"Um…" said Yamada-sensei as everyone in the classroom were looking somber. "Lotus-kun will not be coming in today, so let's continue on without him."

Ichika sighed, looking at the empty seat next to him. For the past three days, Lotus had refused to go outside save to train and even then he was alone doing it. He barely slept and barely ate anything, but wisely kept himself hydrated. He wouldn't speak to anyone; not even Brunetta could get him to talk.

"He's taking it hard," commented the IS student representative of Spain and Brunetta's best friend, Castora Ortega, who, like everyone else, was worried sick about Lodie. She and Brunetta had a strange friendship that allowed for some intimate acts between Castora and Lotus. They both agreed to share him, something that made Ichika's head hurt from the confusion of trying to figure out who was his REAL girlfriend. He figured they were in a joint relationship with the way they acted together. "He must've been really close to his uncle."

"Very," said a rough, deep, growling voice behind her and Ichika. They turned around to see Lotus' older supercommando brother Jonah, who was towering over them with his 8-foot and 378 pounds of pure muscle. He had a sad look on his face. "He was there for him when I couldn't be. He's strong, though: He'll get over it." With that, he walked away.

Brunetta, Castora and Ichika slowly opened the door and saw Lotus on the floor, curled up in a ball and crying. Immediately, Castora and Brunetta were at his side, comforting him with compassionate back rubs and letting him cry on their chests. He was getting out all his grief in one huge sob-fest.

Ichika felt himself get choked up. He excused himself and walked outside only to find Charlotte and Houki standing there, looking somber. Charlotte led him to a nearby couch and, with Houki at his side, Ichika sobbed with his best friend in this school since he got here.

Together, they cried out their hearts, united through sorrow and strengthened by it.

Captain Price walked into the little café in Paris to see a familiar face waiting for him. "If I hadn't gotten the e-mail from Nikolai, I wouldn't had believed it myself." He sat across from the man and said, "Nice to see you again… Yuri."

Yuri smiled and shook Price's hand. "It's a pleasure to see you, too," he replied, then sipped his coffee. He put the mug down and asked, "So. Makarov's finally dead?"

"Yeah. It's finally over," answered Price, who was draining his second cup of coffee. He looked intently at Yuri and asked, "How did you survive?"

Yuri shrugged. "I guess whoever's been watching over me didn't want me to die just yet." He took a bite out of his danish and asked, "I don't think you came here just to see me."

"You're right." Price pulled out a picture of Makarov with a younger woman with a similar face to his except softer and not as rigid and long black hair. "Do you know who this woman is?"

Yuri nodded. "Da. Her name is Afimiya, Makarov's younger sister. Almost as crazy as her brother, but twice as dangerous. So dangerous that Makarov had to have her locked away in an undisclosed location for everyone's safety, including her own. She was a little too violent for Makarov and is very attached to him. I heard from a former friend that she didn't take Makarov's brutal death too well."

"Yeah, well, her brother needed to be stopped, so I did it."

"Da. No question on that, Price." He raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Why are you so keen, my friend?"

"Just tying up loose ends."

"Really?"

Price sighed. "I think Afimiya might try to bring back Makarov's old armies and try to finish what her big brother started."

"Anyone in danger of her?"

"Aye. The only two males that could ever pilot an Infinite Stratos machine: Lotus Saintcrow and Ichika Orimura."

Yuri's eyes went wide. "How do you know all this?"

Price stared at him with a hard look. "Because I knew Makarov. And his sister's probably no different."

Yuri exhaled, sitting back in his chair. "Anything I can do to help?"

Price smirked. "You want to join with me in another crusade that could potentially kill you again?"

Yuri grinned. "As you can see, I'm not dead yet," he said while motioning to himself.

Price grinned back, shaking his hand. "Welcome to Task Force 141, then, Yuri."

Thanks for reading! Chapter 2 will be up, soon!

EVER

PRG