So, New LA got invaded. A part of me knew I should've seen it coming. The Ganglion wanted to make sure that we humans went the way of our former home planet. But to see it happen was something else. We were able to beat them back, even if part of the reason for that is because The Ganglion got what they wanted – that mysterious skell we picked up from The Tainted's territory. But when everything was done, I didn't get that usual feeling of triumph and relief. Even when Elma verbally put that Ryyz chick in her place after she got bested by Elma, Lin, and I, I couldn't even take any pleasure in it. There were Blades who were lost in the attack, and it wouldn't surprise me if there were civilians who died as well.

I stood there, taking in the damage in the area where we fought Ryyz and Dagahn. During this, I couldn't help but suck teeth. Yeah, we defended New LA, but I couldn't help but feel a bit disturbed.

Whenever I came back to New LA, I always felt like I could leave the action outside of the gate. Even with all the stuff that can happen within the city, it always felt like the closest thing we could get to a safe haven. And The Ganglion ruined that. I was able to shrug off that Delfinian fiasco, but I couldn't see how I could get past this. I closed my eyes and breathed in as I balled my fists.

"Rook, you okay?" I looked over at Elma, who was giving me a look of worry. As I unraveled my fists, I shook my head. She frowned. "Want to talk about it?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Can we talk about it in the morning?" I said.

"Sure. We can talk about it over tea – probably a strong brew since we're likely going to be needed in a few hours."

"A few… wait, what time is it?" I tapped the side of my scouter and looked at the HUD in the lens. "…It's four in the morning. Of course it is." I sighed. I was looking at five hours of sleep tops. "…Well, looks like the Red Bench Inn will be frequented a lot today, huh Lin?" I looked at her as I smiled at my own (semi-)joke. My smile faded when I saw her looking at the ground, eyebrows furrowed up. "Hey Kiddo, you okay?"

"Huh?" She looked up at me. She then smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just thinking about what I'm going to cook tomorrow." As she said this, she scratched the back of her head. I studied her for a moment. Her smile looked forced. And her eyes were lacking that light they usually had. Something about her vibe was off. I got the feeling she was lying. I didn't probe her over it, though. Everyone was spent, and it was neither the time nor place.

"Well, considering what we went through, I think we can order delivery or takeout and give you a break in the kitchen today," I said with a smile.

"I second that," Elma added. "But for now, let's head back to the barracks and rest."

And that's what we did. As we walked, Elma and I shared a knowing look. Something was up with her, but we weren't going to force it.

When we got to the barracks, I didn't even bother showering. I knew I was going to be rather later on, but I was almost too tired to tell everyone goodnight, and I didn't bother changing into my pajamas, just stripping down to my boxers and undershirt before I practically collapsed onto my bed. I didn't sleep for long, though. I heard a knock on my door. I groaned as I awoke. I looked at the clock.

It read 6:12 AM.

I sighed as I moved to stand up. "I'm coming!" I called out. Once I was on my feet, I walked over to my dresser, pulled open a drawer, and plucked out a pair of black basketball shorts. After putting them on, I made my way to the door and opened it. I was expecting to see Elma. But it was Lin who was standing on the other side. "…Lin? …Everything okay?" Internally, I rolled my eyes at myself. I already knew the answer.

"…No…" She frowned. After looking at her for a second or so more, I stepped off to the side, allowing her to enter. I closed the door. As I did, I remembered that night when I ran across Lin at the Outfitters Hangar. I remembered the talk we had when she said I was like a father to her. I didn't know how to feel about that, but I never tried to correct her. Though, I had yet to consider her my daughter.

I wasn't sure I earned that right yet.

"I'm sorry if it smells worse than Millesaur dung in here. I decided to wait until later on to shower."

"That's okay." She looked at me and smirked. "I smelled worse." She walked over and took a seat on my bed. I knew what that meant. She wanted to ask me something. "…Rhapsodi… do you ever get scared?"

"Why you ask?" I responded as I walked over to her. I sat next to her, making sure to keep some distance between us so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the B.O. I knew I had. She looked away.

"It's just that…" She paused. "…I just felt a bit pathetic out there, you know? When we faced whoever that weird woman and giant was. I don't know why I was scared – this shouldn't be anything new to me. And yet, at the moment, I was ready to run." She took in a deep breath. "I was ready to leave you and Elma behind to save myself." Her voice was cracking. I looked at her, my eyebrows raised and drawn together in concern. She lifted her arm and wiped her eyes with it. "…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have felt that way, but…"

"Lin," I interjected gently. "Look at me." She didn't it at first. "…Look at me, Lin." After a few moments, she looked at me, eyes looking red and slightly swollen. "…You have nothing to be sorry for, alright? I don't blame you. We all saw it. We all saw that brute toss around those Skells with his bare hands. You'd have to be out your mind not to be scared."

It wasn't just something I told her to make her feel better. It was easier to count the days I didn't feel some level of fear, and most of those days were within the walls of this city. Deep down inside, I always envied those among BLADE that could enjoy the beauty of Mira without being weary of what could be around the corner and if that thing could be the very death of them. How they did it, I have no idea. So, when Lin asked me…

"…So you were scared?"

…I couldn't help but smile sadly.

"I was," I admitted. "Just like you, I wanted to run. I wanted to grab you and find a safe place to hide until it all blew over." I lifted my right hand up and use my thumb to wipe away the remaining tears on her face. "Everyone gets shook every now and again. We got shook. But we didn't run, did we?"

"No," Lin said, shaking her head as a small smile graced her face.

"No, we didn't. We fought them back. And next time, we'll take them down for good."

"You promise?"

I gave her a genuine smile this time. "I promise."

Her smile became a bit wider before she leaned over and hugged me. I grimaced, feeling rather sorry for her nose. Still, I hugged her back. After some moments, I pulled away. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

After breakfast, Elma and I remained in the kitchen as Lin took time to get ready. During this time, she prepared tea for the both of us. As she set the cup in front of me, I looked down at it.

"Matcha?" I asked as she sat across from me.

"Mhm," Elma replied. "I would have brewed some yerba mate, but I ran out, so this is the next strongest tea I got." She grabbed her cup. "…Is Lin okay? I saw her walk into your room earlier."

"She will be," I said. "We had a talk about last night… or earlier this morning, I should say."

"I see." She nodded as she said this. She then tilted her head slightly. "…Are you okay?"

I picked up my tea cup and took a sip. After taking a breath, I looked Elma in the eye.

"…No..."