The morning they were to leave for Heimdallr, Rean made sure to be up extra early. Ordinarily there would have been no real need, given that the capital was (as his sister had pointedly reminded him) less than an hour away by train. This time, however, he wanted as much leeway to plan as possible.

Not that he expected it to do any good.

"Well, we've got a little time," he commented. "Any ideas?"

Machias folded his arms, frowning. "It's a real puzzle," he said. "On the one hand, you have a girl from a well-known noble house, directly descended from one of the Eisenritter no less, which makes her essentially a knight in shining armor. On the other, a war orphan who spent her childhood running with jaegers. Polar opposites any way you look at it."

"I don't think there's any real hostility, though," Elliot put in. "More like they just can't connect for some reason."

Machias nodded. "Unlike me and Jusis, they at least understand each other to some degree, and," he winced in residual shame, "clearly want to work it out. They just don't seem to know how."

"And Instructor Sara expects me to find a solution," Rean said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's rough being her 'favorite Wunderkind' sometimes."

Machias smiled. "I understand how you feel, but I honestly can't blame her. You got us, to, well, at least stop trying to kill each other."

"Yeah, and it took getting my shoulder sliced open," Rean countered. "I'd kinda like to avoid a repeat, thanks. Heimdallr's likely to be enough of a nightmare as it is."

"It's not that bad," Elliot said. "Sure, it's big, but there are some nice spots if you know where to look. Right, Machias?"

The class VP nodded. "If we have time, I can show you. I grew up in the Ost district, a mostly working-class neighborhood. What about you, Elliot?"

"My house is on Alto Street," Elliot said. "There's a nice little cafe just down the road from us. Have you ever been to Heimdallr, Rean?"

"Three times," Rean said, thinking back. "I've been to the Sankt District once, that being where my sister's school is, and some government building or other for a couple of official functions, back when my father still kept up with high society." He shook his head. "We're getting off track here. How do we fix our current problem?"

"You need not worry," Laura's voice broke in. "We have no intention of dragging our group down. Right, Fie?"

The ex-jaeger nodded. "Right. We'll hold up our end of things."

Rean wished he could believe that. Not that he doubted their sincerity, but after the practical exam, he was less than confident. For all that Heimdallr was a major urban area, he had no doubt they would be saddled with at least one monster hunt during their stay, and Laura and Fie's inability to link could prove a major handicap.

One thing at a time. Maybe they could ease into things on the train.

It didn't help that the troubled girls weren't the only issue on his mind. Rean had spent the last few nights tossing and turning over what Elise had said. For a few dark moments he'd been on the verge of questioning why he'd even come to Thors, only to shy away in a hurry. Despite his initial doubts, he had no regrets about Thors Military Academy, and refused to even think otherwise.

He was no longer certain an army career was for him, though.

"You okay, Rean?" Machias broke into his thoughts. "That kind of brooding isn't like you."

"Sorry." Rean shrugged. "Just thinking about the last few days."

Even if it hadn't been blindingly obvious, Machias Regnitz wasn't their class vice president for nothing. "About your sister," he said. "Well, for what it's worth, much as I hate to admit it, Jusis was right. We do need more nobles like you."

Rean lifted an eyebrow. "Says the guy who used to go into a foaming-at-the-mouth rage whenever the word 'noble' was even mentioned."

Clearly embarrassed, Machias glanced briefly away. "I had my reasons," he said softly, then cleared his throat. "Anyway, the point is much as I hate, I know better than to think the class system is going away anytime soon, and as long as it's there we need good people in it. You and your father, Laura and hers, you get the idea."

"I agree," Elliot said from behind them. "You're easy to get along with; if more nobles were like you, Class I and II would be a lot less annoying."

"You're ganging up on me again," Rean said, to which Machias and Elliot both just grinned. "All right, all right, When we get back, I'll have a talk with Jusis, see if he has any advice. I know," he added, seeing the look on Machias's face, "but his situation is a lot like mine."

Machias looked like he'd bitten into a lemon, but nodded. "And it's not like I'd have anything helpful to say about dealing with other nobles," he conceded ruefully.

Chuckling, Rean led the way into the station. "I have to wonder, though, why we're being sent to the capital like this. Heimdallr's less than an hour away by train."

"That's true," Elliot said, "lots of people work in the city but live in places like Trista. We could easily stay in the dorm."

"My guess? Instructor Sara wants us to have the full experience," Machias said, rolling his eyes. "It would be just like her."

Rean barked a laugh. "Got a point there. Still, she may be crazy, but she knows what she's doing. I'll trust her on it, at least for now."

"Not like we have a choice," Machias muttered. "I still remember what happened in our second practical. I knew she was good, but that. . . ." He shuddered.

Rean couldn't help wincing at the memory. Sara Valestein, taking on three of them at once, and making it look easy. For all that he and the others mocked her for her foibles, he was still thanked Aidios every day that she was one of the good guys. Having that as an enemy was the stuff of nightmares.

Banishing the thought, he stepped through the station door and almost collided with Alisa. "Sorry," he said quickly.

"Don't worry about it," she responded with a smile. "You're all ready to go?"

Making sure to not look at Laura and Fie, Rean nodded. "As ready as we're going to be."

"At least the capital's a short train ride away," Elliot said with only slightly forced cheerfulness.

Trista Station wasn't all that busy in the morning. While it was true that, as Elliot had said, a lot of people commuted to work in Heimdallr, not many of them lived in Trista. The majority of the little town's population were employed in shops that catered largely to Thors' students and faculty, though if Rean's memory was accurate there was a branch of a major Heimdallr store, he forgot which.

They arrived at the platform just in time for the next train. "At least we won't be waiting long," Jusis remarked.

"So we're really heading to the capital," Alisa said quietly. "I've been there a few times, but it's still not exactly familiar territory."

"I've been there twice on family business," Laura said.

"Three times for me," Rean put in. "I can find Saint Astraia, but that's it."

Machias clapped him on the shoulder. "I can give you an overview on the way."

"It's a pretty big city, though," Elliot said nervously. "Where would we even start?"

Perversely, Rean found himself worried more about seating arrangements than anything else. He found himself between Elliot and Fie, with Machias and Laura facing them. Group B had found seats directly across the aisle, which at least meant they could all hear each other.

"There's not much time, so I'll give you the basics," Machias said. "Heimdallr is, among other things, the Imperial capital, which also makes it the home of the reigning Emperor, His Majesty Eugent Reise Arnor III."

"Even children know that," Jusis said in a faintly scornful tone. "We need useful information, not a travel brochure."

Machias gritted his teeth, but nodded. "Point taken."

"Heimdallr is divided into sixteen districts," Elliot said, "each about as large as a whole town in the provinces. The city's population is somewhere around eight hundred thousand people."

Gaius whistled. "I can barely even imagine that many people in one place."

"That makes it one of the continent's largest cities, even bigger than Roer or Bareahard," Alisa said.

"Crossbell is known as a thriving center of trade," Emma added, "but it only has around five hundred thousand people. Meanwhile, to the south Liberl's capital Grancel has only about three hundred thousand."

Crossbell. That was a name that was coming up in the news more and more lately. Country-bred though he was, Rean considered it his duty as a Thors student (and thus potential future army officer) to keep up with foreign news, and what he'd read of Crossbell made him deeply uneasy. Even leaving aside the conflict between Erebonia and Calvard over the city, there had been some very strange goings-on over the last few months, and he strongly suspected the Imperial Chronicle's reports barely scratched the surface.

"The Republic's capital is pretty big, too," Fie said. "Don't think it's quite as big as Heimdallr, though."

Rean glanced at her. "That so?"

Before Fie could answer, a wave of coldness seemed to wash over them. Uncharacteristically yet unsurprisingly, it was emanating from Laura, who was looking at Fie with an expression that, while not hostile, wasn't exactly friendly, either. It made Rean want to be somewhere else.

"What?" the former jaeger asked.

"Oh, nothing," Laura said, shaking her head. "I was just wondering what tasks we would be assigned in such a massive city. I can hardly hazard a guess."

A valid point, but also obviously a deflection, and whatever optimism Rean had been feeling before swiftly dissolved. He almost wished it was like Jusis and Machias; at least then it would have been out in the open, and he might have had some idea how to deal with it.

"We don't know who our point of contact is, or where we'll be staying," he said, deciding to simply defuse the situation for the time being." He essayed a brief smile. "Who knows, we might be staying in Elliot or Machias's homes."

Elliot laughed. "I really doubt it. My house isn't big enough to put all of us up. Machias's dad is the governor, though, so maybe we'll be staying at his place."

Machias shook his head. "That's even less likely. Dad spends most of his time at his official residence, so I seriously doubt anyone will be at our family's place. Besides, we're not exactly the richest people in town, so our house isn't that big." His lip twitched. "Instructor Sara did say we'd have a guide of some sort waiting at the station, though she didn't say who."

"That's the instructor for you," Emma said, sounding both amused and vaguely uneasy. Rean knew how she felt.

Alisa sighed. "She never does tell us anything, does she?"

"Sink or swim seems to be her preferred method," Jusis agreed. "And, after our field studies thus far, I am forced to concede the notion does have some merit."

"I wish I had a comeback for that, but it makes too much sense," Machias said. "I know you deride my studying habits, but I know better than to think reading can substitute for actual experience, and we've gotten more experience in the last three months than most students ever do."

Jusis smirked. "Well, well, there appears to be more to you than I'd realized. I must say, I'm honestly impressed."

"Why, you. . .!"

Rean laughed, grateful for the distraction. Which, he suspected, had been Jusis's intention all along; the other noble had gone from cold and distant to somewhat stuffy but otherwise amiable, with a wit as dry as the plains of North Ambria. Tweaking Machias just to relieve the tension seemed like something he would do.

Now if only he could do something for Laura and Fie.

After four months at Thors, Machias had almost forgotten the hustle and bustle of Heimdallr Station during the morning rush hour. Only almost, though; the chatter of hundreds of voices combined with the rhythmic train whistles in a familiar cacophony.

At least a couple of his classmates weren't as sanguine. Gaius looked unusually uncomfortably, though perhaps not surprisingly given his background. The Nord Highlands weren't exactly known for trains and lots of people. Rean, country bumpkin that he was, was also wincing a bit at the noise.

"Exactly on time."

Machias didn't recognize the woman, but the uniform was plainly that of the Railway Military Police, the elite of the Imperial Army. Several of the others, however, had obviously met her before; Alisa was visibly startled, while Rean and Laura had both narrowed their eyes slightly, as if uncertain of what the officer's presence meant.

"If memory serves, you would be from the Railway Military Police," Laura said slowly.

"Captain Claire Rieveldt, was it?" Rean added.

The RPM officer smiled. "That's right. I'm glad you remember me. It's been about three months, I believe."

"So this is the woman the Celdic group met," Machias said, half to himself. He had to admit, he was impressed; Claire's geniality was, he was sure, quite genuine, but at the same time he could sense an aura of danger about her. Crossing this woman would not be a bright move.

Jusis folded his arms. "So, this is an officer of the fearsome RMP."

Alisa cleared her throat. "Does this mean you'll be assigning our field study tasks?"

"I'm just here to provide a place for the person who is," Claire said, and looked back over her shoulder. "Here he comes now."

Machias barely heard her. He was too fixated on the tall figure approaching them. A man in his early forties, face still mostly unlined despite his heavy responsibilities. His dark green hair was carefully trimmed, his dark gray suit neatly pressed, and his eyes glinted with intelligence and a hint of merriment behind his glasses.

"No way. . . ." Machias breathed. "Dad!?"

Elliot started. "Now I remember. I've seen his picture in the Imperial Chronicle."

"Governor Regnitz, one of the reformists' most influential voices," Jusis said, his voice giving nothing away. Not that Machias could really blame him.

"So this is Machias's father," Gaius said, giving the older man an appraising look.

The governor laughed. "This is the first time I've met most of you in person, so I'll introduce myself." He bowed slightly. "Carl Regnitz, Machias's father and the governor of Heimdallr. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He led them to a small conference room at the local RMP command post. Probably the primary command post, Machias reflected, given that they were in the capital. Regardless, his mind was still going in circles; sure, his father was close to the chancellor, but that didn't explain him having such influence with the RMP. It wasn't like Heimdallr's civil government had much to do with the military.

"First, let me apologize for the location," Governor Regnitz was saying. "I would have preferred to brief you at City Hall, but I'm unfortunately short on time, so I asked Captain Rieveldt to lend us this room for a few minutes. With that said, let's move on to confirming your assignments and lodgings—"

"Just a minute," Machias interrupted, no longer able to contain himself. "How did you of all people end up assigning us our lodgings and tasks? It's way too much of a coincidence."

"He's got a point," Elliot agreed.

Rean cleared his throat. "If you don't mind my asking, just how did you wind up as our point of contact?"

The governor chuckled a little. "My apologies, I should have explained in greater detail. It's actually quite simple: I'm here because I sit on Thors' board of directors."

Machias shot to his feet. "You what!?"

The others were clearly just as surprised, though in Jusis's case it appeared tinged with suspicion. For once Machias couldn't even blame him; someone so close to Chancellor Osborne to be on the academy's board of directors was bound to raise doubts.

"Jusis's brother, Alisa's mother, and now Machias's father," Emma mused.

"It stretches the bounds of imagination to suppose the academy's choice of directors is mere coincidence," Laura said, echoing Machias's own thoughts.

His father let out a hearty laugh. "I can assure you, the three of use didn't deliberately arrange for it. If anything, I was unsure what to do when the academy offered me the position."

Rean leaned forward slightly. "Would I be right in assuming there's some secret reason for the formation of Class VII?"

Now that never occurred to me, and it really should have. Nobles and commoners, Erebonians and foreigners—one of them an ex-jaeger no less—there's no way it's just the ARCUS that brought us together, especially when there's so few of us.

"I'm afraid it's not my place to say," the governor replied, confirming Machias's suspicions. And Rean's, from the look on the noble swordsman's face. "In any case, I'm the third and final member of the board of directors, which is why I'm the one who prepared your field study tasks and arranged lodging for all of you."

Machias sat back, feeling like he'd been hit with a sledgehammer. "Unbelievable."

"It's starting to make sense," Elliot said, scratching his head.

"Thank you for the clarification, sir," Rean said, his tone making clear how much he'd read between the lines. "But back to what you were saying before."

The governor nodded. "Yes, of course. As I said, I'm short on time, so I'll have to keep this brief. Your field study will take place over three days, of which today is the first. As such, the third day will coincide with the start of the Summer Festival."

A recipe for chaos. The Summer Festival wasn't the big deal it was in places like Legram or Ymir, but the first day was a big splash if only because members of the Imperial family attended a series of public functions. Security was as tight as a major military base during that period.

"Each group will be assigned half the city and tend to a list of needs I've drawn up for you," his father went on.

"One group to the east, and one in the west, correct?" Emma said.

Alisa's lip twisted. "The city's big enough that we'll be working apart, even though we're in the same place."

Big understatement there, Alisa. I grew up here and I still get lost sometimes. I'm sure Elliot does, too.

"Indeed," Governor Regnitz said. "I'm sure you've seen for yourselves just how vast Heimdallr is. If both groups just wandered around the city, you'd have trouble getting anything done. As such, I've broken your tasks down so Group A takes everything to the east of Vainqueur Street, while Group B handles things on the west side."

"I take it that's an important street," Gaius said.

Jusis frowned slightly. "If memory serves it's the city's main thoroughfare, running straight to the Imperial Palace."

"That's the one," Elliot confirmed. "You'll see it stretching out to the north as soon as we leave the station."

"Not the most precise division," the governor said, "but for the purposes of your field study it will serve well enough. Now, I'd like each group to take one of these envelopes." He passed one to Rean and one to Alisa.

Rean studied it. "This looks like the usual kind we get with out field study itinerary, but. . . ." He slid Group A's over to Machias.

"What's with the address and key?" Alisa finished.

Machias glanced at the address, but it meant nothing to him. Group A: Alto Street, 4-32-21. He recognized the street name, of course, but the specific address wasn't familiar. "You get anything out of this, Elliot?"

The musician shrugged. "My family's house is on Alto Street, but this address doesn't bring anything to mind."

Alto Street, now there's a fitting place for a musician, Machias couldn't help thinking in mild amusement.

"I think Vesta Street's a main street on the west side, though I don't remember for sure," Alisa said.

Machias nodded. "It's a fairly lively working-class neighborhood." Three months ago he would have snarked that Jusis would be hopelessly lost in such a place, but meeting his commoner uncle, not to mention seeing his familiarity with Bareahard's Artisan's Street, had put the kibosh on that long since. "Dad, are these what I think they are?"

"The addresses of the places you'll be staying at, along with their keys," his father confirmed. "I strongly suggest tracking them down before you get to work. Think of it as a small orienteering exercise to help you familiarize yourselves with the city."

Ugh, after my first day at Thors I'll never think of "orienteering" the same way again. He winced in embarrassment at the memory of his own behavior. I'm sure Rean and Alisa feel the same.

Governor Regnitz glanced at his watch. "My apologies, but I'll have to take my leave now." He smiled ruefully. "Preparations for the Summer Festival have me running from place to place right now. I'm sure you can understand. I wish I could stay and chat a while longer, but," he shrugged, "that's life in politics for you." He paused. "Oh, I should mention the communication functionality of your ARCUS units has been enabled within the city, That should help you coordinate."

Machias sagged in his chair. He still wasn't sure what to make of all this, and he definitely wasn't sure how he felt about his father being on Thors' board of directors. It was almost enough for him to feel a certain kinship with Jusis, given the matter of Rufus.

"I'm not sure what to think. . . ." Rean said.

"I was expecting the Imperial governor to be more strict," Alisa remarked. "But he seems almost. . . ."

"Playful?" Fie said, the first words out of her mouth since they'd arrived.

Machias groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm almost ashamed you had to see that. Trust me, it's nothing new; he's always been like that. He does at least manage to fulfill his responsibilities as governor. Somehow."

"I've heard he's extremely good at his job," Elliot ventured. "Very down-to-earth given his background, but people say he's a born leader, too."

Emma giggled. "The Imperial Chronicle always paints him in a favorable light, too."

"And I've heard he buts heads with the Noble Faction far less than the Chancellor," Laura observed.

Jusis snorted. "In politics, a friendly demeanor can easily be an act to sway popular sentiment. After all, not many could just waltz in and 'borrow' a conference room from the RMP."

And again, Machias found he couldn't really blame the stuffy noble. He had no doubts as to the genuineness of his father's attitude and position, but the factional divide being what it was it was understandable that others would not be so trusting.

Claire, for her part, was not at all offended. "The capital is the heart and nexus of the Empire's railway network. As such, the Railway Military Police finds itself daily indebted to Governor Regnitz's good graces. This was just an opportunity to return the favor, if only a little."

Jusis clearly wasn't convinced, but he made no further comment.

"Well, we really need to get our field study underway," Rean said, standing. "Thank you for allowing us to meet here, Captain. If you'll excuse us."

She inclined her head. "Of course. Best of luck on your field study."

Despite having grown up in Heimdallr, Elliot couldn't help being overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the place. Probably the largest city in western Zemuria, the streets were a veritable sea of people. Not all of them Erebonian, even; the capital was a popular tourist destination, especially during the Summer Festival, and the train station was within walking distance of several embassies.

"It's incredibly vast," Gaius murmured.

"Yeah," Rean agreed. "The size of this city never ceases to amaze me."

Fie seemed less impressed. "Way too many people."

I know how you feel, Fie. One of the best things about Thors, Elliot had decided months before, was its location. Living in a sleepy town like Trista made it much easier to concentrate on his music; even his mother had occasionally complained about the noise when she was practicing.

The thought brought with it a brief pang of longing. He'd so wanted to attend the Music Academy, but it was not to be.

"It only starts to sink in that I'm in the capital when I see one of those orbal trams zipping past," Alisa commented. "We don't even have those in Roer yet."

"So that's what those little train vehicles are?" Gaius asked.

Laura made a meditative sound. "I've never had the opportunity to ride one myself, but I believe they're used to ferry people around the city more easily."

"They're the main form of public transportation around here," Machias confirmed, "linking all sixteen districts together." He smiled wryly. "They're something of an icon here in Heimdallr."

Elliot dug in a pocket for some mira. "The fare is pretty cheap, too, which makes getting around that much more convenient. Lots of people just buy a yearly pass." Something he himself had never gotten around to.

"And so many orbal cars on the road, too," Emma said, looking around with great interest. "Is that building off in the distance. . .?"

"Valflame Palace, residence of His Majesty the Emperor," Jusis said. He frowned. "Though I understand Chancellor Osborne's Imperial government is also situated within."

Elliot sternly told himself to stay out of it. Jusis and Machias were both friends of his, and there was no way he was going to risk getting caught up in one of their squabbles, even if they'd gotten milder over the last couple of months. It just wasn't worth the headache.

"That's right," Claire said from behind them. "Anyway, I'll be taking my leave here. Take care of yourselves."

And there went one of the nicest military officers Elliot had ever met, and he'd met quite a few of them. Not that he was insane enough to cross her; that way, he was certain, lay an awful lot of pain.

"Hard to believe she's in the military," Machias said.

"The RMP is one of the army's most elite divisions, though," Emma pointed out.

Jusis's lip twisted. "Not to mention one of those most despised by the aristocracy. If a province has a railway, you can virtually guarantee they'll use it to meddle in its security affairs."

Elliot almost pointed out that it was only thanks to such "meddling" that he, Rean, Laura, and Alisa weren't in a Kreuzen Provincial Army jail on false charges, but thought better of it. Jusis had already apologized for the issue, and there was no sense reopening old wounds.

"I've rarely seen them in Legram," Laura said, frowning slightly. "Though judging by what we saw in Lunaria Nature Park, they're exceptionally well trained."

Elliot shivered at the memory. "Yeah, even with equal numbers they rolled right over the provincial soldiers."

"And the captain is elegant and pretty on top of it," Alisa said, sounding just a bit envious. "She even looks good in a uniform. Some people have all the luck."

In Elliot's—very private—opinion, all of Class VII's girls looked good in uniform. It even made Fie look more mature, somehow.

"It's like she's everything Sara isn't," the former jaeger said dryly. Elliot couldn't help chuckling in agreement.

"You can say that again," Rean said with a brief laugh.

And with that, there was no more time to banter. Heimdallr was a vast place, and both groups had a lot to do. Elliot suspected it would be the most exhausting field study yet, just from all the legwork. He already dreaded writing his reports.

"I guess we'd better get moving," Machias said.

"Speaking of which," Rean handed Elliot the address and key, "you'd better hang on to this, Elliot, since you know Alto Street."

He shrugged. "I guess so. Anyway, we'll need to hop a tram first."

"Right." Rean sighed. "It's going to be a long three days, so let's make the most of them."

"Fie, Laura, take care of yourselves," Emma said with a smile.

Fie for once actually smiled back. "You, too."

"May the Goddess be with you all," Laura said. "Take care."

Though Rean had been to Heimdallr before, it was his first time on an orbal tram. While he was at first just the slightest bit uneasy (he wasn't much for technology beyond his ARCUS and an orbal radio), he had to admit the ride was very smooth. He personally preferred horses, though.

"I haven't been to the capital in a long time," he remarked, "but it always amazes me how big just this street is."

Elliot looked at him in faint surprise. "Really?"

"This view might be nothing special to people like us, having lived here all our lives," Machias pointed out, "but I can see how all the orbal cars and trams would be a real sight to people from the provinces."

Laura looked over her shoulder with great interest. "I've never seen so many orbal cars in one place before."

"Carriages were the standard until around twenty years ago even here," Elliot said. "You hardly see them around now, though."

Rean didn't anticipate that changing in his hometown anytime soon. The terrain in and around Ymir was so rugged that just about any orbal vehicle would suffer a catastrophic breakdown in short order. Assuming it didn't fall off a cliff first.

"The Republic's capital has a lot of cars, too," Fie said. "After that, Crossbell probably has the most."

"Huh," Machias said. "You've done a lot of traveling for someone your age. Guess being a jaeger. . . ." He trailed off, glancing uneasily at Laura.

Fie nodded. "Yup. Jaeger work takes you places."

It was time, Rean decided, to change the subject before the tram car got any colder. "Anyway, what's Alto Street like, Elliot? You said that's where your house is."

The other shrugged. "It's a pretty . . . calm street, I guess?" He glanced out the window, and his face brightened. "We should be getting there in just a minute."

With a faint squeal, the tram came to a halt, and Group A stepped out. "Calm street," Rean decided, was just about the best description. If it wasn't for the sheer number of orbal cars going by, he would almost have been able to forget he was in the big city. And if he wasn't mistaken, it was one of the older parts of the city; the architecture reminded him of Ymir.

"I don't come to this area very often," Machias said, looking around appreciatively. He smiled. "You live in a nice part of the city."

"You think so?" Elliot said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "Anyway, we should track down our lodgings."

Rean held up a hand. "Wait a second. Since you live in this area, why not stop at your house to say hello?"

"It does seem to be the natural thing to do," Laura agreed.

"I kinda want to see it," Fie put in, which for some odd reason made Elliot blush faintly, though he didn't appear to notice.

Elliot hesitated. "Well, it is pretty close by, but I doubt my dad will be in, or even my sis."

"I remember you mentioning you have an older sister," Rean said. "She sent you a care package a couple months ago."

This time the musician definitely blushed. "You remember, huh? Well, I guess it won't hurt. Come on, my house is just north of here. It's the one with the flowers outside."

It was a brief walk, no more than a few arge, which they covered in just a couple of minutes. Rean found himself walking beside Laura, which he would normally have found quite pleasant, but was unable to enjoy because of Fie on his other side. He felt rather like he was caught between a biting wind and the river during a Ymir winter.

Elliot's home would have been pretty nondescript without the flowers. Neither large nor small, it had the look of a reasonably comfortable middle-class home, which fit with the relatively little he had mentioned of his background. Preferable, Rean reflected, to the cold elegance of the Albarea manse.

"I haven't been home in months," Elliot said with a sigh. "I'm kinda nervous."

Rean smiled faintly."Believe me, I know the feeling," he said, recalling his last conversation with Elise.

"No need for hand-wringing," Laura said. "It is your home, after all."

Elliot sighed again. "Still. . . . You've got a point. Come on in."

The inside matched the exterior. A table that seated five or six, a couple of couches, a kitchenette off to one side, it was easy to see why Elliot loved the place. It was like an oasis of comfort in the sea of activity that was the Vermilion Capital. And there I go with the bad poetry again.

"Feels like it's been ages," Elliot said. "I'd gotten so used to Thors and Trista."

"Is someone there?" a voice said from above. Female and fairly young from the sound of it. "I'll be there in just a moment!"

A woman in a modest green dress appeared at the foot of the stairs. Rean estimated her to be in her early twenties, a bit younger than Sharon Kreuger. Her blue eyes and long red hair were a dead giveaway as to her identity; she could only be Elliot's sister.

"Sorry for the wait—huh?" Her eyes lit on Elliot. "Elliot!" she cried, bounding forward and trapping him in a hug.

Gasping for breath, Elliot awkwardly hugged her back. "H-Hi, Sis, I'm home," he managed.

"It's you, it's really you!" the woman gushed. "Thank Aidios, I didn't think I'd get to see you again so soon!"

Seeming to regain himself, Elliot tried to protest. "Sis, please, not in front of my classmates!"

"Looks like they get along pretty well," Rean murmured, smiling.

"So well I'm almost jealous," Machias said with a chuckle.

At last relenting the woman released Elliot and offered a bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Elliot's older sister, Fiona Craig. Won't you sit down?"

She led them to the pair of couches near the table. Rean sank gratefully onto one; he had the feeling sitting down was going to be a luxury for the next couple of days.

"I hear you've been saving Elliot's skin at school," Fiona said when they were all seated. "I'm glad to finally meet you all."

Rean exchanged a look with Laura. "It's not really that one-sided," he said. "Maybe a bit socially—some of the noble students can be trouble—but he more than pulls his weight."

"It's as Rean says," Laura said. "His attentiveness has proven valuable on many occasions, and while he does tend to downplay his combat abilities, his skill with arts is exceptional."

Elliot scratched the back of his head. "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you, Laura."

His sister laughed. "You would be Rean, Laura, Machias and . . . Fie?" She squeezed Elliot's arm. "Now I see what you meant when you wrote about making some interesting friends."

"You might say that, yeah." Elliot tilted his head. "You're not teaching piano today, Fiona?"

She shook her head. "I have the day off, and none of the children have come by, so you picked a perfect time to visit."

Rean leaned forward. "You teach piano at home?" he said.

"Elliot is in the Academy's Wind Orchestra," Machias said, looking at Fiona curiously. "Is everyone in this family a musician?"

Elliot smiled a bit ruefully. "Almost. It's not really my dad's thing."

"Couldn't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow," Fiona added with a brief laugh. "I'd really like a chance to go to a concert as a family, but he's so busy he rarely has time to come and see us."

That appeared to pique Fie's curiosity. "What does your dad do, anyway? I don't think you've ever said."

For some reason, Elliot looked uneasy at the question. "Um, well. . . ."

"You haven't told them?" Fiona said in evident surprise.

Elliot grimaced. "It's not like it's a big secret or anything, like what Alisa was trying to do. It's just. . . ." He sighed. "Dad's in the Imperial Army."

Machias's eyes widened. "The Imperial Army?"

"You'd never guess by looking at me," Elliot said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I didn't exactly inherit the physique."

Gears were turning a thousand selge a minute in Rean's head. Now that he thought about it, he'd heard the name Craig well before meeting Elliot at Thors. If he recalled correctly, it had been in an Imperial Chronicle piece a couple years before, and the focus had been on the Fourth Armored Division. Which meant. . . .

Machias, ever the academic, got it first. "Your father wouldn't be Olaf Craig, would he? The Olaf Craig, one of the most highly decorated generals in the Imperial Army?"

"That's our dad, all right," Fiona confirmed, giggling.

Fie frowned ever so slightly. "I think I've heard of him."

"I'd be shocked if you hadn't, with your background," Machias said. "Many consider him the most formidable general in the Imperial Army; his only real competition is One-Eyed Zechs Vander. He's better known all over the Empire as just 'Craig the Red.' He commands the Imperial Fourth Armored, the most heavily armed division in the whole army." He shook his head. "I read about him when I was doing research before enrolling at Thors, but it didn't even occur to me to connect him to Elliot. Craig is a pretty common name, after all."

Another bell went off in Rean's mind. "Isn't Instructor Neithardt assigned to that division?"

"Yeah," Elliot said, "I met him through my dad before coming to the academy." He sighed again. "I'm not surprised you didn't peg me as Olaf Craig's son. I'd actually hoped you wouldn't find out. . . ."

Rean had the very clear impression there was more going on than Elliot was willing to admit just then. Not that he had any intention of prying; all of Class VII (save possibly Gaius) had their own issues to work out. If Elliot wanted to talk, Rean would listen, otherwise he would let things lie.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make things all awkward," Elliot said, then looked at his sister. "That reminds me. Fiona, do you know of any hotels in this area?"

"What, you're not staying at home?" Fiona said, sounding almost wounded.

Elliot visibly stifled a groan. "Come on, Sis, there aren't enough beds for everyone here."

Fiona half-muttered something about Elliot being too old for his sister's embrace (Rean immediately wished he hadn't heard it), but in the end shook her head. "I'm pretty sure there aren't any hotels on Alto Street, not last I heard anyway. Can you show me the address?" Elliot passed it over. "Hmm. . . . Oh, now I remember!"

"So you do recognize it?" Rean said.

"Sure do. It's the old Bracer Guild branch," Fiona said. "An old friend of mine used to work there, but we've been out of touch for a while."

Rean immediately thought of Estelle and Joshua Bright, and just as immediately dismissed it. It was unlikely in the extreme that someone living in Heimdallr, the daughter of a big name Imperial Army officer no less, would have had much if any contact with Liberlian bracers.

"Bracers, huh," Fie murmured. "Has me wondering."

"What I'm wondering is why my father is putting us up in an old guildhouse," Machias said.

Rean shrugged. "We should at least have a look for ourselves. Do you know the way, Elliot?"

"I think so," the other said slowly. "If I remember right, it should be just down the road."

Fiona sighed theatrically. "I was hoping you'd stay a bit longer, but if you have things to do, I guess I'll just sit here alone." She made a show of drawing out the last word. "It'd make my day if you drop by for meals, though. I'd be happy to cook for you all!"

"If it wouldn't be any trouble," Machias said, sounding a bit uncertain.

Rean smiled. "I'm sure not going to turn down home cooking."

"I'm in," Fie said. "Sounds tasty."

"That's the spirit!" Fiona said happily. "I'll make sure to treat you to my very best this evening, so make sure you get plenty done today and work up a real appetite."

Rean barked a laugh. "Believe me, we will. With Class VII's usual workload, you can bet we'll be as hungry as starving wolves tonight."

It had been years since Laura had last visited the capital, but it hadn't changed much as far as she could tell. Granted for one as, for lack of a better term, provincial as herself, it was difficult to judge. She'd seldom been more than a few hundred selge from Legram, after all.

No, she corrected herself, there was one notable change. The Bracer Guild branch was closed, for reasons she couldn't begin to fathom.

"This is the address in the governor's memo," Elliot said.

"Never thought we'd be staying in an old guild branch," Machias said. "Group B must be in the other one."

Rean raised his eyebrows. "There's more than one guild branch in the city? Dumb question," he added before Machias could answer. "Heimdallr's way too big for the one branch to be enough."

"There used to be two back when the Guild still had a presence here," Machias said. "They pulled out over a year ago, though, so no one pays much attention anymore."

That made no sense. "The Guild still has an active branch in my hometown," Laura said, frowning. "My father is a major patron of theirs."

Machias's lip twitched. "From what I've heard about Viscount Arseid, that doesn't surprise me. It's more the exception than the rule these days."

"They may have been gone for over a year, but the building looks surprisingly new," Rean observed.

"That's because of a big fire that swept through a couple years ago," Elliot said. "A lot of places were gutted outright; the Guild rebuilt, but they were forced to leave soon after anyway. No one knows for sure how it all started; some people think it was terrorists."

"It's just a rumor, though," Machias countered. "There's no real proof of anything."

Fie almost said something, but appeared to think better of it. Laura firmly suppressed her irritation; it wasn't really Fie's fault, or at least not entirely, and they all knew it. Moreover, it was unseemly to be provoked by every little issue, whether justified or not.

Thankfully, she soon hit upon a distraction. "That reminds me, Rean, I don't recall there being a Guild branch in Ymir, though granted it is has been several years."

He laughed softly. "That's because it's a small village in the back end of nowhere. I'm sure Dad would love to have the Bracer Guild open a guildhouse in Ymir, but he usually ends up taking care of that kind of thing himself."

They stepped inside to get a feel for their lodgings. The layout was much the same as the Legram branch, with a counter/desk in the center, a bulletin board off to one side, and a stairway that presumably led to accommodations for the local bracers. Pinned to a support beam was a notice that the building was currently owned and managed by the Heimdallr government.

"Explains why Dad put us up here, at least," Machias said.

After dropping off what little extraneous gear they had, the five of them gathered around a small table to go over their objectives for the day. Laura briefly wished for a cup of tea, then scolded herself. There would be plenty of time for that at dinner.

"New beds and everything," Machias half-muttered. "What is Dad thinking? This isn't some kind of hotel."

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Elliot said. "Your dad's a pretty nice guy."

Laura nodded. "We should appreciate his consideration. A proper bed is very welcome after a long day."

"Time to take a look at today's tasks," Rean said, opening the envelope.

An eclectic assortment, as they had come to expect. Among other things, returning someone's hat, obtaining a replacement record for a local cafe, assisting the Imperial Chronicle, and the obligatory monster hunt. Rean, Laura noted, had been more right than even he realized at the end of their first field study, when he compared their activities to the Bracer Guild.

"I know this one," Elliot said, pointing to the cafe address. "Etoile is a kind of music cafe just down the street from here. I've been there more times than I can count."

Rean nodded. "Sounds like a good place to start. We can use the orbal trams for the rest; you two okay being our tour guides?"

"Sure," Machias said with a smile. "Might as well put our knowledge to good use."

"I'll give you as grand a tour as I can," Elliot promised. "Sis said she'd cook dinner for us, so let's head back there when it gets late."

Machias stood. "We might want to save the monster hunt for last," he said. "Won't have much energy for anything else after that."

Rean groaned, to Laura's carefully hidden amusement. "Tell me about it."

"So, the pieces are almost in place."

Standing by the window of his chambers in Valflame Palace (blessedly far away from Giliath Osborne's office), Prince Olivert Reise Arnor was in an unusually contemplative mood. Or so most people would have thought; most Erebonians saw him as a dandy, a young man whose royal lineage allowed him to live the life of a wanderer without concern for expenses.

Until two years before, that perception had been accurate.

"What pieces?" a deep voice asked from behind him.

Smiling, Olivert turned to face his visitor. "Ah, Mueller, just the man I wanted to see. Do sit down."

Mueller Vander settled himself in an armchair off to one side. Tall, with brown hair and eyes, he wore the uniform of the Imperial Army's Seventh Armored Division, and as a Vander highly proficient in the family sword style, he was Prince Olivert's personal bodyguard.

He was also the Debaucherous Prince's oldest and closest friend, and as such refused to stand on ceremony save during official functions. "What pieces are you talking about, Olivier?" he repeated, using the name Olivert went by when he preferred to remain incognito.

Olivert sat behind his desk. "The pieces in my little chess game with Chancellor Osborne." It wasn't an admission he could make to many others, not with the Blood and Iron Chancellor standing high in the Emperor's favor. "Viscount Arseid has accepted my little proposal, so once my wings are properly feathered there will be someone worthy to oversee them. Also Estelle and Joshua will be in Heimdallr for the Summer Festival, though it pains me deeply to use them in such a fashion."

"They'll understand, Joshua especially," Mueller said. "Knowing them, they'll see it as doing a favor for a friend, and Estelle will probably be delighted to through some egg in Osborne's face."

"True enough," Olivert agreed. "And while I highly doubt the board of directors had this in mind, it seems Class VII's field study has them in the capital at this very moment."

Mueller sat forward a bit at that. Even more than the "wings," this pet project of Olivert's intrigued him. "Do you think they're the 'light' you were hoping for?"

"I can't be completely certain as of yet, but so far they're quite promising." Olivert glanced at the reports he'd received from Principal Vandyck. "They've twice made a fool of Duke Albarea—a worthy goal all by itself—and were instrumental in averting a war with the Calvard Republic." He grimaced slightly; Lechter Arundel's involvement made him uneasy, though there was no denying the man's ability.

Mueller gave a slow nod. "What if one or the other of the major factions try to co-opt them? You know the board better than I do."

Olivert laughed. "I'd like to see them try. Though Governor Regnitz's son and Duke Albarea's younger son are among their number, by all accounts neither is entirely comfortable with their respective 'official' faction's activities. Moreover, their de facto leader is the son of Baron Schwarzer, and though an adoptee he seems to have inherited his father's stubbornness in full measure."

"What about the rest?" Mueller asked.

"I can't say for certain," Olivert said, sipping from a teacup at his elbow, "but there are some factors of interest. Viscount Arseid's daughter is a member, along with an exchange student from Nord and a certain ex-jaeger prodigy, the one they call 'Sylphid.'"

Mueller's gaze sharpened. "The girl the Jaeger King took in?"

"The same. I gather she was more or less abandoned when Zephyr disbanded, though I don't know the details." Olivert shrugged. "At any rate, I'll be able to get a better grasp on things tomorrow. Alfin has very kindly arranged for them to be invited to visit Saint Astraia, so I'll be meeting them for dinner."

"Just be sure you don't scare them off," Mueller said. ". . .You're worried, aren't you." It wasn't a question.

Olivert sighed, looking suddenly weary. "I am. My brother Cedric seems to think Osborne can do no wrong, despite such malfeasance as the suppression of the Heimdallr Bracer Guild. The Railway Military Police have been clashing more and more with the provincial armies, especially in Kreuzen and Nortia Province, and Osborne's idea of foreign policy isn't exactly winning us many friends."

He stood to gaze out at Dreichels Plaza. "On the other hand, the Noble Faction aren't exactly pure as the driven snow, what with the incidents in Celdic and Bareahard. Not to mention Duke Cayenne's arrogant insistence that any noble should belong to their faction as a matter of course."

"And then there's Ouroboros," Mueller said, moving to join his friend at the window. "There's no way they aren't involved somehow."

"Too true," Olivert agreed. "I look forward to meeting my rival again, but in the end this goes beyond my personal wants." His gaze grew distant. "There's a civil war on the horizon, old friend, by the end of the year at the latest. The only question now, is who is going to light the fuse. . . ."

Though he had of course read of the place, it was Rean's first visit to Dreichels Plaza in the heart of Heimdallr, and he had to admit it was a heck of a sight. Valflame Palace was so close he could almost reach out and touch it, guards or no. Fountains dotted the plaza here and there, but the real main attraction was the statue in the center. A man, elderly yet unbowed, a sword in his right hand, he was unmistakably Emperor Dreichels Reise Arnor, Dreichels the Lionheart, father of modern Erebonia.

"Not bad," Fie opined, for once a bit more than deadpan. "Hey, isn't that. . . ."

Oh, great. Seeing Laura and Elliot's questioning looks, Rean nodded at the statue. "See the guy next to the statue of Dreichels? He's a Liberlian tourist we ran into in Bareahard. He's . . . not too bright."

"No kidding," Machias muttered.

Suddenly very aware of his aching feet, Rean made a beeline for the nearest bench. They'd made enough headway in their tasks for the day that they could justify taking a short break. Besides, it was almost time for lunch, and he for one had no desire to do a monster hunt on an empty stomach.

Thinking about it very nearly killed his appetite, though. Normally he would have linked with Laura for the mission, on the grounds that they needed their best, but if he knew her she would insist on trying again with Fie. Which he would support, if he thought it would work.

A double flash of yellow caught his eye; Alisa and Jusis were just a few arge away, Gaius and Emma behind them. "I didn't expect to find you lazing about," Jusis said, smiling faintly.

Rean wiped his forehead. "Give a guy a break, huh? We've been running ragged all morning."

"I spoke in jest," Jusis assured him. "The capital is an exhausting place. Knowing your work ethic, I presume you've completed most of your tasks for the day?"

"Main thing left is an underground monster hunt," Elliot put in, handing Rean a glass of water. "The client's out on some kind of errand, so we figured this was as good a time as any to take a little rest."

Rean sipped gratefully. "They said to check back after lunch. Speaking of which, I take it you guys have made good progress on your end?"

Jusis smirked. "Did you really think otherwise? I would hardly dishonor my family name by slacking off, unlike some others I could mention."

For once, the jibe didn't appear directed at Machias. Not really surprising; even at his worst, Jusis knew better than to accuse Machias of laziness. "Fair enough," Rean said. "Anyway, since we're all nearly done, how does lunch sound? We can at least compare notes then."

"You must've read my mind," Alisa said with a grin. "Elliot, Machias, any recommendations?"

"There's a nice place on Vainqueur Street," Machias said. "Part of a department store, actually. The coffee's good, too."

Gaius chuckled. "You and your coffee. Still, I'm always ready to try new cuisine."
"It's settled, then," Rean said, standing.

The department store in question, Plaza Bifrost, was just a few minutes away by tram. Rean, whose experience with eating out was limited to Kirsche's Cafe in Trista and one dinner at Jusis's favorite restaurant in Bareahard, was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere. Even though it was part of a major complex, it felt like a small island of calm in the midst of the capital's bustle.

Emma traded places with Fie for the duration, presumably to defuse tensions if only a little. Rean talked swordsmanship with Laura (who seemed grateful for the distraction), and otherwise focused on his lunch. Not as good as Sharon's cooking, granted, but the only people he knew who met that standard were his own mother and Fatma Worzel.

Machias was right about the coffee, too. Though still a tea drinker by inclination, Rean appreciated good coffee if only for how it helped him study, and this was some of the best. Combined with the food, it left him feeling reenergized, which was just what he needed for a monster hunt.

At least that was something he could slice up.

Bizarrely, the monster hunt wasn't the reason Elliot was nervous when they went to meet their client. He was used to that, and having the class's top three fighters along went far toward easing his nerves. What had him twitching was the high-class hotel; in addition to being commoners, his family had always been solidly middle-class, not impoverished by any means but not exactly wealthy, either. Being surrounded by so much luxury felt unnatural.

"I apologize for the delay," Noble, the owner of Der Himmel, said with a slight bow. "I presume you're here per our request?"

"That's right," Rean said. "The message said it's underground?"

Noble grimaced. "As some of you may know, there is a complex network of tunnels beneath the city dating back to the Middle Ages. The monster in question has taken up residence in those tunnels, rather too close for our guests' comfort. Ordinarily the Heimdallr Military Police would deal with it, but I understand Governor Regnitz wishes for you to undertake this task."

"All part of our training," Rean confirmed. He smiled faintly. "Slaughtering monsters is a light workout for Class VII."

Despite his instinctive misgivings, Elliot had to agree. Instructor Sara's—or, Aidios forbid, Instructor Neithardt's—training sessions were far more grueling than any monster they had encountered thus far, save perhaps for the giant spider Rean had described facing in Nord.

"Oh, my," an unfamiliar female voice said.

Eliot turned on his heel, to see a woman in her twenties descending the staircase. Clad in a body-hugging blue dress somehow evocative of the sea, she was slightly over average height, with long silver-gray hair flowing down her back. And now that he thought of it, he had heard her voice before, though he couldn't quite place it.

"Is it time for you to leave, Lady Clotilde?" the owner asked.

"Yes, I'll be stepping out for a bit," the woman said. "More importantly," she added, looking at Group A with interest, "who do we have here?"

Elliot inhaled sharply. He did know who this was, and had never expected to meet her. "Isn't that . . . no way. . . ."

From the way he seemed to stagger, Machias had gotten it, too. "V . . . Vi . . . Vita Clotilde!?"

"I can't believe it," Elliot said, distantly aware that he was almost hyperventilating.

"That we'd actually have a chance to meet her," Machias said, his voice almost too faint to hear.

In the corner of his eye, Elliot saw Rean, Laura, and Fie all look at each other in apparent confusion. Fie's reaction wasn't too surprising, he supposed; with her background, it wasn't like she'd have had much chance to listen to music. He would have expected nobles like Rean and Laura to be a bit more knowledgeable, though.

"You three! Don't just stand there staring!" Machias hissed. "You're in the presence of the legendary opera singer Vita Clotilde, the Azure Diva herself!"

Laura tilted her head slightly. "I do recall hearing that name before," she murmured thoughtfully.

Elliot couldn't contain himself. "You don't know who she is!?"

"I'm not surprised," Vita said with a soft laugh. "Opera is a world unto itself. I expect there are multitudes who have never heard of me before." She bowed slightly. "As your friends said, I'm Vita Clotilde, an opera singer. I would be delighted if you would come hear me sing sometime."

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you," Rean said, stuttering only slightly.

Vita inclined her head. "I couldn't help noticing your uniforms. You're all students, I take it?" She smiled a bit mischievously. "Did you come here hoping to get my autograph?"

"O-Of course!" Elliot said before he could stop himself.

"Why else would we be here?" Machias added.

Rean's sigh brought them back to reality. "Cool your jets, you two," he said, and cleared his throat. "We're all students at Thors Military Academy in Trista. We came to the capital on a field study, started making our rounds, and ended up here."

Vita laughed again. "Way to take the wind out of my sails. A military academy, you say? Does that mean you've come to take care of the beast in the underground passage?"

"Just about to get started," Fie confirmed.

"We'll have it down for the count before you know it!" Elliot said, gripping his staff for emphasis.

Vita smiled. "That's a relief; I've been worried since I heard about it. Still, a field study, schools these days certainly put their students through some challenging coursework."

"I doubt there are any other academies in the country with a curriculum quite like ours," Rean said, chuckling.

"You're probably right. Sadly, I have to be on my way, or I'll be late for rehearsal." Vita bowed again. "If you'll excuse me."

Elliot watched her go. "She's ever prettier in person."

"Yeah," Machias agreed, then froze. "We forgot to get her autograph!"

Rean laughed. "Come on, there's a monster down there waiting for us to serve it an eviction notice."

The tunnels beneath Heimdallr were similar to the underground waterway in Bareahard, only darker, mustier, and with more monsters. Not that Rean necessarily minded; after several hours of running about the capital, it was refreshing to just slice things up for a little while.

"This is an excellent place for training," Laura commented about ten minutes into their trek. "I envy the people who live here."

Machias rolled his eyes. "Only you would see a monster-infested underground tunnel and think about training."

Rean hurriedly suppressed a chuckle. Even under unusual stress, it seemed, Laura's drive to better herself could not be denied.

Besides, criticizing would have been hypocritical in the extreme, considering Rean often spent time before curfew hunting monsters just outside Trista. . . . And on the tail end of that thought, he sensed company. Not their target, too small, but definitely not friendly.

Before he could do more than draw his sword, Fie streaked past him. Her gun-swords swept out, slicing through what looked like a morbidly obese bird, followed by a double bang. The bird creature fell without so much as a squawk to mark its passing.

Rean wasn't left without targets, though. Two more of the corpulent birds approached from his left flank. His tachi whipped out, slicing one neatly in half even as Machias's shotgun let out a deep boom, perforating the other.

"W-Well, that was fun," Elliot remarked shakily.

Laura shook her head. "A light workout, if that. I presume there will be greater challenges further in."

Trading exasperated looks with Machias, Rean led the way further in. Truth be told, while he certainly appreciated the chance to test his skills, after Bareahard, Nord, and their treks in the old schoolhouse, he was getting just a bit tired of underground tunnels.

And ambushes. He took a quick step to one side, leaving an opening for Elliot to blast some kind of blob monster into a puddle of goo.

"Just how far do we have to go?" Machias wondered irritably. "It can't be too far in, or it wouldn't be bothering the hotel guests."

As it happened, it was a mere ten minutes' walk to their target. Or would have been, were it not for further monster encounters. None of them were much of a threat even to Elliot, whose skill at arts had grown by leaps and bounds, but still enough to be an irritant.

This is why we need the Bracer Guild, Rean thought, flicking monster blood off his sword. What was the government thinking?

Time for that later. Seeing their prey just up ahead, Rean lifted one hand. It was hard to tell in the dimness, but it looked like a much larger version of the blob creatures they had already slaughtered in job lots, accompanied by a few of the smaller ones. A perfect chance to test how far they'd come, if they could get past the most pressing issue.

"All right," he said. "Laura, Fie, I'm guessing you want to try linking?"

Laura nodded solemnly. "Indeed. If we cannot overcome this barrier, we will only be a burden to the rest of the class."

"What she said," Fie agreed.

Rean took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "All right. Machias and I will link, and Elliot will provide support. That sound good to everyone?"

"Fine with me," Machias said.

Elliot was shaking a little, but he didn't back down. "I'll be right behind you," he said.

"All right," Rean said, drawing his sword. "Let's do this!"

Even as he started forward, he felt one of Elliot's support techniques boosting his speed and stamina. Falling back on his pre-Thors training, he briefly sheathed his tachi, then lashed out in the Eight Leaves' fourth form, Three of the blobs fell to the sweeping attack, and two more exploded when Machias's shotgun barked.

Having gotten a bit of breathing space, Rean turned to see how Laura and Fie were doing. What he saw was . . . less than encouraging.

They were trying, no doubt about it. Laura's strikes didn't come across as halfhearted the way they had in the practical, and Fie was bouncing around like a flea on way too much caffeine, but their coordination was off. Really, really off; more than once Fie created an opening that Laura was unable to exploit.

Eventually, even Elliot appeared to give it up as a lost cause. His ARCUS glowed, and while Rean couldn't hear what he said, a gigantic wall of fire erupted a little too close for comfort, reducing their mark to a foul-smelling ooze. The one remaining "normal" type wandered into range of Rean's blade, and was quickly dispatched.

Sighing, he sheathed his tachi. Well, that could have gone better. They'd won, but Laura and Fie had failed to form a combat link, which defeated the whole purpose of the exercise. He shuddered to think what their grades would look like when they got back.

"You know, maybe you should give up on forming a combat link," Machias ventured.

"I can see why you'd want to," Elliot said, "but it seems like. . . ." He trailed off, unable to finish.

Laura slowly shook her head. "I don't want to hold our group back more than I already have." She stood, a somber look on her face. In light of this, I would like to withdraw from active combat and take on a more supporting role for the duration of this field study."

"Say what!?" Elliot yelped. "You're the strongest in the class; it makes no sense for you not to be in the thick of the fight!"

"Elliot's right," Fie said. "This is ridiculous; I'm the one who should fall back. It makes sense, when you look at what each of us brings to a fight."

Laura was unmoved. "No, it was my own immaturity that caused this. There is still a part of me that refuses to accept you, and this is the result." Fie inhaled sharply at that. "I'm sorry," Laura went on, I didn't think I was so narrow-minded. And I apologize for the distress this has doubtless caused you." She glanced down at her feet. "I came to realize during my club activities that I have a lot of maturing left to do." She looked at Rean. "As such, Rean, I wish to-"

"Denied," Rean said flatly. There was no way he was going to let them give up so soon."I'll be the one withdrawing."

Laura, Fie, and Elliot all looked stunned. Machias, by contrast, though visibly startled, also appeared thoughtful "This is out of the blue. What's your line of thinking, Rean?"

Rean nodded at the girls. "During our practical exam, Jusis and I were able to bring them down with little effort. Does that really make sense?" He paused to let it sink in. "Individually is one thing; you saw Laura and me fight to a draw last month. As a team it's something else; Fie can use her speed and unpredictable nature to create openings for Laura. Their fighting styles complement each other perfectly."

Machias rubbed his chin. "When you put it that way, it does make sense."

"Yeah, if they could form a combat link, they'd be almost unstoppable," Elliot agreed.

"And I think you two must have noticed as well," Rean said, looking from Laura to Fie. "That's why you keep trying to form a combat link, but something keeps getting in the way. Whatever it is, it's been frustrating you both the whole time, hasn't it?"

Fie nodded. "It's exactly as you say," Laura confirmed.

"Since that's how things stand, it just doesn't make sense for you two to just give up and withdraw," Rean said. "Considering everyone's strengths and weaknesses, I'm the most logical choice. That way you'll have more chances to figure out just what's stopping you."

The girls looked at each other and nodded. "You have my thanks," Laura said.

"We'll take you up on your offer," Fie agreed. "But you shouldn't withdraw completely; if you act as rearguard, it'll be easier for us to concentrate." She smiled, just a little. "Besides, I don't think we want a repeat of Aurochs Canyon."

Rean smiled a bit ruefully, rubbing his shoulder where he'd been slashed. "You got me there. Okay, I'll watch your backs."

"You really can be audacious sometimes," Machias said with a chuckle. "Just like with me an Albarea."

Rean shrugged. "Just doing what comes naturally."

"And it's so 'you' to not even think about it," Elliot said, grinning.

As promised, Rean maintained a rearguard position. Not that there was much need for it; they saw almost nothing when they retraced their steps. Maybe they'd intimidated the local monsters, maybe the commotion with the big one had scared the small fry away. Regardless, it meant he didn't have much to do.

Which had its good points. For one thing, it gave him time to think. While they hadn't quite made the breakthrough, there had at least been progress. It helped that for all their awkwardness, Fie and Laura showed none of the hostility Machias and Jusis had displayed in the early days.

They had just reached a larger chamber when Elliot held up a hand. "Something wrong, Elliot?" Rean asked.

The musician frowned, his gaze distant. "Is it just me, or is there music in the distance? A sonata, I think."

Rean closed his eyes. Elliot, he soon found, was right; he distinctly heard a flute and probably a violin. The fact that they could hear it at all underground suggested it was fairly close by.

"It's faint, but I definitely hear music," Machias said.

"A violin, and a flute," Laura said. "Quite an elegant piece from the sound of it."

"And it's not prerecorded, either," Rean said. "Filtering down from the surface, you think?"

Fie's eyes opened, and she trotted over to the west wall. She ran her hands over part of it, and put her ear close. Probably jaeger tracking skills at work, Rean reflected with a certain dry amusement. In all likelihood she could pick up on cracks in the wall no one else would notice.

"A secret passage?" Machias wondered.

"The music seems louder here," Elliot murmured. "And come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I've heard this tune before."

Fie pointed at a rectangular block that seemed out of place, engraved with archaic lettering. "Try there."

Rean did, and took a reflexive step back as the wall slid aside with a loud rumble of stone on stone. Beyond was another tunnel, with a faint but fresh breeze flowing through. And unless his ears were deceiving him, the music was much clearer than before.

"I had no idea there was a mechanism like this down here," Machias said, gaping.

"The music is noticeably clearer as well," Laura said.

"Probably leads to the surface," Fie agreed.

Rean nodded. "Only one way to find out. Come on, let's see where it leads."

The air, he couldn't help noticing, was already getting fresher. More, after walking for just a couple of minutes he could almost swear he smelled flowers, which had him wondering just where in Heimdallr they'd gotten to. That, he reflected ruefully, was the big problem with running around underground.

At length they found a short stairway, leading up through a very old trapdoor. They shielded their eyes as it groaned open, admitting the bright afternoon sunlight.

"I think this is . . . yeah, it's Mater Park," Elliot said, squinting.

"That means we're not far from City Hall," Machias said.

As his vision cleared, Rean saw they'd stepped out into a gazebo near the park's edge. Clean pathways wove through carefully-trimmed grass and shrubbery, with benches alongside here and there. In the distance, near a line of trees, the glass-walled Crystal Garden was visible.

"Who'd have thought we'd end up someplace like this," Rean said with a wry smile.

"Indeed," Laura said. "The layout hasn't changed since the Dark Ages. You really get a sense of the city's history."

Fie glanced back the way they'd come. "It's even bigger than the waterway under Bareahard. No surprise, I guess, it being the capital and all."

Elliot seemed to be barely listening. "Something wrong?" Machias asked.

The musician shook himself. "Not really. It's just, the guys playing that sonata are old friends of mine."

"Students from the look of them," Fie said.

"Exceptionally skilled for their age," Laura added. "I would compare them favorably to some professionals."

Elliot smiled. "You got that right. Would it be okay if I go over and say hi? It shouldn't take long."

"No problem," Rean said. "All we've got left is reporting that monster hunt. Besides, I'm a bit curious myself."

Two boys and a girl around their age stood in a corner of the park. The girl had a flute to her lips, while both boys played violins. All three were dressed in a uniform Rean couldn't recall seeing before, but assumed belonged to a music school of some kind.

They stopped when Elliot started clapping. "H-Hey, aren't you. . . ." one of the boys stammered.

"Elliot!?" the girl burst out, grinning.

"You're back!" the other boy all but shouted.

Chuckling a little, Elliot raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Morris, nice to see you again. You, too, Ron, Kalinka."

Ron, a slender boy with short hair a few shades darker than Instructor Sara's, laughed. "Feels like forever since you've been around."

"You look like you're doing well, though," Kalinka added with a giggle. She brushed long peach-colored hair behind her shoulders. "So, who are your friends?"

Rean inclined his head. "We're Elliot's classmates from Thors Military Academy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Laura said. "It seems we're all the same age."

Machias lifted his eyebrows curiously. "You're Elliot's hometown friends, then. What school's uniform is that? I don't recognize it." Dark brown vests, tan shirts, and tan shirts certainly weren't Imperial military attire.

"Oh, we're students at the Music Academy," Morris said. A somewhat thickset boy (albeit not to George Nome's level) with short blond hair, he didn't really look the part.

Fie turned a questioning look at Elliot. "Music Academy?"

"Yeah. Like the name suggests, it's a school that puts its primary focus on music." Elliot seemed just a bit wistful. "It's on the outskirts of this district. A lot of famous musicians graduated there."

"Explains why you all play so well," Rean said. "I'm just an amateur lute player on my good days."

Ron scratched the back of his head. "Thanks."

"Our academy always performs for the concert in the Summer Festival here," Kalinka said. She smiled. "Classes are done for the day, so we're just getting in some extra practice."

"It does seem like the perfect place," Machias observed. "About the only part of the city where you can get any real peace, except for the Sankt District."

Elliot looked at their instruments with a hint of longing. "I can believe how good you guys have gotten! I mean, you were always great, but you must've been practicing day and night!"

"Tell me about it," Ron groaned. "I can practically hear the songs in my sleep."

Kalinka giggled again. "So true. It'd be pretty disappointing if we weren't at least a little better after all that." She sighed. "Still, I wish you were at the Music Academy with us."

Rean swallowed a little at that. "Um. . . ."
"Oh, don't misunderstand," Ron assured him. "Thors has a really good reputation." He looked at Elliot. "Are you still practicing the violin?"

Elliot brightened. "Oh, yeah, in club practice. I wound up joining the academy's Wind Orchestra; they're pretty good. Thors has a lot of cultural classes, too."

"Glad to hear it," Kalinka said.

"Yeah, it'd be sad if you'd just given up," Morris agreed. "I hope we'll get a chance to play together someday."

Rean allowed himself a laugh. "Elliot's about as likely to give up on music as I am to put down my sword."

"He's a bit . . . obsessed with swordsmanship," Elliot explained. "Really good, though, even I can see it." He smiled. "Anyway, I'm not giving up hope."

A bell cut off their conversation. "That time already?" Ron said. "Sorry, Elliot we need to get going. The festival will be here before you know it, and we still have practicing to do."

Laura offered a slight bow. "I certainly admire your dedication to your craft."

"If you've got some free time, it would be great if you all came to see us perform in concert," Kalinka said. "The more, the merrier!"

"I'm sure we can make time at some point," Rean said.

The trio said their goodbyes and walked off. Elliot, Rean noticed, stared after them, his face a study in mixed feelings. "Elliot?"

He shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. We should swing by the hotel and give our report, then go back to my house. Sis is probably cooking up a storm by now."

A home-cooked meal sounded like exactly what the doctor ordered. Rean found himself flashing back to their stay in Nord; however chaotic things had turned out, there was no denying the food was excellent. If Fiona Craig was anywhere near as good a cook as Gaius's mother and sisters, they were in for a treat.

If there was one thing Thors—and especially Class VII—had over the corps, Fie reflected, it was the menu. Granted practically anything was better than field rations, but the month and a half since Sharon Kreuger had arrived in Trista had been the first time Fie was genuinely tempted to overeat.

Thinking of the corps brought a pang, but not as intense as it would have just a few months earlier. She still missed Xeno, Leo, Garcia, and the others, but it had finally dawned on her that she wasn't alone. People like Rean, Instructor Sara, Emma, Elliot, even Laura despite their current difficulties, all did their best to support her. It was . . . nice.

After a delicious dinner (Elliot's sister easily rivaled Sharon as a chef), Elliot invited them up to his room. Unsurprisingly, it was filled with musical paraphernalia; instruments, sheet music, an orbal record player in one corner. Rean had called it, Elliot was quite the music nerd.

"Violins, wind instruments, a robust percussion section," Laura said, looking around appreciatively. "I presume the cabinets contain sheet music."

"You could open up your own shop with this," Machias said. "There's no way this is just a hobby."

Elliot laughed a little sheepishly. "Yeah, this must look like some kind of obsession."

"Nah, just dedication, like Rean and his sword," Fie said. "So, how come you're not going to school with those guys we met in the park?"

Laura looked at her sharply. "Fie. . . ."

"It's okay, really." Elliot's gaze grew distant. "Truth is, I did originally plan on attending the Music Academy. I wanted to play on stage, like Mom and Fiona did." He sighed. "But, Dad wouldn't hear of it. 'It's one thing to have it as a hobby, but for a man of the Empire to make his living through music is absurd.' No matter how many times I tried to convince him, even with Fiona's help, he just shook his head."

"I kinda wondered how you ended up at Thors," Fie said. "You didn't seem the type."

Elliot chuckled. "Yeah, that's an understatement. Anyway, Dad kept on recommending one military academy after another, trying to push me toward a career in the army. Eventually, I had to give up my dream of attending the Music Academy."

He sat on the edge of his bed. "But then I heard about Thors, how it offers a lot of music-related courses, and half of its graduates find careers outside the army. It seemed like a good compromise, and since Thors is so prestigious, Dad jumped at it." Another sigh. "I'm still no good at fighting, not compared to you guys. I'd get smoked in a real war."

"Do you regret it?" Fie couldn't forget Elliot's expression of longing when they'd met his friends. "Coming to Thors and all?"

He seemed surprised by the question. "Of course not. Sure, I was nervous at first, but I really think I'm getting a better education than if I'd just gone to the Music Academy. More rounded, I guess." He smiled, looking a bit embarrassed. "Besides, if I hadn't come to Thors I wouldn't have met you guys. I'd regret that way more."

Rean chuckled, shaking his head. "I can't believe you can say something like that with a straight face."

"Like you're one to talk, Rean," Elliot shot back with a grin. "Remember when you said we're all going to be major parts of your life from here on?"

Machias looked at Rean sidelong, clearly amused. "You really said that?"

"On the way back from Celdic," Elliot confirmed. "I mean, I sure don't disagree, but it's a weird thing to hear out in the open, especially from a noble."

Major parts of his life. I like the sound of that. . . . "Don't be too hard on yourself, Elliot," Fie said, allowing herself a faint smile. "If you were as bad at fighting as you think, you wouldn't have lasted a week with Sara around." She glanced briefly at Laura. "And I've seen you throw arts around. The boss would've killed to someone with your talent in the corps."

Elliot was visibly startled by this, but seemed pleased nonetheless. "Thanks, Fie. That means a lot coming from you."

He's . . . kinda cute, she thought, much to her own surprise.

Elliot elected to stay at his home for the night. Machias for one didn't blame him; one would never guess that house was home to a famous military man like Craig the Red. Then again, even a hardened general needed a place to relax, and the Craig family home certainly fit that bill.

"Can't believe it's past nine," he said as they neared the old Guild branch. "We stayed at Elliot's place longer than I thought."

Rean chuckled. "I wasn't expecting Fiona to break out the coffee after dinner; hopefully it won't keep us up all night. She even invited us back for breakfast tomorrow; we've barely been here a day, and she's already my favorite person in Heimdallr."

"We'll have to thank her properly when we get the chance," Machias agreed. He looked out into the darkened street. "You know, I've lived here my whole life, but it's only now, running around taking care of field study tasks, that I realize just how big this city is."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Rean said. "They're going to just slip tomorrow's assignments in the mailbox, right?"

"Should be first thing tomorrow morning," Machias said with a nod. He closed his eyes. "Though I do worry about what we're in for this time. I have this terrible feeling that my father will overestimate us and give us tasks that are too much to handle. Or something like that."

Rean smiled ruefully. "I know what you mean. All the more reason to finish up our reports and get some sleep, I guess." He paused, appearing to sense the same tension Machias did, and turned around. "What's wrong with you two?"

Hoping it was nothing significant, Machias said, "You tired or something? You've been awfully quiet."

Both girls shook their heads. "No," Laura said. "However, listening to Elliot has finally showed me what I must do." She faced Fie, a solemn expression on her face. "Fie, I challenge you to a duel."

What!? I couldn't possibly have heard that right.

Incredibly, Fie simply nodded. "Okay. Tonight, right?"

"Yes, tonight," Laura said. "I fear I won't be able to sleep until this is resolved."

"Hold on just a second!" Machias said, unable to keep silent any longer. "A duel? Tonight? Where did this come from?"

Laura shrugged as though it was perfectly normal. "Fie and I will engage in single combat to determine the victor. That's all."

"Oh, that's all," Machias repeated, making no attempt to hide his sarcasm. "Are you kidding me!?"

Rean, normally a voice of reason (as Machias knew from painful experience), didn't even twitch. "Well, you can't do it in a populated area like this, especially at night. You'll wake the whole neighborhood. How about Mater Park?"

"That seems an ideal venue," Laura said with a nod.

"The area around where we came out of that underground passage should be nice and quiet," Fie added.

Machias suppressed a groan. "I guess that wouldn't be too bad. But seriously, Rean, are you actually going along with this!? It's crazy!"

"Oh, shush," Fie said, rolling her eyes.

"While the capital has a heady nightlife, we should still avoid causing a commotion," Laura said, apparently unaware that her harebrained idea was a commotion.

Rean laughed. "Okay, the park it is. The trams are still running, right?"

"They run until eleven, but are we seriously doing this!?" Machias demanded in exasperation. The others promptly walked off toward the nearest tram station; it seemed they were, indeed, doing it. "Aidios, have mercy," he muttered, and broke into a jog to catch up.

It was only ten minutes from Alto Street to Mater Park. Machias spent those ten minutes trying to think of a way to talk his friends out of utter insanity. Granted it wasn't exactly unusual for Fie, but he expected better from Rean and Laura. Rean seemed to lack a self-preservation instinct when others were in danger, but this kind of stunt wasn't like him at all.

"The park's scenery has a certain mystical air at night," Laura remarked.

"It's nice," Fie said. "Almost like a dream."

Rean chuckled. "You're in luck, no one's going to be taking a leisurely stroll at this hour."

Machias hissed through clenched teeth. "That may be true, but this is still the capital! You really shouldn't be fighting around here."

"Put a sock in it, Machias," Fie said, sounding dryly amused.

Laura was more cordial. "I apologize for burdening you with this, but I would appreciate you keeping watch."

They made their way to the gazebo they'd emerged in earlier that day. As Rean had said, the place was all but deserted; Machias saw no more than four people in the entire park, none of them close enough to interfere with Laura and Fie's little grudge match.

Laura had one hand on that monster sword of hers. "All right, Fie, here are my conditions. If I win this duel, I want you to tell me about your past, your personal history." She smiled at Fie's evident surprise. "At first, there was something about your strength that I just couldn't bring myself to accept. From the moment we first met, I could tell you were holding back."

And that offended you, Machias thought, recalling what Elliot had said about Celdic.

"Considering your build, your combat proficiency is extraordinary," Laura went on, "simply too far removed from what I've come to know following the way of the sword."

"No doubt," Fie said, her tone giving nothing away.

Laura's lips compressed in a thin line. "Adding to that, you were once part of a jaeger corps. I can't say I've ever viewed jaegers in a positive light. After all, if one defines knighthood as the path of the virtuous, how can the path of the jaeger be seen as anything but corrupt? I came to believe that because we had been raised with such opposing values, I simply couldn't accept you."

That had an effect. Fie's normally expressionless face faltered, just a little.

"But I was mistaken," Laura said. "After hearing Elliot's story, I asked myself again why I was so reluctant to fight alongside you. I tried to ascertain my feelings, slowly and carefully. And that was when I finally realized: during all these months we've trained together, I knew deep down you were worthy of my trust. Our values were irrelevant; this came from my heart." Fie inhaled sharply. "But I was too stubborn to acknowledge one simple truth. In my heart, I had already deemed you worthy of my trust, yet my mind refused to accept it. That contradiction is likely what prevented us from using the ARCUS link properly."

"That explains a lot," Machias murmured. "Did you know about this, Rean?"

"Yeah, I noticed during that monster hunt earlier."

Fie, incredibly, looked almost stricken. "You weren't the only one who thought we couldn't get along," she said quietly. "You live your life so, I don't know, honestly. I thought you couldn't accept me because of that." She frowned. "Still, what does this have to do with wanting to know about my past?"

Laura smiled. "It's quite simple. The truth is, I like you." Fie gasped again. "As such, I want to know you better. Nothing more than that."

"You really are something else." Fie shrugged. "That's fine, I don't mind telling you." Her expression hardened. "But taking your spoils by force is the jaeger's way through and through." She drew her gun-swords. "Are you okay with that?"

"It's fine by me." Laura's greatsword was suddenly in-hand. "Because I have no intention of thinking of it as mere spoils. Rather, I see it as the reward for a hard-won victory."

This makes no sense! "You just talked things out!" Machias protested. "Why bother fighting now!?"

Rean laughed, shaking his head. "Okay, I'll officiate this duel. You don't need to hold back, but I'll stop you if things get out of hand. All right?"

"Fine with me," Fie said.

"You have my thanks," Laura agreed.

Rean took a deep breath. "Begin!"

Despite his misgivings, Machias couldn't help but be enthralled by what he saw. Laura wielded her massive sword with deceptive ease, while Fie's quicker movements had a catlike grace. The former jaeger made the first move, feinting to one side before driving in from the opposite angle. To his amazement, Laura was able to intercept the attack, interposing her greatsword just before Fie could land a blow.

Unruffled, Fie backflipped away. She danced from one foot to the other, apparently checking Laura's stance for openings. Seeming to find one, she snapped her gun-swords up and fired, the first shot a clean miss, the second ricocheting off the flat of Laura's sword.

Then it was Laura's turn to take the offensive. She leaped into the air and brought her sword down in a move Machias recalled her using in the old schoolhouse, releasing a shockwave that Fie only narrowly avoided. Before the younger girl could counter, Laura spun around, a wide sweeping attack that seemed to draw Fie closer in.

Fie reached for her belt and drew out a small object. Having a good idea what it was, Rean and Machias shielded their eyes just as a flash grenade went off. Blinking furiously, Machias saw to his shock that Laura seemed barely affected, causing him to wonder if she was even human.

"You're good," Laura said, inclining her head respectfully.

"Same to you," Fie said.

Laura brought her sword up, running one hand along its length. "Then I won't hold back. I'll show you my strongest technique, learned from my father."

Fie dropped into a forward crouch, a posture Machias recognized from their second monster hunt outside Bareahard. "Then I'll show you my best, that I learned from the Boss himself."

"That's enough!" Rean snapped.

BANG.

With surprising suddenness, it was over. Laura and Fie lay on their backs a couple arge away, gasping for breath. "I honestly have no idea who won," Machias said. "What about you, Rean?"

The noble swordsman shook his head. "I hate to say it, after agreeing to oversee the whole thing, but as far as I can tell, it was a draw."

Laura made a sound that might have been a sigh. "All the more reason for me to redouble my training," she said. "For I have no intention of simply giving up here."

Machias couldn't help smiling at that. Typical Laura.

"Actually, I lost this one." Fie wiped her brow with one hand. "Jaegers are at our best when we fight at night; the darkness gives us an edge. When I threw that flash grenade, it should have disoriented you, but you just ignored it. If we'd been fighting during the day, I would've lost."

"I see." Laura sat up. "Then I will graciously accept this victory."

Probably ought to leave them be. "Well, I guess it's time we write those reports," Machias said, making to leave.

"I don't mind if you hear it," Fie said. "What about you, Laura?"

"It's fine by me," Laura said with a tired smile. "We're all in this together."

Machias was just as grateful. Potential awkwardness aside, he was genuinely curious about Fie's past. An exchange student like Gaius was unusual enough; a former jaeger attending a prestigious institution like Thors was downright bizarre. Not to mention Fie had never come across as battle-hungry the way most jaegers seemed to.

Fie sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I used to be part of a jaeger corps called Zephyr," she said. "Before that, my earliest memories are of war and battlefields. I found myself wandering in a country I never knew the name of; jaegers threw themselves into battle for the highest bidder, while I wandered alone."

She closed her eyes. "Then I met him. The leader of Zephyr, Rutgar Claussell, AKA the Jaeger King. He was middle-aged, crafty, and tough. He seemed carefree, but he never let his guard down."

"Rutgar Claussell," Laura repeated thoughtfully. "So you took his surname?"

Fie nodded. "He was the closest thing to a father I've ever had. Anyway, Zephyr was a tough, wily bunch, but they were all nice to me. Soon I was helping with the cooking, the cleaning, the packing, while the others taught me the skills I'd need to survive on the battlefield. I was . . . ten, I think, when I fought in my first real battle."

Machias winced. It was amazing Fie was even able to function, fighting since she was that young. No wonder it had taken her so long to adjust to Thors.

"It took a while, but eventually they got the Boss to make me a full member of the group." Fie's eyes opened, staring at something only she could see. "We roamed all across the continent together. There were tough times, times we thought we might not live through the night, but we always did. Together." She sighed. "Until last year, when our Boss died."

There was just a hint of bitterness in her voice. "There was another corps, the Red Constellation; people said they were the only corps in western Zemuria that could match us. Their leader, a guy they called the War God, had been on bad terms with our Boss for years. At the end, they decided to settle things with one big duel." Her right hand twitched, as if she'd been about to clench a fist but changed her mind. "They went all out for three days, and three nights. In the end, they both fell."

That's . . . I can't even imagine. To lose your father like that. . . .

"After that, the Zephyr I'd grown up with disbanded." For a brief moment, it looked like Fie had tears in her eyes. "Everyone just vanished; I have no idea where they went. And then, just like that, I was alone again."

"Fie. . . ." Rean whispered.

Fie gazed contemplatively at one of her gun-swords. "A little while later, I ran into Instructor Sara. She'd been following the clash between Zephyr and the Red Constellation, and saw what went down. She took me to Thors, introduced me to the principal, and, well, you guys know the rest."

No one spoke at first. The enormity of what their youngest classmate had gone through left them at a loss for words. It at least explained how a former jaeger had ended up at Thors: she literally had nowhere else to go.

"Thank you very much for sharing that," Laura said. She stood, helping Fie to her fight. "Do you have the energy to mix things up a little?"

"Huh? Oh, sure." A predatory grin spread across Fie's face.

Rean drew his tachi. "Urgh, I should've known this would happen! Revenge for the practical exam, is it?"

"Take it how you will," Laura said, smiling faintly.

Hurriedly, Machias snatched out his shotgun. "Damn it, this is insane!"

Insane it was. Laura and Fie's performance was nothing like the practical exam. Fie was a blur, never in the same spot for more than half a second, far too fast for Machias to draw a bead on her. By the time he even had his weapon raised she'd struck three times, nearly knocking him off his feet. At which point Laura removed the "nearly" with the flat of her sword, sending him sprawling.

Rean fared better, but not by much. With Machias so quickly neutralized, not even a swordsman of the Eight Leaves could handle linked opponents of Laura and Fie's caliber. Individually he was a match for them; both simultaneously were just too much. He parried Fie's initial attacks, but that left him open to Laura's power blows. In the end, the outcome was inevitable.

"I think," Rean wheezed, collapsing next to Machias while Laura and Fie exchanged high-fives, "we've just witnessed the birth of an unstoppable duo."

"Nah, not quite," Fie said. "Laura's still better linked with you. But just barely," she added, smirking.

For all the craziness, Machias couldn't help laughing. At least, he reflected, their last major interpersonal squabble had finally been resolved. Maybe now they could start moving forward as a class.

And then his cheerful reverie was shattered by a shrill whistle. Seeing Heimdallr police approaching, all Machias could think was, Dammit, I knew this was a bad idea!

Authors note: Too long in coming, and too much exposition, but here it is. I've always loved the Heimdallr field study, save for what C pulls at the end, but I underestimated just how much info dumping there was.

That aside, I should have more of a handle on the next one. Until then. ~D.S.