KS: Well, it's been a while, but I've finally gotten back on this. Now, without further ado, enjoy.
Cosette happily walked through the hallway, holding a stack of books in her arms. The reason she was like this was because most her friends were more than willing to support for allowing Baldren and Audrey. She would be a fool not to feel any joy.
"It looks like things are beginning to get good," she said cheerfully. "If they keep this up, the whole class will warm up to them in no time."
As she continued her walk, she heard a dejected sigh coming from down the hall.
"Who could that be?" she asked herself. She followed the sighs and moans to the stairway, where she found a certain aspiring reporter sitting down with a dejected look.
"Lotte? What are you doing here?"
The brunette turned to her friend, her face devoid of her usual enthusiasm.
"Oh, hey Cosette," she said glumly. "Don't mind me. I'm just doing some... thinking."
"Thinking? About what?" Cosette asked.
Lotte sighed. "Oh, you know... new articles, fixing my camera, wondering if Audrey doesn't like me for some reason."
For some reason, Cosette couldn't help but let out an awkward laugh. "W-What gives you that impression?"
Lotte sighed once more. "I don't know. I just have this gut feeling. Do you have any idea why she might not like me, Cosette?"
The truth is, Cosette had a pretty good idea of why Audrey isn't too fond of Lotte. Although, given the reporter's personality, she really couldn't blame her.
What happened with Audrey and Lotte during training
Cosette had the misfortune of being with Audrey and Lotte for training. The other blonde had enlisted as a lancer since there already was a tank pilot. Surprisingly, she was adept with a lance. She considered it to be a akin to a tank, but smaller.
But anyway, we're getting off topic. Let's get into why Lotte thinks Audrey doesn't like her. Basically, it involved the reported asking the younger Gassenarl a number of questions that she didn't have the answers to. Or she didn't really feel like answering.
"So, what was your real reason for forming the Rebel Army?"
"Shut up."
"Is it really due to the fact that House Randgriz hid the fact that they were Darcsens all along?"
"Shut your mouth..."
"Or was it due to some childhood trauma that involved the Darcsen?"
"Just shut up."
"Do you drive a tank because you feel insecure about your abilities as a foot soldier?"
As the questions piled on, Audrey could take no more of this and shouted at the top her lungs:
"LOTTE, IN THE NAME OF THE VALKYUR, SHUT THE FU-"
That was one moment Cosette would not be forgetting anytime soon. And judging by the look on her face, Lotte wouldn't forget it either.
"Do you think I hit a nerve when I asked all those questions?"
Cosette snapped out of her daydream when she heard Lotte speak again.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Lotte sighed again. "Well, I got so excited about having a former rebel fighting with us, and one of their commanders, no less, I... overstepped my boundries a little."
"That's an understatement if I ever heard it," Cosette thought. "Well, maybe you should try talking to her again. Only this time, take it a little slow."
"Hmm..." Lotte stood up and thought for a moment. "Well, I guess I could give it another shot. If she'll let me, that is."
She walked down the stairs, leaving Cosette by herself.
"I hope Audrey can be patient with her, even just a little," she said.
When it came to swordplay, Baldren always thought of himself to be one of the best. Of course, he never let it get to his head because he knew that there could be others that are just as good as he is, if not more.
This was the case during his fight with Alexis, who seemed to match him in both strength and stamina. With each spar they had, he felt as if he had met a worthy opponent.
"Are you feeling weary yet?" he taunted.
Alexis smirked as he parried a strike. "Not in the slightest."
They continued their little battle until both of them ran out of stamina. Both were panting heavily and had sweat dripping down their faces.
"That was a good spar."
"I agree. We should continue next time."
"We most certainly should."
As he walked, down the hallway, Baldren couldn't stop thinking about Alexis. There was something about him that caught his attention, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"I just need to know what about him strikes me as odd," he said to himself. "But there's no way of finding out without offending him. I will need to think about my approach very carefully or..."
He paused when he felt an ominous presence near him. Letting out a sigh, he turned around.
"I know you're there, Melissa. Come out."
Said girl appeared from a corner, smiling coyly.
"Oh my, you found me again," she said in mock surprise. "Am I that easy to detect?"
Baldren scoffed. "I fought for Gallia when the Empire invaded it. Detecting hidden foes has become second nature."
Melissa moved her her hiding place and walked over to where Baldren stood.
"As it should. Although, it is quite ironic. One moment, you're fighting for the land you were born and raised in, and in the next, you're fighting against it, due to some reveal."
"It's not that I fought against the land I was raised in," Baldren defended. "I... I thought that this country had been tainted by deceit, and thought that we were the only ones to rectify it by any means necessary and..." Baldren let out a heavy sigh as he slumped down. "Well, I'm sure you have fair idea of where this is headed."
"I do," Melissa said. "And in spite of all of that, here you are, allied with the very people who opposed you." She patted him in on the shoulder. "You should try to loosen up a bit. You'll live longer."
Baldren gave her and incredulous look. "You make it sound like I'm old."
Melissa shrugged. "You're in your 20s from what I heard. That basically makes you old."
"There are others in our class that are around my age range," Baldren shot back.
Melissa giggled in response. "No need to get upset. I was just teasing."
Baldren sighed. "I'm aware."
"So, let's see if I got this right," Juliana said to her two male companions. "You were merely talking with the rebel, when suddenly her brother comes out of nowhere and assaulted you both without an reason?"
"That's exactly it, Juliana," the greasy haired student said. "That guy was like a wild animal."
"I don't know what the academy was thinking when they let them on campus, let alone enroll in a class," the short haired student added. "This can't stand."
Juliana smirked. "You are absolutely right. And with what you've told me, those damned rebels will surely meet their fate once we report what happened." Her smirk grew even darker. "And when that happens, I want a front row seat to their long overdue demise."
KS: I just hope you liked that referrence I added mid-chapter. Bonus points to whoever figures out who it is. Also, I didn't think Juliana would be so gullible. Anyone can tell those idiots are lying about what happened in the library. So why is she going along with it? Only time will tell.