[So, hey guys, if your new to me Hi I am Mikhail, if not welcome back and yes my IzuOcha story is still going just editing the next chapter for a weekend release. Anyway, about this story, it is Set in Legend of Heroes Trials of Cold Steel 2 and has spoilers for the game, so if you don't want to be spoiled stop here. But it is a slightly different take on the whole story, adding my little bits of Fluff and hurt and comfort in there, new style of writing too so please tell me if you like or dislike it. It's a ReanxAlisa story, hopefully you like my takes on the characters. But the focus shifts through out Class seven. So, all our favorites have their moments of shine. Please Read and enjoy!]
How did it end up like this, how did it end up the Ashen knight was defeated? Its pilot bleeding out with wounds not even hell could inflict. The rest of class seven had to watch on in horror, in utter shock, powerless to save their leader, their centre. Why did it all have to go so wrong?
December 25th, 1204. Courageous Bridge.
"Alright, so we are going in to arrest Duke Albarea. For the crimes against the Empire and the people of Celdic," Rean states standing in front of class seven. It was a good plan pincer attack from the north and south while class seven arrests the leadership forcing a surrender.
Jusis was blank as far as Rean could read, but at times he would see a fire burn behind his eyes. Instructor Sara was tired, a million miles away. "Alright Rean, you can use the new reinforced sword, should be able to cut through Soldats no problems," George would say as doors to the bridge would open to reveal a larger man dressed in a yellow jumpsuit, which almost looked poker dots with all the black smudge marks covering it.
"Alright, let's do this," Rean would say, wandering past his fellow classmates and into the lift. Rean would not notice the worry in the eyes of a certain blonde whose heart had started to grow heavy since the announcement of the operation and the intel from Rufus. She still hadn't told him what was in her heart and she wanted to. The tides of emotions were getting too much to bear.
Every time they would land, she would see a new hole in his armour, fresh wound whenever he returned. When she would go, he would defend her, cover her back, take the hit when she is to be hit. Even if it meant using his own body to take the hit. Her heart could not take it, she just wanted to protect him, from the world and himself at times.
Many of the others, had similar thoughts and worried about what he might do, what lengths he would go to. Emma knew all so well, the wounds the new scars just from this month of travel, the spear he took for her in the Terra temple. Straight through his shoulder before he killed the stone beast wielding it. She could sense his mind was in turmoil at war again but said nothing, a choice she would regret for months if not years in the future.
Class Seven, went their separate ways through the ship, Alisa grabbing her bow and extra healing supplies and arts. Elliot was in the hold playing on his violin his orbal staff resting to the side of him. It was a familiar place, especially before an operation. Rean was sharpening his blade, enjoying the sound even if he wasn't focusing since his mind was a warzone. Laura, Gaius and Jusis would join him. Sharpening their blades before Gaius went to meditate in the corner.
Laura was confused, she could sense Rean was not ok. But didn't ask why but tried to support him by being there with him, sharpening their blades, even though she could tell his sword was as sharp as it ever could get. A decision she would later regret. Fie, was the next to join them, sitting in front of Elliot as he played before closing her eyes and curling up like a cat, typical Fie whenever Elliot played. She had become protective over him since running away with Machias and him, a fact that had not escaped anyone in class seven.
Emma was the next to join them with Celine, the talking cat. She was loaded with medical supplies, and her Arcus was full of different healing arts. She would do what she always would do before an operation, sit and talk with Celine. Millium would wander down, instantly racing to Jusis and sitting next to him, giving him zero personal space. Which only got a sigh from Jusis who at this point was ok with Millium's behaviour but would still berate and yell at her just to remind her about boundaries and personality difference. Millium, however, would take this now as a chance to hug Jusis if not herself chase him with Lammy and get him to cuddle Jusis.
To the outside world, it looked like they were back at Thor's military school not in the middle of a civil war. But that was broken a second later, as a new thing only in the past week had started to be broadcast across the ship. The casualty numbers from the west. The west was not ok, hundreds on each side dying, the Imperial army decimated in battle after battle, the Noble faction was winning it was only a matter of time.
"Today, in the west a total of 1000 men died in service of the Noble ideals of the Noble faction, while 2000 died from the reformist. 300 civilians died in the conflict, and 10 000 people are unaccounted for, This is the war correspondence signing off," a female voice would say, and as it does the mood drops, everyone but Rean stops what they are doing, he too deep in thought to even listen.
"Save Crow, Elise and end this war. Protect them all, be better, be stronger and be faster."
Go over and over in his head until a soft hand is felt on his stopping his repetitive sharpening. He looks up to see a concerned Alisa, her red eyes piercing his. Freeing him from his war within. "Are you ok?" she asks, concern riddled into her words as she comes to sit next to Rean.
"Yeah, just focused," he responds, not wanting to reveal too much of what is going on in his head. "Be careful, I don't want you getting hurt like against that beats we fought a few days ago," he says referring to a small cut she gained when he was not able to protect her.
"You too, I have something I need to tell you, I think its time when we get back so let's find a quiet spot after this just you and me," she says blushing scared to finally reveal what is in her heart to him.
"That sounds good," Rean says, smiling at her, causing her blush to turn a deeper red than Rean's jacket. The alarm blares. Everyone stands at once running around. Most gather together to be moved to be the ground assault force around Sara. Rean and Celine enter Valimar the Ashen Knight. Neither noticing Alisa glace back at them one last time, a look of pain at being separated from Rean her knight and protector.
The plan itself went off without a hitch, Sara was tired, Rean had two new stab wounds, all healed, but Arts can only do so much to numb the pain. Jusis escorting his father to the courageous where they would figure out what happens with Craig the red. Captain Claire was out the front ready to greet class seven when everything went to hell.
Hell was announced on the bridge of the Courageous, multiple incoming targets from the air. "Prepare evasive maneuvers now!" Towa would yell, standing from her chair. Angelica would move the ship just enough for the first volley of gunfire to miss and hit nothing.
"Who the hell is shooting at us!" Angelica would yell, as she would narrowly avoid a second volley from the unknown enemies in the cloud. Another volley would come flying, and much as Angelica is impressive with all vehicles, she could not dodge it, luckily enough it only hit a non-vital area.
That is when Towa got a call.
December 23rd, aboard Pantegruel.
"Everything is prepared Lord Rufus," an officer says saluting the light blonde-haired man.
"My father will be a perfect trap for Class seven. Plus, I can remove my father from the board at least for now," Rufus states, staring at the passing clouds. "With the Knight fully bent to my will, nothing can stop us," He says before a bloody and beaten Crow is dragged onto the bridge.
"You bastard, I know what your planning, what you are!" Crow would yell, blood dripping out with every word.
"The plan will succeed especially since you are going to help me finish my job," Rufus states, striding towards Crow nobility behind.
"Why would I help you, you bastard!" Crow yells, before Rufus smiles as a second elevator opens revealing a chair, slick black, with silver metallic cuffs.
"Because you will not remember a word of this and become a very helpful puppet, a soldier full of skills and knowledge but no memories, no ties, no emotions. You will be my enforcer. My blade," he says as the soldiers drag crow to the chair, strapping him in, Crow would try to pry himself free but nothing.
"I will kill you!" he says as Rufus just smiles, standing as if he is on top of the world, and at the height of class among the nobility.
"Only if I will you too," he responds as the soldier switches the chair on. Crow would scream, and scream until he could no longer, he would watch his memories vanish, disappear, his emotions following shortly after. Then when he had no screaming left, and he collapsed lifeless in the chair. A medic would walk over, slice open the back of Crow's neck and implant a small chip no bigger than a Mira.
"Take him back to his room, have him rested and fed we will be running a field test on the 25th," Rufus says returning his gaze to the clouds as three new airships come into view. He would watch as they would level off revealing a total of 6 Soldats on the hull, combat-ready armed with a combination of spears and swords. "Class sevens pieces will be removed from the board followed by Craig the red," Rufus would say as they rocket towards Aurochs fort.
When crow would awake a few hours later he would be blank he knew his name, he knew the crew but felt nothing towards them. No emotion, no connection. Only a drive to follow one man's orders Rufus Albarea. Crow Armbrust was just a shell.
December 25th above Aurochs Fort.
"President Towa or should I say, Captain Towa, it's a pleasure to see you so soon," Rufus states as his call is put through,
"Why are you here what are you doing!" she yells, far louder than anyone would have thought possible.
"We are here to end the war, perfect opportunity, it was a trap all along, now we can finish off the Ashen Knight, eliminate class seven from the board and Craig the red. The East would be ours, all in one move, this game of ours is over. I laid a trap, and you sprung it." He states, smiling, almost sweetly, but his words struck like venom.
"We won't lose to you!" Towa yells cutting the communication feed. "Angie evasive maneuvers but the shots Towa expected never came instead the ships backed off and held above the fortress. Towa was beyond confused until she saw what was going on.
Bellow:
Hell had descended from the sky, six Soldats, all going into battle against the fourth armoured division. Class seven had just arrived, Elliot and Emma, combining arts to build a wall of rock covering them from gunfire and from view. Things could not be much worse.
"We need to get out of here, we can't win!" Sara says, cursing herself for going all out before.
"Go, this is a lost battle for us, the fourth will fall. But the children of the Empire the true Empire will live on, Elliot," Craig the red would say, before embracing his son for one last time, "Be you, not me. Be the person you will be proud of. I love you, my son," he would say before breaking the embrace and running towards the final few armoured units. He would not hear the I love you too dad or see Elliot starts to cry, knowing that this was his fathers last and greatest battle.
Rean was sad to watch his friend watch his dad head into one final battle, but he needed to focus, find a way to get them onto the ship and out of here. That was until hell truly hit them, a thunderous thudding sound from the hills across from the fortress stood Crow and Ordine. The battle would suddenly freeze. The world for a second would stop turning, both sides would stare as Crow no bravado no flair would jump down and walk towards them.
"Rean, I come for your head," he states, staring at the dark-haired boy. "You shall die, lord Rufus shall have your head," he says as he swings his double sabre round and round. "I challenge you to I one on one combat," he states before standing before class seven sabre stuck into the ground looking emotionless void less.
Rean can tell something is off, no usual spunk no emotions at all. So, he does the one thing he can think and stands up with his sword.
"Rean please no," Alisa pleads as she feels the combat link between them break and must watch Rean walk towards Crow. As he walks, he loses all the colour in his hair, turning it pure white.
"Crow there is something wrong with you, you're not yourself right now," Rean says as they begin to circle weapons in hand. Eyes locked both ready to pounce. A second later they do, as the blades clash together with the war returns, the fourth armoured fights the Soldats, soldiers clash in melee and firefights. Class seven can only watch in horror as they observe a real battle, they watch soldiers fall. Neithardt takes a Soldat for his own and charges the enemy.
All but Alisa, eyes locked watching the two friends clash, again and again. Blades cut through the air like hummingbird wings. The clashes of steel, clanking, as they dance around one another neither giving any space. Until Rean gets an opening, Alisa watches in horror as he hesitates, and Crow draws first blood. Stabbing his just recently healed shoulder.
Rean would grunt in agony, holding his shoulder as blood would pour out. "Crow, please stop, I am your friend, I don't want to hurt you," Rean pleads, as he struggles to block the full-frontal assault. Slices make it through his guard as the white-haired power slowly leaves him.
"I do not know you, nor do I care," Crow would respond.
His natural hair returning as Crow would stab him in his gut before reefing it out doing a 180 and stabbing Rean's other shoulder.
Alisa could not take it. She watched as the man she loved, be beaten and bloodied, she would scream, leaping over the barrier charging Crow, firing arrow after arrow, he would block them swinging his sword like an orbal fan reflecting the arrows and making them drop the ground.
"Leave Rean alone!" she would scream. Her heart racing, her emotions making her stronger. But they clouded her judgement, as she fired her last arrow, she was in Crows range. The shock would race across her face as she realized the mistake, she could not retreat fast enough, she couldn't run from this. So, she would close her eyes and prepare for death from one strike from Crow.
She hears the strike and its land, but she feels no pain. She opens her eyes to see Rean, taking the blow in the shoulder. "Leave her alone!" he would scream, pushing the blade out of his shoulder. "I won't let you hurt her!" he would yell, as he falls in front of Alisa. Crow would hold up his blade ready to take Reans head, while Alisa collapses next to him, holding onto him knowing she is out of options at this range.
"No, you won't!" yells a voice, a second later, a flash of purple lightning can be seen. As a ball of energy strikes Crow sending him into a rock. Members of class seven rush to the side of Rean, now bundled in Alisa's arms. She is holding him close, close enough to hear the hitches in his breathing, close enough for her clothes to go from white and red, to just red. Close enough to feel his heartbeat start to fade, close enough to feel him drift away and begin to leave this plane of existence.
He was covered in stabs and cuts, he was out. He looked as if he had dragged himself out of hell, his hair caked in blood, his clothes and jacket covered in it as well. His face was smiling, he could sense something, affection and his loved ones. Alisa, he liked her a lot, and he was happy he could have protected her just once more.
"Emma please, I need him. I can't lose him again!" Alisa pleads, as Elliot and Emma, would drop to their knees, both using arts and different crafts, but it did not make it much better. The wounds just would not fully heal, Emma nor Elliot had seen anything like this. Alisa just cradled him apologizing to him,
"I am so sorry Rean, it's all my fault, I should of protected you, I shouldn't of run at him, I should of told you how I felt, I should of let you in my heart back then when we danced. I should have let you know you are my world; I am sorry, Rean, please don't leave me. Give me one more chance," she pleads with the lifeless form of Rean. Emma, finally deciding enough was enough, tore off her glove, placed her hand on his chest.
A small purple light would flow onto Rean, gently wrapping itself around him. His breathing would steady, and Emma would collapse. Elliot, at this point, had given up on Tear and started wrapping bandages around his friend and fellow music lover.
Crow was starting to get up, right as Towa arrived with the Courageous. She would land as Instructor Thomas on the deck, blocking most of the incoming cannon fire from the Noble forces.
"Everyone we need to hurry, we need to leave now," she would announce through the speakers. Everyone in class seven would grab their things, Alisa and Elliot carrying a lifeless Rean, Machias grabbing the unconscious Emma. Valimar took this as his time to return to the ship quickly rejoining everyone in the hold as another shot shook the Courageous right as they took off.
Many only just noticing how bad Rean is. Millium looked ready to burst into tears, her face had none of her usual energy. Her face looked out of place with tears and a frown, her hair looked as though it had turned a darker shade of blue. Turning it like a dark stormy sea blue than the bright sky blue it usually is. All she could do was stare, as Elliot tried to fix him up, but even with Emma's magic, he kept bleeding, it didn't want to stop.
Gaius had dropped to his knees and started to pray. Laura had no medical training looked on helpless to save the man who she had duelled with so many times. The man who was the heart and soul of the group. Who took her shopping in the orbal appliances shop.
Sara was leaning against a support, shedding silent tears as she watched on.
Machias was trying to wake Emma up, but with little success, she seemed to have fallen into some deep trance-like the ones you read out of fairy tales. But he didn't think a kiss would work this time. He was distraught, concerned for his father who undoubtfully would be killed at some point to cement the new leadership.
About ten minutes later, Elliot had collapsed from exhaustion, unable to use another Art or Craft to heal his friend. Physical treatments seemed to have worked but had taken a lot out of him. It was at this moment Towa entered the hold; she had seen Class seven from day one. The strongest class in Thor's Military academy, she had never seen them so broken. Everyone was crying, Millium was whaling in the arms of Jusis. Laura, silently staring at Rean, repeating a prayer Towa had never heard before. Emma and Machias were off to the side, Machias seemed so drained, Sara, just walked past Towa without a word but Towa swears she saw tears.
Rean looked like a corpse, covered in blood, bandages covering him, he still sat in a pool of his own blood. His face looks pale, like a ghost. Then there was Alisa cradling him, crying her heart out onto his shoulder. Everyone could feel her pain as if they were their own. Towa's heart couldn't take it, and she collapsed onto the ground crying.
"Is he alive?" she sobs out, hoping for someone to answer. But no one did. All of them consumed by grief, guilt and fear. They could mostly hear his soft breaths, especially Alisa, but no one could say a word, it felt wrong. All until Fie.
"Yes, but he isn't good, none of us are," She states, walking away from her dark corner, her eyes puffy and red. She walked over to Elliot and picked him up with little effort. "Let's get our wounded to the medical bay, we can cry later," she states, and everyone silently moves.
The same day, 4 hours later, Fort.
"Your father is under our protection; we have secured the fortress. The remains of the fourth are in retreat, towards the Nord Highlands. Craig the red is dead, or at least his famous red tank is destroyed by a blast from a Soldat," the officer would salute and wander off away from Rufus,
"Good, only a matter of time before we swat aside Olivert and his forces in the west," Rufus says, snapping his fingers,
Same time, Courageous Bridge,
"I can't believe it, but he is so strong, and Crow wouldn't. He liked Rean," Angelica would cry, staring at the passing clouds. "What happened to him, to be this bloodthirsty?" she asks, a very tired and upset Towa.
In the four hours since the battle, Emma had woken up and tried to heal Rean as best as she could. But nothing seemed to make him any better, Sara was nowhere to be seen and same with everyone except Alisa, Alisa was sitting next to Rean, and she refused to move, not to clean off his blood from her clothes and hair. Not until she knew he was ok.
George was going over everything working away from them, its how he dealt with his emotions. Working on some new tech, new armour or new weapons. Towa and Angelica plus a few other members of Thors all operated the ship's bridge.
"We need to contact Olivert," Towa states, walking over to the orbal computer to make the call. A second later it rings, and an image of Olivert is on screen.
"Towa I am glad you are ok, how is everyone? Is Rean there I need to talk to him?" Olivert says at a hundred miles an hour, but the Rean question makes Towa burst into tears, "No, he can't be?" He asks in utter disbelief, "He can't be dead,"
"No but he is close to it, his injuries won't properly heal, he needs to be monitored, but they are broken Class Seven. They are hurt and need rest, Rean put them together, and he almost died for them again, we are running, the ship is heavily damaged, and we can't fly forever, so we are going to set down in the Nord Highlands far in the mountains. Lay low, camp, recover and hide. Until we have the fighting force we are just in the way," Towa says, slowly stopping the wells in her eyes from going any further.
"My army and I are doing the same, the Empire is lost, for now. We are all heading out of the country and reforming in Nord, for now at least," Olivert says,
"See you soon," Towa says disconnecting the call, slumping back into her chair.
"I will find us a landing spot," one student calls from bellow in the navigation section. Towa is too tired and struggles to keep her eyes open.
"Alright set us down in the mountains higher up. Hide us from sight for now," Towa responds, as the ship continues to fly onwards toward Nord.
December 25th 10pm, Medical Bay.
The medical bay was dark, gloomy and full of despair. Rean lay shirtless, instead of having a shirt of bandages to replace regular clothes. Alisa sat next to him, holding his hand, not wanting to let go, thinking it was the only thing keeping him alive, but it was just keeping her sane.
"I love you; I love you so much. More than anyone else in the whole world. I want to tell you this, I want you to know that I fell in love with you months ago and I want to spend the rest of my life next to you. I want to protect you, I love you Rean,"
She would silently think, staring at his bloody face, the face she fell in love with. The face of her hero. She would reach out and stroke his face, most of it would be smooth except for the crusted blood.
"Please come back," she would say before falling asleep out of exhaustion still holding onto Rean's hand even in sleep refusing to leave his side.
Emma, after washing her hair and getting changed, would come back to the sight of Alisa and Rean holding hands both fast asleep. It would warm her heart a little, she would sit at the desk and start to go over all the medical reports generated from the orbal computer after scanning Rean. Fractured bone, massive blood loss and muscle damage beyond anything he got during the academy. To say he was in bad shape was an understatement. He was almost a walking corpse.
"How bad?" a voice would ask from the door; Emma would turn to see Jusis staring at Rean.
"Really bad, I can't believe your brother betrayed us," Emma would reply, turning her gaze to the sleeping couple.
"Keep him alive, please. He really is my best friend. Get some sleep too Emma, Millium has finished crying for now," Jusis would states stoic as ever, and just leaving Emma to her thoughts. Jusis wasn't one to cry but, as Millium had cried herself to sleep silent tears of his slipped out. Not to mention the weight of guilt he felt, his father and brother did this.
When he left, he didn't notice the sleeping Laura, greatsword in hand sitting like a guard. Not many knew, but Laura and Rean had a closer relationship than either let on. Both had become the closest of friends training, spending time together, but it was not going to go anywhere else. Rean was like a brother she never had.
So, she felt it her duty to guard the medical bay, from whatever might attack her injured nonblood brother. She felt guilt for not being next to him or watching the fight go down if she had she could have saved him from a few of his wounds or turn it around. But she would never forgive Crow, not after this.
Her dreams turned to nightmares, as she watched Rean get stabbed over and over again. She would watch the duel play out every time Rean getting stabbed, blasted with an art or something else. And he would die to the sounds of Alisa's cries, Laura would just have to watch on in horror as they replayed again and again.
For the rest of the night, everyone would sleep and have nightmares all except Sara. Sara sat in her room, drinking bottle after bottle trying to forget, trying to have a dreamless night. Her mind screaming at her. Blaming her for Rean's injuries, she was their instructor, and she let a petty squabble from her past lead one of, no, her favourite student to be injured and almost die.
When they landed in Nord, it had just turned to the morning. Towa had no sleep, and neither did Angelica. So, Towa made an announcement,
"Attention all crew, we have arrived in Nord, we are high in the mountains safe, get some fresh air and review our supplies and weapons. We are going to be here for a little while. All Bridge crew will be resting for the next 6 hours, good luck everyone!" a small amount of her cute student president energy returning.
An hour later, outside the Courageous.
Class seven had gathered under Emma's direction all except Rean and Alisa. Sara was still trying to get rid of the headache she had given herself from drinking and overthinking while doing it. But the rest of the class was silent no one really wanted to say anything.
"Stop it!" a voice yells cutting through the silence, all heads turn to see Fie. Sitting on top of a crate. She had, had enough of everyone's guilt and wallow, "Rean wouldn't want us like this, we need to get stuff done so when he wakes up, we can still be together. Rean pulled us together, we need to stick this out together, as a class," Fie would state, her face not angry just blank, but her heart still felt the guilt, still felt like if only she had been paying attention, he wouldn't be close to death. But she wanted to do what she could to help him, do what he would do.
"Yeah she is right, we can't just sit here it may do us some good to do something be out and about," Laura agrees, nodding and coming to a similar position as Fie. She could feel guilty and apologize to Rean in her own time. "Machias, you should review the ship's damages and computer system with George at least give us a rough idea what's going on with the Courageous. But after that Gaius lived here, he should tell us what to do, where we are," Laura continues.
"No, I should not tell us what we need to do, we can do it together, I will, however, go hunting, take the horses with a few of us, bolster our supplies with fresh meat and fish. Plus will give me time to look around find a better spot and exactly figure out where in Nord we are if the stars were out I would know but for now I do not," Gaius would state calmly, looking towards Paula and the horses.
"I will go with you, and I would say take Alisa but," Jusis would start, but the class returns to a sombre feeling, guilt returning.
"I will talk to her," Laura says bringing everyone out the guilt pit once more, "She is in love with him, and he protected her time and time again, I will talk some sense into her, get her to shower and eat. But I don't know what else I will get, baby steps," Laura continues picking up her sword, "Emma make sure to let us all know on updates on his condition," she says before wandering off.
"Well, Fie, that just leaves Millium and us," Elliot would say looking at the two others who hadn't been given jobs.
"We don't have long until winter takes its full grips on the mountains, we should set up a fire pit and a tarp, or roof to cover it, logs so we can sit on it, the ship is big but not big enough for everyone. Gather some other students get them to help you dig, and use Lammy to knock down trees for seats and wood and bring them back, be careful from all the monsters," Gaius would say as he strides past them riding a brown horse followed by Rufus on his black steed.
"Well guess we have a job now," Elliot says as they begin.
Laura was not excited as she entered the Medical bay, Alisa still fast asleep her hand in Reans, his wounds looking no better, the only source of life from him was the rise and fall of his chest. Laura was distraught, after the first field trip she had a crush on Rean, but then she noticed the way he looked at Alisa and knew she couldn't compete with that. Especially now since they know, she is Alisa Reinford, but she had gotten over it. She instead made it her goal to become best friends with Rean which she had achieved.
But her heart at times still ached. But she put that aside, knowing that those emotions would not help her. Instead, she knelt in front of Alisa, who was still covered in Rean's dry blood from the battle yesterday.
"Alisa, time to wake up please," she would say softly. Slowly but surely Alisa's eyes would open, her red eyes looking at Laura, who had only concern in hers. "We need you to have a shower and eat some food," Laura says, taking one of Alisa's hands.
"No, what if he wakes up, I can't leave him, I can't lose him again," she whimpers glancing over at Rean.
"Emma has said he won't wake up for at least another three days at best, and she will be here, he won't be alone. You won't lose him, Emma is preparing more medicine as we speak, and new arts," Laura responds, starting to unwind Alisa's grip from Rean's hand who seems to be equally holding on.
"I miss him, I miss Rean," she cries, as silent streams of tears pour down Alisa's face,
"We all do, and right now, the only thing we can do is get you looking your best. If Rean wakes up with you covered in blood, he won't react well, he will push himself and hurt himself more, you know he will want to after he wakes up to try and go back to Erebonia, so please do this for him," Laura whispers finally getting Rean to relinquish Alisa's hand.
"I want him to love me, I want to run away from everything, just me and him, but I know he won't he is like you. A knight, a defender, a warrior and a Hero," Alisa says as she finally stands up supported by Laura whose face has more worry, they wander slowly through the ship towards the showers. Laura would wait outside while Alisa would scrub herself, Laura would hear soft cries from inside but let Alisa continue.
Laura knew that she just needed time, time to cry, time to figure out her head and time to be alone.
"I wish everything would be ok, I wish everything, everyone would be ok, not for me but just for our class," she would whisper as she watched Thor's students with clipboards run up and down the hallway, clearly working on the inventory management Towa asked for.
Alisa was in the shower on her knees, Rean's blood slowly but surely washing off. She was weak and scared, her head was pounding, and her knees felt like jelly, "Why Rean? Why?" she would cry softly, hoping Laura wouldn't hear as she just sat there her knees giving no strength.
Her heart was pounding, and every time it did, she would feel it ache from being away from Rean.
Rean, why? I don't understand, why do I feel so broken. I used to be able to function without you. But now I feel like a bow without arrows or orbal car without an engine. You complete me, and I did not realize I wasn't complete without you.
Hunting trip an hour later,
"So that's a deer and a bucket full of fish," Jusis, would state as Gaius places another fish into the very full bucket.
"Yeah, we are on one of the more remote mountains far from my village," Up the mountain about a half an hour journey is a cave hot spring. My family would take me there when I was a kid, It's like those hot springs they had at Ymir, beautiful when it's snowing," Gaius continues, As they prepare to make the trek back to the Courageous.
"Sounds like a good way to warm up, it will snow soon won't it?" Jusis would ask, as he would finish attaching the bucket of fish to his horse.
"Yes, it will be freezing, I can tell, the wind blows hard today, it always snows at the end of December here, and won't really melt till the second week of spring," Gaius would explain as they would pass beautiful rock formations to gorgeous plains. It was so green, even though it felt like the ground should be covered in snow.
But Jusis wasn't admiring the scenery, he was confused and guilty. Usually riding would help but it didn't, not today, not after yesterday and definitely not after Rean.
"Gaius?" Jusis would ask, nervous and unsure on where he even wanted this conversation to go, they had mostly been in silence this trip and very much danced around Rean when they spoke.
"Yes," Gaius would reply, still calm and focused like always.
"How are you so calm?"
"I'm not, I am guilt-ridden, I said I would fight with Rean, and he almost died fighting on his own, he is my friend, but I know he wouldn't want me wallowing in my guilt. It would be disrespectful to his memory, to who he is. If it were anyone else, he would be doing all he could to make sure everything was ok when they woke up," Gaius would reply as they rode on, not noticing the first bits of snow start to fall.
"I will be better," Jusis mutters to himself, as a red form of the Courageous reappears. The place where the courageous had landed was like a valley, cliffs surrounded the ship hiding it from view, the valley itself was flat covered in grass, and the vessel and people moving seemed to of scared off the native wildlife from the area.
Gaius and Jusis saw the others handy work, there was a large tarp coming from the exit of the hanger, covering the ramp and now a fire pit similar to the one at the festival. Lammy could be seen dragging a log with Millium riding it like a horse.
Everyone seemed to be running around, pushing crates, and preparing for the night, "Snow will fall tonight or tomorrow, so we must be ready," Gaius would say as a small gust of wind carrying winter on its back would blow past both the riders and into the valley.
"We must survive, we must do whatever we can," Jusis, says as they ride in towards their classmates.
Medical bay, same time.
"I don't know Celine, he is strong, but he just won't wake up. Minor healing has occurred compared to his usual it's so slow," Emma would say frustrated at the papers for not bringing better news. Celine, the talking cat, was curled up on the desk just as frustrated.
"I seriously don't know what's wrong, maybe because of that Spirit Unification? I have never really observed much of this power, nor do I know a lot," Celine responds, looking over at the Ashen Cavalier.
"Well, he is slowly healing so let's just let him rest, for now, we can try some Arts tomorrow," Emma, would say leaving the medical bay with Celine in tow, not noticing her green-haired classmate standing to the side hidden in the realm of shadows.
As she walks away, the green-haired man enters the medbay. As he enters, he stares at his dark-haired classmate who is just laying there his chest rising and falling. Machias would want to run, but some force keeps him rooted in place, looking at Rean's pained face as he can only imagine the pain, the suffering that Rean is currently going through.
"I'm sorry, I know even after I opened up, even though I stood by you. We never really became friends; we just sort of stayed the same. Not really moving from people who know each other, and I regret that. You were a noble but adopted, you had a little bit of all of us," says, before he has to take a deep breath, "You made me jealous, Emma would look at you and always look after you and never looked my way, not until recently. I think I hated you but never publicly let it show, but then you were how I wished our world could be, a little bit of noble but also a commoner. Even if that wasn't possible, you as a person, you are so ugh!" He grunts as he watches Rean continue to just lay there like a corpse, "Your too perfect, how is everyone else supposed to keep up?" he asks angrily before sighing, and the anger fades away into nothingness. "Just get well Rean, we all miss you,"
Bridge, two hours later,
"Greetings Towa, how are you?" Olivert would ask in his usual flamboyant, charming way through the ship's computer.
"Good, Rean isn't much better, but we are getting there, we aren't flying for at least 2 weeks while we make repairs. But we have stock of supplies, and we are all alive so far, just wounded and tired honestly, we just need a little time, how goes you?" Towa would ask her little saintly voice echoing through the empty bridge.
"Complete change of plans, massive amounts of the northern provincial armies have been taken the capital. So the Imperial army has busted through securing massive amounts of weapons, supplies and captured men, we now seem to have the advantage, allowing us to not have to leave to Nord and rather press forward and further East." Olivert would begin as a video is shown to Towa showing the retreating armies from the north and the secured supplies of tanks and a few Soldats, "Craig the Red is alive, critical but alive. That man is at reduced strength but is regrouping his forces and set to give the Provincial armies hell in the East. Rufus seemed to overplayed his hand or something, but the Noble alliance doesn't seem to be as untied as I first thought, anyway leave the war to us, you press on continue to regroup and repair I will be in contact soon," he says before winking. The screen swaps to black, Towa was confused, Olivert somehow by Aidios had turned what looked like a crushing defeat into a swift victory.
"I need some more sleep and food," Towa sighs and walks to the elevator, after a quick ride down to the hanger, she steps out to see a fantastic sight.
Everyone is there, sitting around a bonfire under a massive tarp. On top is a spit of what seems to be a deer of some kind. Gaius seemed to be in charge of the spit, while the cooking club seemed to be focused on preparing what look liked roast vegetables and other warm foods on gas stoves.
Everyone seemed to be happier, everyone in groups talking amongst themselves, it seemed like life had returned to these people, and Towa couldn't be happier. She watched as George and Angelica just chatted away as if there wasn't a war going on. She would join in idle chit chat as they would watch the fire dance like all the students did back at the festival. Then there was Class 7, most where there, gathered together still sombre and reserved but most had small smiles.
Towa noticed all but one was there that could be, Alisa was nowhere to be seen. That was till Elliot spotted her. She was standing out of the fire, staring up at the stars above. A sight not so unfamiliar to some.
Elliot would take this as what he felt was his responsibility to talk to Alisa, they had never been close really. Just friends, but as he considered Rean more and more like a brother, he felt it was his responsibility. So he would walk towards Alisa, making sure he was loud enough to be noticed but not loud enough to gather the rest of class sevens attention as he left, the only person to see him leave was Fie who he entrusted his violin.
Alisa, even with Elliot's purposeful noise, would still jump when he asks, "Your thinking about him?"
She would struggle to respond but instead just stare at the night sky, "Always, especially in Nord, it has so much meaning for me,".
"Yeah, he is always amazing, did you ever listen to him play?" Elliot would ask staring into the sky,
"Play what?" Alisa would ask breaking her stare to the heaven to instead look at Elliot who had developed a soft smile, remembering a memory from not so long ago.
"The Lute, he is amazing, it is one of my fondest memories, playing in Ymir together, I felt it brought us closer together. I will treasure it for the rest of my life, he is truly a remarkable man and will become even more remarkable with age," Elliot would say, as the stars would dance as if Elliot and Rean were playing once more.
"I never knew, I knew he could just never really notice. There is so much more I wanted to know, so much I wanted to tell him,"
"Then tell him, tell him why Nord is special for the both of you, let it out, so he can dream happily. Tell him about the night sky in Nord, I know him, he cares about you more than anyone else in our class, he has always been a little thick-headed, but ever since we got you from Nord he has been scared to open up to you cause he is worried you don't feel the same. Well, that's the last time we spoke about it, about a month ago," Elliot responds before walking away, leaving Alisa to stare up at the sky once more.
"He loves me too?" she asks in utter disbelief.
Elliot would rejoin the others to notice Fie and his Violin was nowhere to be seen.
Fie had taken the arrival of Towa and Elliot going to talk to Alisa as her time to go see Rean, no one notice her disappear with Elliot's violin. She was quick and silent like a cat. Taking the lift to the medical bay where she would be greeted by the sight of Rean silently sleeping, his chest rising and falling.
"Don't cry Fie, don't you dare," she would scold herself as she would feel small tears flow down her face. But no matter how many times she would say it, the tears wouldn't stop as she stared at what was the closest thing to a brother she had. "I'm sorry Rean, I tried to be strong, I brought them together, I just, seeing you like this is hard. After the boss died and Sara took me in, I just couldn't fathom finding another family and then you," she would say crying as she collapsed in the seat next to him, "You and your speeches, looking out for me, I found that familiar care again that I found in the boss and the corps. You became my brother in all but blood. Then I started looking at people different, Elliot. Oh my, I like him so much, but he deserves better than me, then there is Emma. Seeing like this hurts it reminds me of the family I lost, and I might lose this one too," she cries out staring at the violin in her arms as she would just sit crying in the presence of her brother. "Wake up soon, I want to train again together," she would say before standing up and leaving her brother in the dark once more.
The evening would roll into the night, and the so came the wind and the snow. Cold winds clawed at the crew of the courageous. The entire crew would retreat into the ship, closing the hanger door. George had started putting extra beds down in the hanger due to the lack of beds in the upper decks.
This is when Fie would reappear to Elliot, shivering, puffy eyes and hurt. "Fie what's wrong?" Elliot would ask, as Fie would wordlessly wrap her arms around him and her cold would transfer to him. "You feel like an icicle Fie quick come with me," he would say moving her towards the bed. Before removing the blanket and motioning for her to get in. As she would, he would wrap the blanket over her. As turning to leave, he feels a tugging, turning to see what was tugging on him he sees the eyes of a scared cat. Fie never looked like this, it wasn't in her nature.
"Please don't go," Fie would whisper, which Elliot would nod, kicking off his boots and nervously climbing into the bed with Fie.
What is wrong, Fie? Your usually so much stronger, so much better than me.
Elliot would think as Fie would hold him like a teddy bear not daring to tell him why. Why she wanted to cry, where she went and why she looked like a scared cat. Not yet, at least. Sleep would eventually take hold of Elliot like Fie was had. For the first time in two weeks, they both would sleep soundly in each other's arms.
The rest of class seven would head to their beds on the higher decks. All except Alisa who would head to the one place that brought her both pain and comfort, sadness and love. To Rean.
She would wander into the med bay and be greeted by Rean, slowly breathing. His chest rising and falling, and her heart would constrict, "Oh Rean," she would sigh her chest would feel like a hundred knives are stabbing her heart. Instead of blood, it feels like all her love and feelings for Rean would bleed.
She would quickly take the seat beside him and retake his hand. It's rough from battles and training endlessly for years on end. "You have always fight Rean, if not for us. For your sister, family and now for our country," Alisa would start as she would run her thumb over the top of his hand trying to comfort him best she could. "We are in Nord again," she would say as her gaze would rest on Rean's face staring at his features, her heart swelling even injured his face could still make her heart skip a few beats. "You know, Rean. Nord means a lot to me, and I hope it does for you too," she would say blushing out of embarrassment, her cheeks bright red like a tomato. "It's the place you changed me, that I changed and we had a moment, a moment that made me fall in love with you. Under the night sky, a thousand stars dancing in the void. It was in that moment you became my guiding light, my star. I have been happier knowing your close and so worried because you wouldn't love me,"
"Alisa," Rean would whisper interrupting Alisa's confession. Alisa would stare in shock her cheeks would burn, as she would feel his hand gently squeeze her. "Don't go,"
"Rean," she would let out, squeezing his hand back, her heart-melting as she would stare at him, "I won't go anywhere, not without you," Alisa would respond softly smiling at the love of her life. "I hope we can spend another night under the stars, wake up soon Rean,"
North Erebonia, 4 hours later.
"Sir, you have a call," a black armoured man would say, dragging the attention of the man meditating.
"Hand it over," he would say clearly in another bad mood. So the man would, handing over the Arcus unit. "Who is this?" he would ask aggressively.
"Why hello there, it's Rufus. I have a job for you, we have tracked down the Ashen Knight we need you to kill his awakener, immediately. He is in Nord and heavily injured. You will have your crimes erased if you succeed," Rufus would say through the Arcus his noble tone never faltering.
"Fine I will take the contract, he will be dead within the day," the man says, hanging up and staring down at his wrist, his wrist with a number on it 575757, above it the symbol for the black workshop the black horse.
"57, do we have another job?" asks the black-armoured man,
"No I do, you go head to Crossbell, I have another assignment to complete before I will join you," the man would say before picking up a staff and wandering out the of the cave and into Erebonia.
Unknown location, an hour later.
"Everything is working out just as planned, we either will have the head of the Ashen Knight, or we will have both under our control by the end of this war," A tall menacing man would stand his white streak flowing down his face.
"It has played out as we planned, with using Crow as a puppet was a good idea, but he is slowly regaining his memory. But it won't happen till everything comes to ahead, and then we will either wipe it again when we capture him or just let him die," Rufus would say joining the side of his true master.
"You have done well playing both sides and wiping out problems from the board when needed, but from now on I need you to stay out of Class sevens way. We will use them as heroes, you have destroyed the hope of the noble faction and their values it will be a sore point when the war comes to a close, and our scapegoat Duke Cayenne," the man would state before the pain would shoot through his chest. "Crow has one hell of a shot, can't believe the black workshop was able to heal me the way they did, but it still is healing, an extra week before the Reformist faction rolls to the capital with giving me enough time to heal," he would say as he grips his chest.
"Look after yourself Chancellor Osborne," Rufus would say bowing to the man and wandering out the door returning to his duties in the Noble Alliance.
"I will never find a more loyal Ironblood," Chancellor Osborne would state staring at the capital city hiding in plain sight in his own home.