Juna trudged through the forest.
"I can't believe this!" she said as she swatted the low hanging branches with her gunbreaker. "Just because the instructor told us we can't join in his little adventure, that doesn't mean you get to leave the camp without telling anyone!"
She looked behind her.
"Are you positive that Kurt went this way?"
"There is an 84% chance that Kurt passed through here," Altina said. She stopped and bent down to see a branch that was cleanly cut. "Hmm… 89%."
"Fine," Juna said, sighing. She continued marching on. "I get that Kurt is hurt." She smiled a little. "But what can we do? Those Archaisms were nuts! The whole school was just a rege away from losing. And then there's Sir Randolph's sister—"
"Cousin," Altina corrected.
"Cousin—how could we compete with that?" She puffed her cheeks. "And what is Kurt doing out here anyway?"
"Hold." Altina said with a hand up. She cupped her ear. Juna, seeing this, did the same.
"It sounds like…" Altina said.
"Gunfire!" Juna finished before running at full speed.
The two reached a clearing in the forest. Two Phalanx J9's were firing at full auto against a boulder, and behind the boulder is—
"Kurt!" Juna yelled. Without a second thought, she jumped of the forest, gunbreakers akimbo. "Set: Gunner!"
"Juna?" Kurt said, not believing his eyes.
She fired her gunbreakers as fast as she could, accuracy be damned. A Phalanx was receiving her attacks with its back, which the armor is at its weakest. Bumps appear in the metal plate, and then holes.
"Juna, no!" Kurt said as the second Phalanx was turning to her way.
He quickly jumped up the boulder with swords above his head. They glowed white and purple.
"Twilit Blade!" he shouted before swinging.
The two waves of energy hit the Phalanx's hip and the machine quickly lost balance. It fell. Kurt jumped and rolled as the Phalanx Juna was shooting aimed at him. He ran—the trail of bullets were getting closer.
Juna screamed as she rapidly battered the back of the Phalanx with her gunbreakers, opening the hole of its armor even wider. Once it was wide enough, she shoved her gunbreaker into the hole and pulled the trigger. She jumped away. The ammunition inside it detonated.
"Juna, no!" Kurt said as the Phalanx he recently downed got back up again. It aimed its guns at the exhausted Juna.
He dashed forward, but he might be too late. A red beam was shot out of nowhere. It hit the Phalanx between the blade of its shoulder. The ammunition detonated, and it was over. Kurt slowed down, taking deep breaths and looked for the origin of the beam.
In the middle of the field, Altina gave Kurt a peace-sign before sending her puppet away. Kurt smiled before looking at Juna.
"Juna?" he said. He walked. "Juna!" He ran.
"I heard you the first time!" Juna said. She sitting on the ground, holding her foot. "Ow! Ow-ow-ow-ow!"
She seethed as she tried to take off her shoe. Tears were forming at the corner of her eyes.
"Juna, are you okay?" he asked, kneeling beside her.
"Do I look like I am?" she replied. "Stupid Erebonians," she mumbled. "Getting lost and forcing me to fight for them."
"That is oddly specific," Altina said, walking up to her classmates.
"What happened?" Kurt said.
"I goofed up on my landing. Oooh!" She was taking off her sock. "It's just a sprain. No biggie."
"Let me." Kurt gently rolled pulled her sock.
"This is all your fault, Kurt! Why are you out here in the middle of nowhere in the first place, huh?" She was fuming.
"I saw a trail leading to here. I thought it might be Archaisms. I didn't want to bother the other students, after that attack and all."
"And what? You thought it was a good idea to take them on alone? What, you think you're Instructor Schwarzer or something?"
"It does seem extremely foolish of you to engage them alone," Altina said.
"No," Kurt said, "it was supposed to be a scouting mission. They might be heading back to their masters. To Ouroboros. Once I find the enemy base, I have full intention on going straight to Instructor Towa. I was, uh, unlucky. But I wasn't in any danger or anything back there."
"Could have fooled me," Juna said.
"I got smoke grenades."
"Ugh! Then why didn't you inform us? We're supposed to be a team."
"A single man would increase my chances on following them undetected."
"That… does seem logical," Altina said.
"And look how that turned out," Juna said.
He raised his hands. "I was unlucky! Look, I'm sorry. The next time I see an opportunity like this ever again, I'll inform you two immediately. We'll do it together, as Class VII."
"Okay, fine." Juna sighed. "Let's just head back to the trains and wh-wh-wh-what are you doing!"
"What?" He looked down. "I'm just massaging your legs. Did it hurt?"
His hands are firm and strong, she thought, and the quickly shook the thought.
"No, it only aches a little, but that's beside the point! You're supposed to be a noble! C-C-Can't you read a woman's a heart? Think of what you're doing!"
She was so embarrassed her face is hot enough to give Kurt a tan.
"Nobles are not mind-readers," Altina said.
"Altina, you should know what I'm talking about!"
"Know what?"
"I don't understand, Juna," Kurt said. "I give massages to the girls I trained with when they sprained themselves. They weren't complaining."
I wouldn't too, Juna thought, if Altina isn't here! Aidios, Kurt, read the atmosphere a little!
"Hold on," Kurt said, reaching for his pocket. He pulled out his handkerchief.
"Wait, what are you doing!" Juna screamed.
"I'm… going to fix your ankle?"
"N-N-Not with your hanky! I can't accept that!"
"Hmm, mine is kind of sweaty. Can I ask for your handkerchief instead?"
"Kurt! Can't you at least think before you say anything? You're not some Middle Age knight asking for a maiden to give her—well, you are a noble, and this is Erebonia. Technically you are a knight, but—"
"Why is she talking to herself?" Altina whispered to Kurt.
"I don't know," he whispered back. "These Crossbellans must be crazy."
"Still!" Juna shouted, before taking a deep breath. "I can't give you my handkerchief! At least… not yet…"
She was so embarrassed that she could feel her clothes burning.
"Then I shall offer my handkerchief," Altina said.
"A sound compromise," Kurt said, nodding. "What do you say, Juna?"
"Wait! I'll give—Wait, maybe, um—" She shook her head violently. "Fine! Fine, just do it quickly already!"
Once her ankle is fixed, Kurt bend down to pick Juna up in a bridal carry.
"Put me down!" she screamed.
"Sorry," Kurt said and did as he was told. He was getting tinnitus. He touched her ankle. "Is it hurting again?"
"Stop playing coy with me! Kurt, you… you… Can't you read a woman's heart? Think what people are going to say!"
He raised an eyebrow. "That I'm carrying an injured woman back to safety?"
"No, not that! Think of the first thing they're going to think! If p-p-p-people see you carrying me like that, then…"
She was so embarrassed that she could not think straight.
"Juna, Altina is correct. I am not a mind reader."
"Then carry me normally!"
He sighed. "Fine. Should I give you piggyback ride?"
"That's even worse!"
"How?"
"Well… you know… me, on your back. Just imagine! I'll be hugging you tightly, you'll be holding my bare thighs and—and—and—"
Her world started spinning.
"Juna, we rode together on a horse. You were hugging tightly to me too while you told me to go faster and fas—"
Juna slapped him.
"I want to go home!" Juna said, tears on her eyes.
"Then how about this?" Altina said. "Why don't you give Juna a fireman carry?"
Juna stared at her.
"Or not," Altina said.
"That's it!" Kurt said. "Altina, why don't you have Claiomh Solais to carry Juna? It's possible, right?"
"It is."
"What?" Juna asked.
"Then it's settled," Kurt said.
"Wait, don't I get a say in this?"
"What, it's fine, right? It beats me carrying you. You were quite heavy."
A fist mysteriously appeared between his eyes.
"Hello?" Altina said. She had her ARCUS on the side of her head. "Oh, hello Instructor Rean. Do you need anything? Hmm… At once."
She closed her ARCUS.
"It was our Instructor. He needs me to check on Valimar right this instance. Kurt, may I leave Juna to you? This is urgent."
"Sssssure," Kurt said, reeling from the bullet-like punch.
"Then I shall take my leave." She looked at Juna and gave her a thumbs up.
Are all Erebonian children like this? Juna thought. They must be. If I ever see another Erebonian child, I'll think of Altina.
With that, Altina flew away with Claiomh Solais.
"Weird," Kurt said. "I didn't hear her ARCUS ring."
"Why did this happen to me?" Juna said, clearly depressed.
Kurt sighed.
"Juna, you have been acting weirdly for the past ten minutes. Are you sure you're not suffering anything other than a sprain?"
"What's that supposed to be mean?" Juna said between her clenched teeth.
He rubbed his chin, staring intently at her.
"Wh-Wh-Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Excuse me."
He went over to Juna.
"Put me down!" she screamed as Kurt carried her again in a bridal carry.
He gently put her down against a tree.
"Juna," Kurt said. He grabbed her shoulders
"What?" Her heart was pounding.
"I need to do something."
It was then she noticed how close Kurt's face is.
"Huh?"
His face was getting nearer.
What is he doing? Juna screamed in her mind. Is he really… Is he going to…
Crossbell is going to be invaded by Erebonia for the second time.
He closed his eyes.
He's really going to do it! Damn you, Erebonia! You took my home, my country, my future, and now you're going to take my first kiss too!
Instinctively, she closed her eyes. Their foreheads touched.
Come on, just a little closer.
She puckered her lips. She was so embarrassed her face could start a forest fire.
Three seconds went by.
Why is nothing happening!
Kurt's forehead left hers.
"Huh?" she said.
"Juna!" Kurt said with a panicked voice. "You're burning!"
"You can't just—well, I can't disagree with you, but still—"
"You have a fever!"
"Huh?"
What is he talking about? I don't feel anything.
"Put me down!" she said for the third time because Kurt, the serial bridal carrier, is on a spree.
"No, we need to get you back to the train as soon as possible!"
"But I feel fine! I feeeeeeel…"
Her world was spinning. The next thing she knew, there was something damp on her forehead. It was dark. She tried to stand up, and then she realized that she was tucked under a blanket. She looked at the side and could see Altina.
"Altina?"
"Ah, you're awake now," Altina said. She walked up to her and took the damp cloth from her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I'm getting crushed by a boulder," Juna weakly said. "Where are we?"
"We're back at the train. We're heading back to Leeves."
"Oh." It must be nighttime. "It's been that long?"
"Indeed it does. Kurt came right on time. They treated you as best they could."
"Where's Kurt now?"
"Over there." She pointed at the window.
Kurt was sitting on chair with a bucket of water between his feet. He was snoring softly.
"Oh. He… did all this for me?"
"This is Kurt we're talking about. Of course he did. You are precious to him."
"Altina," Juna whined. She sighed happily and continued staring at Kurt's sleeping face.
"This was a crazy day, isn't it. Well, it's not as crazy as yesterday, but still."
"Are you okay now, Juna?"
"What? Oh, you're going to sleep?"
Altina nodded.
"Oh, don't let me stop you. Go ahead."
"Very well. Oh, and one more other thing." She opened her ARCUS she pushed a few button and then placed it next to Juna's ear. "You might enjoy this."
"Huh?"
"Kurt," the ARCUS said. It sounds familiar.
"Kurt… my prince…"
It was Juna's voice. Altina recorded Juna's feverish ramblings.
"Very funny, Altina," the real Juna said, but Altina is already on her bed, pretending to sleep.
"Juna?" the ARCUS said.
Juna's heart dropped. It was Kurt's voice.
"Kurt… my prince…" the recorded Juna said. "Kiss me…"
Aidios, Juna prayed. Kill me right now. Just make it quick. I don't want to stay in this world any longer.
She was so embarrassed that her face could provide heating for the whole train.
But wait, I could turn this around. Next morning, I'll just ask him if he heard me say anything. He'll apologize, and then I'll forgive him, say that it's just the fever talking and then he'll ask me for lunch to make it up for it. Time to time, I'll help him with training, and then he could help me study, and then we'll get married—Aidios, thankyouthankyouthankyouthanky—
"What does she mean by this?" Kurt asked in the recording.
Juna's fantasies crashed. She felt like falling into the abyss. She turned her lifeless head at the real Kurt. He was sleeping oh so innocently.
On one hand, I could finally get rich for discovering a material denser than Zemurian Ore. On the other hand, I'm back to square one.
She closed her eyes furiously.
Come on, Juna! This isn't you! Sure this might be an uphill battle—a cliff, more accurately—but that doesn't mean you can give up. One day, Erebonian man. ONE DAY! I'll make you see me as a woman.
Oh, who am I kidding! He already got a face full of my Crossbells! If that doesn't work, then what chance do I have? Nonononononono, I can do this! I can do this!
She will wake up late tomorrow.