Chapter 40

Juna snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, with the help of two Bracers and our Instructor, otherwise you would've lost your damn head! Whether you believe it or not or want to admit it or not, Rean put you in harm's way yesterday and he was foolish to do so, all to gain information on YOUR father's whereabouts! This isn't about you! We SHOULD be focusing on how best to liberate the city from the nobility instead of worrying about rescuing your damn family!"

Melyssa could feel the animosity oozing from Juna and she knew what it was really about. The train attack, Crossbell and the fact she was used as a pawn by being inserted into their precious Class VII by the Principal who betrayed them. Juna no longer trusted her and didn't want her in the class, that much was obvious. As far as Juna was concerned, Melyssa was the enemy just as much as Aurelia in this situation and that was a horrible reality to face. As soon as this was over and done with, Melyssa planned on leaving Class VII and possibly Thors altogether.

"As much as I hate saying it, Melyssa does have less experience then the rest of us." Crow held up his hands when Melyssa gave him a look. "But on the other hand, if they attack here, we also need stronger people to keep the place, and Mrs. Brackett, safe." Because Juna had made a good point, Melyssa nearly died yesterday. "It makes sense to bring Melyssa and leave you two here."

"You're saying that only because you've known her since pre-puberty."

"No. We need experienced people here and Melyssa isn't going to be any good to anyone if she doesn't get to see her father is all right with her own eyes. You want to focus on helping people? Then we need to get Brackett out and get intel from him, this is our best bet."

Was Crow saying this because he truly agreed with Juna or because of what happened between them last night? "Take Juna or Kurt then. I'll stay here with my Mom and everyone else to watch over things. I know what this is really about." Her eyes locked on Juna. "You don't trust me because of how I got into Thors. You're thinking I could be involved with Ouroboros and I'm betraying all of you, right?"

Juna lowered her eyes, unable to deny what Melyssa said and slowly nodded.

"Well, there you have it. Excuse me, I need some air."

Her appetite was gone and Melyssa could not look any of them in the face right now, wondering if everyone thought the same way as Juna. Probably. If they didn't trust her, there was no way she could go into battle with them. Trust was everything when it came to Combat Linking.

Juna looked up at everyone, who simply stared back at her and she stood up as well, grabbing her plate. "She can't be trusted and you know deep down I'm right. Everything that's happened is too coincidental with her. The attack on Crossbell, the train attack by McBurn, Aurelia 'helping' her get into Thors…she's dangerous and I don't trust her. You're all fools if you do." Not caring she just said that in front of Melyssa's own mother, Juna walked into the kitchen to drop her plate in the sink and then began cleaning.

Ash, Crow and Rean all exchanged troubled looks as everyone else began quietly discussing what Juna had just said.

"And how much information did she withhold until she 'felt' it was the right time?"

"She only told us, or Rean, because it would have come out…"

"Maybe Juna is right."

Rean kneaded his temples. The logic was there as much as he hated to admit it. There were a LOT of coincidences and Melyssa HAD hidden quite a bit of information, only divulging what she needed too and when she wanted. He groaned, pushing away from the table to go after her.

"She's not a traitor." Crow said flatly, folding his arms over his chest.

"I trust her." Emma spoke up, all eyes turning to her and it stopped Rean from walking out the door. She smiled at him softly and pet Celine behind the ear, the memory of her time in Class VII washing over her. "I withheld information from Class VII when we were classmates. A lot of information. They didn't know I was a witch until the civil war began. For nearly 7 months, I kept the information hidden until Laura, Jusis and I had to escape from Thors and we wound up in Laura's hometown, where we knew it was safe." She stood up from her chair, the smile still on her face. "Despite having that deep secret, NONE of our classmates ridiculed me and their faith and trust in me never once faltered. I was sworn to secrecy from my Clan not to say a word about who I really was, where I came from or the fact I'm a witch. It was for my own safety as well as the Hexen Clan. When Rean was taken away in Valimar, the Ashen Knight, with only Celine by his side, he could've given up and went on with his life. He nearly DIED because of me, because I withheld the truth from him being an Awakener for so long. Instead, he picked himself up and traveled Erebonia SEARCHING for his classmates, his friends and comrades and when he found me and Laura, he embraced me and he was understanding and kind, along with the rest of Class VII. When we went toe to toe with my sister, Vita, they all stood behind me and gave me the strength to persevere, to win against her and to make me believe in myself and my abilities as a witch. Just because people don't divulge all the information about themselves to you does NOT mean they are untrustworthy. Why would Melyssa go around saying she was part of Crossbell's attack? Why would she tell you the Golden Rakshasa helped her get into Thors, when it's really nobody's business to begin with? She didn't withhold the truth on purpose, just like I didn't. It was because of circumstances beyond our control. You all need to stand behind your classmate and give her the strength and courage to continue on this journey. Because let me tell you something, without encouragement and TRUST and loyalty, you have nothing. Her father was kidnapped, her grandfather was brutally murdered and her family home was destroyed just last night. How do you think that makes her feel? How do you think she's feeling right now, knowing people who she trusts and believes in don't feel the same way about her? Juna, what you said to her was uncalled for, disrespectful and horrible. As the former Class VII's president, I am ashamed of how you've behaved this morning, especially saying such despicable things in front of Melyssa's own mother. As THIS Class VII's president, you really do have a lot to learn about respecting your peers and classmates, regardless of what they hide from you or where they come from."

Celine purred, agreeing with everything Emma just said. "You really have grown up, you know that?"

Emma smiled down at her familiar and lifted her up. "We all have, but some of us still have a lot to learn. Rean, I will go talk to Melyssa and I think you need to sit your students down and INSTRUCT them on what WILL happen tonight. You are their Instructor, not their friend and you need to stop blurring the lines."

Rean swallowed hard, not remembering the last time Emma was THIS passionate about something and could only nod, watching her leave the warehouse.

"That girl has A LOT of nerve saying what she did!" Juna was fuming, gritting his teeth to the point of gnashing. "She doesn't-"

"She's absolutely right in everything she just said." Fie interjected, standing as well alongside Sara. "Come on Sara, let's leave the Instructor alone with his students."

Sara followed, both deciding to help Miranda in the kitchen since Juna had come out when Emma began her lecture.

"No, she doesn't trust us. If she trusted any of us, she would have told us the truth from day one instead of lying and hiding things." Juna spat once it was just her, Rean and the rest of Class VII. "And obviously nobody thinks highly of you, Rean, if you're being told off about being our friend. You were our friend BEFORE you were an Instructor and-"

"Sit down and shut up." Rean ordered flatly, knowing Juna had a point about the friend thing, but Emma had a bigger, more valid point.

He cared too much about his students, his friends, and it was costing them all. Things were going to have to change, HE was going to have to change. He was their teacher, their mentor, not their friend… not even Melyssa's.

"Melyssa? May I talk to you for a minute, please?"

She turned to see Emma and Celine walking towards her, wondering what the witch and her familiar wanted. "Sure." There was no reason not to talk to Emma and she scooted over to make room on the dock.

"I know what Juna said bothers you and I don't blame you at all. I just kind of…blew up in there, in my own way, and I want to tell you the same thing I just told the rest of your classmates." Emma looked down as Celine jumped on her lap and began stroking her fur.

"Okay…"

Reiterating what she said, except without the harsh tone to her voice, Emma explained her role in Class VII, as well as what she kept from her own classmates. Melyssa listened intently, not interrupting her and felt her eyes grow larger and larger. Emma's situation sounded almost exactly the same as her own.

"I wasn't…trying to keep anything from them on purpose." Melyssa began to cry, knowing it may have seemed that way, but it wasn't. "I swear on the Goddess, on Aidios, on my own Papa's grave, I did not hold back any information purposely from them."

Emma's heart broke as she wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders, pulling her close. "I know you didn't. Like I said, there was no reason for you to tell them about your connection to Aurelia and your reasoning for getting into Thors. It really was nobody's business except yours and hers. You didn't know Aurelia had ulterior motives and was using you. Rean didn't either. Nobody did. And you can't beat yourself up over circumstances that are OUT of your control. You are a good person, I can see it and feel it."

"Crow betrayed your Class VII though, so how can you trust anyone from Jurai after that?" Melyssa wiped her tears away, feeling Emma tense slightly and slowly looked up at her.

"I honestly don't have an answer to that and I wish I did. I guess that's just what happens when you put your faith and trust into someone. Rean fully believed in the good in Crow all these years and, in all the time we battled him, even when he was in the Noble Faction and the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front, even when he was the main villain, Rean never once lost faith in him." She pulled back to wipe away more of Melyssa's tears with her thumbs. "Remember this, Melyssa, once a member of Class VII, ALWAYS a member of Class VII and that's how we felt about Crow, even after his betrayal. When Rean found out what the old Chancellor did to Crow's grandfather, he understood why our friend went down the path he did. All Crow could see was red and Duke Cayenne manipulated him into becoming C. He was just 16 when he became an Awakener with Ordine, the Azure Knight. He was a kid still and my sister manipulated him as well by guiding him down the path he traveled. In a way, a lot of what Crow did wasn't entirely his fault. I know everyone is responsible for their actions, but…there are gray areas and Crow is one of them."

"So, you still fully trust and believe in him, even after he betrayed all of you?"

"Yes."

The only difference was Melyssa hadn't betrayed anyone and didn't know how important her information was at the time. All she thought was Aurelia had saved her life and helped her obtain her goal, which was honing her skills as a swordswoman. She didn't know about Crow being alive and she had no idea McBurn had 'attacked' her in Crossbell to set Aurelia up to 'save' her. It had all been one elaborate, drawn out plan that was slowly coming to fruition and it was all because of her family. Even Rean didn't know Class VII was being set up to come to Jurai because he had trusted and believed in Aurelia.

They had ALL been betrayed and tricked.

"I just…want to save my Dad and help my city, however I can."

Emma nodded, understanding where she was coming from, hearing the conviction in her tone and looked out at the ocean. "Rean said you are coming along tonight and that's what's going to happen, regardless of what Juna or anyone else says. You need to be there with us and I will help save your father however I can with my magic."

"But…"

"No, Melyssa, you have to prove to them you are who you say you are. You have to prove you are trustworthy and you are reliable. The only way to do that is to be in the thick of the fight. Actions speak louder than words. So do it, prove it to them and to yourself that you BELONG in Class VII and you can be trusted and relied upon."

"What if he changes his mind?"

Emma smiled again, slowly shaking her head. "He won't. I know Rean better than most." They had several intimate moments together in the past, but had never gone past friendship and her heart belonged to another – her precious Machias. "Now, dry those tears up and relax as much as you can because tonight won't be an easy task. It will be the most challenging thing you've had to do and you need to be completely focused and ready. Prepare yourself."

Melyssa nodded, taking a deep breath and stood up on the dock to face Emma. "Thank you for the talk, Emma. I'll never forget this."

Emma watched her walk away and hoped Rean got his students in line before nightfall or else this would turn into an absolute nightmare.

"Do you really think Rean can separate himself from being their friend to being their Instructor?" Celine asked, watching Melyssa as well. "He's having a hard time with it."

"He'll have to learn how to or else tonight will turn into an absolute nightmare for all of us."