and asked him to just come through the front door next time. Rean felt so bad for essentially getting away with doing something wrong, he never did it again. As far as he knew, Manager Baggins never told his parents.

Rean snickered at the memory—his one extremely minor stint of rebellion. What did Crow say during the cookout, "You must be fun at parties"? No, wait—Rean didn't know what a "glow stick" was, so he said, "You don't get out much do ya, Rean? Well, we'll change that." Complete with a wink... haah. He didn't exactly want to know what Crow considered "fun"... and he still didn't know what a "glow stick" was, the first thing he thought of was those emergency lights kept in first aid kits, that start glowing when you "snap" them at the middle. That would make sense, given the context... But what was so "fun" about that?

Rean laid on his side, hearing the floorboards and the wooden walls creaking in the dark. His Master's words kept echoing in his head, mingling with Crow's words from the other night... "See with eyes unclouded by preconceptions"—"Maintain a healthy skepticism"... maybe the answer wasn't clear because of his assumptions, he wanted to interpret the evidence in a way that justified his conclusion, rather than following the evidence... inductive reasoning rather than deductive... He could see Otto sipping his tea, saying, "The responsible thing for me to say is 'leave this matter to us adults.'" He could hear Sara whispering in his ear, "Be careful around that slippery fish—she may seem nice on the surface, but she's as cold as they come." Then his brain whipped out that other thing Crow whispered in his ear—ugh.

He curled into himself, throwing the blanket over his head. Hrrrmmm—why'd he have to think of that, of all things... Then another thought came into his mind unbidden—he didn't get goosebumps or any kind of tingly feeling when Instructor Sara whispered into his ear—well no, of course not—that was totally different, she was his Instructor, and Crow was—was... gaaahhhhh.

"Hrrmmm..." Rean cringed into himself, making a little involuntary noise. That was just a coincidence—he just wasn't expecting it, is all—it didn't mean anything. He just wasn't... expecting it.

Rean realized it was getting too warm under the blanket, so he flipped it off his face so he could breathe.

OOO

"Oh, no..." Elliot was covering his mouth with his hand. "This is terrible..."

The city merchant’s stall was all smashed up, and whatever he had intended to sell had all been looted.

Machias came around from the back of the market. "The other stall has been vandalized, too—just what the hell happened here?" The only time this could have happened was last night—and it must have been after midnight, or Rean probably would've been able to hear such a commotion, even from all the way at the inn.

"—What the hell is this?!" Heinz made a beeline for his stall. "That bastard country bumpkin—I never should have trusted that he’d take this sitting down—"

"There you are, ya slimy rat!" Marco was charging from the back of the market. "You just couldn’t leave well enough alone?! It wasn’t enough for ya to get the primo spot?!"

"Take a look, jackass! My stall was vandalized, and I’m out quite a lot of mira—why would I bother to mess with your rinky-dink stall all the way in the back?!"

"You city-slickers are all alike—lookin’ down on us folk just tryin’ to make an honest living!" They looked like they were squaring up to murder each other.

Otto looked like he was at his wits end. "Gentlemen, please—there’s no need for violence!"

"Stay out of this, old man!"

"Wait." Rean and Laura stepped forward. "I understand that both of you are angry. But Otto’s right—resorting to violence won’t solve anything. We have to approach this rationally—"

"Piss off, kid. I don’t care what prestigious school you brats are from—this is adults’ business, so just keep your noses out of it!"

Rean never thought he’d see it, but Laura looked like she’d had about enough. "I’d kindly like to inform you that we are no mere students." She was actually going to pull the noble card—sh*t, wait—not in front of Machias!

"I say, what is going on here?!" A rather pretentious-sounding voice barked out over the gawking crowd. Rean turned over his shoulder, and the Captain of the Provincial Guards was standing with a squad at the head of the market. "Surely no racket such as this is justified so early in the morning?!"

"Tch—now they intervene?" For once, Rean found himself agreeing with Machias.

"You there, Market Manager! I demand an explanation for this, at once!"

Otto had seemed so unflappable yesterday, but he looked like he aged another ten years today. "Well, you see…" He explained the issue with the double-booking, and his compromise with the two stalls on rotation—and finally, the issue of both stalls having been ransacked, with both merchants blaming the other.

"I see." The Captain stroked one end of his mustache to a fine point. "Then, I believe the correct course of action is clear—men, arrest these two!"

"What?!"

"Huh, me?! Why?!"

"It appears obvious that each man sabotaged the other. Who was the initial aggressor remains to be seen—however, I believe we shall glean a confession from them in time." The guards advanced on the two merchants, and Heinz put up his arms in protest.

"This is madness! You can’t arrest me! I have no motive—I’m a victim here!!" His cries were getting more desperate and reaching a crescendo.

"Otto—you can’t let ‘em do this to us!!"

Laura’s eyes were narrowed. "And what investigation, pray tell, was conducted to reach this assumption of guilt?"

The Guard Captain stood tall, hands clasped behind his back. "No investigation is necessary when the facts are laid bare as they are now. Both men have a motive to destroy the other’s business—and over the last two days they've shown repeated displays of escalating hostility."

"The only ‘fact laid bare’ here is that the Provincial Army is just screwing around!" Rean's stomach sank as Machias shouted over the crowd. "If you guys knew what was going on, why didn't you do anything until it was too late?!"

The Captain ignored him, raising his arm. "Men—"

"Wait!"

"Wah!"

"Hmm." The Captain smirked under his mustache. "I've just been struck by divine inspiration. Make no mistake that I am a reasonable man—for your crime of disturbing the peace, I will pardon you if you cease this quarreling at once." Wha—how much more obvious could they get?!

"Rean…" Elliot sidled in close behind him. "They’re obviously threatening them to just sweep the vandalism under the rug—isn’t there anything we can do?"

"… I don’t know that there is, without making things worse."

"The choice is yours, gentlemen." The Captain smirked smugly. "The Provincial Army has far greater concerns that need our attention—but if the two of you still need to cool off in the slammer, I'll be happy to oblige."

"—gh!"

"Tch." Heinz's fists were clenched, and he looked to the side. "... Very well." Otto looked on forlornly from behind them, utterly defeated.

"Smart choice, gentlemen—now, I implore you to refrain from further shenanigans which disturb the peace of our fair Grand Market." The Captain looked quite pleased with himself, and both merchants returned to their stalls, picking up broken planks of wood as if in a daze.

The Provincial Guard returned to their gatehouse, and Rean went to Otto's side. "—Manager Otto? Is there anything we can do to help?"

Otto looked like a kite with no breeze. "I don't know what we can do, besides get this mess cleaned up and reopen the market..." Suddenly, he got a glint in his eye. "Although—why don't you students lend a hand in helping Marco and Heinz clean up their stalls, and see if anything jumps out at you?" He had a small, almost imperceptible smile under his mustache.

"We will—and we'll keep our eyes peeled!" Otto nodded, moving away to help redirect the crowd who had gathered to gawk.

Rean returned to the group, and motioned for them to come in closer. "All right—Otto just gave us his tacit approval to perform our own investigation." Elliot's eyes got wide. "We can all tell something's not right here—we just have to find a clue that points us to what."

"Um... shouldn't that be a job for the RMP?" Elliot looked over his shoulder. "Actually, I haven't seen them around since this morning..."

Rean looked around the town square. "You're right... I'm still unclear on what they were doing here in the first place." His brows furrowed. "I don't know if what they're here to investigate is connected to the permits or House Albarea... How could they have known before yesterday?"

"It may have to do with the tax increases." Laura was contemplating in her mind's eye. "The RMP can be viewed as an arm of the Chancellor, and thereby the Reformists. The Reformists seek to weaken the political power of the Four Great Houses—therefore, I find it highly likely that the RMP are here to observe the actions of House Albarea." Rean saw Machias' brows slope down.

"Machias? I don't suppose you can offer us any insight?"

Machias' eyes flicked to Rean's, then he coughed into his fist. "Well... it's as you say, it's not as if I'm privvy to the inner workings of the Reformist faction, much less the RMP."

"I see." Rean smiled. He mostly asked that to prove a point, and it seemed like Machias finally got it.

"Um... shouldn't we run this by Instructor Sara first?" Elliot spoke up meekly. "This is really going beyond the scope of our field studies..."

Rean tried taking a cue from Angelica and Crow, and put his hand reassuringly on Elliot's shoulder. "I think this is exactly within the scope of our field study."

Even Laura looked surprised. "How so?"

He looked at all of them in turn. "I don't think these field studies are meant to be evaluated quantifiably, like a test—checking off which answers we get 'right'." He nodded, as if to reaffirm to himself. "I think Sara wants to see our conduct, our decision-making, and our character—something you can only see in practice."

Elliot's eyes got big. "... I think I understand!" He pulled out the tasks they'd been given for the day by Margot, which had all but been forgotten given the morning's events. "Do you think these tasks are almost like a 'red herring'—if we just stick to this list and ignore anyone else who needs our help, we fail?"

Rean laughed. "I wouldn't put it quite like that—but I think you're onto something." He felt himself smile. "These field studies are about showing us something—putting us on the ground to see how people live, and helping them out. Helping us grow beyond what we can learn in a classroom." Rean laughed lightly, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "... at least, that's what I think..."

Laura had an easy smile, her eyes closed. "I think you may be exactly right." Rean looked around, almost expecting Sara to be giving them a thumbs-up from atop some cliff, like Angelica said.

Machias pushed up his glasses with a small smirk. "Well—whether it's part of our field study or not, I can't just let this injustice stand." He faced the group with newfound determination. "I don't know about you, but I have to know what's going on here. Marco and Heinz both deserve justice."

"I couldn't agree more." Laura's tone was as assured as her blade.

"Yeah! It's not fair that their livelihood is being used in some kind of political play!" Elliot pumped his fists—then his eyes got wide. "Oh uh—no offense, Laura..."

"None taken." She folded her arms. "Although my family's territory falls under Duke Albarea's domain, I will not let that cloud my judgment. I personally find it despicable that some nobles think their position gives them free reign to play with their citizens' lives, to serve their own ends."

"I agree." Rean pumped his fist. "Now, let's split up and see what we can find." The others all affirmed with enthusiasm.

Rean went with Laura to investigate Heinz's stall first. He was mumbling to himself, going through the motions of righting smashed display cases. "I can't believe this... I finally got to participate in the Grand Market, and it all goes up in flames... Aidios, what did I do?" This must have hit him especially hard if he was begging Aidios for answers...

"Excuse me, sir?"

He looked over his shoulder wearily. "Oh... it's you students." He turned to face them, crestfallen. "I want to apologize to you for my anger—that was uncalled for. None of this was your fault..."

"Oh..." Rean almost said, "You don't have to apologize" out of habit. "Thank you for your apology. We're actually here to help—we're investigating what happened on behalf of Manager Otto."

"You are?" He seemed to straighten from his slump somewhat. "I see... Well, I don't know how much useful information I can offer, but if there's any hope my goods can be recovered, that will be my only saving grace from this whole mess."

"We'll certainly do our best." Rean got out his notebook. "First, we'll ask what goods were taken from your stall?"

"Everything." Heinz's eyes closed. "I set up everything the night before, so it'd be all ready to go first thing in the morning. I have low blood pressure, you see, and sometimes I have a hard time waking up and getting going in the morning..." He exhaled laboriously. "I figured with a small town like this, everything would be safe... That oaf went on about how 'big city' merchants like me look down on country folk... but it seems my faith in small town community honesty was misplaced this time." How awful—Rean had to get to the bottom of this, if for no other reason than to clear the good citizens of Celdic's names.

"I see—we want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do." Rean scribbled down some notes. "So after you set up the stall, you didn't return until this morning?"

"That's right."

"And what goods did you have set up?"

"Mostly accessories and jewelry. Here, take a look—this is my sample, and the only piece I have left." He took a shiny blue bracelet embossed with moons and stars out of his pocket. "They're rather trendy in Heimdallr, and I was hoping to spread the fad here, as well—tch, that bumpkin—no wonder he smashed up my stall, he was jealous that I got the prime spot, AND my goods were trendier than his!"

"If Marco was the one who destroyed your stall, how do you account for his own stall being vandalized?" Laura's voice was even, not accusatory.

"... Well—he probably smashed up his own stall to draw suspicion away from himself! Who knows?!" He shook his fist. "That guy reeked of booze when he got up in my face this morning—he probably stumbled out here in a drunken stupor looking for revenge, and smashed up his own stall in the process!" That was an interesting detail—they'd have to follow up with Marco about whether he was drinking last night, and where he went after.

"I see. Thank you for your time—we'll be following up on other leads, but we may be back to ask you further questions."

"Please—I have to get my goods back no matter what!" Heinz was practically begging. "I'm out so much mira—I might have to give up on this business venture altogether..."

"We'll do our best—just give us some time, we won't just let what happened here slide." Rean didn't want to get his hopes up—but he also couldn't just leave Heinz with nothing.

"Oh, thank you—I'm glad to see Thors is raising the next generation to have integrity..." Maybe he was just desperate, but his tune completely changed from this morning...

Rean talked low with Laura as they walked away. "If his goods were accessories and jewelry, there's a chance his stall was just opportunistically looted by someone who intended to sell them off later—and they're long gone by now. It might not have anything to do with the permit conspiracy."

"That may be so. We still have too little information to draw any conclusions."

"I agree. Let's check in with Elliot and Machias."

Rean and Laura reconvened with the others at the sitting area at the back of the market. Undeterred by this morning's events, Andre was playing a lively tune on his violin, and folks were relaxing and snacking on their recent purchases from the food stalls. "So, what have you two learned?"

"Well, Marco told us that after Otto broke up the fight, he went and got drunk and ranted to a friend." Machias cupped his chin. "He says he stayed the night at this friend's house, and he didn't return to the stall until this morning—and that's when he found it all smashed up."

"I see—Heinz did mention that Marco smelled like he'd been drinking. We'll have to corroborate with the friend later." Rean made another note. "What goods were stolen from Marco's stall?"

"His wares were all processed foods, things that have a long shelf life."

"I see."

Laura folded her arms. "We should still be considering all possibilities at this point—including that Marco became intoxicated and destroyed the stalls himself, sacrificing his own to draw away suspicion. If his wares have a long shelf life, they may mysteriously turn up just in time to still be sold."

"Funnily enough, Marco accused Heinz of doing exactly that. Destroying his own stall to draw away suspicion."

"Well, both accounts can't be true—if we follow through with both leads, at the very least we can rule one out."

Rean was rubbing his chin. "I still want to confirm with Marco's friend... but it's seeming less likely that either of them are responsible." He looked up. "Think about it—Marco was given the stall in the less ideal location, but smashing up either stall doesn't mean he gets to just magically move back into Heinz's spot—I'm sure Otto wouldn't allow that under the circ*mstances."

"You're right—his only motivation would be spite."

"And with how slim his margin is for profit, he wouldn't want to waste a second of having his wares on display—it would make no sense to hide his goods somewhere just to draw suspicion away from himself. Meanwhile Heinz still has his claim to the destroyed stall up front, even without his merchandise."

"And if both of them snuck out separately to destroy the other's stall, it stands to reason that the second person would notice that their own stall had already been destroyed."

"Unless the second person was Marco, and he was so blind-drunk he didn't notice..."

"Hmm... Let's follow up with that friend before speculating any further."

The group went to corroborate Marco's story with the friend he'd been staying with—and he testified that Marco passed out drunk after ranting and raving about Heinz—and once Marco was out, he was out. He had to slap his cheek and shake him like an instant orbal photograph to get him awake this morning. His friend also said he was a light sleeper, so he would have woken up if Marco's drunk ass was stumbling about, and going in and out of the house. So... they were back at square one.

Rean was tapping his pen in his notebook. "Machias, something you said stood out to me." Machias' eyebrows went up. "Why would the Provincial Army intervene this morning, when they completely turned a blind eye yesterday?"

Machias cleared his throat. "I realize I may have let my anger and personal bias get the best of me this morning... but objectively speaking, it is rather strange that the Provincial Army chose to interfere now, and so nakedly tried to silence the victims."

"Otto informed us yesterday that the Provincial Army has been refusing to intervene with any issues arising at the market."

"That's right... do you think they know something about what happened, and that's why they're trying to keep it quiet?"

Rean could feel his brows furrow. "I think they may more than 'know' about what happened." He turned to Elliot. "But there's only one way to find out."

OOO

"A gaggle of students playing detective?" The Captain folded his arms pompously. "Very well—I'll play along. But I'll have you know, I'm a very busy man."

Rean was going to pay careful attention during this conversation. "Based on your actions so far, is it a fair assumption that the Provincial Army has no intention of investigating this incident any further?"

The Captain's eyes were sharp. "Let me ask you this, boy—what is the ultimate priority of the Provincial Army?"

"To maintain peace and order in the region in which they serve."

Laura spoke up. "I think you'll find a similar creed in any province in Erebonia."

"Hmph." He stroked the end of his mustache. "The Provincial Army is not a charity service. We are in the employ of our ruling lord, and our priority is to enact their will."

Rean decided to just stop dicking around. "... So you're saying that as long as the 'will' of the citizens is to resist an unprecedented tax hike, the 'will' of the ruling lord is to not protect them." Everyone seemed taken aback by that.

"Hah. What a baleful accusation—do take care not to put words in the mouth of the Provincial Army." He pinched the end of his mustache. "You children should well know, coming from such a prestigious military academy—a soldier's duty is to follow orders. The Provincial Army follows the will of its lord." He turned on his heel. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more pressing duties to attend to."

"U-um—one more question, if you will." Elliot spoke up, though his voice cracked a bit. "The local merchant, Marco, may have to close up shop for good if his accessories aren't recovered—have you seen anyone attempting to sell them on the side?"

"What are you talking about?" The Captain huffed. "That wealthy merchant from Heimdallr was the one selling accessories—I've no doubt he'll be able to recover financially from this incident. The Provincial Army has far more pressing duties to attend to than safeguarding merchants' profits." He sneered. "You children should get your basic facts straight if you plan on continuing to play junior detectives." And with that, he f*cked off back into the gatehouse.

Once he was gone, Rean turned to Elliot. "Elliot—that was brilliant."

"Haha—I'm surprised it worked." He rubbed the back of his head. "I thought it'd be worth a shot, at least..."

"You turned his hubris against him." Machias gave Elliot a wry smile. "I almost couldn't believe his audacity, not even attempting to hide their intentions—but he played right into your hands." Machias pushed up his glasses, his brows screwed together. "Underestimate us just because we're students, will you? Rean—I believe we've just found your promising lead."

"Indeed." They walked away from the gatehouse to a quiet corner of the square. "That just confirmed that someone from the Provincial Army visited the stalls after dark—Heinz said he set everything up the night before so it'd be ready to go in the morning. None of us had even seen what his wares were before then."

"And Heinz said that sample he was carrying on him was all he had left. If the Provincial Army hadn't done any investigating at all, they wouldn't have even seen his sample."

Rean put away his notebook. "I think we've got them right where we want them. The Provincial Army was probably aware of the issue of the double permits in advance—their duty was to foster hostility within the market, then create a situation which the Provincial Army could either investigate, or ignore—depending on the actions of the market committee."

"Withdrawing their petition against the tax hikes..."

"Exactly. They probably plan to keep repeating this cycle, failing to take action as tensions escalate, bad word of mouth spreads, and tourism slowly dries up at the Grand Market—beating Otto and the committee down until they have to accept the tax increase without protest."

"Disgusting—destroying two innocent merchants' livelihoods just to fabricate a crisis, which can only be solved by accepting being squeezed of even more money..."

"But the question now is—where are the goods? We've already spoken to the attendants at the station, and no one left with such a large amount of cargo—but if they're being hoarded in the gatehouse, it'll be difficult to get them back." Rean rubbed his chin. "If the RMP were here we might be able to convince them to investigate on circ*mstantial evidence..." The group all stood in silent contemplation for a minute.

Laura was the first to speak. "I don't believe the Provincial Army was actually directly involved with the theft."

Rean's eyebrows went up. "How so?"

"You saw those soldiers' countenance—they'd be far too proud to sully their hands with such petty crime." Her arms were folded thoughtfully. "They'd be far more likely to delegate the dirty work to someone they could both control, and keep quiet."

"But if they've already left Celdic..."

"—take my job an' tell me to quit drinkin' all day?!" A slurred, aggressive voice shot out from the direction of the west gate. "What the hell else am I supposed to do?!" A man was literally drinking in the street, a giant bottle of Aidios-knows-what in his clenched fist. He took a huge swig.

The group all looked at each other. "A suspicious person..."

"We should at least speak to him."

Rean and the others approached the man who was collapsed against a fence. "Excuse me, sir?"

"Whaddya want?!" He reeked of cheap wine. "Can't you see I'm tryna drink my sorrow away?!"

"—I'm sorry. Did something happen?"

"Hic!" The man wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "I'll tell ya what! That park was my whole life... I put so much blood, sweat, and tears maintainin' her—trimmin' the branches, clearin' the walkways, waterin' the flowers—and then that damn prick official tells me 'my services are no longer required'!"

"An official? Was it a member of the Provincial Army?"

"I dunno who he was—never seen the guy before in my life!!" The man hiccupped loudly, it sounded painful in his throat. "—ah, Aidios—f*ck, how're a bunch of punk-ass kids supposed to run my park better'n me?!" Rean exchanged a glance with the others.

"What kids? You said they took over your job?"

"I dunno—buncha frickin' kids all haulin' a buncha stuff out in the middle of the night—they said it was for the park, but all the mulch and stuff that I order doesn't come in crates like that!! Don't know where the hell they got it..."

Laura had stepped up beside Rean. "Which park are you referring to, sir?"

"You kids never hearda it? The Lunaria Nature Park, right out this gate!" He gestured with the butt of his wine bottle. They had passed by the park on the course of their objectives yesterday, but it appeared to be closed... "'Course now those dumbass kids'll probably destroy it—just like they destroyed me..." He started openly weeping.

Rean turned to Elliot. "Elliot, can you go get Margot? I think he needs a place he can rest..."

"—I'm on it!" Elliot started running back to the inn.

"Sir—I'm sorry for what happened to you." Rean knelt down so he could talk to him face-to-face. "Something's going on in this town—and you losing your job might just be connected to it." The man peered out at Rean with glazed eyes. "We're going to investigate the park—I don't know what will happen from here on out, but we'll do our best to get to the bottom of this."

"... you'll get me my job back?" He sounded so meek, for a grown man. Rean really wanted to say, "We will", but...

"Oh, Johnson!" Margot and one of the waitresses came hurrying down the road. "What are you doing out here?!" She bent down and got one arm under his shoulders. "Look—I know losing the park hit you hard—I get it, I really do! But you can't just go getting blind-drunk in the streets and botherin' folks!" Elliot jogged up a bit behind them, slightly out of breath.

"Oh, Margot..." Johnson started crying again. "I don't got anything else left…"

"I know." Margot and the waitress supported him on either side, and the two of them got him to start walking. "You kids just leave this one to me—I heard you've been asking questions around here to get to the bottom of this whole mess—you just keep on doin' what you're doin'!" Margot was obviously stronger than she looked...

"Margot—Mr. Johnson might have just given us an invaluable clue! Please tell him that when he wakes up!"

"You got it, kids!"

With that, the others all nodded in unison, and took off down the highway—even Elliot, though he was still out of breath from running to the inn.

OOO

The park was quiet, with a big padlock over the gate, just like yesterday. They were a fair bit from Celdic now, and the park beyond the gates seemed more like a nature preserve carved out of the forest.

"... It's hard to explain, but I feel a calming energy emanating from this park." Laura's ponytail blew with a gentle breeze. "It almost reminds me of the shrines devoted to Animism, the indigenous religion before the Septian Church became widespread." She folded her arms. "There are many such monuments littered around my hometown."

"You're right." Rean couldn't exactly explain it, either. "We have a monument in the valley near my home like that too, the locals call them the 'Spirit Stones'."

"No wonder that Johnson fellow was so keen on looking after this place." Machias was looking up through the treetops. "I'm a city boy through and through, but even I can appreciate the natural beauty of this place."

"Look!" Elliot pointed at something on the ground. Rean picked it up—it was a bracelet just like the one Heinz had shown them, adorned with embossed stars.

"Looks like this is our spot." Rean approached the fence cautiously, trying to sense anyone's presence. "I don't sense anyone immediately inside—but according to Johnson, there may be a whole group lying in wait. Those are most definitely our true culprits." Rean unsheathed his sword. "Stand back. I'm cutting through."

"Wh-what?! You're going to cut through the fence?!"

Rean focused his energy, honing his aim to a single point. Calm as the surface of the lake... Fourth Form, Autumn Leaf Cutter...

With a single slash, the lock holding the fence split neatly in two, falling quietly to the earth.

"Wow! Rean, that was amazing!"

"Hm." Laura smiled. "I'm glad to see you're in top form."

Rean sheathed his sword, feeling a little shy. "Thank you. Now, let's get going—we don't have much time before the sun starts to set." Rean pushed open the gates, and the group hurried through.

OOO

Laura was marveling at the small stone monuments littering the hills above the path. "These are Animist shrines, indeed... I imagine this site was a sacred place for those who lived here in the past."

"And look—" Rean watched the translucent particles swirl above them. "It's the same phenomenon we observed below the old schoolhouse—the higher elements must be more active here." There was something else... the deeper they went into the park, the more Rean sensed a malicious aura. So far, they had only been beset upon by beetles, and a few aggressive ape-like creatures—but nothing they couldn't handle. After orchestrating such a scheme handed down by House Albarea themselves—Rean imagined that whoever was behind this incident wasn't going down without a fight.

Elliot had his staff at the ready as they walked. "I wonder why the higher elements are more active here..."

"We might be along a septium vein." Machias was holding his shotgun across his chest. "All manner of strange phenomenon have been known to happen in such places—so look sharp."

"Wait." Rean readied his sword. "I sense a group ahead—" They were coming up on a wide clearing, and had seemingly reached the back of the maintained portion of the park. Nothing but untamed woods lay beyond this point. A group of men all dressed in matching uniforms were moving around large wooden crates—and Rean could see a jeweler's mannequin with a shining necklace on top of one of the boxes. "Those are our culprits." He closed his eyes and strained his ears, and he could just barely make out what they were saying.

"... who was that group, anyway? The Provincial Army even bent over backwards for 'em..."

"... who knows, as long as it means more money for us..."

Rean opened his eyes. "It sounds like the Provincial Army was working with some other group."

"I see... the situation only grows more and more complicated."

Elliot clutched his staff. "If we want to get the drop on them, I could try using my Blue Lullaby..."

"Let's save that for if things go south—I want to try confronting them, first." Rean readied his sword. "If they're just hired hands, we may be able to get them to squeal about their employer. But either way—prepare to engage in combat."

Machias pumped his shotgun. "Ready."

Rean nodded to Laura. "Let's go!"

The four of them rushed in, and the guys unloading wares scrambled to get a lid on everything. "What the hell are you kids doing here?! This area is off-limits—park's closed!"

"There's no use trying to weasel out of it—we know you're responsible for the thefts at the Celdic Grand Market!" Rean brandished his sword. "Now, who put you up to it?!"

"Hah! You kids are damn stupid for comin' out all this way on your lonesome." They each pulled out orbal rifles. "Though I gotta commend ya for makin' it this far—this peaceful little spot will be your grave."

"I think not!" Laura caught them all in the whirlwind of her blade, battering them all away.

"Got you!" Rean sliced through them while they were disoriented, and a freezing ice crystal exploded between them, gripping them in place.

"Machias!"

"Right where I want you—" Machias' special petrifying shot glued them to the ground on their knees.

One of the flunkies' jaws were tight as he managed to spit out, "Damn kids!"

Rean pointed his blade at the group. "Now, who do you work for?" He noticed a small shadow fly up in his peripheral, but it might have been a bird startled by all the noise.

"Hah—" Even through petrification, another flunkie still managed to laugh. "Stupid brats—you think we'll talk?" Rean heard a strange distorted sound, but only for a second.

He looked around the canopy of trees. "What was that?"

Elliot's head was whipping around. "You heard it, too?" His brows were sloped in concern. "It almost sounded like a flute... But why out here?" Suddenly, a guttural growl echoed through the forest, and clouds of birds all flew from the trees, cawing in fright.

"—something's coming!"

The ground shook, and a monstrous baboon-like creature came bounding through the trees. It had horns and mossy fins on its back, but something looked... wrong. It was as if the creature itself was decaying, having been awoken from some mossy corner of the forest floor.

"—ah!" Rean heard the one of the thieves manage to cry out from behind them. "—what the hell?!" So—this creature appearing wasn't another trick up their sleeve?

Two more ape-like creatures dropped down from the trees, flanking the giant beast. Laura stood fast beside Rean. "Is this the lord of this forest?!"

"Even if it is, we have to defeat it!" Rean readied his blade. "Don't let your guard down for a second!"

The beast bellowed like a shockwave, its fetid breath filling the woods with the stench of death. The two apes ran wildly around the clearing keeping the group on the move, while their leader swiped at them with his huge arms. Rean pursued the underlings while keeping far away from their leader—those powerful swings looked like they could concuss him with one hit. Machias managed to pin down one ape with his petrification shot and Laura finished it off with a radiantly-glowing blade, and Elliot's Arts froze the other one long enough for Rean to make the killing blow. Now only the lord of the forest was left...

It leveled them with its beady yellow eyes, leaping high in the air and crashing down with frightening velocity. The earth shook as a cloud of dirt and twigs battered Rean, and he squinted his eyes—he managed to just barely roll out from the zone of impact in time. He was quick to recover, but Laura wasn't used to such tight acrobatic maneuvers with her huge sword, and the beast swiped at her—"—agh!"

"Laura!"

She was knocked back and collapsed to one knee, supporting herself with her sword. He could see a bloody slash in her boot. "—don't concern yourself with me! Just focus on the beast!"

"Laura!" Elliot tried healing her, and she barely stumbled to her feet—that injury would take time to treat, Arts weren't going to cut it.

"Why, you—" Machias shot it a few times, but it seemed to shrug them off. Its thick hide was matted with branches and mud, as if it was a part of the forest itself. Rean readied his blade in Fourth Form, aiming for a decisive strike through its massive paw with Autumn Leaf Cutter—

Rean surged forward, and his hands exploded with violent numbness—his blade all but bounced off the beast's arm, which was as hard as petrified wood. "Get back—regroup!"

In the span of a few seconds, time seemed to slow. Rean watched as the beast's leg muscles tightened, coiling itself to the ground preparing to leap—a surge of Water Arts emanated from Elliot's staff, Laura barely managed to clamber to her feet—they'd never make it in time. If that thing landed on them—it would crush them into paste.

He moved into Sixth Form—it wouldn't be enough. He wouldn't make it—a desperate voice was screaming in his head, "I have to do something—I have to protect them!"

His chest was wracked with pain, and dark flames swirled around his blade—his whole body felt like it was on fire. It felt like something else had control—he moved automatically, like he was possessed—he made two decisive strikes, every muscle feeling like it was on fire—then the dark flames slashed through the beast's legs and bones, slicing them clean off.

"—haah!" Rean felt like he was gasping for breath, clutching his chest. A metallic taste of blood was in his mouth—no, wait, it wasn't his blood. He turned, barely registering the sight of blood spraying from the beast's stumpy legs as it fell to the forest floor. Behind it, Laura and Elliot came into focus.

"Rean!" Elliot and Machias ran over, and their voices dulled in his ears, as a high-pitched whistle whined in his head. He felt dizzy for a second.

"—whoa!" Someone caught him—he thought it was Machias. "Rean, are you all right?! What the hell was that?"

"Hold still!" A cooling sensation like water rushing all around him brought him back to his senses. He blinked, looking up at Machias and Elliot's stricken faces.

"—I'm all right." He moved his feet to support his own weight, and Machias helped him stand upright, his hands still on his shoulders to steady him. "Really, I'm—just glad everyone's okay." The taste of fetid blood in his mouth was disgusting. "Sorry—" He darted to the side, spitting the dark blood out onto the forest floor. He wiped his face—it was splattered all over his cheek.

Laura came limping over, her face stricken with pain. "—I wasn't strong enough!"

"Laura—don't say that, you were the ace of our team this whole time!" She looked like she didn't want to hear that.

Elliot went over to support her. "We'll take a closer look at that leg when we get back to town—I'll do what I can, but I hope you can bear it for now, I'm sorry..." With some hesitation, Laura allowed herself to lean on Elliot for support.

"... Rean." She sounded like she'd calmed down a bit. "What was that technique you used? Those flames..."

He finally sheathed his sword. "Truth be told... it's something I've been trying to develop on my own... but that's the first time I've been able to perform it." It almost felt like... he tapped into "that". Just for a second—he felt his body moving on pure impulse, like something was compelling him forward—but he had remained in control. He could see in his peripheral that his hair wasn't white... although he hesitated to look at himself in the river with this disgusting black blood all over him... "Did any of you feel it coming off of that creature?" He looked past them at the bloody lump that lay on the forest floor. "It was almost as if... it had no aura."

Elliot's brows were sloped. "Since you mention it... its body almost looked like it was rotting, and it smelled disgusting..."

"Its hide almost looked like petrified wood—no wonder my shells didn't affect it."

Behind the beast's corpse, the four thieves were still petrified—either that, or they were genuinely rooted to the spot in fear. "... just who the hell are these kids?"

"No one told us about that creature... that bastard!"

"Who are you talking about?!" Rean regained his composure, advancing on the thieves. "Answer us! This is the end of the line—there's nowhere left to run!" Suddenly, he heard a crowd of footsteps—the Provincial Army ran into the clearing, their guns drawn.

"There they are! Men—" The soldiers surrounded them, pointing their guns.

"What are you doing?!" Laura barked. "How dare you turn your weapons on us!"

"If you're looking for your thieves, they're right here!" Machias gestured to the flunkies glued to the ground behind them.

"Don't move!"

The Captain stepped forward. "Don't misunderstand. We're just trying to make sense of this odd scene we've stumbled upon." His hands were locked crisply behind his back. "We've come upon the stolen goods, and a group of people beaten into submission—who's to say which group were the thieves and which were the aggressors?"

"So shameless..." Rean had never heard Laura so angry.

"Now, now, young lady—let's not do anything hasty." He approached the group, savoring every step. "We can do this one of two ways—you students pack your bags and return to your academy where you belong... Or we arrest you for grand larceny and bring you before Duke Albarea." The soldiers' guns raised. "And don't think we're bluffing." There was no way they could just get away with doing that—but with guns pointed in their faces, even Rean had to consider his actions carefully.

"And that's all I need to hear. Stand down!" Who was—that voice sounded familiar. Several officers ran onto the scene, guns at the ready—those grey uniforms—

"Rean, look!" Claire herself stepped forward, looking cool as a cucumber.

The Provincial Captain advanced on her. "The Railway Military Police have no jurisdiction here! This territory is the domain of the Kreuzen Provincial Army!" His hand sliced the air. "The Imperial Army has no right to interfere in our investigation!" Oh, so now it's an investigation...

The "Icy Maiden" lived up to her name with her cold response. "As I'm sure you're well aware, with Celdic being a major interchange station, this area falls squarely within our jurisdiction."

"Tch—!"

Claire placed a hand on her hip. "Now, from the results of our own investigation—I've concluded that this group of students is wholly uninvolved with the incident at hand, and are innocent of the charges that have been levied against them." She leveled her sharp gaze at him. "Will you contest our judgment?"

The Provincial Captain was practically seething. "... We will not." He raised his arm, and the soldiers lowered their guns.

"Very well—then we will take the stolen goods into our custody, and return them to their rightful owners."

"Do whatever you wish, Icy Maiden. Men! We are returning to Celdic." And with that, they started marching away.

"—wait!" The thieves shouted from behind them. "Where the hell you think you're goin'?!"

"We had a deal!"

"Tch. So they're just going to let them go, after their involvement was so obvious?" He could understand Machias' frustration—but now wasn't the time.

Claire bore down on the thieves. "We will take your statements as well—after we've placed you in custody. Arrest them."

"Yes, Captain!" The RMP officers rushed in, apprehending the thieves.

"Damnit!"

"We never should've listened to that guy—I knew something was off about him!" Rean was dying to know who they were talking about—he couldn't just leave well enough alone, he felt like he had to see this thing through to the end. Maybe Claire would be nice enough to at least fill them in afterwards...

Claire stepped forward, with a surprisingly warm smile. "So, we meet again, Class VII." She looked around the forest as if taking in the scenery. "I'm impressed that you were able to follow what little leads there were to this location." She laughed, barely audibly. "Although I suppose I should have expected such recklessness from Sara's students."

"Haha... well, I'm just glad the RMP came by just in time!" Elliot seemed impressed... but something seemed a little off about this. Maybe it was just because Sara planted that seed of doubt when they first met Claire...

Rean still felt that he should thank her, despite his ambiguous feeling. "Thank you, Claire—I suppose it was reckless of us to rush in here by ourselves, without a contingency plan."

She smiled. "It's all part of learning. If I were you, I'd be proud of your actions here today." The thieves were being escorted out of the clearing, still muttering under their breath about being "double-crossed". "We'll take care of them, as well as the stolen goods—why don't you all come with me, and I'll take your statements back in town? I think you've all earned a good rest." Her eyes fell on Rean. "Oh, here..." She took a clean handkerchief out of her pocket. "Whatever that thing was, it left a real mess..." She looked past him at the corpse of the once-mighty beast. Machias said all manner of strange phenomenon could happen along the septium veins... but something about that beast felt almost... supernatural. It was as if it was already a corpse to begin with, and had been dug up from some forgotten corner of the forest—and now it was decomposing back to whence it came. Rean hoped he wouldn't get sick from getting its rotten blood in his mouth...

"Thank you—" He took the handkerchief. "I'll be right back." Rean walked quickly from the clearing, and he thought he saw another shadow fly up in his peripheral. He twisted to look up, but couldn't see anything. He decided to quicken his pace, hearing Claire and Laura's voices fading behind him.

"Are you all right to walk?"

"I'm fine..."

Rean wiped the handkerchief feverishly over his face, desperate to get all the blood off. He made it to the river, and knelt down to splash his face with water, rinsing out his mouth—he closed his eyes, but still caught a flash of his reflection—smeared blood on his skin, matted in his hair—the same way he looked when he and Elise stumbled down the mountain in a daze, and his Mom screamed and cried when she saw them—

OOO

Rean smiled as Otto beamed from ear to ear. "I really can't thank you enough—without Class VII, who knows if this incident would have ever been resolved." He shook Rean's hand with both of his. "I'll have to brag about this to old Vandyck for sure, oho!"

"I'm flattered—thank you for your support, Otto. We couldn't have accomplished anything without you placing your trust in us."

"Yeah! And it was really the RMP who saved the day..." Elliot scratched his cheek.

"Oh, now don't be so modest." Claire gave a small smile. "We only apprehended the criminals in the end—it was all of you who did the heavy lifting." She turned to Machias. "I'm sure your father would be very proud."

"Oh, um—" Machias stuttered. "—thanks." That was a bit odd...

Otto stepped back. "Now—all the merchants were so grateful, including those whose goods you recovered—that we all put together a little something for your trip back home." Rean had to physically resist the urge to say, "Oh, you didn't have to!" Otto produced what looked like boxed lunches, and opened one of the lids. "A sampling of our town's finest produce—and look! Heinz has a daughter back in Heimdallr who loves these, so he even cut the weenies himself! Oho!" The lunchbox did look delicious—there were sweet rolled omelets, marinated veggies with fluffy rice, and octopus weenies. That was a bit surprising, coming from Heinz...

Rean took the box with gratitude. "Thank you. And be sure to thank all the merchants again for us, too."

"Will do, my boy!"

Rean watched as the evening crowd bustled around the market, Andre playing his violin in the corner happily. They'd made it back to town with time to spare to help the other folks on their itinerary, and Rean felt like he could finally breathe easy. Everyone they spoke to in town had been so grateful—it had started to get a bit embarrassing, but Rean admitted it did give him a fuzzy feeling inside. He still had lingering questions about the investigation—as well as other concerns. Where had that beast come from, and why did it just suddenly appear? What was that strange sound they heard just before it came rushing out of the forest—and what was that shadow Rean kept seeing? It wasn't just a bird—he had gotten that same feeling as when someone was watching him, and his senses were rarely off.

Rean reached into his pocket. He tried his best to wring the blood out in the river... but it looked like Claire's handkerchief might be a lost cause, just like his shirt... Margot was kind enough to try her "trick" for getting animal blood out—but that creature's freaky-deaky blood was so unnatural, it left a black ring stain that almost looked like mold... Just what the hell was it?

Claire turned to face Otto. "We'll be stationing officers here for the time being, to assist with any more issues that arise." She had a small smirk. "Though I'm sure they'll serve as an effective deterrent."

"We're in your debt, Captain." Otto bowed to her. "Although... The Provincial and Imperial armies may have differing ideologies, but in the end you're all soldiers and guardians of Erebonia. Just something to take to heart."

Claire gave him a smile that seemed facetious, to Rean. "I'll keep that in mind." She turned to address them. "Well, Class VII—continue to do Thors proud, and may we cross paths under more ideal circ*mstances in the future. Haha." She crossed her arms. "Although, I hope Sara won't be mad at me for stealing your thunder on your field study."

"Hah—as if you could! My kids are the best and brightest there are!" Right on cue, Sara came strolling out of the train station. "These kiddos might as well be lightning bolts hurled by Aidios Herself!"

"... I think that's a bit hyperbolic, Sara."

"Nonsense!" She grabbed Laura and Elliot in what was probably supposed to be a playful headlock.

"—ah—" Laura winced a bit.

"Oh, my!" Sara let her go. "What happened here?"

"—it's nothing, just a minor injury." Laura straightened up. "I've already been treated—I should be fully healed in a week's time." There was still a gash in her boot, and the white bandage could be seen underneath.

Sara's brows were still sloped. "Well all right—you know your own body."

Rean turned towards Claire. "Claire?"

"Yes?"

"... It might be presumptuous of me, but can I ask if the culprits named an accomplice?" He clutched his arm. "It's been bothering me... they kept saying 'that bastard double-crossed us' and 'this wasn't the deal'..."

Claire had her hand at her hip. "I'm sorry, but any information gleaned through our investigation is classified."

"... I see." Well, it was worth a shot... "Oh—let me give this back to you." Rean took the handkerchief out of his pocket. "I'm sorry—I tried my best, but I don't know if it'll come out all the way..."

She looked at the handkerchief in his hand. "Oh, you can just throw that away." Her tone caught him off-guard. She turned to address the group at large. "Well Sara, as much as I'd love to catch up with you, I have my own duties to attend to. Take care on your way back to Trista." She turned to walk towards the Provincial gatehouse, where other RMP officers were waiting. Rean looked at the handkerchief in his hand. He understood now what Sara meant... It was like she was trying to sound friendly—but it was so blunt, it was just strange. She seemed to get really cold when Rean even brought up the investigation...

Sara rolled her eyes. "Well, you heard the lady—just chuck that thing in the trash."

Rean thumbed the ring stain on the cloth. "This may be an odd question to ask—but is there anyone at Thors who can analyze this?" He looked up at Sara. "Like Beatrix, or even Instructor Makarov... He has that orbal computer that can tell you the chemical makeup of compounds, right?"

Sara's brows furrowed. "Why, Rean?"

"Well... this creature was so strange, I still can't help but be concerned."

"Yeah..." Elliot looked to the side, as if he was trying to recall the scene. "It's almost like... have you guys ever read books with 'zombies' in them?" The others all turned to him. "It was almost like that—like it had died a while ago, but was somehow still shambling around..."

"Hmph, if only it was shambling!" Machias pushed up his glasses. "Its strength was rather formidable, for the husk of a corpse."

Sara blinked. "I have a feeling you kids are going to have a rather detailed report."

Laura folded her arms. "That such a beast could run loose so close to town—I'm concerned as well. Margot informed me that if I had waited any longer to clean and disinfect the wound from its claws, I could have suffered blood poisoning."

"Oh my gosh, are you going to be okay, Laura?"

"Yes." She smiled to herself. "After how intensely the disinfectant stung, I have no doubt that my wounds are completely clean, and properly dressed."

"Heugh..." Elliot looked a bit queasy.

Laura laughed lightly. "I apologize if my language was too graphic." She turned to Sara. "Shall we be off, then? This is the last train out of Celdic, correct?"

"That's right—I'm glad I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg to rent a car to come pick you kids up!" Sara started walking back with them towards the station, and a man suddenly burst out of the inn.

"—wait!" He ran over to them. He looked familiar—oh, it was that drunkard from this afternoon! His hair was wet, and the wine smell was completely gone—he must have just taken a bath. "Haah..." He slumped over, hands on his legs. "I just wanted to thank you kids... for everything." He straightened up, just a little out of breath. "Thanks to you, the RMP investigated that 'official'—and he was a fraud! That hook-nosed bastard—I'll never forget his face, with his tiny glasses and greasy hair!" He clenched his fists. "—gah. But, none of that matters now." He composed himself for a second. "Thanks to you kids... I got my old job back." He wiped his arm over his eyes, getting emotional again. "The park's back in my hands... I'm so happy."

"Oh... Mr. Johnson..." Elliot sounded like he was at a bit of a loss.

Laura stepped forward, still with a slight limp. "Congratulations. I'm sure the little spirits that live in those shrines will be happy to have their keeper back." Johnson burst into tears.

OOO

Laura was gazing at the setting sun out the window, her leg stretched along the bench. She had asked for a seat to herself to elevate her leg, and Rean and the others decided to give her some space. She seemed to be taking it really hard... Rean could still hear her pained cry, "I wasn't strong enough!"

The train shook and Elliot jerked awake, his head shooting off Rean's shoulder. "—oh!" He laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Rean... guess I was just exhausted after all that."

"It's all right, Elliot. I didn't mind." Actually he thought it was a bit cute—he couldn't help but wonder if that's how Elliot's big sister felt.

Sara was asleep in the next seat over—that lady seemed like she could conk out at the drop of a hat. Machias had been busy writing his report—in Crow's words, "Couldn't be me"—Rean started getting motion sickness if he read on the train, let alone writing. That's why Blade had proven to be a nice way to pass the time—he was starting to get the hang of it, but he'd have a long way to go to dethrone the—you know what, Rean wasn't even going to dignify either of those terrible titles—he had a while to go before he could take on the reigning champion.

Elliot was looking at Laura across the aisle. "She still seems pretty down, huh..."

"Well... I can understand how she feels." If Rean had gotten injured and couldn't help for the rest of the fight, he'd be beating himself up, too. "I'll be right back." He stood up, and Elliot gave him room to pass.

The sun was getting lower behind the mountains, dying the landscape a deep pink. Laura looked up as Rean sat in the bench seat across from her. She turned back towards the window. "I have a feeling we've only just begun to see the cracks in our country's nobility."

"... You might be right." He gazed out at the intense sunset. "We're the only one of our neighbors to still have feudal territories. Even a monarchy like Liberl holds democratic elections for mayors." He lowered his voice. "I still think he could use some tact, but I can't say I disagree with everything Machias says about nobles." Laura laughed softly. They sat in comfortable silence for a minute. "Laura?"

"Yes?"

Rean turned to face her in the bench. "I wanted to apologize again for opening the floodgates at the inn the other night... But as embarrassed as I am looking back on it, I think talking to you helped me realize some things." He had his hands rested on top of his legs. "I may still feel that I'm not a good representative for the Eight Leaves One Blade school, as a novice who never completed my training... but I couldn't even imagine my life without it." His fingers curled into a loose fist. "Pursuing the path of the blade is everything to me—it's an inseparable part of who I am. So—even if I do end up falling short of expectations, I'll never consider it a waste."

She smiled easily. "I understand completely."

Rean stood up. "Once you're healed up, I look forward to sparring with you, and pushing each other to even greater heights."

"I'd welcome the challenge." She looked up at him with newfound determination. "I look forward to pitting my Radiant Bladedance against your mysterious new technique... What do you call it?"

"Um..." He felt a bit put on the spot. "It doesn't really have a name." Don't think of something dumb like Crow... "I guess for now, I'll call it the 'Flame Slash'."

"Hm. Straight to the point." She folded her arms. "I look forward to clashing swords with you."

"I'll be ready for you." Rean went back to his own seat, and he thought he saw Sara's eye snap closed.

XXX

XXX

"Yeesh—even through my helmet the stench is god-awful." C prodded the rotting corpse with the sole of his boot, and it made a disgusting foamy sound, the fetid flesh sinking in like bog mud.

"The artifact does have its limits." G walked with him around the corpse, the Demonic Flute in hand. "Grunoja, the lord of these forests, passed away around the time of the Orbal Revolution. The flute can reconstruct their form from when they were still alive—but as I said before, only up to a certain extent."

"Interesting..." C used his foot to tip over the beast's hand, which still had razor-sharp claws with untold filth stuck underneath. "What would happen if we were just working with a skeleton?"

G got a wry smirk. "In your words, Leader—'Only one way to find out.'"

"Haha—I like the way you think." He walked around to the beast's legs, which had been cut clean through. The edges of its flesh had been partly cauterized—or more like melted. "That was some technique... You got the footage?"

"Right here." G got out a little remote, and the floating orbment came zooming down. "I reviewed it before you arrived just to confirm the integrity of the recording."

"Excellent. I'll take a look at it back on the ship." He stepped back from the corpse. "Now, for the second half of our demonstration..."

"Yes, Leader." G started playing the flute, and a shrill sound emanated around the forest.

The beast jerked to life, and instantly started clawing the ground desperately, wailing in pain while it dragged itself and twisted around. "Ah, geez—well it's useless now, might as well put the poor guy out of his misery." With a swift jab to the forehead, C pierced its skull with his saber, crushing its brain. Its body stilled, collapsing like a parachute after touching ground. G played the flute again, but it didn't get back up. "Interesting... so it can reconstruct something that's been dead for decades, but can't do it again if it's too damaged..."

"There seem to be diminishing returns at play." G pushed up his glasses. "As unscientifically-worded as her observation was, S' assessment of artifacts was accurate—sometimes their effects don't follow logic."

"I guess not." He got out his second orbment, engulfing the corpse in a swarm of Grim Butterflies, leaving nothing behind. "'Aidios works in mysterious ways.'"

G put away his flute. "If you don't mind my saying so, Leader, it's a bit jarring to hear you speaking so casually in full garb." He pushed up his glasses. "Especially with your voice modulator."

"Yeah?" He pulsed his gloved hand, enjoying the satisfying sleekness of the material. "Well, it's my free day, after all—but I still can't have those brats come running back and seeing my face now, can I?"

"... I suppose not."

C walked to the edge of the clearing, observing the burn marks left behind. "What do you make of the RMP's movements?"

"I believe I've gained invaluable insight into how they operate. The Intelligence Division, as well." He pushed up his glasses. "Though I regret we were unable to cut off those loose ends—those jaeger dropouts may leak some troublesome information about who hired them to the Ironbloods."

"Let them come." C swung his saber, flicking off the foul blood. "Even those iron-blooded dogs will be helpless to stop what we've set in motion. The hammer of justice shall soon fall."

G's laugh was low. "The day of reckoning is close at hand... I can almost taste it."

He flashed G a wicked grin behind his helmet. "Comrade G—how would you like to perform another special mission for me?"

XXX

C replayed the footage again, from the point when they all focused on Grunoja. Laura was pretty strong, but nothing could beat gravity—Grunoja came down hard, and she didn't exactly roll away gracefully—that second of recovery left her open to being swiped, scratched by its disgusting claws. Elliot ran over to heal her, and she managed to stand up—Machias' shots did nothing, Rean's first sword slash did nothing, and that's when—

C paused the footage, setting it to play at half-speed. Grunoja crouched down, getting ready to leap up again—and that's when those flames appeared. Bright orange flames licked with darkness swirled around Rean's sword—he made two slashes, then cut right through its legs as he flash-stepped through them. Even played at half-speed, it was pretty damn impressive.

C set the speed back to normal. It seemed to take a lot out of him... Rean looked like he almost fainted, or at least stumbled. He did something interesting right before it happened—C rewound the footage, advancing it frame-by-frame—there. He clutched his chest, then—whoa. He didn't notice it before, but for just one frame Rean's eyes glowed red. What was that about? Interesting...

He watched the footage at normal speed one more time. It wasn't exactly the same... but something about those flames appearing struck him the same as McBurn's. Uh oh—if Rean was really a demon child, they'd have a whole other problem on their hands. Hmm... nah. He'd been around McBurn enough times, and that eerie vibe was always the same—like he was talking across the void to something from another plane. Rean was just... some guy. He never got a bad vibe like that off of Rean—but the red eyes were still intriguing. It happened right after he clutched his chest, and before the flames appeared—did his chest hurt, or did his power from from there? C would have to see it for himself...

The doors slid open, and Vita walked in. "You wanted to see me, my dear?"

"Yeah—what's your opinion on this?" He played the footage frame-by-frame until he got to the red eyes.

Vita looked oddly serious. "There's no question. He's our Awakener."

"Really? You can tell just from that?" He let the footage play normally, and she watched as Rean used dark flames to cut Grunoja's legs clean off.

"I'm positive. And that answered another question I had as well." Then she smiled down at him. "I guess you don't need to keep observing him after all—too bad, and you were getting so close, too!"

C rolled his eyes. "Well, I still need to assess his skills." He leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head. "Know thy enemy, and all that?"

"Enemy? I wouldn't put it that way—just think of him as your rival~"

"A rival for the Rivalries, huh?"

"Oh my—where did you hear that?"

He grinned up at her. "From Ordine." He sat up in his chair. "I asked him if the Rivalries benefited the Divine Knights in any way, and he said, 'That's too subjective for me to answer.'" He gave her a sharp look. "Any idea what that could mean?"

"Hmm... Well, I think he's exactly right." She didn't add anything else.

"... Care to elaborate?"

She laughed into her hand. "As a Divine Knight, it would be too subjective for him to answer."

"Haah." C stopped the footage. "Fine, keep your secrets." He leveled his gaze at her. "I assume you wouldn't keep vital information from me, if you want me to win so badly."

She closed her eyes with a small, contented smile. "If all goes according to plan, then the rest becomes irrelevant."

"Yeah? And what if it doesn't go according to plan?"

Her eyes shot open. "That's not something I'll accept." She clutched that necklace she was always wearing. "We must succeed. For the sake of Erebonia..."

"Hm. Something tells me your cohorts could give a rat's ass about Erebonia's sake, or anyone else's."

"... While our motivations may differ, the end result is the same."

C was looking at the paused footage, a shower of blood mid-spray. "Let's hope so."

She readied her staff. "I'm glad you showed me that footage. I'm on my way to report to Duke Cayenne about our progress, I trust you've no objections?"

C drummed his fingers on the table. "How much does Cayenne know about the other Awakeners?"

"Only that there are others floating around out there—but you're still the only one who's active."

He smirked up at her. "Let's just keep this between us for now, then."

She had a small yet mischievous smile. "As you wish, my dear." Her staff glowed, and sigils appeared around her.

"Oh yeah—see if we can get a bartender up in here! I'm sure you can charm it out of him." He winked.

"Hm-hm—you know me so well." She disappeared in a flash of azure light.

The room was dark, with the humming of the orbal projector being the only sound. C unpaused the footage, letting it play to the very end. After that Icy Ironblood dog handed Rean a hanky, he rushed off—the orbment zipped up into the treetops, but Rean looked up a split second before the footage cut out. "Hello—" He rewound, playing it back frame-by-frame. Sure enough, Rean's head whipped and looked right up at the orbment. The image was surprisingly striking—Rean was standing in profile with blood smearing half his face, staining his shirt—just looking up with a thousand-yard stare, as if he was seeing everything and nothing. It almost looked like one of those weird-ass paintings you'd find in some eccentric's mansion, with an ominous title like "The Boy". "Heh—he caught you, G."

C ejected the orbal disc, tucking it in the inner lining of his suit. If that was just a flash of Rean's power coming out in a dire situation—he couldn't wait to see more. He hoped Rean would keep getting stronger by the time C got to test his skill in person—it'd be nice if he at least broke a sweat. Maybe he'd get to see something crazy if he beat Rean down to his breaking point... Hehe—this was getting pretty exciting. Rean might have to get some hands-on practice from his kind and caring seniors to help him along...

"Heh, don't worry, little buddy—I'll push you to your limits."

OOO

OOO

Rean smiled. "I'm glad to hear your group's field study went by peacefully."

"Indeed." Gaius had a warm smile. "The town of Parm was quite charming—I enjoyed watching the traditional techniques of dyeing cloth, and seeing the newly-washed pieces hanging above the river."

"Yeah, it was so beautiful! They were all hung like colorful flags for a festival!" Alisa flipped her hair behind her shoulder. "What was it like in Celdic?"

"Well..." Rean exchanged a glance with Elliot. "Celdic itself was peaceful, and the acres of rye were beautiful, but—"

"Hmph. No point beating around the bush—the magnanimous Lord of Kreuzen concocted this whole scheme to strong-arm a gouging tax hike." Machias' arms were crossed. "Destruction of personal property, theft, blackmail—we even had guns pointed at us." His sharp gaze was leveled at Jusis. "But I suppose to Duke Albarea, that was just Sunday." Everyone was silent, and the vibe was very uncomfortable.

"Hmph." Jusis had his arms folded. "It does sound very much like him."

Machias looked gobsmacked, then his glare sharpened. "Is that all you have to say about it?"

Jusis actually looked at his nails. "I wonder if your own father's political record is completely spotless, what with him being the right-hand man of that ambitious 'Blood and Iron Chancellor'." Machias flinched. Rean had heard that title before—he read about him in the Imperial Chronicle. "Of course—I would never dream of holding that against you."

"You son of a—"

"Just stop. Please." Rean put his metaphorical foot down. "We're not doing this again." He was relieved when neither of them tried to get one last quip in. "It's true, that over the course of our field study, we managed to uncover a conspiracy involving the Grand Market. And the Provincial Army was instigating a war of attrition with the merchants, acting in the interest of House Albarea."

Jusis crossed one leg. "I'd be fascinated to hear more about this."

"It's all in our reports. I'd be happy to fill you in on the details, later."

Machias was silently eyeing Jusis, as if he was trying to determine his motive for wanting to dig through his father’s dirty laundry. Rean knew from hearing Jusis rant to himself that he had a contentious relationship with his father at best, but…

Rean smiled at everyone sitting on the other couch. "How did your group feel about the field studies, in general?" He took a sip of his tea, which he forgot Emma had brewed for everyone. "Do you feel like you’re closer to understanding what we’re supposed to get out of them?" They all looked at one another.

Emma was the first to speak. "Well… this may just be my perspective, as someone who came from an isolated region… But it almost seems like we’re meant to see Erebonia with our own eyes. Both the good and the bad, in your case…"

Gaius nodded, his arms folded decisively. "I agree. Though Parm was peaceful, it wasn’t without its problems."

Fie was snacking on something—it might even be some of Sara's beef sticks. "And since there's no Bracers around, we had to go around doing all the busywork."

Rean rubbed his chin. "Now that you mention it… the tasks we were given did seem like the Bracers' usual fair…"

"Yeah, our tasks were mostly about helping people, and keeping the highways safe from monsters!"

"Ooh, you kids are getting warmer!" Sara was peering over the railing, then came walking down the stairs. "Let’s just say we do have goals in mind for the field studies… but ultimately each of you will take away something unique from the experience." She winked. "But maybe it’s just about growing and gaining life experience as bright-eyed youngsters! Who can say~"

Fie regarded her flatly. "You can just come out and say it, you know."

"And spoil the fun?" Sara sank into the armchair at the other end of the coffee table. "I wouldn’t want to rob you kids of that!" Rean realized something—now that they were all back home, he felt calm, and comfortable in everyone’s presence. Having Sara here gave him some extra reassurance, so he decided to gather all his courage. Deep, full breaths—in, and out. Calm as the surface of the lake.

"I feel like I learned a lot about myself on this field study alone." He could see Laura looking at him from his peripheral, her leg propped up on a chair. "I want to be open and honest with you all moving forward, so hopefully we can keep growing and learning together." He felt that he had an easy smile. "Machias—I apologize for weaseling out of answering your question properly." He gave him a side smile, then made eye contact with Jusis, feeling like he was the safest person to look at while he talked. "My hometown is a snowy mountain village called Ymir, and I was adopted by my parents there when I was little. My Mom and Dad happen to be the Baron and Lady Schwarzer." He saw Emma’s eyes go wide. "So I’m technically from a noble family, though not by birth." He had a small smile picturing his parents’ and Elise’s faces. "Our field studies reminded me of something my father likes to do—go around town seeing if anyone needs help with anything. He’d even fix fences or do grocery shopping for old ladies." He chuckled. "So I hope I can feel as fulfilled helping people during these field studies as he does."

Sara nodded. "Hear, hear—that’s a very good way of looking at it, Rean!" Whew—he was glad Sara was here to break up the tension. She hadn’t missed a beat.

"Wow, Rean…" Elliot spoke up next to him. "I never would have guessed—you’re definitely the most laid-back noble I’ve ever met! Haha…"

"That’s probably because of how my parents are." Rean smiled to himself. "Oh—were you guys able to go to Saint-Arkh while you were in Parm?"

"No, we weren’t, unfortunately—but I’m really interested to visit next time!"

"According to our seniors, the cathedral there is really breathtaking…"

OOO

There was a knock at his door. "Be right there!" Rean set down his pen.

Surprisingly, Machias was standing outside the door. "Hi, Rean." His brows were sloped a bit.

"Oh, hey Machias—do you want to come in?"

"No—no, I’m fine." He looked to the side. "I just wanted to apologize—not for my opinions. I still believe our country’s class system is outdated—but I’m sorry that my comments made you feel like you couldn’t even talk about your family comfortably around me." His shoulders slumped. "And don’t say, ‘It’s okay’—because I know it’s not."

Rean could tell that he was being sincere. "All right—I won’t say, ‘It’s okay’—but I will say, ‘I understand.’" Machias looked up. "I’m well aware this country has problems too, especially after today—the nobility not being the least of which." He shifted his weigh to his other foot. "Looking back, it was probably naïve of me to proffer that individuals should all be taken at their own merit, when our social problems are systemic."

"‘Our social problems are systemic’—I couldn’t have put it better myself."

"You know Machias—I don’t know what you plan to do after you graduate, but I think you’d make a fantastic politician—or even a lawyer." He chuckled. "Although I don’t know whether you’d make a better defense attorney or a prosecutor…"

"Hmph. Interesting assessment." Machias had a small smile, his eyes closed. "I’ll take your words to heart." He took a step back. "That’s all I wanted to say. I’ll take my leave now."

"Okay Machias—thank you for coming by, I appreciate it."

"Hmph." He pushed up his glasses. "But if you think I’m about to go to THAT GUY’S door and prostrate myself, think again!" Rean actually laughed—he had no doubt he meant it, but his tone suggested some self-awareness, finally.

"Good night, Machias."

"Good night, Rean." And with that, he went down the hall straight back to his own room. Rean closed his door, feeling like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

OOO

"The last of the lino flowers have fallen, and life continues on. Just goes to show how fragile our existence really is—but you know the old adage, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over—smile because it happened.’ I try to appreciate the love and beauty in life while it lasts, rather than stressing about when it will end. But that’s just me, hm-hm!"

Misty would probably make a really good counselor or a therapist… Her talk show didn’t seem to really be about giving advice, it honestly just seemed more like a stream-of-consciousness ramble—but he did appreciate hearing her off-the-cuff insights about things. He wondered if he’d have things figured out like she did once he became an adult in the world…

"Now let’s read some letters sent in by our listeners—" His ears perked up. He had been waiting for this part… "This first letter comes to us from ‘Listless in Milsante’—ooh, I love the pseudonym—anyway, their letter reads, ‘Dear Misty, I was born and raised in a small town, and I plan on spending the rest of my life here. I’m comfortable knowing that I can rely on my neighbors, and nothing all that exciting ever happens in our little community. I love the fresh air, the low prices at the local shops, and the fact that I can see the stars at night.’" Rean could definitely understand where they were coming from—those were all the things he loved about Ymir, too. "‘However, my fiancé is a city boy through and through, and he says the countryside just doesn’t have what he needs to be happy. He loves having options, and a wide variety of things to do and places to shop at, whereas I can live without such comforts. He’s been fine visiting me while we were courting, and he thinks of my hometown like a ‘vacation’ and a ‘stress reset’ from the big city—but recently he told me he can’t imagine actually living here. He’s been trying to convince me to move to the city with him, but I just don’t want to. What should I do? I really love him, and want to spend the rest of my life and raise a family with him—but I’m starting to have doubts. Every time I try to talk to him about it, he shuts it down by saying, "The kids will have better opportunities in Heimdallr." That may be true, but I still can’t help but be conflicted.’ Hmm." Misty paused for a few seconds. "Thank you for your letter, Listless in Milsante—honestly, this is a complicated situation. I can’t say I envy you one bit." Rean realized he was sitting up and physically leaning towards the radio. "I think we all want to cling to this romantic notion that ‘Love conquers all’—but unfortunately, there are a lot more factors that go into sharing your life with someone that may point to you being incompatible, even if you love one another. Kids, finances, careers, religion—the list goes on. If one partner compromises on something important to them because they want to salvage the relationship, that can end up breeding resentment down the line. That resentment can manifest in all sorts of ways—growing distant, having a mid-life crisis—your partner may even become unfaithful. Or the relationship will simply implode one day. I’m not saying that the relationship is doomed, Listless in Milsante—but it’s a serious discussion you need to have with your fiancé. Don’t let him shut you down the next time he brings it up—put your foot down, girl! Well—I won’t assume your gender—but statistically women are more likely to have their wants and needs steamrolled by men—" There it was again—she just said it so casually. That was almost a comfort, in a way…

OOO

Rean was a terminally-good kid, so even though their curfew was more of a "recommendation", he still didn’t want to feel like he was doing something wrong… "Sara?" He knocked lightly on her door, and waited.

Thankfully, he could hear her footsteps, then the door opened. "Heya Rean, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be doing some fishing by the river in town. I won’t stay out too late—I just want to do something relaxing to clear my mind before bed."

"Oh my—at this time of night?" Her brows sloped. "Well—I suppose that’s all right. Do you have a buddy to walk down with you?"

"Oh—honestly, I didn’t even think about that." He laughed awkwardly. "I was just going to fish by myself… but I can ask around and see if someone can walk with me."

She gave a sympathetic sigh. "All right—I guess you kids don’t need your hand being held all the time. Tell you what—I’ll keep an eye out my window, you just enjoy fishing."

"Really?" He exhaled in relief. "Thanks, Sara."

"Just give me a ring if you need anything!~ Oh—and I’ll let Thomas know I gave you permission to be out there."

"Okay—thanks." Rean didn’t think he needed a "buddy", since the fishing pier was within view of the chapel, and the noble and common dorms… He was sure there’d still be plenty of other people still awake, so he wouldn’t exactly be alone.

He gathered the rod Kenneth had given him, and his small jar of bait. The spring night was cool, but not too cold with his coat. His father had gifted him a nice red hunting coat, which he still liked to wear casually. He planned to just catch-and-release if he caught any fish—but not before snapping a photo for Kenneth.

As he crossed the bridge over the river, he could hear frogs singing. Spring really did feel different down off the mountain—he decided to enjoy it while it lasted, like Misty said. There was something special about the lino blooms in Trista—he couldn’t wait to see them again next year.

As he approached the pier, he could smell something odd—it was almost like pine needles. Then he saw someone standing off to the side in the darkness, and a cloud bloomed—haah, great. Someone smoking the devil’s bud…

"Oh, hey buddy." Oddly, Rean was almost relieved it was just Crow, and not some strange person skulking around... "What brings you out here all by your lonesome?"

Rean stopped a few feet away. He wasn’t sure if this was a real thing, but he didn’t want to get a "contact high". "I just thought I’d get in a little fishing before turning in for the night. I haven’t gotten a chance to since Kenneth was nice enough to give me this rod…"

"Aww, you didn’t come just to visit me?" Rean rolled his eyes hard, he hoped Crow could see it in the dark.

"How was I supposed to know you’d be here?"

"Heh, guess you’re right." He took another short hit. "That was pretty solid of Kenneth—that guy’s pretty chill, I like ‘im." He coughed, stamping out the little roach on that silver thing. "I won’t bother ya with this."

"Well, thanks." He didn’t mean for that to come out so sassy. Crow chuckled.

"Hope you don’t mind, I’m gonna stand out here for a bit. I’m waiting for someone."

Rean set down his jar, leaning the pole against the low stone wall. "Oh, who?"

"Well… Rean, you’re cool, right?" He couldn’t exactly read his facial expression, since he was standing to the side of the street light. "You’re not gonna narc on one of our precious classmates, right?"

He rolled his eyes again. "I guess that depends on what it is. I can’t exactly ignore it if you’re doing something dangerous or against school conduct."

"Well, it’s not dangerous at all, I’ll tell ya that much." Crow snickered. "I’m just doing some quality assurance, you might say." Rean couldn’t help but be curious what he was talking about… "Oh, here she comes."

Rean followed his gaze in the direction of the noble dorm—a young woman was walking toward them in a big fluffy white robe, over a lilac pajama set. He could tell by her hair color it was Edel, though she had her hair back in a neat braid. "Good evening, Crow. How is it?"

"Pretty smooth, I gotta say. Smells pretty nice, too." He chuckled. "Just so you know, my little buddy happened to come walking by."

"Oh?" She turned to face Rean, looking snug in her robe. "Good evening, Rean! I apologize, I didn’t see you there."

"Oh, that’s okay—" He suddenly felt bad—he could glean from the context what they were talking about, and he didn’t actually want to narc on Edel… "Whatever you guys are talking about, I’m not listening." He started prepping his hook with the bait. "Just pretend I’m not here."

"Tee-hee—oh Rean, you’re so sweet. It’s nothing bad, so don’t worry about that. I just like to grow medicine and give it away to people who need it."

"… Oh?"

"Yes. You know, I don’t appreciate that these plants so widely known as ‘the devil’s bud’—vilifying medicine that grows out of the Goddess’ green earth isn’t fair. Do you not agree? I’d be happy if everyone started calling my harvest ‘Goddess greens’." She laughed sweetly. "That sounds much cuter, don’t you think?"

"It does sound pretty cute." Crow snickered. "Well Edel, if it’ll make you happy, I’ll try to spread it around." Rean hadn’t cast his line yet—since Edel more or less said it wasn’t a big deal that he was there, he was curious… "I just think ‘the devil’s bud’ is funnier—oh man, you shoulda heard George the other day—I said something like, ‘Hey George, my best bud’—and without missing a beat he whipped out, ‘Yeah no, we all know your "best bud" is the devil’s bud.’" Even Edel laughed lightly. "I was pretty proud of him for that one."

"Tee-hee—I’m glad to see George coming out of his shell more this year."

"Me, too."

Rean didn’t want to stand there awkwardly, but he didn’t want to cast his line if he wasn’t able to give it his full attention. Or rather, he wouldn't be able to clear his mind.

"Hey Rean—you don’t gotta pretend you’re not there, you can join the conversation, buddy."

Rean laughed awkwardly. "Okay… if that’s all right with you." He leaned the pole against the stone wall again, walking back up to where they were standing near the street light. "Edel? What did you mean when you said ‘medicine’?"

"Oh, my Goddess Greens have all sorts of medicinal properties—it can help with chronic pain, and certain strains can help ease anxiety and PTSD." She smiled easily. "There are even studies in Remiferia to test the oils and tinctures’ efficacy for inhibiting tumor growth."

"Really?"

"Yes—although I can’t speak to the veracity of that, since it’s still being actively studied. But just like all of nature’s bounty, there are a wide variety of uses."

Crow snickered. "Then you got guys like me who just do it for fun."

"Tee-hee—that’s not what you told me the first time~"

"Aw—why’d you have to go and say that?" He was still laughing though, so apparently it wasn’t that big of a deal… "Oh—I didn’t give you a real review." He stroked his chin. "Obviously I haven’t gone to sleep yet, but it’s a nice ‘body high’. Feelin’ mellow, feelin’ good—not catatonic, not about to pass out on my feet." She giggled. "It went down pretty smooth too—heugh, you came through just in time—I only had some real sh*tty skunk bud left, I had to pack it in a spliff to even get it to light, it was horrible."

"Oh my. Well, I’m glad the Goddess blessed me with a bountiful harvest!" She handed him a jar from her robe pocket. "Here's some more, then."

"Heh—thanks, as always. Guess I’ll have to get my sacrilegious ass over to the cathedral, too." He rubbed his chin. "Is that the right word? Uh…"

"Tee-hee—well, it sounds like it's 'kicking in'." She pulled her robe snug around herself. It looked really cozy—Rean might have to look into getting a giant robe like that, it would feel like having a blanket all the time… "I'm glad this harvest turned out well—thank you for your honest feedback, as always."

"Hey, my pleasure."

She pushed a loose bit of hair behind her ear. "Then I’ll bid you gentlemen a good night. And Rean?" She gave him an easy smile. "If you’re ever curious, or if you know anyone who suffers from chronic pain, please send them to me. I’d be happy to talk with them, and see if my Goddess Greens will work for them." She smiled gently. "The earth gives freely, and so do I."

"Oh… well, that’s very kind of you, Edel."

"Tee-hee—I’ve heard that you’re familiar with Eastern practices, Rean—I recently learned from Principal Vandyck about the concept of ‘ikigai’."

"Oh, yes—you mean one’s ‘life purpose’?"

"I do." She smiled. "I’m sure you’ve seen it expressed as an overlapping diagram: What you love, what you’re good at, what you can make a living doing, and what the world needs." She laughed softly. "I may choose not to accept payment, but for me those other three are fulfilling enough."

"I see… that’s very noble of you. Um—no pun intended."

"Tee-hee—well, I feel very blessed by the Goddess, so it’s only right to ‘pay it forward’." She bowed. "Good night, Rean, good night, Crow—and sleep well."

"Night Edel. Thanks again."

"It was good to see you, Edel—good night."

She waved, shuffling away in big sandals. Rean noticed the gentle sound of the flowing river again, and he could hear the frogs calling. Well—he supposed the river was more like a "creek", and it was babbling gently as it rushed past the pilons of the pier. "So, you gonna be okay out here? How late do you plan on fishing?"

For some reason—well, he didn’t expect Crow to just peace out after that. "Well, you don’t have to leave—I mean, I don’t mind if you stay for a bit."

"Well, all right." He couldn’t see his face in the dark, but there was a small smirk to his voice. Crow came to join him on the pier, and he finally got a good look at him in the light—he looked like he just threw a jacket over whatever he was sleeping in, which happened to be sweatpants and a plain tank shirt. He sat down at the edge of the pier with a grunt, letting one leg dangle off the side. "Geez—if I knew I was gonna run into anyone else, I woulda put on something cute like Edel."

Rean snickered. "I have a hard time picturing you in lilac silk pajamas."

"Hey, I might surprise ya."

Rean cast his line, enjoying the chorus of frogs all around them. Maybe he was still riding the high of his personal confession going over relatively well—but he just felt content. He was glad Edel happened to stop by—her calming presence helped put him in a Zen-like mood for fishing. And seeing how her and Crow interacted softened him to the idea of his company.

"Haah." He could see Crow lowering down onto his back in his peripheral, scooching a bit to get comfortable like a cat. "This is pretty relaxing out here… hey, wake me up if I actually fall asleep."

Rean snickered. "Sure thing." He watched the bobber, feeling the gentle pull of the river on his line, waiting for the decisive tug of his first fish. He wouldn’t mind if he didn’t end up catching anything—just being out here was nice enough. Rean looked up at the sea of stars, and the waxing moon which was almost half-full. "Hey, Crow? Is what Edel said about the dev—the Goddess Greens true?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah." His voice was low. "I mean, I guess—I dunno, I just smoke it ‘cause it makes me feel good." He snickered. "But I guess it does help some people… with whatever it was she said…" He yawned. "—anxiety, and all that. Oh, man." He heard him make a soft grunt. "I might actually fall asleep…"

"Maybe you should go back inside?"

"Hrmmm… I don’t wanna get up."

Rean snickered. "All right—I’ll get you up if you fall asleep." He looked over his shoulder, and Crow was laying back with his eyes closed, his hands loosely in his jacket pockets.

"… thanks, buddy." His mouth barely moved when he talked. Well… maybe the "Goddess Greens" weren’t so bad after all—Rean had always just heard adults talking about it negatively, like "Only stoner slackers smoke that stuff, it’ll rot your brain and make you stupid, and you’ll never get anywhere in life." He’d be curious to read about those studies in Remiferia…

He decided to sit down, too, keeping a steady grip on the rod. "Hey, Crow? Do you mind if I talk out loud?"

"Hm? ‘Course not." He heard him grunt, and saw him sit up in his peripheral. "—I’m up, I’m listening."

"Oh—well, you didn’t have to get up… but thanks." Even though he came out here to fish, he almost wanted to reel his line back in just so he could sort through his thoughts. "I told everyone else in Class VII about my family, and that I’m a noble."

"Well hey, good for you." Crow pushed his hair back from his eyes, looking like he was trying to shake himself awake. "Any detractors? Four-eyes have anything to say about it?"

Rean rolled his eyes. "If you mean Machias, no, actually—he was pretty quiet when I told everyone, but afterwards he actually came up to apologize to me." He laughed lightly. "It was a very Machias apology—he said he still hated the nobility as a concept, but he was sorry he made me feel so uncomfortable that I couldn’t even talk about my family." He felt a little bad repeating what Machias said to him so sincerely in private… but it was just Crow, it wasn’t like he was going to be interacting with the rest Class VII that often. Hmm… Having that thought almost gave him a fuzzy feeling, like when George said he was "a new person in their group". He wasn’t exactly "sneaking", since he told Sara exactly where he’d be—but it almost felt like what he was getting at earlier, that Crow was almost like a secret friend separate from everyone else. For whatever that was worth…

"Haha—well, at least he was honest." He yawned into his hand. "—haah, sorry. Anyone get weird after you told ‘em, like, ‘Oh no, I’ve been so rude thinking this noble was my friend!’"

Rean snickered. "Not really—I think the few people who might have thought that already got used to it with Laura. She’s a very dignified person, but still very down-to-earth and kind for a noble."

"I can see that." Crow had propped one of his legs up, leaning his elbow off lazily. "Any particular reason you felt like laying it all out there? Something happen on your field study?"

"Well… I guess you could say that. Haah." He decided to just reel in his line, setting the rod upright in a hole in the pier. "I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say, since it turned into an investigation by the RMP—"

"Whoa, no sh*t?"

"Yeah… Well, suffice to say, we ended up uncovering a whole conspiracy involving the nobility, and the Provincial Army." He sighed. "Machias was pretty vocal the whole time about how crooked nobles are… But, the first night we were there I ended up having a heart-to-heart with Laura. Well—eventually it was a heart-to-heart—she actually asked me a question that caught me off-guard and I started rambling like I did with you guys. Haah." He pressed his hands over his face in embarrassment. He heard Crow snicker.

"Well, sorry you keep getting put in these awkward spots—but it paid off in the end, yeah?"

He let his hands drop. "… Yeah." He smiled to himself. "It did—and after everything was over, and we were on the train home—I just felt like I understood myself more clearly. It’s hard to explain." He hugged his knees, letting the toes of his boot hang off the edge of the pier. "I just felt like I wanted to be more honest about myself. Haah… that’s one thing down, only about five thousand more…"

Crow snickered. "Whelp, I’m sure the girls are all heartbroken—" He clapped his back. "But, havin’ gal pals ain’t that bad either." Uh, what? What did that have to do with anything? "Heh, I bet Gaius just jumped to Thors’ Most Eligible Bachelor..."

"What do you mean?"

Crow raised an eyebrow. "You’re not blind, are ya, Rean? I’ve heard folks whispering about Jusis, but he’s way too cold—"

"No, not that—why did you—" Then he realized he hadn’t actually said what he and Laura had a heart-to-heart about. "Um… well—Laura’s a swordswoman, and she just asked me why I was hesitating… and I rambled on about my training and the Eight Leaves school…" It was too late—Crow had already read him like a book, and just casually talked about it like it was fact. "Hrrmmmm…" Rean buried his face in his arms, scrunching in his legs. "That’s all I talked with her about…"

"Uh…" Crow laughed uncharacteristically awkwardly. "Whoops—hey, you can pretend I didn’t say that."

"Haaahhh." Rean was pretty embarrassed… but in a way, Crow’s assumption already did the hard part for him. "… it’s that obvious, huh?" His voice was muffled, his breath warming the spot between his knees.

"Well…" Crow paused for a second. "I don’t know how obvious it is to other people… but to guys like me and Gelica—yeah, kinda." Rean groaned again. "We’re just used to it, that’s all!" He heard Crow snicker lightly, and surprisingly he felt his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, there’s nothing wrong with it. Right?" His tone was uncharacteristically warm. "Aidios doesn’t give a sh*t, so why should you or anyone else?"

Rean raised his head, pushing his hair out of his face. "… I know." He felt that his cheeks were warm, and probably totally red. "Haah… it’s just hard when you’re a noble." He buried his face again.

"I believe it—tch." He clicked his tongue. "You should ask Gelica, I’m sure she’ll commiserate all day with ya." Rean raised his head. "That hard-ass old man of hers pitched a bitch fit when he found out she was wearing the boys’ uniform last year."

"Heh." He pushed his hair behind his hear so it wouldn’t keep getting in his face. "Sorry—I don’t mean to laugh, I can just picture it. She probably did look like a Prince in the white uniform."

"Yeah, too much, if you ask me! Geez." Crow snickered, letting his arm dangle loosely off his propped-up knee. "I thought it couldn’t get any worse—now she’s runnin’ around in that damn catsuit—" He raked his hand back through his hair. "It’s like, leave some rizz for the rest of us!"

"Some what?"

"Haah…" He gave Rean a sympathetic look. "Someday, Rean—you’ll be all caught up and hip with what the kids are saying."

He rolled his eyes. "Why does that make you sound even more out of touch?"

Crow snickered, looking down at the water. Then he closed his eyes. "Well—sorry there, Rean. I feel like a dick—my brain’s a little foggy, I forgot that was just something I guessed and not something you actually said…"

"Um—it’s okay, don’t worry about it." He wanted to cut him off as soon as he started apologizing, since it was obvious he didn’t mean any harm by it. "Honestly… it might be a little easier for me next time, after that non-reaction."

"Heh. Well, as long as I didn’t give ya a heart attack." Crow was looking out down the river. "I don’t mean to sound cynical here—but don’t expect everyone to have such a ‘non-reaction’."

"I know." Rean hugged his legs. "Haah… I guess I’m just waiting until everyone likes me enough, so that they’re less likely to reject me…"

"‘Reject you’?" Crow was quiet for a second, looking down the river at nothing in particular. "Haah… Well, I wish I had some advice for ya. It’d be nice if everyone in the world took a page from Uncle Crow's book and decided, ‘Hey—maybe I should keep my sh*tty opinions to myself about things that don’t affect me and are none of my business.’" Rean snickered. "Guess that’s just too radical, society’s not ready." He rolled his eyes, giving Rean a sideways smirk. "Well actually, I do have some advice—if you’re gonna go around telling everyone, tell the girls first. Just trust me on that."

Rean realized he was subconsciously messing with the hem of his pantleg. Well, he’d already come this far… "Do you mind if I tell you a personal story, about my family?"

It was hard to read Crow’s expression, since he was in profile. "Sure."

Rean was watching the water lap against the sides of the canal as it flowed past. "Well... a few years ago, my parents told me I was adopted. It was right after my fifteenth birthday, actually." He laughed. "My Dad told me he just kinda found me in the snow, so... even they aren't really sure where I came from."

"Really? There weren't any villages under attack nearby, something like that?"

"No... Ymir's pretty isolated up in the mountains, the next closest city is Roer." He laid his cheek on his arm. "Well—it was pretty surprising to hear that—but my Mom and Dad told me they loved me no matter what, that I was their son—and my sister told me the same thing. I think it was a little harder for her to accept, at first." He let his eyes close. There was no reason to mention "that". Elise probably got scared after hearing they "found" her brother in the forest—she probably wondered the same thing Rean had at one point—if he was actually a yokai, or a tengu child that had fallen down the mountain. It seemed a little silly now... "Well, anyway—last year on my sixteenth birthday, my Dad took me up the mountain, to this overlook where you can see the whole town. He said, 'Son—someday you'll be the Baron of Ymir, and everyone who lives here will rely on you, and turn to your wisdom. And someday, your children will take over for you, and you'll get to retire in peace like me. Haha!'" He knew Crow had never met his father, but he still tried to do an accurate impression of him. "Or something like that—honestly I can't remember exactly what he said." He realized he was clenching his arm, and relaxed his hand. "I'm sure to anyone else it would've been an honor to hear something like that... but to me it just freaked me out. I remember thinking, 'That's not me—I don't want to do that, I don't want everyone to rely on me, I'm not cut out for this—I'm not going to have children, I can't just live a normal life like you and Mom do—'" He buried his face in his arms. "It was really overwhelming. I don't even remember what I said—we just came back down the mountain and finished celebrating, and it felt like I was about to have a panic attack all day." He wasn't sure if Crow could even hear him anymore, he was mumbling into his legs. "I don't know... ever since then, I've kind of distanced myself from my parents. It was just the way he phrased it—like it was just the way things were, like they had no reason to think I'd ever want to do anything else with my life, or that I wouldn't fit into this neat little mold—it just made me feel even more like an outsider, and if I didn't meet their expectations I'd be throwing back all the love and education they'd given me in their face—haah." He laughed uncomfortably. "Sorry—I've never actually told anyone all this before—not even in confession. I was afraid someone at the church would tell my parents..."

He couldn't see Crow's face—he was actually too embarrassed to look up. "Well, might as well just get it all out now." He sounded a bit tired—he was probably trying hard just to stay awake and upright. That made Rean feel even more guilty... "You'll probably feel better."

"... are you sure?"

He heard Crow snicker. "Well, I'd be pretty heartless if I said I minded now."

"Haah... well, I guess there's not much more to it... I've just been agonizing about how I'm going to approach my parents. I don't want them to think I'm pulling away from them because they're not my birth parents—that doesn't matter to me at all. Haah... but now my sister's mad at me too, she said, 'You act like you're not even part of our family anymore!' and stormed off to a girls' school in Heimdallr—I don't know, it's all a mess." His face was getting warm from breathing in his own trapped air. "I want to believe my parents would tell me that it doesn't matter, that they love me no matter what—maybe even apologize for putting so much pressure on me without realizing it... but then part of me feels like they can't not be disappointed, in their heart of hearts. That's what's so hard to face..." The creek babbled as it passed under the pier, and the frogs sang.

"Hmm... well, to quote that Misty lady—'That sounds like a complicated situation.'" Rean actually laughed, and lifted his face.

"You listened to Abend Time?"

"Yeah—I actually decided to give it a listen last week too, I just forgot to tell you." He smirked, leaning back on his palms. "I was hoping for more juicy stories, but I actually ended up feelin' kinda bad for Listless in Milsante."

Rean snickered, even though it wasn't really funny. It's like his brain was desperate for some levity. "I did, too—even though I have my own anxieties about succeeding Ymir, obviously—but I still related to what she said she liked about small towns. Er—I guess we don't really know if they were a lady, Misty even said she didn't want to assume..."

Crow was rubbing his chin. "Yeah, I caught that, too—" He smirked sideways. "Maybe society is ready—hey Rean, I think you should take that as a sign to talk to your parents." He gave a thumbs-up.

"Hrrrmmm..." Rean groaned, burying his face again. "I don't even want to think about it—it was nerve-wracking enough just talking about it..." He heard Crow snicker.

"Well, it's not like there's some big rush—you'll know when the right time is."

Rean laid his face sideways on his arm. "I guess so..." Aidios knows when that would be... A light breeze went past, and he enjoyed the cool feeling on his face.

"... Hey Rean, I'm not tryna sound like a pusher here, but it sounds like you could benefit from trying some of Edel's Goddess Greens." Rean laughed softly.

"I'll keep that in mind..." For some reason... he did almost feel a little better. He still felt mentally drained, and embarrassed that he had rambled on again—especially since Crow was obviously tired, and he probably just intended to smoke and go to bed, and not be on the receiving end of such an emotional word-vomit... but for what it was worth, it did help to know he could at least vocalize how he'd been feeling in words... "Um, Crow—sorry for unloading all that on you, but thank you for listening." He didn't know why, the end of his sentence went up almost like a question—his voice probably just cracked because he still felt guilty.

"No problem, bud." He sounded truly tired. "Honestly—I'm tryna think of some good advice to give ya, but I guess I'm not that good when it comes to serious stuff." His head had craned back into his neck, looking unfocused up at the night sky. "Even when I was listening to that show, I kept saying out loud, 'Just dump him! Obviously you guys aren't compatible.'" He snickered wryly. "Guess it's easy for me to say. My advice is always, 'Cut 'em off.' I'm always telling Gelica to cut her old man off—it just seems like the easiest solution to me. But she doesn't want to just do that—so after that, my well bucket's comin' up dry." He gave Rean a tired smirk. "But—what I will say is, just be honest with your folks. Look at this way—" He made a soft grunt, sitting up to lean over his crossed legs. He tapped all his fingers together in this spider-like motion. "Let's say, worst case scenario—your folks don't understand, and cut you off. Then you're free from the burden of taking over, and get to live your life how you want." He shrugged. "But best case scenario—your folks don't care, they love you anyway, just like you said—honestly it doesn't matter at that point if they're secretly disappointed—that sounds like a 'them' problem." Rean didn't mean to laugh—it was just Crow's delivery. "But either way—you're free from the burden of doing something you don't wanna do, and you can live your life how you want." He looked right at Rean. "You see what I'm saying?"

"... I do." Rean's knees were starting to hurt, so he stretched out his legs. "I guess—even if 'cut them off' isn't something just anyone can do—it's still valuable to hear someone else's perspective. Haah..." He leaned forward, stretching out his arms. "Honestly—even more than best-case, worst-case scenario—I think it'd be worse if they don't really get it but don't disown me, and start saying weird passive things like, 'Well have you tried praying about it?' Hrrmmmm..."

Crow snickered. "Do you actually think your folks would say that?"

"... no."

He shrugged. "At a certain point, you might just be psyching yourself out."

Rean leaned heavily over his legs. "You're probably right..." The night air was cool, and he couldn't help but feel like another burden had been lifted at least partway off his shoulders. He didn't really get to fish at all, but he was actually glad Crow happened to be out here instead... Who knows, maybe he should take it as a weird sign. He could at least start writing his parents that letter he kept meaning to... it might be awkward if they receive a bunch of gifts from Marquis Hyarms before a letter from their own son—

"Hey." Crow's hand was on his shoulder, giving him a friendly little rub with his thumb. "Don't stress about it. It'll be what it's gonna be." He clapped the top of his back. "Okay?"

Rean smiled, but he was a bit too embarrassed to make direct eye contact. "Okay. Oh—that reminds me, I did actually get you a souvenir from Celdic." He laughed somewhat awkwardly.

"You did?" He sounded like he felt bad...

"Yeah—I don't know how serious you were about it—but just consider it a thank-you for listening to me spill my guts out."

"Well geez—if empathy starts becoming transactional, I guess we're all pretty f*cked." He pushed himself to stand up. "Haaaah..." He stretched his arms long overhead. "—oh man. Well, come with me back to the dorm for a sec. I'm gonna grab something—then I'll walk you back." He winked. "If it makes you feel better about spillin' your guts, I'll take that souvenir then."

"Oh—okay. Well, thank you." He was getting better at resisting the urge to say, "You don't have to."

"Well—actually, why don't you chill out here for a bit and cast your line. I feel bad that I hogged up all your fishin' time." He started walking backwards, then winked. "Who knows—you might get lucky~"

Rean laughed lightly, opening his jar to prepare some fresh bait. "I guess it couldn't hurt."

"Be right back." Crow started walking away, then Rean heard a beeping. He checked his pocket, but it wasn't his. "... what the?" Crow opened his ARCUS cover. "Sara, why the heck are you callin' me?" He looked over his shoulder at Rean with his brows screwed together. "Haah. Well, I was gonna—what, are you looking out the window with tactical binoculars?—you liar, I can see you." Rean turned towards the dorm in the distance, and he could see an obvious silhouette up in the only third floor window with its light still on. "Geez. Rean?" Crow had walked back over, handing him his ARCUS.

Rean held it up to his ear tentatively. "Sara?"

"Rean. If Crow's being mean to you and you need a rescue—blink twice."

"It's not like that at all." He almost rolled his eyes, but he didn't want Sara to misinterpret that as a blink. "I'm fine—I don't know what it looked like from your window, but I was just talking and stressed myself out, if anything."

"Well, all right then... But I can't believe that jerk just walked away without offering to walk you back!! What a bad senior."

"He literally did, though." He was looking up at Crow, who just rolled his eyes. "He was just heading back to the dorm for a second, then he literally said, 'I'll walk you back.'"

"Oh. Well, I believe you. Could you put Crow back on, my dear?~" Rean handed him back his ARCUS with a sympathetic look.

"Haah. What now?" He scratched the back of his hair. "Yeah, yeah... I got it. Okay, Mom. Geez." He hung up. "What a meddler."

Rean snickered. "Well, it is her job." His hook was freshly baited, so he cast his line. "Sorry—I forgot she said I could go fishing without a buddy, but she'd keep an eye out her window."

"Haah... I guess that's a fair compromise. No, wait—you were fishing with a buddy, so why'd she still have to peep out her window?!"

"Well, she asked me if you hurt my feelings."

"Me? Haah—that lady doesn't know me at all." He started stalking away again, his hands jammed in his sweatpants pockets. "I'll be right back."

"Okay—take your time." He watched the bobber in the gently-flowing river. It was a little funny—he felt a bit better knowing that Sara would go all mama bear on someone, if need be. He was too embarrassed to say it in front of Crow—but his advice actually helped. It cut straight to the point—there really was no point stressing out about it, he just had to do it. It would be what it would be... His Master had an odd saying he'd never heard anywhere else, "A brush stroke that is hesitant or steady will still stain the paper." So he might as well keep a steady hand...

Just then, his bobber started tugging. Wah—the fish wasn't that strong, but it caught him off-guard. He leaned the bend of the rod toward the bank, reeling in when the fish failed to swim against the current—success!

He held up the line with his other hand, setting the rod in the hole in the pier—this was kind of hard to do by himself. The fish was still flopping a bit on the line, but he managed to whip out his ARCUS to snap a blurry night shot of his first catch—a swordtail.

"Hey, you got one!"

"Yeah—" Rean quickly but gently detached the hook from its fleshy mouth, leaning off the pier to let the fish swim out of his hands. The fish whipped him with its hard tail on its way out.

"Aw man, you put it back?"

Rean wiped his palms on his pants. "Well yeah—that's the idea."

"Haah—I guess." Crow had come back, but he wasn't noticeably carrying anything. "Hey—lemme know if you ever catch a golden salmon—those things are a freaking delicacy, don't toss it back!"

"Hmm... I'll keep an eye out." Rean gathered up his rod, securing the line, and picked up his jar of bait. "I'm glad I have at least something to show Kenneth... if I can figure out how to actually send these pictures."

Crow snickered, clapping his back. "I got you covered, buddy." He pulled him in close. "Hey, don't look now, but an owl's been watching me this whole time. Three o'clock."

"Oh?" Rean set his rod down and fiddled with the hook, glancing up in his peripheral—he saw two shining orbs up in one of the common dorm windows. "Oh, that must be Instructor Thomas—Sara mentioned she'd let him know I had permission to be out here."

Crow sighed loudly. "Anyone else I should be aware of staring daggers in my back?"

Rean snickered. "That's all. Sorry, I just forgot." He saw Crow get a wicked grin in his peripheral.

"Here, let me show you something—little pro tip for dealing with Thomas. Hold your rod in your left hand." Rean raised an eyebrow, but did as he was asked. "Keep an eye on that window." Rean was still turned halfway, straining his eyes to look up—Crow surprised him by slipping his hand in his, twining their fingers. He almost jumped—his hand was cold. In the corner of his eye, he saw the shining shadow whip away. "Hahaha—even I saw it. He just 'nyoomed' right out of frame." Crow cut the air with his free hand. He kept walking, so Rean did too. He hadn't let go yet...

Rean had to stop himself from visibly reacting. "He did look a bit like a puppet in one of those street shows, whipping to exit stage left..."

"Haha—that guy loses his composure when he sees PDA. Especially if it's his darling, precious students." Crow's hand finally slipped away. "Damn, Rean—your hands are really warm." He cupped his palms, breathing into them. "My hands are probably cold as sh*t, sorry 'bout that."

"... Your hand was pretty cold. I've just always ran warm, ever since I was a kid—do you have low circulation, maybe?" He was just talking to fill the air, mostly.

"Who knows?" He rubbed his palms together really fast. "Maybe that's why they gave me these Water slots in my ARCUS, even though that sh*t is useless."

Rean rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't say useless—what else do you have?"

He blew into his cupped hands again. "Water and Darkness."

Rean raised an eyebrow. "'Darkness'? You mean Time?"

Crow rolled his eyes. "That's just the euphemism they use at orbal garages. Have you ever seen high-level Time Arts? That sh*t is evil." He slipped his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. After all that warming up, he thought he was gearing up to hold his hand again... "Demonic Scythe, Grim Butterfly? Or sh*t—you ever seen Lost Genesis? sh*t's f*ckin' gnarly dude—it makes a little black hole you can crush someone's head with, or like collapse their lungs in their chest."

"... I've never heard of that."

"Well, let's hope you never do." They kept walking through town, and the frog songs got fainter and farther away. "What's yours, by the way?"

"Mine? Oh—Fire and Time." He rolled his eyes. "That's why I'm saying, Time has never felt particularly evil to me."

"Interesting... they might be onto something with this aptitude stuff after all." Rean wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean...

"So you don't use Water Arts at all? I thought since you're a 'lover not a fighter' you might focus on support—"

"Nah, that's a waste of my talents." Crow rubbed his chin. "But I do have my ace in the hole—" His eyes shot to Rean. "—that's enough about my strategy. I had a little idea, Rean—let's give you guys another field study to get in the groove of things, then howsabout you kids take turns on a four-on-four match with us?"

"You mean Towa and the others?" Rean realized he hadn't actually seen any of them in combat—he wasn't sure what Towa's weapon even was. And Sara wasn't directly controlling the combat shell during their practical exam, so seeing what George could do with it... "Interesting—I think that'd be an invaluable experience."

"Sweet!" Crow clapped his back. "Let me know how confident you feel next month—I won't hold it against ya if you wanna train up a little more, you probably won't learn much if we just wipe the floor with ya."

"It'll definitely help keep me motivated if I have a match-up like that to look forward to." He was already trying to devise the perfect team in his head—Angelica probably hit hard and was swift on her feet, and she said Naglfar acted more like a "tank", so—

"Hey, now—just focus on one thing at a time." Crow snickered. "Try to switch your teams up when you go back down into that freaky-deaky old dungeon—you might be surprised how well certain people work off each other."

"Yeah... Principal Vandyck said he wants us to keep investigating every month, so that'll probably be the perfect opportunity outside our field studies."

"Attaboy—just don't expect us to go easy on ya." He gave him a sharp look, like when he asked him, "Which hand is it in?" That seemed so long ago now... "Don't disappoint me now."

"I won't." The thought of disappointing his seniors with a lackluster match made him feel humiliated already... He had managed to tap into "that" without losing control, but... could he actually rely on it? What if it went out of control in front of everyone...

They stopped, and Rean realized they were already in front of the dorm.

"Oh... we're here." Rean got out his keys. "Um—do you want to come inside? I'll just go grab it from my room real quick."

"Nah. I don't want Sara to chew my head off." He went over and sat on a low stone wall. "You go right ahead."

"—okay." Rean unlocked the front doors. He didn't lock them behind him when he went inside, since Crow would be right there, and he wanted him to be able to come inside in case he got cold. His hands were pretty cold, especially from what Rean was used to...

He took the steps two at a time, and when he got to the boys' floor he could see Fie peering down at him from the other staircase.

"—hey, Fie. I'll be right back." He didn't know why he said that, but he felt he had to say something. He quick-walked to his room so his footsteps wouldn't make noise, and leaned his fishing pole against the wall corner. He grabbed the jar of clear gelatin off his desk and slipped it in his coat pocket, since he supposed it did look a little suspicious on its own...

A door opened as he went back down the hall. "Rean, what on earth are you doing scurrying back and forth?" Jusis sounded annoyed, appearing in the doorframe in a set of green silk pajamas.

"—I'm sorry, Jusis. I'll be going to bed soon." He heard an annoyed sigh behind him, then a door closing. He did feel bad—it couldn't be all that late, could it? He checked his ARCUS as he went down the stairs—dang, it was almost 11:00pm. He had been out there "shooting the sh*t" and complaining about his family situation for a while... hrrrmmm...

Crow was leaned over his legs, looking at something on his ARCUS when Rean got back outside. "Hey, buddy—that was quick." He smirked, closing the cover. "I was thinkin' that I might have to get a whole new set of quartz just for you guys."

"—oh, really?" Rean wasn't out of breath, but he realized he didn't actually have to rush... "Maybe I should consider doing the same..." He didn't incorporate Arts much, he just used those Time slots for Action and Impede quartz—he viewed his ARCUS as a performance-enhancer, in that sense.

Crow stood to his feet. "All right, you wanna go first?"

"Oh—right." Rean laughed awkwardly. "Well... you said to make sure it cost less than a meatball sub, so..." He pulled out the jar. "I double-checked your recipe for Red Hot Soda, and it called for clear gelatin—I've only ever seen slimes underneath the old schoolhouse, so I figured it was an ingredient that was harder to come by."

"Really? Aww—well isn't that sweet, something I can actually use." Rean was starting to get embarrassed—it wasn't unusual for friends to give each other gifts, he'd given Elliot that music book he found at Keynes'... maybe Rean was getting embarrassed because he explained his thought process behind it, instead of just giving it. Although it was a rather unusual gift, he had to say something about it. "I'll have to whip up some of my famous Red Hot Kisses soon." He winked. "No vodka for you."

"Haah... I guess I can't exactly stop you from putting any in yours."

"Hehe." Crow snickered, tucking the jar in the long pocket of his sweatpants. "Well, what I grabbed isn't all that much—but since we were talking about it, figured it'd be as good a time as any to try." He walked over to Rean, getting right up in his personal space and whispering down into his ear. "Take a look." He unwrapped a napkin between them, which had a star-shaped cookie inside. "This isn't a normal cookie, now. It's one of Edel's special Goddess cookies." Rean was already getting goosebumps, and a fuzzy feeling in his brain, like when he listened to Misty on Abend Time. Something in him almost wanted to back up, but he didn't move. "Just break it in half if you wanna try it, see how it makes you feel." He put the napkin bundle in Rean's hand, closing his fingers around it. "If you don't want to try it, that's okay, too. Just keep it for a rainy day." He pulled back, a wry smile on his face. "Okay?" He gave Rean another little shoulder rub.

Rean nodded. "—okay." He tucked the napkin in his pocket before he realized he was doing it. Crow was still standing so close—too close.

"Hey." Crow put both hands on his shoulders. He was looking right into his eyes with a tired smile. "Don't stress too much about things. Or you'll be too wound up to deal with it when it actually comes up. You feel me?" For some reason, Rean's fight-or-flight response was kicking in—Crow was so close he was having a hard time even absorbing what he was saying. "Hah—don't remember where I heard this, but, 'Life's just one long improve scene—you gotta keep saying, "Yes, and."'" His eyes crinkled at the corners. "Know what I mean?"

Rean swallowed before he could help himself. "—I think." He was nervous—for some reason it felt like Crow was about to kiss him?? But why would he??

His hands slipped from his shoulders, and Rean realized that they were actually a little warm this time. "All right, that's all I got." Crow stepped back with a small snicker. "Guess I gotta polish up Uncle Crow's pearls of wisdom better next time."

"—I don't think so." Rean licked his lips. His heart was beating a little fast, and he felt like he just wanted to run up to his room and slam the door behind him, but he had to say it. "Um—it did help, your advice." The urge to book it was getting stronger every second. "Thanks for listening to me spill my guts, sorry..."

Crow shrugged. "You say that, but it takes a lot of guts to 'spill' like that. Some people keep that sh*t wrapped up their whole lives." He slipped his hands in his pockets. "You gonna be good?"

Rean nodded quickly. "Yeah—thanks. I'm going straight to bed."

"All right." He nodded down, indicating to Rean's right pocket. "Well that might help." He turned to leave. "Sleep well, okay?"

"Um, thanks—you too."

Crow waved over his shoulder, walking away. "See ya around, Rean." He walked off down the road, and Rean ducked into the dorm.

"Haah..." He fumbled with the lock in the dark, then managed to get it.

"That's it?"

"Gah!"

Fie stepped into the light pouring in from the window. "Lame. All that buildup for nothing." She started walking back up the stairs. Was she watching?? Nooo...

Rean's heart was beating fast now—he hadn't even sensed she was there. He let himself fall back against the door, waiting until Fie was out of sight. He slipped his keys in his pocket, touching the napkin—gah, he didn't want this! What if Instructor Sara found it in his room?? Uggghhh—if he was in a better state of mind, he could've said, "No, thank you"...

He closed his eyes, trying to center himself. Calm as the surface of the lake... clear like the mirror glaze of a frozen pond...

He beat it straight up to his room, burying the cookie in the back of one of his drawers. Hrrrmmmm—what was all that about??

XXX

XXX

Crow closed and locked the doors behind him. This was a bad idea. When Rean asked him, "Can I tell you something personal?" He should have just said, "No."

He threw off his jacket in his dark room, collapsing back on the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to run through different scenarios to figure out what the best way to get out of this was. Vita already confirmed Rean was the Awakener, and old man Vandyck wanted them to keep exploring the Ashen Knight's trial grounds—so he'd make it down there eventually. Their group would get to that sigil, and as long as he was there it would "mysteriously" unlock. Crow really didn't have to do anything else—if Rean really f*cked it up and failed to awaken the Ashen Knight, then that just meant he wasn't worthy. He and Vita could "Yes, and" a new plan then—another Awakener was bound to turn up sooner or later. Crow should just wash his hands of this while he had the chance—he could just stay "busy" and stop turning up at the garage as often, disappear right after classes were over, fade into the background—all those Class VII twerps would only get more buddy-buddy with each other after those field studies, Rean would probably latch onto someone else instead—then Crow could move as freely as he wanted. He didn't want to know something so personal—he should have just stepped into the shadows and f*cked off when he saw Rean walking up with that damn fishing pole, and met up with Edel some other time. He didn't need more bud that badly...

"... haah..." He pressed his hand over his eyes. Of all the times—for some Aidios-unknown reason, after Rean spilled his whole guts out about being afraid to tell his parents he was gay or whatever, stupid Pops' voice popped into his head—"Well are ya just gonna sit there and say nothin'? The kid's got more guts than you—be a man and show some wisdom!" Damn old man, lecturing him even from the grave... haah. Well, he knew why that voice popped in his head—Crow couldn't help but think, "Damn—I got pretty lucky with Pops, that guy didn't give a sh*t at all." Crow honestly couldn't relate to being so wound up and afraid of what other people thought—his life was no one's business but his own, so he didn't give a sh*t what anyone else thought of him, positive or negative. He couldn't imagine what it felt like being afraid of your parents rejecting you, or having all this responsibility and expectations foisted on you—his life in Jurai had been as easy-going as a seal sunbathing on a rock. Pops never even tried to steer little Crow into politics—he just spoiled him like any other Grampa would. When he wasn't being a hard-ass about his homework or being lazy with chores. Hehe—Crow could still remember it, he kissed a girl behind the chapel after Sunday School when he was like seven or whatever, and he came running home thinking his old man would be super proud of him—"Hey Pops, guess what? I kissed a girl!" He was in his office doing paperwork, and he barked, "Stupid kid, you're too young to be kissin' girls!" Then when he was like eight he asked this other kid if he ever kissed a girl and he said no, then little Crow was all, "My Grampa got mad when I kissed a girl... but what if we kissed each other?" The other kid was like, "Whoa, you can do that?" These two stupid wide-eyed boys thought they had gamed the system, and thought of a loophole no one else had... So little Crow went running home all smug and went, "Hey Pops, guess what? I kissed a boy this time, so you can't be mad!" And all he said was, "Stupid kid! Whadya think I send you to Sunday School for anyway?! You're too young to be kissin' anyone—now do your damn homework and quit interruptin' me!" And that was literally it—he never gave little Crow an awkward "talk" about how you're not supposed to kiss boys—if anything his non-reaction subconsciously imprinted on little Crow that it was just a normal thing, until he got a rude awakening when he was a little older and started hearing pearl-clutchers' weird-ass rherotic... Pops wasn't even really mad, as soon as little Crow begrudgingly finished all his stupid homework and it was after dark, he came in his room like, "You all finished here, kiddo? Pops is gettin' thirsty, so let's head down to the tavern and I'll show ya how math works in real life—shootin' pool!" Hah—Pops really did spoil him, huh...

"Damnit..." He really didn't need this right now. His personal feelings would do nothing but hinder their mission. Both for the ILF and what Vita asked him to do—it could literally only get in the way of his end goal if he knew all this personal sh*t about Rean he never asked about. Haah... his inner saboteur couldn't help but pipe up that if Vita told him that Emma reached out to her, but she shut her down because it could "compromise their mission", he'd think that was pretty heartless. Yes, they were an anti-government group that wasn't afraid to resort to violence, and he was their leader—he had to harden his heart several times over to do the kind of sh*t that was necessary, and his comrades were relying on his strength and cunning, and he had zero room for error—but if he lost sight of the human element which fueled their anger at the injustice of the Chancellor and the failure of the Imperial government—then what the hell were they even fighting for?

"Haah..." Crow had his arm draped over his eyes. There was no point even getting revenge for Pops if he just let himself become a mindless killing machine—he made a hard turn this year into "not giving a f*ck" since he found himself enjoying this stupid "school" thing a little too much last year, but... It's not like Scarlet sat around on the Pantagruel all day, seething about the Chancellor—she was hard at work on the ground trying to help the displaced families from her hometown get back on their feet. Surely she wouldn't begrudge Crow for living life outside of "C"—as long as he turned it on when it counted. Which he had every intention of doing. But right now... he was off the clock.

Geez—even though it wasn't a "thinky" strain, his head was still feeling a little foggy—he tried to remember the specifics of what Rean had said on the dock. He rambled it off pretty fast in an unfiltered stream-of-consciousness—honestly Crow went a bit lizard-brain thinking, "I don't want to hear this, don't tell me—I don't want to know about you, you're my opponent, my enemy—" But Rean wasn't even his enemy, according to Vita and even Ordine—well he sure as sh*t would be when the Noble Alliance revealed themselves, he sounded like he had no allegiance to the nobility at all—but that was just inevitable. A difference of ideologies. If anything, having Rean all fired up because his supposed friend stabbed him in the back would probably be just the fuel he needed to fight Crow in earnest—he'd probably just puss out otherwise and try to resolve it with words or whatever. Haah—that wasn't exactly fair, Rean cut that monkey's damn legs off to keep Laura and Elliot from being crushed. And that moment when his eyes glowed red—there was clearly more to Rean than met the eye. His parents just "found him in the snow", huh... Well, that loaned some credence to the "demon child" theory—he'd have to pick Vita's brain for what she knew about this freaky-deaky supernatural stuff—Crow certainly didn't f*ck with it. Haah... even with his excuse of "keeping an eye on the Awakener" gone, he did still find himself intrigued. He wanted to see what Rean was capable of—and maybe that damn softie senior mentality Towa and the others had was rubbing off on him a little, but it would be a huge waste to see Rean just squander his potential. And just on a personal level... it'd just be damn sad if he couldn't overcome all those internal issues. He was clearly dealing with a lot of personal stuff that was holding him back... Rean was a complex person with his own inner world, just like everyone else. Haah... Crow already felt guilty for thinking with his dick—Rean didn't deserve to be chewed up and spit out by a scumbag like Crow, even before he told him that sob story... Well, if he wanted to be chewed up and spit out, that was a whole other story... Nah—even then, it was Crow's responsibility as the person who knew better to not take advantage of someone's lack of experience. Well... it's not like there was anything wrong with someone trying to figure themselves out—Rean was a young guy who probably had those thoughts just like anyone else, he wasn't a nun—so what if it was more of a gentle nibble? Even Gelica couldn't be mad about that—hey, all she said was "don't hit-it-and-quit-it." Poor Rean looked like he got hit with Petrify when Crow was whispering in his ear... he didn't do it on purpose, honest, he just didn't want that old married couples' precious "Princess" to hear what he was saying. That Zephyr kid probably thought she was being slick—but she had a long way to go. Heh—guess it couldn't hurt to give those guys a progress report on how she was doing—he already saved her from Gelica's clutches after they threatened him to not let anything happen to her—damnit, this was all probably that brat Stark's fault. He cursed Crow into getting a fuzzy feeling from being the cool big brother and showing off...

"Haah... whatever." Crow could stand to follow his own bullsh*t advice, for once—don't stress so much about it, and just "Yes, and." Just go with the flow... As long as he knocked it out of the park as C, he was free to f*ck around and do whatever he wanted while he was laying low at school. That was business, and this is personal. When Rean was hugging his legs and looking so embarrased, but oddly relieved—well, Crow couldn't just say "This wasn't part of my plan" and blow him off. And Rean did look pretty dang cute taking that cookie with the wide doe-eyes—even the dick-brained part of Crow's id was like, "Man—if this guy was my main squeeze, now'd be the time for the brain-melting goodnight kiss." Hey, if Rean actually ate that edible, he could even swing that shotgun scene down the line... hehe, thank you Edel, for being the world's biggest devil's bud defender—whoops, "Goddess Greens". Whelp—all that was just a possible fork in the river. It was pretty obvious that Rean had a budding crush on him—though he might not even be able to recognize that's what it was. Geez, the kid was sheltered—but that's what a cool, handsome, strong, uh—that other stuff he said—senior was for. But first things first—he had to get it together and have some better advice than whatever BS he rattled off with bud-brain. Rean was brave enough to tell him all that, and it sounded like he was the first person he even talked to about it—so he owed him a bit more than that "non-reaction." He could hear his Grampa's crusty ass barking in his ear, "That's it? If that's your 'big advice', they'd even reject ya at the fortune cookie factory!" It worked for little Crow—but Rean was obviously the sensitive type. That would be a challenge in itself—but hey, Crow was always up for a good challenge.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out his ARCUS. It felt a bit weird doing this—but knowing Rean he was probably agonizing and spinning his wheels about it, so he'd probably welcome the distraction...

It rang several times. "Come on, buddy—I know you're not asleep already after all that..."

Finally he picked up. "... Hello? Crow?"

"Yeah, it's me." He sat up and propped his pillow behind him. "Hey, I was thinking about what you were sayin' on the docks earlier—I just feel like I dropped the ball on my end." He leaned back against his pillow. "I'm here if you wanna talk a little more about it."

"Um... well, I was just kind of venting—it was nice enough that you listened, it's not like I expected you to have anything to say in response..."

"Well, that's kinda what I'm gettin' at." He realized he still had that little jar of clear gelatin in his pocket, so he sat up and set that carefully on the table. "I meant it when I said that took a lot of guts—I was probably too casual and too vague with my advice. So I'd understand if you were hoping for a little more than that."

He was quiet on the other end. "Well..."

Crow smirked to himself. "I get it." He relaxed back against his pillow. "Well, lemme get us on an even playing field first—I got a personal story for ya, it's a pretty funny one about my Grampa..."

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There's a chapter I've written for way down the line, after Crow joins Class VII and decides he's not going to push Rean away anymore—he basically repeats to himself, "That's business, this is personal" as a way to mentally separate from this knowingly sh*tty thing of continuing a relationship with someone he ultimately knows he's going to hurt—so I wanted to bring an echo of that in here early on. Lol I can't wait to get to that chapter—and that's advice I'd give for any writer who has a lot of ideas, but struggles to actually sit down and write, or start the story—just start with the most interesting scene that you have a clear picture of how you want to go, even if it's way down the line—it'll motivate you to get started and work your way back to that point :) At least, that's what works for me lol

I realized about halfway I've been writing CS1 Crow as if he's CS4 Crow XD You know what I mean? But that's okay—his secret softie side was in him all along, that's why Rean liked him so much in the first place ;) It's canon, otherwise the dramatic twist doesn't work XD

See you next time in Bareahard~ It might be a bit before we see the second half of that 50 mira scene—I just want Rean to be ready for it ;)