December 20, S.1205 - Crossbell Military Police HQ

"This is ridiculous!"

Juna stomped her way outside the office of the newly appointed department head. Her knuckles blanched white and her eyes red. She huffed, finally releasing her fists from a self-induced stranglehold so that she could cross her arms in resentment.

She really wanted to hit something right now and she was doing her damnedest to not walk back into the office of the department head and deck him in the face. His stupid, shit-eating face.

Oh, how she was tempted to make him eat shit.

"I'm sorry, Juna." Major Claire gave her a solemn look. "I'm afraid that was all I could manage."

Juna sighed, her frustration palpable. "It's not your fault, Instructor Claire. It's just- UGH!"

It took all her mental strength to not kick over the nearby trash can.

It wasn't fair!

Why did they have to deal with all this crap? It's been nearly a year since then. A whole year since Crossbell was occupied by the Empire. A whole year of having her beautiful city desecrated by the sight of mechanical giants and tanks from their Imperial neighbors. A whole year of having their entire society usurped by the demands of a madman.

…

And it had been nearly ten months since she last saw him .

But what finally crossed the line was the recent arrest warrants being sent out to everyone in the department and the police academy (she refused to ever call it the Military Police Academy).

Lloyd Bannings, the leader of the SSS and her hero, was labeled a criminal by the very city he helped save not once, but twice a year ago.

She remembered the occupation as if it were yesterday and yet it felt so long ago. No bloodshed. No fighting. Just the signing between Erebonia's Blood and Iron Chancellor smugly enticing Acting Mayor MacDowell as the older man fought back tears. She recalled another man by the chancellor's side with just as smug an expression, but what broke her heart was seeing him standing beside the imposing man as well.

Rean Schwarzer, her best friend, was partly responsible for the annexation.

What's worse, he was touted as a hero too! The Ashen Chevalier they were calling him! Looking at him standing by as his second home got consumed by the encroaching beast that was the Empire made her feel a whirlwind of emotions. Confusion. Anger. Disgust.

Everything culminated in her protesting at HQ. If nothing else, it would've been a great way to at least vent her frustrations to people who would listen. What she didn't account for was that the new head of the department was Erebonian and appointed by the new Governor General.

The conniving weasel had the gall to revoke all of the credits she had worked for. Everything she had been working towards for well over a year! She had been lucky that Instructor Claire was there with her, even if it meant only reinstating half of the credits she earned.

Juna stole a glance at the older woman. She should've hated her. She was one of the most notable officers in the Railway Military Police and supposedly one of the right hands of Chancellor Osborne himself. She even had connections with Rean. She was Erebonian through and through.

...No, perhaps it was because she was Erebonian that Juna felt some sort of connection with her. Juna cursed herself for having such a hypocritical outlook.

But even so, ever since her temporary reassignment to the police academy, Claire had been nothing but gracious towards her. Her experience with the RMP made her more than qualified to come teach at the police academy and she had learned a lot from her; almost as much as she had learned from each member of the Special Support Section. And Claire even helped her here when the department head was being unreasonable in his demands.

"So, you're saying I'll have to get back my credits from another school?" Juna asked while rubbing her hand over her face.

"It's not a requirement, but I believe it to be better than retaking all your classes in the same environment. I actually have one lined up for you."

"You do?" Juna raised an eyebrow. "But we just had the whole debacle with the department head. How did you figure out where to bring me already?"

Claire let out an awkward giggle. "Guess I let the surprise out too early. I apologize, Juna, but it seems like you've been having… trouble with your studies lately. There's a new school that's being established and I thought it would be a good change of pace for you."

"Huh, wow. I guess I have been zoning out in class a lot more lately. So much has happened in the past year."

Claire nodded. "Yes, it has. And forgive me for being presumptuous, but I believe attending this school would be more beneficial to you than you realize. It should broaden your horizons more than if you were attending strictly a police academy."

Juna looked at Claire skeptically. A school that would "broaden her horizons more"? It wasn't some arts academy or science institute, was it? At least she could probably get by in the former, but she didn't remember the last time she even glanced at a periodic table or calculated, well, anything .

But the gentle smile on Claire's features comforted her. Perhaps it was for the best. Even if she stayed at the police academy, she'd only be initiated into the newly christened Military Police after she graduated. It had already made her sick how much Erebonia had changed Crossbell. Even the thought of working for such a government made her want to vomit.

"Okay, I'll take you up on that."

March 31, S.1206 - Train to Leeves

So you know that feeling when you visit a completely new place for the first time? You take in your new environment, inscribing everything you see into your memory. The sights, the people, the food, the really bad smell coming from the back alley. When she meant everything, she meant everything.

Juna once enjoyed that wonderful feeling, once upon a time. The feeling of excitement and discovery.

But now, it just felt empty and hollow.

Why? The answer was simple.

She hated Erebonia.

"If you keep scowling like that, your face will get stuck that way."

She glared at the source of the voice.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Randy."

"Hey, I was trying to lighten the mood. If you glared any harder, I would've thought you were going to shoot lasers out of your eyes and burn down the whole train with us in it. I'd prefer arriving alive, thank you very much."

"Sorry… It's just… I don't feel comfortable here."

Randy arched an eyebrow, resting both his hands behind his head. It was a long ride between Crossbell and their next destination, so he had hoped to get some relaxation before then. However, Juna's foul mood led him to monitor her in case she decided to do something less than savory.

Not like he was exactly thrilled to be deported off either, but his somewhat matured mind told him to roll with the punches. Lloyd made the decision to disband the SSS and he couldn't do much on his own. He hoped Juna would come to realize that soon enough.

"Hey, Junie. Just try to relax, alright? Didn't you used to visit Erebonia all the time?"

Her dark glare cut into him like daggers.

His somewhat matured mind, indeed.

"Sore topic, I get it." He tried to wave it off. Still, he knew that reminding her was insensitive of him. Tio Tot and Madamois-Elie would've given him an earful for sure. "Trust me, I don't like it either. But we gotta do what we gotta do. We'll get our chance someday."

Juna sighed, her tense body finally relaxing as she slumped into the admittedly comfy seat cushions.

"I know. I know! It's just… so frustrating." She hung her arm over her eyes, blocking out the sun that shined onto them as she laid down. She already spent the energy being angry, so there was no way she was gonna spend any more trying to correct herself the other way, dammit. She was gonna lie down and she was gonna like it. "Had it been a year ago, I would've been thrilled to come back. But now…"

"Yeah, the occupation fu-" The former jaeger tried keeping a composed demeanor, but faltered once he saw a young mother glare at him. " Messed with all of us. You most of all. I can't even begin to imagine how you feel about all this. But right now, we just gotta roll with the punches."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it."

"Besides, maybe you'll even like it here. I mean, you and that Maiden lady get along well enough, right?" For a brief second, it looked like Randy held back a grimace when he referred to Claire.

Juna fell silent. She knew as well as anyone that trusting Major Claire didn't make much sense when she blamed her country on the annexation. Especially since she knew that the Icy Maiden served directly under the chancellor himself. But there was something about the major that she felt like she could trust. A quality of sorts that couldn't be replicated or faked.

In the end, however, she supposed there were worse ways to deal with her situation. She should have felt grateful that she could recover any of her credits at all instead of having them removed from her record all together. Even if she wanted to kick the department head's lights into next year.

Maybe she'd relearn to love the country she had grown to despise.

Juna looked out the window.

The sun had been obscured by the clouds, allowing her to bear witness to the hollow beauty of the highway.

April 1, S.1206 - Leeves

Juna wasn't told much the moment she landed in the small suburban town.

She was only directed to take her things into the nearby dormitory and stay for the night. It was pretty late by the time they arrived, so she didn't need to be told twice. The morning after, a tall blond man announced to all the dorm's residents to get into uniform and meet at the academy.

Randy, being one of the new instructors of her new school, had to go on ahead and prepare the opening ceremony. Juna had a little bit of time before then, so she decided to visit the chapel.

Juna wasn't really religious. The only time she ever really visited the cathedral in Crossbell was to attend Sunday School or to go with her family whenever her parents wanted to pray. But with how the town was laid out, the only available spaces outside of the dorm were shops that would have taken far too much of her attention.

At least, that was the initial justification. The chapel was perfect to clear her thoughts and calm her nerves.

When Instructor Claire said the name of the school, Juna was floored. She didn't know if it was a strange twist of fate or if the goddess decided to pull a cruel prank on her but either way, she wasn't thrilled.

Thors' Branch Campus. A newly instated academy that was separate for the main campus in Trista, but Thors all the same. In other words, the same school he went to.

Rean had become a sore subject for her since the last time they met. While her siblings didn't know any better, her parents did whatever they could to avoid speaking his name. Dinner had suddenly become a lot less lively and Juna had been the main culprit.

She knew her parents wanted to call her out on her behavior. They knew the truth of what happened that day. That it was Rean who saved her, Ken, and Nana. They disliked how stubborn she had been about it. Yet they let her vent without a single word of complaint.

Was it because she was justified in her anger?

That she had legitimate reason to be frustrated?

That must've meant that she was right, right?

…

Or maybe she was just deluding herself. Maybe she just wanted someone to place the blame on and Rean was the easiest person to lash out at.

Becoming the hero of the Erebonian Civil War. Being appointed as the forerunner in the battles against Calvard after the annexation. Merely being present in the single most vulnerable moment in her life. It all added up and she just exploded at him.

After finally taking the time to settle down and collect her thoughts, everything she had done this past year seemed ridiculous. Rean was still only 18 by the time the war ended. He still wasn't considered an adult even now. Ashen Chevalier or no, he wasn't old enough to participate in large scale policies like annexation. That would be absolutely absurd.

"Excuse me, miss?" A woman's angelic voice spoke from behind her. Juna turned to meet her eyes, seeing a Sister with short blonde hair.

"Hello, there." Juna quickly responded, noticing that she paused for a bit too long due to her staring. "Sorry, am I in your way?"

The Sister shook her head. "Of course not. I was just a little worried because you looked as if you were lost in deep thought. Is there anything I could assist you with?"

Juna was taken aback at how soothing the aura of the woman speaking to her felt. Her genuine smile radiated a gentleness that calling her the reincarnation of Aidios herself wouldn't be far from hyperbole.

She also looked somewhat familiar, but Juna ignored that notion.

"No, I'm fine. Just sorting out some… complicated things."

"I see. Well, if you need any help, you can ask me any time. Oh, yes, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rosine. I recently transferred here to Leeves as a new Sister."

The woman's smile widened just a tiny sliver, but the light behind her glowed ever brighter.

"J-Juna Crawford. Nice to meet you."

Rosine's eyes dilated slightly. Her smile, slightly crestfallen, wavered. However, as if she were trained to keep calm under pressure, Rosine reformed her gentle and poised self.

"Likewise, Juna. Judging by your uniform, you're one of the new students at the branch campus? It fits you quite nicely."

Juna hadn't been too positive about how to take that compliment, but she accepted it nonetheless.

"So, Juna. What do you think of Leeves so far?" Rosine asked as she sat down on one of the pews. She motioned for the mentioned girl to sit beside her. "I know I said I was a recent addition just a while ago, but I've grown rather fond of it already. It reminds me of my previous home."

"I haven't taken the time to really see what it has to offer yet. I arrived pretty late last night. But from what I can tell, it's a huge difference from where I'm from. A lot quieter and peaceful compared to the city." Juna waved her hands, afraid she might have something unintentionally rude. "N-Not that quiet is bad! I used to go to a really quiet town when I was younger and I loved it… there."

Rosine giggled. "Don't worry about it. We all have our preferences. "I'm not very partial to cities. Though that might be strange to say since I'm from Arteria."

"Oh that's nice… Wait, Arteria?! As in the Holy City of Arteria?!"

"That's the one." Rosine clapped her hands together. "I suppose most people would have more fondness for their hometown, but I found things to be unbearable. I'd rather not bore you with the details. Still, I can't say it didn't at least have some influence on me. I doubt I'd feel so fulfilled as a member of the Church had I not been born there."

Juna still had to wrap her head around the fact that the woman she was currently speaking to was from the Holy City itself. It was rare for people to actually be born in Arteria since it was more of a religious city-state where pilgrims and clergymen gather. Its influence over the world made it a central part of Zemuria's governance. Somehow Rosine managed to maintain that divine radiance and combined it with the gentleness of a human being.

Yet, her words still made their mark on her.

"I think I get what you mean. Our hometowns will always be a part of us no matter what. That is what you mean, right? Sorry, I'm usually off the mark on these kinds of things."

Give her a break, all right? As if analyzing literature was ever fun.

However, Rosine clapped her hands again. "That you are! You'll always have some pride in your hometown, even if it may waver."

Juna let out a soft laugh. It was strange, hearing those comforting words from a complete stranger.

Part of her felt, deep down, that her Crossbell pride had been broken since the occupation. She tried ignoring it, time and time again, but it crept out in the most unexpected of times. Did she feel ashamed of being Crossbellan? A land rife with strife and crime?

…No, that was an oversimplification. No doubt the feelings of every Crossbellan had grown complicated for the past year. But part of the Empire or not, Crossbell will always be Crossbell.

"...Juna, forgive me for prying, but… Could I listen to your woes? I always found that when dealing with personal issues, talking about them with someone is usually a good start."

"A-Are you sure?"

Rosine nodded. "As long as you don't mind."

"Well… I guess I did want someone to vent to. I just haven't found the right person. Guess I'm not getting a better deal than with a Sister, huh?"

Juna regaled the woman with her story. How she was from Crossbell and her friendship with Rean (though she chose to redact his name) developed since they were kids. How it formed and eventually severed.

"I see… so the two of you are currently aren't on speaking terms."

She shook her head. "No. But so long as I'm here in Erebonia, the chances of me running into him are far from impossible. I just… I don't know what I should do."

"I understand. You must have gone through a lot since Crossbell was occupied. I'm sorry to hear that, Juna."

Juna nodded meekly, struggling to figure out a proper reply.

"As for your friend, well, do you know for a fact that he played a part in the occupation?"

"Well…" No, definitely not. But being the posterboy for the army certainly didn't help. "Not exactly. I sorta just… cut him off after the occupation happened. I haven't spoken to him since."

"I see… But before I continue, do you seek a solution to your problem or do you merely want to vent?"

"Huh?"

Rosine's smile came back full force. "I ask because it's important to have someone to listen to you in any sort of relationship. Though we barely know each other, it's important to remember that some people talk about these things to let loose any lingering feelings they may have before they burst. They're not always looking for solutions or unsolicited advice."

"Huh, I never really thought about that before."

"Yes, well, it's something I've learned myself rather recently. Though it may be unproductive to some, just having someone to listen to you is enough to get them back on their feet."

"I guess that makes sense. It's annoying when people just tell you what to do when you've already tried that."

"And you end up more frustrated as a result."

"Then… I guess I am looking for a solution. I haven't tried anything yet so anything you say would definitely be new to me."

Rosine giggled. "I'm glad to hear it. My advice to you is to take the time to learn your friend's perspective. As far as you're aware, none of his own actions have been particularly harmful, right?"

Juna paused to think. "No… I guess not. Most of the stuff that happens in Crossbell is usually because of what a politician or other sorta bigwig does."

He also saved her life, but she wasn't about to say that outloud.

"Then it should be okay, right? Talk to him when you can. Hopefully before you explode at each other because you kept it bottled up for too long."

Juna rubbed her chin. What Rosine said made sense to her. It wasn't fair to Rean that she painted him with the same brush that she put on the other Erebonians that supported the annexation. She might have been impulsive, but she knew to accept fault when it was her own.

And… it would be nice to get things back to normal between them.

"Thank you, Rosine. It sounds obvious in hindsight, but I guess you miss the obvious when you're the only one looking, right?"

"Haha, I suppose so. You're more than welcome though, Juna."

Rosine turned to the clock above them. "Oh dear, looks like I took up too much of your time. The opening ceremony is soon approaching."

"Oh crap! You're right!" Juna shot up from the pew, jogging in place to prepare for a full-on sprint. "Thanks Rosine!"

"Of course. I'm happy to help out any time." The Sister offered a small wave of her hand. "Good luck today!"

Juna bolted out of the chapel, heading straight to the stone building in the back of town.

You have got to be kidding me.

Many times before, Rean had wondered if Aidios enjoyed tormenting him.

Dropping his bowl of pheasant stew during dinner? Tragic.

Losing the original deck of Blade cards Crow gave him during his first year? Utterly heartbreaking.

Accidentally running inside the hot springs while the girls were in there? Okay, admittedly his fault.

He tried not to dwell on the fact that he helped annex another country and made his best friend hate him, but yeah. The goddess dealt him a pretty crappy hand in life.

He expected that.

But he didn't expect this.

"Name's Randolph Orlando. Got transferred here from the Imperial Army, Crossbell Unit. I've been hearing your name all over lately. Pleasure to finally meet the man himself."

With eyes closed, Rean couldn't tell if they matched his smile or not.

Towa shot him a look of concern, but Rean powered through. It was time for him to face the music.

Rean knew that there was gonna be some semblance of popularity issues when he first signed up for this job. Love it or hate it, the Ashen Chevalier became a household name over the course of the past year and a half. It didn't help that they always published pictures of him alongside any articles they wrote.

Finally getting to meet Randolph, a former jaeger of the Red Constellation and one of the members of the now disbanded SSS, felt surreal. Not to mention he was Lloyd Bannings' right-hand man and someone she looked up to.

Not even their newly appointed principal and school researcher, Aurelia Le Guin and Professor Schmidt respectively, could erase this intense pressure he felt.

If only that was the sole thing he had to deal with this new school year.

Instructor Micheal Irving, the chief instructor and a major of the RMP, led the group to the academy field to prepare for a brief opening ceremony. Since there was no auditorium, and with the small class size, it could make due.

Rean scanned the crowd of students gathering in the area. It was a small group, only twenty, but he expected that when he heard Prince Olivert was the one who opened the school up himself in such a short turnaround time.

However… there were a few faces that he absolutely recognized.

First was Altina, forgoing her usual hoodie for the standard uniform for the branch campus with an addition of a flat cap and leggings. Her hair wasn't tied in twintails anymore, letting it flow down like a silver waterfall.

Second was a face he hadn't seen in a while: Sandy of the Sunny Spot Inn in Alster. He hadn't maintained any contact with her since his last visit, but his grandparents sent him letters often detailing the goings-on in town. Being in the countryside often meant not many huge events happened, so even if something small came about, the residents treated it like a big deal. It was endearing, in a way.

The third student took him a good while to recognize due to her change in hairstyle, but he definitely remembered that mint-colored hair. His face scrunched up a bit once their previous intimacy flashed through his mind. Musse being one of his students was certainly going to complicate things.

However, the fourth took the cake entirely.

He recognized those pink locks anywhere. Tied back into her signature ponytail and flowing seamlessly down her head. Her eyes were shrouded in a fog that made her message clear: she didn't want to be here.

"What's wrong, Rean?" Towa asked, noticing that her old junior and new co-worker had frozen in his tracks. "You see someone you know?"

Rean didn't even need to point to her for Towa to instantly understand him.

"Oh…"

Somebody— anybody —kill her now.

"Is that… the Ashen Chevalier and the Golden Rakshasa?!"

"No way… is he gonna be an instructor here?"

"Ah man, and here I was hoping for an easy school life. They're both probably strict as hell."

The chattering amongst the other students felt like buzzing to her. Sounds that she was faintly aware of but ultimately ignored in favor of the deep, hollow ringing in her head that occurred whenever she became too acutely aware of what made her anxious.

The source of that anxiety? One of the men facing the crowd.

He stood there, white coat and all, next to someone else she was familiar with: Towa Herschel. Sure, he had gotten taller and donned glasses now (Seriously, did he actually think those look good on him?), but Juna would never mistake him for anyone else.

Rean Schwarzer.

Thoughts ran through her mind faster than the latest orbal car model. The ringing filled her ears with pressure. How did it come to this?

She just so happened to lose her credits and not only got sent to the same school as him , but now she also got him as an instructor?! What were the odds of that?! She wanted to apologize to him, but not this soon!

Accompanying He-Shall-Not-Be-Named and Towa, there was the blond man from earlier, an older man in a lab coat, Randy, and a woman with strikingly familiar silver hair.

Juna felt a tap on her shoulder. She jumped slightly in reaction, mustering her willpower to prevent a surprised yelp from escaping her lips. She drew a few stares from the other students, but her plight went mostly ignored.

"Oh my. I was about to mention that you looked tense, but I think that reaction spoke for me."

Her newly discovered tormentor's lips curled into a sweet smile.

"Are you okay?"

For a second, Juna stood slightly mesmerized. The girl was only slightly younger than her, maybe by a year or two, with curly mint-colored hair. It was strange to see a girl like her attend a military academy, but then again there was an even younger girl in the crowd who didn't even flinch at the instructional line-up.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Juna replied. "Just felt a little, er, out of place . That's all."

The girl giggled. "Perhaps when this is all over, we should take the time to relax. There's a bakery in town that has sweets that I hear are to die for."

"That… sounds nice?"

Juna, slightly put-off of how friendly the strange girl was being, stepped back from her approaching figure.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll love it. Things will get hectic soon, so it'll be a good place to wind down and relax."

Before the girl could elaborate any further, the instructors all gathered in front of the crowd in an orderly manner. The blond man with the commanding presence spoke up first.

"We will now begin the entrance ceremony for Thors Military Academy's branch campus! The opening speeches will be omitted! We will begin by announcing class assignments!"

The mint-haired girl swiftly backed away. "Oops, guess that's our cue. It's very nice to meet you, Juna Crawford."

"Yeah, same here… Wait, hang on!"

Before Juna could even begin to question how the girl knew her name, she had happily skipped back into her original place in the crowd. The man continued his announcement.

Juna flinched, feeling the man's glare boring into her neck to get her back into attention. She stood back in place, letting the girl skip back to her original location.

"First, Class VIII: Combat Tactics! The instructor is Randolph Orlando!"

Randy shot her a sympathetic look before turning on his professional demeanor.

"Right. Step forward when I call your name."

Okay, so even if she's been put in this odd situation, at least she could have Randy as an instructor, right? She'd only have to avoid Rean until graduation. Easy.

"Jessica, Wayne, Sidney, Maya…"

Juna tightly crossed her fingers to the point where sweat filled what little space was in-between them.

"Ash, Freddy, Gustaf, and Leonora. You eight."

…

Well, that's not ideal.

"Next, Class IX: Military Finance! The instructor is Towa Herschel!"

Juna interlocked her fingers this time, as if she were doing a prayer but kept her hands behind her back. She didn't want to seem desperate before their first day of school.

Being in Towa's class would definitely be awkward, but at least she could deal with her much better than with Rean.

"Sandy, Kairi, Tita, Louise, Tatiana, Valerie, Musse, Pablo, and Stark. There are nine of you in total."

…

Welp, her life was over.

The two groups of students broke away from the crowd, forming their own pods around their new homeroom instructors. Juna saw the girl from earlier shooting her a wink before converging with the rest of Military Finance. The only students who were left were her, a blue-haired boy about her age, and the really young silver-haired girl.

Weirdly enough, no one had told them which class they were assigned to.

"Silence! We will now have a word from our principal!" The blond man turned to the imposing woman standing in the front. "Principal, if you would."

She stepped forward, confidence built into every stride. She held her hand on her hip and sent a long, piercing stare at the entire student body.

"I am Aurelia Le Guin, principal of the branch campus. As some of you are new to Erebonia, not all of you may be familiar with my name. That, however, is of little concern to me."

Juna had been somewhat familiar with the name. Aurelia Le Guin, one of the commanding generals of the Noble Alliance during the civil war and a master of the two most prominent sword styles in the empire. Juna's shaking legs almost gave way from her presence.

"A few of you may have noticed already, but I'll spell it out for the rest: this school is a trash bin."

That caught everyone's attention. Her body became stiff as a board and her eyes widened. Even the other instructors gave the woman questionable looks. She could imagine how the other students felt.

"Thors' main campus will be welcoming the crown prince this year. As such, it will go through heavy reform. This campus is a place they can toss aside those deemed too troublesome or those with problematic backgrounds."

Yikes.

"Just like that. All of you, our instructors, and even myself are here because we've been tossed aside."

Silent whispers traveled through each student group, some that were barely contained under their hushed guises. The redhead boy in particular was really loud.

"However, there is a saying: 'Be ever vigilant, as though the world is a battlefield'." The warrioress smirked, shooting all the students a knowing and intimidating gaze. "Such a mindset is difficult to learn in times of peace. However, the situation we find ourselves in is the perfect environment for it."

The principal stomped her foot, forcing all those who were barely listening to stand to attention. She wasn't asking for their attention. Aurelia Le Guin demanded it.

"Those who lack the resolve to better themselves—to reforge themselves in the fires of adversity—leave now." Her hand reached to her waist and pulled an enormous golden blade out of nowhere. She pointed it towards the crowd of students. "Or you run the risk of leaving later… in Aidios' arms."

"Pr-Principal!" Towa sputtered. Sweat visibly streamed down her forehead as she slowly backed away from her boss.

"Where the hell did you even pull that out from?!" Randy jumped back, almost pulling out his halberd before remembering that he didn't have it on him.

"Principal Le Guin. Don't you think you're taking it a bit too far?" The blond man asked. His hand stroked his forehead, as if he already knew how much of a pain working here was going to be.

Silence filled the air. No one dared to move a muscle. Juna fiddled with her fingers, but she made sure to keep them behind her back. She wouldn't dare to have the demon woman see her scared shitless.

The woman chuckled before embedding her sword into the tar. That couldn't have been healthy for the sword's condition, but Aurelia didn't seem to mind.

"Good. All of you are still here. In that case, I welcome each and every one of you to Thors Military Academy branch campus! 'Arise, o youth, and become the foundation of the world!' I greet you with these familiar words from Emperor Dreichels!"

…

It was gonna be a long two years.

It took everything Rean had to avoid looking Juna in the eyes.

He didn't know if it was just a cruel joke Aidios wanted to pull on him or maybe General Le Guin was Her worldly servant in assisting the goddess in that task, but who ever assigned the two to the same school (much less, the same class ) had to be one crafty bastard borne from the depths of Gehenna.

The overwhelming tension between the two was almost enough to ignore that Altina was also going to be one of his students.

Almost.

The only student left was a boy he didn't recognize. A young man with a slim build with well styled hair that came with unkempt bangs. Rean had to admit he was impressed with his appearance. There was a sharpness in his eyes and calculation in his movements that signaled that this young man was no stranger to combat.

Once Principal Le Guin formally introduced their class to him ("You three make up Class VII: Special Operations." "Oh you have got to be kidding me."), Major Irving led the four to a large cube-shaped building towards the back of the campus with Professor Schimidt and the girl he met on the train earlier—Tita was her name—in tow.

Major Irving turned to the group, allowing Tita to fawn over the building's design and Schmidt scolding her for getting too excited.

"Combat Tactics and Military Finance are undergoing their orientations at the moment. Special Operations will be having an orienteering exercise. Your goal is to make it through the facility in one piece."

Rean inwardly chuckled. Guess some traditions never change.

Altina showed no signs of flinching, as if she fully expected this to be the case. However, Juna and the boy both stepped back (or in Juna's case, practically recoiled ) in response. They both tried to voice their protests, but Major Irving quickly shut them down.

Rean quickly caught on to the purposes behind his new class. "Special Operations". Rather than the social class experiment they had with the old Class VII, this new one was meant to be a task force for on-field assignments. If he was right, then they wouldn't be too different from the nearly snuffed out bracers.

Still, no amount of understanding could erase the fact that his class size was miniscule and included someone who wanted to throw him into a fire pit and meal prep for next week's dinner.

…No, she'd probably say that his burning corpse would pollute the flavor.

Before long, they all found themselves gathered within the building, Einhel Keep.

Tita and Professor Schmidt both went into the control room to the side, located atop a few flights of stairs. Major Irving stayed behind, presumably to supervise the other orientations.

Rean turned his gaze to the three students. Not wanting to keep the awkward silence going any longer, he thought it best to speak up. This time, he was the adult in this situation.

A terrifying thought.

"While we wait for preparations, why don't we get started on introductions? I just got here, so sorry on how last minute this is. I'm-"

"My apologies, but there is no need to introduce yourself." The blue-haired boy spoke up.

"Huh?"

The boy put both hands behind his back, puffing his chest out. He darted his fuschia eyes to make contact with Rean's, staring him down with an intense glare.

"The Ashen Chevalier, Rean Schwarzer. The hero who ended the Erebonian Civil War when he was just a student, which directly led to the occupation of Crossbell."

Juna crossed her arms tightly, digging her nails into her skin.

"Not too long after that, you worked with General Le Guin and Brigadier General Bardias to annex North Ambria during the Northern War. Though I hear that your Divine Knight did most of the heavy lifting."

Yeesh, he sure doesn't mince his words. Rean thought with a wry smile.

Juna, however, was less than impressed. She gaped at the boy in disbelief. "Le Guin? Wait, are you saying he and our principal helped occupy North Ambria too?!"

She turned back to glare at him, her eyes becoming even sharper than his sword.

"That's not exactly correct." Altina felt the need to step in. "The actual circumstances were-"

"You're both very well-informed," Rean interrupted. If there was one thing he needed to learn as an instructor, it was to set his own personal feelings and biases aside. Plus, it would look bad if one of his students had to come to his rescue before they even began their first day.

It might be for the best to keep his students at arm's length. Even if that included Juna.

"Calling me a 'hero' is a bit much though. Even so, it wouldn't hurt to know a little about your new teacher, yeah?"

Rean mustered up the most professional smile he could. When no one else responded, he deigned to continue.

"As you all know, I'm Rean Schwarzer. I'm a graduate of Thors Military Academy's main campus. As instructor, I'll be overseeing martial arts and Panzer Soldat training outside the classroom. Inside, I'll be teaching history. That is, and this is news to me too, in addition to being the homeroom teacher for Class VII: Special Operations."

It might have been his imagination, but he could've sworn he saw Juna try to spout something out. She just crossed her arms tighter.

"I suppose I should go next." The young man stepped forward. "My name is Kurt Vander. I'm from the capital. Thanks to my connections, I've heard more than just the common stories about you."

"Oh, you're a Vander?" Rean raised an eyebrow, but soon realized that explained some things about how Kurt carried himself. Even if his words came off as cold and scathing, he still presented himself with poise. "Guess that means you're General Zechs' and Lieutenant Colonel Mueller's…?"

"My uncle and brother respectively. Though I am aware I look nothing like them." Kurt rubbed a few strands of his blue hair between two fingers. Now that he thought about it, Mueller did tell him once about a younger brother, but Rean never thought he would look this drastically different. Unlike the other Vanders Rean had met, Kurt didn't share remotely the same hair or build. Perhaps he was like him…?

No, news of a family as reputable as the Vanders adopting a child would definitely have made its rounds around the nobility that even Rean would have heard it at some point.

Still, Rean could empathize with feeling out of place even within your own family.

"By the way, are those glasses fake? They don't look good on you at all. You should probably get rid of them."

"Oof…" Maybe he was a bit too early on offering his condolences, even if he only offered them mentally.

However, jabs at his fashion choices aside (Look, he got the idea from Machias , okay?!), he heard something he hadn't heard for well over a year.

"Pfft… Hahaha!"

Juna's laughter brought back many bygone memories laying dormant within him. It was probably the first genuine smile she made ever since entering the country. He wanted to smile with her, but elected to continue with their introductions.

"Fashion is clearly not their intended function." The young girl next to him said nonchalantly.

Rean sighed. "All right, I get it. They don't look good. No need to rub it in." He turned to glare at Altina, who innocently looked away as if she didn't just insult him in front of his new students. "Since you want to be mouthy, why don't you go next, Altina?"

The other two turned their attention towards the young girl, the fact that Rean called her by name not being lost on them.

"Very well. I'm Altina Orion. Formerly part of the Imperial Army's Intelligence Division."

Kurt raised an eyebrow in skepticism while Juna left her mouth agape, both unable to react.

Rean facepalmed. Isn't that classified?

"My affiliation with them ended upon my enrollment here… on paper. Please, think nothing of it."

Kurt put both his arms on his hips, leaning in to get a good look at the younger girl. "I feel as though I've just heard something I shouldn't have."

Rean scratched his cheek. "You get used to that."

"The Intelligence Division is pretty hardcore, isn't it…? Hold up! What do you mean 'on paper'?!"

"Slip of the tongue. Oops."

"You get used to that snark too."

Kurt turned to Rean. "Speaking of which, it seems that you two are acquainted with each other?"

Rean hesitated somewhat, side-eying Juna for a brief moment. Well, better sooner rather than later.

"That's right. Altina and I have known each other for a while now. We used to work together, but I can't exactly divulge on what."

Altina briefly nodded. If she was anything like her sister, she would have definitely blabbed about something that would paint Rean in an even worse light, but even she knew how important first impressions were.

Kurt seemed to accept that answer in contrast to Juna, who held her tongue from any other remarks.

"I guess that leaves just me, huh?"

Juna finally let go of her arms, allowing them to flow back to her sides. She took a deep breath, relaxing her body as she gave the other three a blank stare.

"Juna Crawford. I transferred here from the Crossbell Police Academy. And honestly, I'd rather not be here… But if that's how it's gonna be, then I'll have to make the most of it."

Rean's eyes widened. From the way she was speaking, it sounded awful like she didn't decide to come here by choice.

Kurt stroked his chin. "I've heard of the Police Academy. Though, from what I remember it was called the 'Military Police Academy', right?"

A vein popped in the pink-haired girl's forehead. "There was no military slapped on the name before the annexation! You guys are the ones who changed it!" She leaned forward with her hands on her hips, glaring at the Vander. "Are you saying I can only call it by the official name the illustrious Erebonia has blessed it with?!"

Kurt backed away, a little startled at the girl's reaction. Rean couldn't blame him, seeing as how many Erebonians didn't know that much about Crossbell's inner workings. The change between the "Crossbell Police Academy" and "Military Police Academy" would have definitely flown under everyone's radar. It might have been superfluous to him as well if he weren't already acquainted with Crossbell.

Though, to Juna, it meant more than anyone could comprehend.

"I… apologize. I didn't realize the difference held any significant meaning. I'll keep that in mind."

Juna growled, avoiding eye contact with the boy as she gritted her teeth. Her knuckles whitened with how tight she held them.

Not wanting the in-fighting to escalate any further, Rean cleared his throat to catch the three students' attention.

"Good. We got our introductions out of the way. It's nice to meet you, Cadet Vander… Cadet Crawford."

Perhaps it was best to keep his distance.

What the hell was wrong with her?!

She wanted to apologize to the man, not laugh at his fashion choices and snap at the other kid! She couldn't even bring herself to be polite during her introduction! UGH!

What was wrong with her? What was wrong with him?! 'Cadet Crawford'?! Is he seriously pretending that they didn't know each other?! It wasn't like he was trying to be professional either. He came out and said he and that Altina girl knew each other too!

All the events of the day so far culminated in her mind, almost helping her forget the fact that the old dude from earlier made them fall through the floor. At least they all managed to land on their feet or else something… awkward was a possibility.

She decided to push those thoughts aside and focus on the task ahead of her.

First step was to set up their new battle orbments: the ARCUS II. She had to admit that she liked the sleeker design. It even had a Master Quartz slot just like her old Enigma II. However, if these models were anything like the previous ones, then her arts repertoire was severely reduced. Not that it was much of a problem with how little arts compatibility she had in the first place.

Next was an introduction on everyone's choice of weaponry. Clearly she had her gunbreakers on her. Good ol' reliable always there to have her back.

Rean's tachi was still as well-kept as ever. The blade maintained its shining polish and sharpness. Though it looked as if he replaced the braided cords hanging off the handle. Through constant use, it didn't take a genius to suspect that the old ones frayed through constant use.

In comparison, Kurt's dual swords were also quite impressive. The silver blades and gold trimmings made them fitting for someone with a noble name such as Vander. The extra limbs that connected the blades to their respective cross guards also gave a bit of character that she had never seen on other swords before.

However, the one that took the cake was Altina's weapon of choice.

She already had questions as to why a military school would admit someone as young as her. Even when Rean told her about Millium way back when, she had a hard time wrapping her mind around that fact. Altina couldn't have been any older than 13!

The moment she raised her hand, though, put those worries to rest.

"W-What the hell is that?!"

A black three-pronged machine manifested behind the girl. With serpentine-like limbs attached to a central core and the beeping sounds it made in response to Altina, it felt like it was a living creature.

"Claiomh Solais, a combat shell. The latest version in a line of special weaponry. Any further details are classified, but it will contribute to our overall fighting strength."

Juna gaped at Rean, who merely shrugged. Where the hell did he meet these people?!

"Now that we got that out of the way, it's about time we started. Be careful on the approach and keep wary of your surroundings."

Juna clicked her tongue. "Ugh, fine. Whatever. Let's get this over with."

"I'll give it my all."

"Commencing mission."

Traversing the keep proved to be good exercise after being stuck on a train for so many hours yesterday. It wasn't too unlike her usual training regimens in the forest outside the academy or her treks through the Geofront whenever trainees were called upon for small extermination missions. Though, it was strange to see the variety of organic monsters living in such a mechanical environment, and a well-lit one at that.

Rean promised that he'd stay back as support and let the students handle most of the work. It was their test, after all. He was merely there to supervise and observe. The monsters themselves weren't anything too challenging due to each of their prior experiences, so it felt more like a test run for their ARCUS IIs.

With Rean mostly out of sight, it gave Juna some time to finally process her new classmates.

She and Kurt developed a kind of rivalry of the less than friendly variety. Maybe it was her previous comment about Erebonia that ticked him off or maybe it was her now nurtured bias against Erebonian boys. Whatever it was, the two kept trying to one up each other, even going as far as insulting each other's weapon of choice.

However, if there was anything that they shared the same opinion on, it was Altina.

No matter which way they sliced it, the girl looked no older than 13 - 14 if they were really pushing it. And yet, her prowess in combat was more than exceptional. She commanded her combat shell thing far more deftly than even most of the Guardian Force were able to handle their issued stun halberds. And to rub even more salt in the wound, her arts proficiency was through the roof, a far cry from Juna's skills with them.

But what bothered her more was the relationship the young girl apparently shared with Rean.

"Now would be a good time to demonstrate how combat links work."

Rean stepped forward towards a large monster with massive claws, motioning for Altina to come with him while prompting the other two to stand back and watch. Their two battle orbments glowed and manifested a golden circle beneath their feet.

While their overall combat styles weren't drastically different from before, it wasn't difficult to tell how dramatically more efficient both of them were fighting. There wasn't a wasted movement between the two and their teamwork flowed naturally, as if they shared each other's thoughts and operated as a single being.

Though, even if the combat link augmented their abilities, Juna knew that it couldn't operate as well as it can without some base level of trust between the two users. Seeing as how the two were in complete sync with each other, it was clear that the bond they shared went beyond mere ex-coworkers.

She couldn't say why, but that bothered her.

With the monster significantly weakened, the two combatants stepped back. Rean withdrew his sword and Altina de-materialized her combat shell.

"Now you two try. The best way to learn is through real combat."

"Understood." Kurt nodded and turned his gaze to the pink-haired girl. Once she noticed the boy staring her down, she broke out of her reverie and clumsily fumbled her way through her pockets to pull out her ARCUS.

"S-So how exactly does this thing work?"

As soon as she asked, the screen on the orbment began to glow a pale green light in tandem to Kurt's own ARCUS. Just like with Rean and Altina, a glowing circle manifesting beneath their feet, only this time the circle was blue as opposed to gold.

Juna didn't have much time to react to the phenomenon, already sensing Kurt on the move. He engaged with the monster and she was able to read every single minute movement. He swerved to the left, she would flank the monster from the right. The moment Kurt would jump back after a few successful swings of his swords, Juna would have her gunbreakers ready for suppressive fire.

Even despite knowing each other for less than a few hours and even getting on each other's nerves most of that time, they both operated as a proper unit. It felt somewhat familiar.

Almost like that time in the catacombs of Heimdallr…

The monster's desperate assaults mattered little to them. They dodged each attack with ease and managed to exterminate it in record time.

Rean clapped. "Not bad. Not only did you get it to work, but you kept it going the entire time."

"So… That was a combat link?" Kurt asked as he sheathed his swords. "Mueller mentioned it briefly, but I wouldn't have thought it'd feel like that."

"Yeah, it was like we were completely in sync. How the hell does this thing work?"

"If I were to explain the logistics behind the tech, we'd be here all day. And knowing Professor Schmidt, he wouldn't be all too fond of me giving a lecture in the middle of an exercise."

"Correct."

"Pr-Professor!"

"...So all you need to know is that the ARCUS is built on a trust-based system. The original models had some issues where if the two linked individuals were to lose synchronization, the link would break. Now, any two people could link without much issue, but they can only get stronger the more they trust each other."

Altina nodded. "Yes. And after analyzing your battle, I detected no issues of linking between our current group."

"That's good to hear." Despite what he was saying, Rean didn't relax in the slightest. "Combat links will be essential to our future battles, so get used to the feeling. Are there any questions before we proceed?"

"Nothing from me."

"...Me neither. Though I can't believe a battle orbment this advanced has already been tested in combat." Juna turned to Altina. "You seem to know a lot about what's going on. Are you involved with it, somehow?"

Kurt also turned to look at the silver-haired girl. "Now that you mention it, I was wondering the same thing. You really know your way around it."

Altina shook her head. "No, it's simply because I have experience with the previous model. But it would be fair to say this new model is the result of the tests Instructor Rean and his classmates ran two years ago."

"Oh, you were involved with that too?"

"Seriously?! What weren't you involved with?"

"W-Well, it wasn't just me. It was my entire class plus a few of our upperclassmen."

"*sigh* You're really far too humble for your own good."

Juna somehow glossed over the fact that this was probably the first conversation she had with Rean since… well, you know.

Kurt's brows scrunched noticeably, putting a hand to his chin as he gave Rean a watchful eye. Rean, alert to the boy's gaze, turned to him.

"Did you have a question for me, Vander?"

"...No, nothing. I understand how the ARCUS II works. Let's continue."

"Good idea. You take the lead, then."

"There's the light at the end of the tunnel, everybody. Not too long now."

Rean pointed towards the top of a ramp. Standing at the peak was a clear entranceway, letting in natural light in contrast to the artificial illumination that they've been dealing with for the entirety of the exercise.

Thank the Goddess too. Every room looked the damn same that she was afraid she'd be stuck there after dinner.

Juna let out a hefty sigh. "Almost home free… This isn't a normal greeting for Erebonian military schools, is it?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Kurt shrugged. "From what I can tell, the other classes have much more straightforward orientations."

"Perhaps we can blame it on our instructor's luck."

"Altina, it is literally the first day…"

Juna snickered. She knew it was inappropriate, but it felt elating to hear someone else take jabs at Rean again. It reminded her of old times. Maybe she should probably treat Altina to something nice once this was all over. And maybe, after all this time… she could take the time to apologize.

Rean had been nothing but patient with them during the entire exercise. It wouldn't kill her to swallow her pride and hear him out.

"Let's get this over with." Juna said, stretching her arms till they popped. "First thing I do when we get outta here is take a long shower."

"Agreed," Kurt nodded. "This is a bit too much excitement for one day."

"Juna, watch out."

…? She recognized that voice. It had been awfully quiet since she came to Erebonia and completely silent the moment she saw that Rean was one of the instructors at the branch campus.

What's up, Yuri?

"I sense something coming."

A feeling of dread overcame her. A massive pressure filled the air and threatened to bring them to their knees.

Evidently, Rean was able to sense it too.

"Wait a second."

The two turned to their instructor, his expression growing more serious than before.

"Be alert. I sense a sudden spike in mana."

"You guys need to get out there right away!"

The air in the room grew colder. The hairs on Juna's body stood up, giving her chills not unlike what she felt in the Azure Tree. Dark, malevolent energy gathered in front of them, forming a strange figure.

Rean drew his sword and Altina summoned her black doll.

"Keep your distance! This thing's dangerous!"

In tandem, Juna and Kurt also drew their weapons. They stepped back a slight bit, wary of the new enemy.

The massive figure was humanoid, covered from head to toe in obsidian armor with the exception of glowing orange orbs that made up its joints. The orbs emanated an intense heat that radiated even through the slits of its helmet.

"I-Is this thing… a Panzer Soldat?!"

"No, this is-"

The creature roared, indicating that this was, in fact, not a mechanical military weapon.

"A Magic Knight?! What is that doing here?!"

A click of the intercom turned on and out came that irritatingly haughty voice.

"I happened to acquire a few of these antique machines when they appeared during the civil war. Though its output is, lamentably, inferior to Panzer Soldats, its ability to act autonomously is useful."

"How did you even-"

"This will be your final challenge in this trial."

Juna tightened her grip on the handles of her gunbreakers. What was wrong with this guy?!

"Heed my call, Valimar-"

"The use of a Divine Knight is prohibited for this trial."

"Oh you have got to be shi-"

"Level 0 was not calibrated to account for its intervention. Were you to use it against such an opponent, the data I would receive would be useless."

Rean intended to use his Divine Knight?

…

Just like… before?

"You do have another option available to you, Schwarzer."

Juna shot the swordsman a brief glance, just barely catching his body stiffening at the old man's words.

"Or, if you'd prefer, you may choose to activate the new function installed in the ARCUS IIs."

"Make use of the Brave Order system! Olivier—er, Prince Olivert said that you would be able to use it for sure, Instructor!"

What was she even talking about?

"All right! Will do!"

Rean's body loosened a bit. He rummaged through his pocket to retrieve his battle orbment and activate its functions.

An energy flowed from his body as he held the device close to his chest. Before long, that energy seeped to the other three and synchronized their minds. It felt like some form of combat link but not entirely the same.

"Prepare to engage in combat!"

Juna, Kurt, and Altina fell into a state of alertness. The anxiety of fighting such a formidable foe never went away, but the adrenaline behind whatever this "Brave Order" thing was superseded that feeling.

Rean pointed his tachi forward.

"Class VII: Special Operations! Put everything you have into defeating the target!"

"Understood!"

The golem winded up its fist, throwing most of its upper body strength into a powerful punch. It lunged forward, crashing itself into the floor where they were all originally standing. With the combat links they shared, they jumped out of the way with an instantaneous reaction.

Kurt charged in, swinging his dual blades as fast as lightning. His attacks would merely bounce off the metallic armor, so he targeted the unprotected joints. Even with the heat energy radiating off of them, it had to be more effective than blindly slamming metal against metal.

"Activate Brave Order: Raging Fire formation!"

Something within her lit a fire and burned. The tension in Juna's body tightened, urging her to go on the offensive.

"Haaaaaaaa!" Judging from Kurt's movements, he had felt the same compulsion to attack. Each slash was stronger than the next as they met their mark. The monster growled in pain, clumsily stepping back from each strike. Juna fired a few shots from her gunbreakers to cover the boy's retreat. It was minor, but she could tell that her attacks were dealing more damage than usual.

Altina jumped back, casting a quick Soul Blur art to cover her retreat. From the brief time they spent working together in combat, Juna was able to tell that Altina could hold her own in close combat. Her weird combat shell thing handled most of the brawling, but followed the girl's directives and analyses to a tee. With the addition of her and Kurt alongside Rean, Altina fell back into a support role and operated as their main caster.

The dark purple disks flew through the air. They sliced through the monster's armor but left nary a scratch on it. It merely roared, angered by the minor inconvenience. Altina clicked her tongue in annoyance, summoning her combat shell once more to charge in.

The monster readied its fist once more, locking on to the black doll. Claiomh Solais expelled a light from its core, forming a purple reticle onto their massive enemy. However, whatever it tried to do, it stopped long enough for it to get hit by the brunt of a full powered jab. It crashed into the wall, creating a massive dent in the metal architecture.

"Altina!"

Rean ran over to check on the girl who had collapsed. Her hands were held against her head, as if she were suffering a massive migraine.

"I-I'm okay. Claiomh Solais did not suffer much damage. Our mental link will repair itself in time."

The look of worry never left Rean's visage, but Juna could tell he knew better to argue with the young girl.

Rean let the girl down, resuming his own battle against the Magic Knight. Like Kurt, he ran circles around it using his speed, cutting between the limbs to maximize his damage. With another fist about to slam into his position, Rean quickly jumped and ran across the monster's fallen arm. Using its shoulder as leverage, he leaped into the air and sheathed his sword. After a brief moment of concentration, he unleashed an attack that Juna had never seen before: a powerful wave of burning flames amplified by the power of the Brave Order.

"Juna!" A voice called to her.

She turned back, finding it hard to pull away from the action. However, once she did, she realized that the voice calling for her was none other than Altina, barely able to sit up from the ground.

"W-What is it?"

"I managed to analyze the Magic Knight right before that last attack."

"That was that purple light from before, right?"

She weakly nodded. "I've managed to capture its main movement patterns, ailment susceptibility, and elemental efficacy."

"You… did all that? It couldn't have been longer than two seconds!"

"It appears that its greatest weakness is earth orbal arts. You're the only one able to use orbal arts of the earth element within our current party."

Juna pulled out her ARCUS, opening it up to view the master quartz she had installed earlier. Skuld, an earth-elemental quartz that granted her the use of basic arts and abilities. She had some practice using arts thanks to her police training with the Enigma, but she usually preferred augmenting her physical abilities instead.

"Even if it's not especially powerful, it could prove to be a vital distraction and throw the Magic Knight off guard. That's when we'll go on the offensive."

The tone in her voice carried a monotone confidence. As if she knew for a fact that her plan would work even if her words didn't carry that same positivity or enthusiasm Juna usually displayed when she came up with a pretty good plan. However, the directness of Altina's words convinced her that it would work.

"All right, leave it to me! That stupid thing won't know what hit it!"

Juna ran into a position behind the golem. Rean and Kurt were at its front, alternating between each other in their onslaught. However, the Magic Knight showed no signs of keeling over, leaving deep craters on the floor and dents on the walls with its massive fists.

"Hope this works…" Juna muttered. She raised her arm with gunbreaker in one hand and ARCUS in the other. "ARCUS activate!"

Small bits of earth materialized from the orbment, gathering into a single point. More and more accumulated together, forming a rather large rock with a sharp point.

"Needle Shoot!"

The rock shot forward like a speeding arrow. It crashed directly into the monster, shattering the moment it made contact with its armor. However, the force behind it caused the knight to stumble over.

"Boom! Direct hit!"

"Not bad, Juna!" Kurt called back. "Now it's my turn!"

Kurt, being linked to Juna, had been made privy to her plan and bolted forward to take advantage of the monster's stunned state. His swords gleamed a bright blue light.

"Take this!"

He leapt into the air, letting his swords fall with gravity. With one last attack, he could finish it.

The eyes of the monster glowed, reacting to Kurt's shout. It swiftly stood up and swung a speedy hook right into Kurt's abdomen. It all happened so fast that the young swordsman wasn't able to react and it sent him flying right into the wall. He coughed out bits of blood as his body finally registered the blunt force that attacked him. He fell to the ground, unable to get up.

Juna didn't have time to watch in horror as her new classmate had the wind literally punched out of him. She raced in, prepping her gunbreakers in their gunner mode.

She fired shot after shot from behind, hoping to irritate the monster enough to grab its attention. With how thick the armor was, Juna knew she had no chance of defeating it using only her suppressive fire. She would have to lure it away from Kurt and switch to close quarter combat.

"Claiomh Solais!"

Altina's black puppet manifested again in front of the beast. Its arms were crossed, cradling Kurt inside, and produced a clear barrier around him. The Magic Knight prepared another punch only to be pushed aside by the forcefield.

"Juna!"

"On it!"

Seeing the opening Altina provided her, Juna charged in with her gunbreakers in their striker mode. She bashed them into the knight's legs, throwing it off balance. Hit after hit, Juna continued her assault, never relenting for even a moment.

The Magic Knight would try to break free from the flurry attacks only to get shot by suppressive fire between its joints or more uses of Needle Shoot to exploit its weaknesses. Juna would then switch back to her original game plan and not give the monster any room for reprieve.

The young policewoman then overlapped her arms, having her batons crossed and over each other. She gathered energy into her body, utilizing the power granted to her by the Raging Fire.

"Take this! Cross Break!"

She swung her arms out, creating an X pattern with both her gunbreakers to deal some heavy damage. The knight stumbled back once more. Their victory was assured.

However, the knight stood its ground. Its unnatural, guttural roar resounded in the large room, with its sound waves bouncing off the walls. Kurt and Altina braced themselves behind the barrier, but Juna had no such luck. She was forced to take the brunt of the sound, preventing her from even moving.

"GAH!"

She fell to her knees and her weapons fell to the ground.

GRAORRRRRRR

The beast traipsed towards her. Each step slower than the last, but all the more menacing as it approached.

"Dammit… It can't end here!" Juna growled. She wanted to get back up. Needed to fight with all she had and prove how much she had grown. She needed to hear his side of the story. How the hell could she fail to do that before her life in Erebonia hadn't even begun?!

Before her stood a barrier she must overcome.

The monster drew back its arm once more.

Juna clenched her eyes shut and grabbed her ARCUS.

The fist flew forward, intending to crush the girl.

She used the last of her remaining EP in her orbment.

*CLANG*

Juna opened her eyes.

What she saw was her instructor holding the monster at bay by parrying its attack with his tachi. He had been put into an awkward position, his back facing the monster as his front faced her. He blocked the attack by throwing his sword over his shoulders and maintaining a strong foothold on the ground. Rean grinded his teeth together, barely able to concentrate on doing anything but preventing the attack from going through.

"...Rean?" Juna whispered. She stared at the young man in awe, unable to encapsulate her current emotional state in words.

This feeling. It felt too familiar to her.

"Instructor Rean!" The girl on the intercom called out. "There should be another Brave Order available to you!"

"Right!" He replied, strain evident in his voice.

He pulled out his ARCUS and pressed a button.

"Activating Iron Will formation!"

The burning feeling within their body diminished and was replaced with a wave of resilience that could withstand any sort of attack. Rean's posture became steadier; his hands and sword ceased to shake. With a calmer mind, he spun around, swung his blade in a wide arc, and struck the golem to push it away, shifting the battle into his favor.

Rean let out a breath, putting his mind into a clear trance. With the monster stunned, it had no room to interrupt.

"My mind… as calm as still water…"

He recited the mantra in tandem with his breathing. His tachi glowed with an intense energy that burned with the fury of a blazing inferno yet focused into a steady aura of power that surrounded the weapon.

The next moment, his figure was entirely gone.

Juna could sense his swift movements only through the vibrations in the air and the countless cuts that dug deeper into the monster's armor. Judging from where the attacks were landing, Rean had come from many different angles to completely overwhelm their enemy.

"Seventh Slash - Fallen Leaves!"

It continued for a few brief moments until Rean reappeared on the other side of the creature. He sheathed his sword and, once he called out his technique's name, a sudden whirlwind of energy manifested behind him. It completely obliterated the Magic Knight.

It let out one last roar before dissipating in a surge of dark purple energy. With it, the tension of battle disappeared as well.

The three students all fell to the ground, all panting heavily.

Juna didn't really recall what came right after, but she did catch the professor and the girl from earlier bickering about how the former pushed the trial too hard. She even heard that she should expect a "next time". Lovely.

"At least that puts an end to our orienteering exercise." Rean shrugged. He offered a hand to lift Altina back to her feet, to which she gladly accepted. Not wanting their pride to be damaged any further, Juna and Kurt got up on their own. "I have to admit, your teamwork was impeccable, considering that you only just met each other today. Even with the odds stacked against you, you all still properly assessed the situation and went for the assist when it was needed and played to your strengths. Great job, class."

Perhaps it was from the wincing pain in their bodies, but none of them really seemed to believe Rean's words.

Even so, he kept on smiling.

"There are areas each of you could improve on, but you just need to tackle them one at a time." Rean crossed his arms, his expression growing more serious. "I'm sure today hasn't instilled you with much faith in the idea of Class VII. Your class size and this trial are bound to raise some red flags.

"Then you have an instructor who's only just graduated. What if he doesn't know what he's doing?"

Juna flinched. She sensed a… forlornness in his tone of voice. Maybe she did have the wrong impression all this time.

"So I'll present you with a proposal. If any of you want to transfer to Classes VIII or IX, then I promise I will make that happen. But it's something I want you to decide for yourselves." The smile on his face returned. "Think hard about what you believe, what you want to accomplish, what kind of future you want, and - most importantly - who you are. Take all that to heart and I know you'll find your answer."

The three students exchanged glances. Juna couldn't read their expressions and neither could she read her own.

Every time she read his name in the papers after the civil war made her want to vomit.

Every time she recalled that day a year ago, she grew more and more frustrated. Both at him and herself.

Every damn time she heard his name since then, she couldn't resist falling into the tempestuous whirlwind of emotions that it caused her.

But now… she had an out. If she wanted to, she could get transferred to Randy's class without any hassles. Nothing stood in her way if she wanted to avoid an awkward school year. She'll regain the credits she needed and graduate and put this whole saga behind her.

But…

"Juna Crawford, reporting. From today, I will be part of Class VII: Special Operations."

Could she really continue with her life without any regrets if she did?

Everyone else's eyes widened. "Really?" Kurt asked, cocking his head.

"Don't get the wrong idea, okay? It's not because I want to. I never wanted to come to this school. I'd much rather be back in Crossbell."

She heard the voice inside her laugh. "Juna… Stubborn to the very end, huh?"

"But as much as I hate to admit it, your guidance was clear and accurate throughout the entire exercise. Even with all my training at the police academy, it's clear that I have much more to learn." Juna smirked, her confidence overflowing. "That's why I'm going to stay in Class VII until I can prove myself. Until I can show up an annoying hero like you, Asshat Chevalier."

She heard Kurt and Altina sigh. They muttered something between themselves, but she paid them no mind.

However, none of them expected Rean to snicker and then transition to full-blown laughter. He nearly keeled over with how hard his vocal cords strained.

But there was something genuine about his guffaw. Probably the most genuine thing she heard from him since coming to Leeves.

"That's a good attitude to have," Rean said through his heavy breaths. "I can respect that kind of determination. Welcome to Class VII, Cadet Crawford."

"...Got it!"

The other two took their turns affirming their places in Class VII as well. Kurt, with no objections to the branch campus' decision, and Altina, who struggled to figure out a personal reason to stay but chose to nonetheless, will be her classmates from this point forward. But she found her mind wandering somewhere else.

She felt elated because it felt like - over a year later - that she finally got her Rean back.

The group walked out of the facility, joining with the rest of the instructors whom they found out were watching them the entire time. Rean had gone to converse with them on work matters, but she noticed Randy shooting her knowing, devilish smirks.

After realizing that he had watched her and Rean's entire exchange from before, she vowed to herself to wipe that smile off with an orbal floor scrubber whenever she had the chance.

The staff went ahead, leaving Rean and his students behind in front of the campus building.

"Well, that's that." Rean spoke up. "I imagine that the professor is definitely going to call us to do this again, so make sure to keep up with your training. If this is anything like my own school experience, then expect this school year to get… quite hectic."

Kurt nodded. "Training has always been part of my daily routine, but I'll make sure to adjust my regimen accordingly. Thank you for the warning, Instructor."

"Rest will be required after such a draining battle." Altina said. "If you will excuse me."

"Good work today, Cadet Vander. Cadet Orion."

With a nod, both of them went off on their own.

Juna, for whatever reason, elected to stay.

The two of them stood there, side by side. An awkward silence permeated the atmosphere as neither of them chose to speak first. The setting sun contrasted with the tense air between them.

Juna casted a glance at Rean. His eyes were glazed over, not even shooting her a glance of his own. However, his pensive expression exemplified his contemplativeness, perhaps trying to take in the events of the day.

Then it struck her.

This… This might be her chance!

Just the two of them, away from prying eyes and ears. She could finally clear the air between them and they can start on the right foot again! It was perfect!

"Say what you will about Erebonians, His Excellency, or even me, but I will not tolerate any malign words to those who do not deserve them. Trust me when I say that you do not fully understand the extent of his situation."

She recalled the words that Claire had said before.

She knew the major was right. Juna just didn't take the time to look at things from his perspective and her earlier conversation with Rosine proved that. A better part of her knew that Rean played no part in Crossbell's annexation. She had only forced herself to believe that.

If she put everything out in the open, then things would start getting better, right?

Rean was her best friend, after all.

She swallowed, not realizing a rather large lump in her throat formed while she was ruminating her next move. Her clenched hands grew increasingly sweaty and she grinded her teeth as she struggled to formulate the words she wanted to say. After a few more seconds of thinking, she released her hands from their self-imposed prison and smacked her cheeks to snap herself out of her trance.

"Hey, Rean I-"

"Juna."

She froze mid-sentence. She never heard him speak her name so coldly.

"Forget that there was anything between us."

"...Huh?" Juna stared at him dumbfounded, but he didn't even have the decency to return his gaze. He only looked out into the distance, his eyes dead to the world.

He let out a muted sigh. "I appreciate that you want to stay in our class, even if you're here against your will in the first place. But it's for the best for the both of us that we just let go of our past. You can stay mad at me all you want though. I deserve any ire you throw at me."

"..."

"From now on, we'll strictly be teacher and student. Nothing more."

Without giving her a chance to respond, Rean went to leave. He stopped mid-step to shoot her a pitiful glance. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, his words just barely brushing against her ears. And just like the dissipating wind, Rean left, heading in the direction of the dorm.

…

"There certainly were better ways of resolving that."

…

What…

"What the hell is his problem!?"

Rean made his way to the fountain. The rushing water and the orange rays of the setting sun shining down on it caused it to glisten beautifully. Normally, running water had a calming effect on him. He loved the sound of the hot springs from his hometown.

But today, they sounded rather melancholy.

"You know, it's rather rude to toy with a maiden's heart like that."

He turned around to see the girl whom he had grown quite familiar with these past few months. Her appearance was strikingly different, but no one could ever forget that tone of voice.

"How long were you listening?"

"Not even a comment about my new haircut? I'm really proud of it too. You're hitting zero for two right now, Rean."

"That's Instructor Schwarzer to you too, Musse. Now answer the question."

Musse shrugged. "Long enough to know that what you're doing is only hurting yourself in the end."

Rean sensed no mischievous or playful tones in her voice. For once, Musse was being serious with him.

"Maybe so, but I wasn't lying when I said it was the best course of action. Considering our stations, it's important to maintain an appropriate sense of professionalism."

"Is that how you truly feel or is it a convenient excuse to push her away?"

"...How much do you already know?"

"Just the surface level thanks to Elise. I saw you two together once during your field study in Heimdallr so I thought to ask. Everything else I derived from mere speculation and hypothesis."

He tried to think back. When did Musse ever have a chance to see him? He and his classmates roamed half the city that entire field study and never…

Oh.

The gathering Prince Olivert and Princess Alfin held at St. Astraia.

He briefly recalled seeing a girl with mint-hair that day after speaking with Juna…

Rean sighed. "Well, there's nothing I can do about your unquenchable curiosity."

"It's one of my charming points, I've been told."

"I just don't want to make things any more complicated than they are now. I'm sure she still has mixed feelings about what I did in Crossbell. If this is the way I have to go about things so that she can enjoy a fulfilling life, then so be it."

"..."

"Anyway, I want to keep everything Juna and I had between us a complete secret. I trust you to keep this a secret too, Musse?"

"...My lips are sealed. While I don't approve of your methods, I understand it's not my place to meddle."

"Thank you."

"But that doesn't mean I won't try everything in my power to make things work out!"

"Wha-"

Musse grabbed his arm, tugging it in the direction of the local tavern. "Why don't we get something to eat?"

"Seriously? I could definitely use a shower after the day I've had."

She giggled. "The baths are packed right now, so we should take some time for them to empty out."

"Ugh, of course they are…" Rean groaned. However, one look at Musse's eager eyes made him surrender his position. "Fine. Might as well try out the local food if I'm going to be living here for a while."

"Thank you for seeing it my way, Instructor Rean~!"

Crestfallen, Rean gave up on trying to correct the girl. Professionalism, I hardly knew you.

"Oh yeah, I promised I'd take Juna to the bakery later. A little girl time would definitely do the trick! Maybe a dessert or two might mend the broken pieces you left her heart in, Instructor~"

"You never change, do you Musse?"

"I hope you know that I'm doing this because you left that girl utterly confused and heartbroken! Someone needs to look after her. I might as well volunteer for the job!"

Still, even while being manhandled, Rean cracked a smile.

He was glad that Juna still had a friend she could rely on here in Erebonia.

Even if it pained him that that friend couldn't be him.

Wooo! Another chapter done! I actually had this first part of the chapter written a LONG time ago. I think it was halfway through the train scene that I stopped and went back to a previous chapter.

I'm really happy how this turned out! I have some trouble on whether or not I was keeping Juna consistent throughout, but I think I prefer taking this method rather than going with the perpetually angry Juna until the end of chapter 2. Having her trying to reach out, even if it's for the sake of their previous friendship, only to be rejected by Rean herself was a concept I wanted to tackle for quite some time. I just found it more interesting when it's REAN who perpetuates the conflict rather than Juna this time since now he has a reason to. In canon, Juna was the main source of the conflict (or at least pushes the conflict) so that we'd sympathize with Rean. So I thought, why not reverse those roles?

However, that's not to say Juna won't have her own gripes with this new version of Rean. I just think that reframing the conflict so that Rean becomes the "villain" in a way will help Juna gain that main character status. Not gonna lie, she has felt sorta pushed aside these last few chapters since Rean gets most of the spotlight. It also helps that it gives me a bit more variety to work with since I'd rather not write Juna as a constant tsundere during the first few chapters of the game. While I understand what they were going for in the games, I know why that behavior can grate on people. And seeing how long it's gonna take me to cover all that material, I decided to forego it so it won't feel samey.

But other than that, yay! We're finally at a point where I can focus more on Juna! And maybe... we'll see what sort of developments she'll get with Musse~