Apex85: Oh, there will be plenty of bloodbaths. Regarding important characters though...well, there is at least one instance I have in mind where that could happen, not fully decided, so I'll leave it alone for now.
Some of them? Yeah, sure. Some of them most assuredly have a limit and or a threshold. A lot of them, however...well, not so much.
Yep.
Thanks, glad you liked it. I can see your point and I even agree, on some level. A little underutilized, for sure. Good. I have no idea who those characters you mentioned are, but I'll take your word for it.
Manu259: Yeah, I really can't blame you for having that reaction. I've had it several times in my life, so, completely understand where you're coming from. :P
Expected? I honestly thought I'd surprise people with that. Not a lot, but at least a little. Seems you and me think a little more alike than I thought. Interesting.
Oh, just wait. With the stuff I have planned, it won't be long before the whole damn class ships them, trust me. XD
Most definitely, as I'm sure you'll find out below.
Thank you for your time and review, your input and feedback are always appreciated. :)
RedBurningDragon: Glad you think so. Yeah. You shall see.
Heero de Fanel: Indeed!
I'm happy you like and get what I'm going for with changing up the field study groups. That said, don't worry, Emma will be in the next field study group. I gotta give everyone their time, right? As for Fie and Laura's clash in Heimdallr...well, I'm not gonna say anything more than I don't plan to take as long as the game did to resolve their conflict. Thanks, I try my best to give them decent development. That's a big reason I decided to start all the way back at the beginning, as opposed to a later point in time, so that I could properly and effectively characterize everyone for the story and a plethora of things I have planned. Again, thank you, I try my best. :)
Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. Darkknight2156, Blazehunter32, blazingpheonix123, fuji92, grimmzapdos, yukkikage666, Blazing Badger, thank you!
UPDATE
More touch-ups. Also, for those who've read this before, I fixed the Toval and Laura discrepancy.
Now then, please read, review, and enjoy.
ACT I - CHAPTER II - PART VI
...
5/30 - Sunday
Bareahard, Hotel Esmeralda
It was early morning, and the female half of Group A were in their shared room, trying to work things out.
...
"You have my deepest apologies for my behavior last night. I was out of line." Laura apologized, heartfelt in her sincerity, head lowered in guilt and shame. "I acted quite inappropriately, and said things I did not truly mean. I was frustrated and angry with you, these feelings compounded with my preconceived notions of jaegers...of you, and I lost my composure. It was childish and unacceptable. And you have my word, it will not ever happen again." The well-spoken swordswoman promised her classmate, raising her head from it's lowered position.
Fie was a tad caught off guard by the sincerity of the apology.
She had expected to receive one, of course.
'She is a proper and well-behaved lady, after all.' She mentally classified.
But the fifteen-year-old would be lying if she said she had expected it to be so sincere and heartfelt.
'Most people see jaegers as thugs or monsters, Laura included. I didn't think she'd feel this bad for saying what she really thought...'
"Why are you apologizing for speaking your mind?" Fie inquired. "That's how you feel, right? Then you should say so. Better that way. I much prefer you say it to my face rather than keep it to yourself. You did, and I honestly respect you for that." She informed her, genuine in her sentiment.
Laura looked horrified at that. "No! I assure you, I did not mean what I said! I spoke without thinking, I-I did not mean to...to hurt you like I did." She admitted.
"I know that my words were harsh and mean-spirited, as I said, I am sorry for that. It was not my intention to hurt your feelings. My behavior last night was deplorable, I can hardly even believe I acted in such a manner. I was raised better than that. My father...would be ashamed." As this realization hit her, having not even thought of how her father might have reacted to what she had done, she began to look ill.
The genuine remorse rolling off of Laura stirred Fie's emotions a bit, and brought forth some of the hurt from the day before.
"It's okay. People get caught up in the moment and say things they don't really mean, I understand that. So...don't worry about it." She accepted the apology almost nonchalantly, in an attempt to hurry this along, so they could move past it.
Mostly because she found herself uncomfortable, but partly because there was a small part of her that felt Laura did not truly mean what she said. That small part believed her remorse, her apology, but still thought Laura's previous words to her were how she honestly felt, and that she simply felt bad about saying them aloud.
Fie found herself listening to that small part of her.
Laura opened her mouth to speak further, just as Fie prepared to tell her she would like to drop it, when the sound of knocking interrupted their conversation.
The two girls dropped the discussion, reluctantly on Laura's part.
Fie walked over and opened the door to their room.
"Hello Fie." Machias greeted her. "Do you have any idea where Rean and Albarea have gone? I can't seem to find them." He admitted, a tad confused.
"They got up a little earlier than the rest of us to go buy something." She apprised him. "They should be back in a few minutes."
"Buy something? What could those two possibly be shopping for?" He queried quizzically
"What do you think?" She retorted with a rhetorical question, giving her male classmate the universally accepted 'are you stupid' look.
Rean and Jusis were currently browsing a store that specialized in eyewear, the lack of customers this early in the day giving them the time and space to speak openly to one and other.
"Pardon the bluntness, but I do believe I heard two voices in the hall last night." Jusis spoke forwardly.
"Oh, um, we didn't keep you awake, did we?" Rean asked, apologetic.
"No. I couldn't make out what you two were speaking about, so it wasn't loud enough to disturb anyone's slumber. That said, you were chatty enough that I could easily discern it was Fie who you were speaking with." The blond fencer informed him, gaze sweeping over a particular row of spectacles.
"I see, that's good then."
"Mm. Yet I find myself curious, what could keep you two so busy? If you don't mind my asking, that is." He said politely.
"It was...personal. And it wouldn't really be my place to talk about it." Rean responded evenly.
"I see. So the personal matters concerned her rather than you. I understand, I shall not question you further regarding the matter then." He accepted this limit to the conversation. "Then allow me this: she is more to you than just a friend, is she not?" He inquired, not bothering to look back at his classmate.
"W-What!? Um, I don't, I mean..." Rean began to stammer, a light red color hewing his cheeks. "Why would you ask me that...?"
"Simple. Romantic or not, the closeness the two of you share is not that of an ordinary friendship." The aloof noble verbalized his illation. "There are blatant signs of this, such as her being so open and honest with you, as well as how she seems to take it upon herself to be within your vicinity at all possible times. There are also less obvious signs, such as her body language around you, and vice versa. Your battle stance is a prime example." He expounded.
"W-Well, I mean...you're not wrong. She is much more than just a friend to me. She's like family. But...wait, what about my battle stance? What's that got to do with anything?" The Schwarzer heir suddenly found himself asking, confused about that one.
'Is that really all?' Jusis wondered.
He held the theory that it was more than that at this point, but opted not to press his new friend on the subject.
"Ah, so you don't even notice it yourself. I suppose I should have known that. It's not so obvious to most people, but to anyone with enough combat experience, or those who are swordsmen like you, such as Laura and I, your stance markedly changes when you do battle with Fie at your side." The aloof noble started to explain.
"When she is not present, your stance is rather neutral, neither truly offensive or defensive, willing to flow in either direction depending on how the fight unfolds. On the other hand, when she is present, your stance is decidedly more aggressive. You're quicker to attack and slower to retreat. I've also noticed that, when at all possible, you keep her at your back while the enemy is at your front. In other words, you try to place yourself between Fie and your opponent whenever such an action is feasible. You make sure not to block her completely, so that she can still attack, of course, however, you position yourself so that any attack made would have to get past you to reach her." He explicated.
"It's just another facet of what we discussed last night, your protective nature, as it were. Considering you seem to have been doing this unconsciously, it certainly lends quite a bit of credence to your assertion that Fie is different, a special case as it were, when it comes to you acting rashly and throwing yourself in harms way." He added.
"I, uh, well...um..." Rean stammered, unsure of how to respond. "You certainly are observant." He settled on this for some reason.
"I can't exactly deny it. Even if I barely realized I was doing it myself..." He trailed off. "Why, exactly, do you bring this up?" The diffident swordsman inquired directly then.
"Simple. I wish to know why." The blond answered honestly. "What is it that sets her apart from everyone else? Why must you protect her so?" He queried further. "She is, after all, the second strongest warrior in our class. Barring our instructor and Laura, Fie outstrips everyone in regards to combat...it is not like she needs the protection." He brought up a valid point.
"It's not a sense of chivalry on your part, or the misguided notion that she requires protection due to her sex; that is made readily apparent by your lack of similar actions on Laura's behalf." He concluded. "Yet you insist your relationship isn't romantic in nature. If you're to be taken at your word, that doesn't leave much reasoning behind your actions. Unless, of course, this is a habit you picked up when you were children?" It was phased as a question, but by the tone of the noble boy's voice, it was more like inference.
"Okay, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you rehearsed that. Should I start calling you detective Jusis from now on?" Rean decided to inject some levity into the conversation, trying to alleviate the discomfort he was beginning to feel about where it was going.
Jusis could not help the small grin that formed on his face. "Funny. And I thank you for the compliment as well." He responded pleasantly.
"I'll take your response to mean that you have no intention of answering. That is fine. I was simply curious. I have no intention of pressing the subject." He apprised his friend.
"No, I..." The affable swordsman began. "...look...when we were kids...something happened. I don't really want to talk about it, so I'll just say this. Some man...a jaeger, found us on the outskirts of Ymir. My sister, Fie, and I, that is. Things got bloody. Fie almost died. And ever since...I promised myself that I would protect her. That's why I..."
Jusis' grin morphed into an understanding smile, as he nodded his head. "I understand. Thank you for telling me. I don't need to hear anymore, my curiosity has been sated." He informed his friend.
"Thank you." Rean said, his relief showing through for a moment. "I gotta ask though, what's with all the personal questions suddenly?" He posed to his new friend.
"Is it not obvious? I desire to know more about the companion I suddenly find myself having." Jusis gave his reasoning, as he finally picked out a pair of spectacles.
"I had insisted that I had no intention of making friends, that went for the entirety of the student-body, not just our class. And yet, you persisted in trying to be friendly. Even when I attempted to brush you off, you still kept sticking your nose in my business. I can now see that you don't know the meaning of a cold shoulder. That, or you just don't care to acknowledge or respect it." He told the raven-haired teen, amusement evident in his eyes.
"I...uh, I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not." Rean replied with a chuckle.
"Take it however you wish." Was all the aloof noble said in response, as he got the clerk's attention and prepared to pay for the glasses.
"Then I choose to take it as a compliment." Rean said simply, as he fished out his wallet and opened it. "Here, I can cover half of-"
"Absolutely not." Jusis refused outright. "Who do you take me for? Put your wallet away. I will not allow a friend of mine to pay a single mira to replace something that I broke. My actions, my responsibility." He dictated, his expression hardening to it's usual neutral, almost haughty state.
Rean couldn't help but laugh at this. "All right, all right. I got it." A small, mirthful grin had formed on his face at this point. "You're actually a pretty nice guy, you know that, Jusis?"
"I have no intention of dignifying that with a response."
Rean just laughed again.
As Rean and Jusis returned to the hotel, they found their classmates waiting for them in the main lobby.
Fie and Laura were, well, no better than they had been in the past month, unfortunately. They awkwardly kept their distance, uncomfortable tension almost palpable between them.
As for Machias, he was staring intently at the two returning males.
"Is there a problem?" Jusis posed to his rival.
"N-No, of course not. I just-I didn't expect..." Machias trailed off, his eyes focused solely on the pair of glasses the blond was carrying.
"What? I told you I would replace them, did I not? I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. It is as simple as that." The aloof noble informed. "Here are the replacements I promised. As they are of a similar make and model as your previous pair, I've no doubt you will find them acceptable." He apprised.
"That said, I was not aware of the strength of the prescription of your lenses, so, unfortunately, I doubt it will be what you're used to in that regard." He further explained. "I will, of course, pay for proper replacement lenses once we've returned to Trista. Just let me know the strength of your usual prescription."
"I don't...I honestly don't know what to say." Machias confessed in that moment, as he took the proffered spectacles. "I suppose a thank you is in order, so...you have my gratitude, Albarea." He continued as he tried the glasses on; the spectacles just about identical to his old pair.
"They're...not quite a strong as my old pair. But it will more than do for the remainder of the field study." He reassured, tone a tad stilted and awkward.
Jusis nodded at this, and that was where their conversation ended.
Rean fought the urge to sigh at this fact. 'That went better than I'd expected, not as well as I'd hoped. Baby steps, I guess.'
It was then that the man who'd welcomed them to the hotel the day before, the General Manager, an older man named Richelieu, approached.
"Ah, you're back." He acknowledged this fact, before coming to a stop and offering an envelope to them. "Here is the envelope Lord Rufus entrusted to me. Please, take it, and study it's contents well."
"Thank you." Rean said as he took the envelope from the older man.
"Much appreciated." Jusis verbalized gratitude.
Richelieu nodded his head at this. "If you'll excuse me, then. Should you require anything further, please do not hesitate to let me know!" He let them know enthusiastically, before taking his leave.
"All right. Let's see what my brother's given us for today."
"Yeah, I'm kinda anxious." Rean agreed, as he opened it up and took out the paper inside.
The list only contained two tasks.
The first was from the general manager of the hotel Esmeralda, the man who had just given them the envelope, Richelieu. He required their assistance in exterminating a plant monster dwelling on the stone bridge leading toward Celdic on the North Kreuzen Highway. The second was from the owner, Hammond, of the restaurant they ate at the night before, Sorciere. And his request was a simple collection of ingredients, though they would need to swing by his establishment to confirm everything he needed.
"Seems our workload is lighter than previously." Laura commented on the fewer tasks present.
"You know...I wouldn't be surprised if Rufus had predicted what happened yesterday from the very start." Rean suddenly extrapolated aloud.
"You're saying he intended to give us a firsthand look at the problems between the nobles and the commoners?" Machias queried, immediately knowing what his friend was referring to. "Hmph. If that's true, I'm impressed. His reputation is well earned."
"Sure does seem that way." Fie commented.
"I believe that's enough talk about my brother." Jusis interjected. "We have only one day left before we must depart on our return voyage to Trista." He reminded them. "We should set out-"
"Jusis Albarea." The bespectacled academic spoke abruptly, interrupting the blond; eyes boring into him as their colored orbs locked.
"What is it, Machias Regnitz?" The aloof noble decided to humor his rival, tone something along the line of boredom.
"I will accept no more failures. Today we will form and maintain a combat link." The studious commoner dictated to his rival.
"...What?" Was said rival's eloquent response.
"As much as I may dislike you, I'm ashamed that we were unable to do what every other member of our class has accomplished." The dark green-haired boy admitted. "We may not be the only ones having trouble currently, but we are the only ones who have never retained a combat link for an entire battle." He effectively encapsulated their dilemma. "We will achieve this today, no matter what we have to do to get it done. Agreed?"
The blond fencer sighed at this, shaking his head. "You really are simple-minded, aren't you?" He questioned rhetorically, amused. "I suppose you overheard our conversation last night and feel some kind of affinity toward me now?"
"N-Nonsense! I did no such thing!" Machias quickly denied. "I was fast asleep while you yammered on about your family and Rean...er..." He quickly realized his folly.
"ahem." He cleared his throat, unsure of how to recover from his blunder.
"Machias..." Rean spoke his friend's name with a small grin.
"That's pretty conclusive." Fie put forth.
"I do believe we've learned today that Machias cannot lie to save his life." Laura remarked, clearly just as amused as Jusis was.
"Gah." Machias huffed in frustration.
"Haha." Jusis chuckled. "Very well. I accept your proposal. I'll be happy to show you what a proper combat link looks like."
"H-Hah! We'll see about that! Fortunately, I have more than enough generosity of spirit to endure being paired with an arrogant noble like you!" His words lacked the usual venom that accompanied them when speaking to his rival; the bespectacled genius attempting to appear far more hostile than he truly felt.
Both Rean and Jusis couldn't help but laugh at the other male's behavior.
"What?" Machias suddenly barked in Fie's direction, the silver-haired maiden having been pointedly staring at him for a few moments now.
"Nothing." She responded. "Just find it funny that you're finally taking steps to remove that chip from your shoulder." She said with mirth hidden behind her eyes. "It'll probably take you awhile, but you're gettin' there."
"What, exactly, are you trying to say?" The class VP inquired directly.
"That you're a good boy." She joked, still staring right at him.
That got the boy flustered for a moment.
"Stop that!" He demanded irritably. "Stop looking at me like I'm some hapless babe!" He exclaimed.
"You know what, I've been wanting to say this to you for a long time, Fie, and now is the perfect opportunity!" He continued, the fifteen-year-old clearly having gotten his dander up, even if it was rather minor compared to how upset he'd been the previous day.
"Sleeping in class is an affront to our education! You need to start treating classes more seriously! Listen! Take proper notes! Raise your hand now and then!" He nagged her incessantly, his motive behind doing so comprised of one part genuine vexation, and one part simply trying to cover his embarrassment with outrage.
Not wanting to hear any of this, Fie hid behind Rean, placing her back against her childhood friend's; using her hands to cover up her ears, she was blatantly trying to block Machias out.
"Get out from behind Rean, and stop covering your ears when I'm talking to you!" Machias further badgered the ex-jaeger.
"I can't hear you." Fie retorted almost impishly.
Rean laughed out loud at Fie's antics.
Jusis couldn't help but smirk; the noble was more entertained by the girl making fun of his rival than he'd care to admit.
Laura found herself smiling as well, even in spite of the ever-thickening tension between Fie and herself.
"All right now, that's enough of that." The affable swordsman asserted, getting everyone's attention. "We have our tasks, so how about we get to it?"
The group of five teens opted to attend to the monster extermination quest first, heading out to North Kreuzen Highway, where they found a large plant-like monster, sporting three faux venus fly trap heads. They did battle with the creature, their aggression leading the creature to release offspring from it's body, introducing several new combatants to the mix in order to better defend itself. One by one they slayed the smaller plant-beasts, before focusing all their attacks on the one who'd produced the progeny.
They quickly discovered it was of a similar strength as the monster they'd encountered the previous day, as it fought back with all it's might. Nothing they couldn't handle though.
However, matters were complicated as Jusis and Machias found themselves failing yet again at maintaining a combat link. Far worse than that, Fie and Laura were completely incapable of forming a combat link at all. Before where it would falter and break inexplicably, now it couldn't so much as muster into existence.
In short, their linking capabilities were rendered absolutely nill. A problem that, until now, none of the class had ever encountered before.
They couldn't spare the time to think about the implications of this or guess as to what the repercussions could be, as they were still in the midst of battle. Hastily, Rean linked with Fie, and the group of five continued their fight, until eventually, they'd killed the monster.
Flummoxed by what'd occurred regarding their combat links, none of the five found they had anything to say. So they simply returned to the city.
...
After reaching Bareahard, they decided as a group they needed to try again regarding the links. So they ventured out onto the Auroch's Canyon Path. They fought several creatures as they advanced, until they reached the fort itself. Unfortunately, they were unable to solve the problems between either of the pairs experiencing difficulties. They were able to determine, however, that Laura could still link with others, just as they already knew Fie could from the battle with the plant monster. Otherwise, they'd made zero progress in fixing the problem.
As they turned to head back though, the sound of a man muttering and whining to himself caught their attention. Deciding to see what the problem was, they spoke with him.
He was a man of average height, possessed short light brown hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. His outfit and features were all painfully mundane, nothing very unique or eye-catching about him. His personality on the other hand...well, as Group A was about to find out firsthand, he could, at times, be a very eccentric person.
How so? Well, when he took notice of the teenagers presence, he greeted them with these words, "You're...you're my messiahs, sent by Aidios to save me, aren't you?"
Despite the ridiculousness melodrama of such a line, the five asked after what was wrong with him. And he, suddenly oh so positive, related to them the fact that he was utterly and completely lost and had no idea how to return to the city. After conversing with him for a number of moments and getting past his eccentricities, the five agreed to guide him back to his friend, who was waiting for him back in Bareahard.
...
Once they'd unloaded Anton, which was the man's name they learned, upon his much more level-headed traveling companion, Ricky, the group of teens returned to their tasks. Or rather, their only remaining task, which required them to visit the restaurant from the night before.
"Greetings and welcome." A middle-aged man with black hair, a simple black mustache, dark brown eyes, and fair skin greeted them. His all-white attire, not counting the red article around his neck, along with his rather tall chef's hat was all evidence of his seniority at this establishment.
"Hello, Hammond." Rean returned the greeting.
The students went on to thank the man for the meal he'd served them the previous night, before he listed off the ingredients he needed to make a certain nostalgic dish, as he called it, that wasn't on the Sorciere's menu. Hence the need for assistance in gathering the ingredients.
Jusis raised an eyebrow at what was needed, having a hunch as to what it was for, but said nothing on the matter, and the group went about getting what was required.
...
No more than half an hour later, they'd brought back what Hammond needed and were thanked for their work. He then bade them to take a seat, as he prepared the dish. So they did, gathering around an open table, sitting and waiting for this dish he so wished them to have.
Shortly after that they were served.
Other than a slight widening of Jusis' eyes, he gave no sign of recognition toward the dish, and the group dug in.
...
Hammond came to the table once they had finished their meal, and Group A, excluding Jusis, praised the food greatly. The conversation evolved from there.
"You mentioned this is a nostalgic dish, I assume that means Jusis had it often?" Rean inquired directly, knowing he'd probably get an answer from Hammond sooner than he would the blond himself.
"That's correct." Hammond confirmed. "It was one of his favorite dishes growing up...was it not?" He asked his nephew, diverting his attention solely to him.
"It was." Jusis answered with a nod. "It still is. I don't think that will ever change." He continued. "Thank you. It was quite the treat to have this again." He vocalized his gratitude, affording his family member a genuine, heartfelt smile in that moment.
"It was a pleasure." Hammond responded with a kindly smile in return.
The two conversed then, with the others as well, the four learning from the two that Jusis' mother had been the one to come up with the dish, having done so a number of years ago this one time the blond in question fell ill as a child. She'd requested a healing herb from the church and combined it with a number of other ingredients, in hopes of it helping her son recover from his sickness faster, as well as being tasty and easy to digest.
It hadn't been anything serious, just a cold, yet even still, the woman was determined.
It was evident, just hearing the uncle and nephew talk about her, that the woman had been a very kind person and a great mother. The four were unable to learn much more though, as Jusis clammed up on subject, and Hammond seemed to respect that.
Hammond thanked them all once more, and they were able to mark the request as done. And as they left, he offered them a simplified recipe of the Deluxe Herb Chowder they'd chowed down on.
Group A had returned to Hotel Esmeralda, having finished up the day's tasks much earlier than they had been intended to. This left them a number of hours before their predetermined departure time.
They could always catch an earlier train, however, the students didn't quite feel up to it, for a number of reasons.
The group of five teens plopped themselves down on two of the comfortable and luxurious sofas that were in the lobby, Rean and Fie on one, Laura, Machias, and Jusis on the other.
Four of their number were completely and openly dissatisfied and frustrated with how things had gone this day, and despite the warm and pleasant meal and exchange they'd had at Sorciere, their moods improved very little.
...
An uncomfortable silence was shared between Group A, tension lingering within.
Not only had Jusis and Machias been unable to do what they had been so determined to, what they had resolved themselves to do, the boys failing yet again to maintain a combat link...there was also Fie and Laura. The strongest combatants in the class, the most dexterous, and experienced of them all...and yet, they could no longer even form a link at all with their ARCUS units. It had all of the sudden become an impossibility for them to do something so completely fundamental.
The overwhelming vexation the two girls experienced because of this didn't help matters none either, just as the abundance of aggravation from their male counterparts did nothing for fixing the conundrum.
Rean let out a sigh, catching the attention of his classmates in doing so. "Look guys, I know you're frustrated and angry over all this, and I can't say I wouldn't feel the same if I were in your shoes, because I know I would, but...this isn't going to get us anywhere." He began, sympathetic in tone.
"Cooperating with someone is one thing, but really working together, trusting and synchronizing with each other, relying on one and other...those don't come so easily. And if I've learned one thing from our time as a class so far, it's that a good combat link doesn't just thrive off those things, they are prerequisites." He explained to them the conclusion he'd reached on the ARCUS links.
"With the sole exception of Machias and Jusis, everyone in our class was capable of linking together and maintaining those links through battle, even in the beginning. Despite the fact that most of us knew next to nothing about each other, we could link up and fight without any real complications. I know that doesn't quite match up with what I said, but hear me out." He implored his classmates.
"In regards to the world, in the grand scheme of things, we're all young and inexperienced. We haven't gone through the ordeals that have closed off so many people's hearts and minds to each other." His eyes drifted to Fie in that moment. "And those select few of us that have...well, they manged to overcome those hardships without losing what so many people do." He was all but speaking directly to her in that moment, before returning his gaze to a neutral point.
"What I'm trying to say is...this fact makes us more trusting and open-minded than others. Because of our age, our lack of experience...we lack the jagged edges and ingrained biases so many people form by the time they're adults. We're not perfect, by any means, but we haven't yet closed ourselves off from change." He expounded.
"In that vein, the two of you couldn't do what we all could due to your shared animosity." He looked between the dark green-haired and blond rivals in that moment. "Fie and I serve as the inverse. We could link almost instantaneously, and were able to acclimate to battling while linked much easier than anyone else in the class. Rather than assuming that means the two of us have a knack for using the ARCUS, or are special in some way..." The affable swordsman trailed off, allowing them put the pieces together themselves the same way he had done.
"That would only leave the fact that you share a close relationship, and as such are far more in tune with one and other than the rest of of us are with our fellow classmates." Machias finished, eyes widening a tad in understanding as he processed this and arrived at the same conclusion.
"A rather simplistic way to view it, however, I cannot deny that your words hold merit." Jusis added his voice to the discussion. "Even if your reasoning is...rather idealistic." His tone wasn't one of distaste, almost bemused rather than annoyed.
He simply found the logic a tad...idealistic, saccharine, even.
"If that is truly how it functions...I suppose it is only logical that we've had such setbacks." Laura opined, looking somewhat dejected at the notion.
"That makes sense." Fie commented. "It certainly would explain why Laura and I can't link at all anymore." She added.
"Following this line of logic, the ARCUS works through one's own will, or rather, combat links do." The bespectacled academic deduced. "In other words, it's not simply our minds that interact, able to almost psychically know how the other is going to attack and where as well as when; it's our wills that have the most say in how our links work out." He finished, sounding completely fascinated by the idea.
"Right. Which means that no matter how much you're all determined to link with one and other, it's not going to happen just because you try and force it." Rean elucidated. "You have to at least be amicable with each other to have a chance of making it work. The more you know and understand your partner though, the stronger the link will be and the harder it will be for it to suddenly sever like you guys experienced." He explicated.
"Think of it like..." The humble swordsman trailed off for a moment, attempting to think up the best way to put what he was going to say next. "...almost like a dance." He decided on this analogy, mostly for the lack of being able to come up with a better one. "It's not going to work if both parties are trying to take the lead, all you'll end up doing there is stepping on each other's toes. There are only two ways to make it work. Either one person leads while the second person faithfully follows, or both parties have to 'share' the lead, as it were."
The group went quiet again for a few moments, as this theory and the context it provided settled into their minds.
"Take all of this with a grain of salt, of course. I don't know any of this for certain. But from having experience what it's like to link with everyone, and fighting while using these combat links, battle after battle, this is what I've managed to come up with. It's the only way I can think to describe it, honestly. It's just a theory, but I think I might be onto something." He disclosed.
"If that's really how the ARCUS links work..." The class VP prefaced. "Then I suppose we'll just have to keep trying for the time being." He asserted simplistically.
The aloof noble nodded in agreement. "Giving up now most certainly wouldn't get us any closer to actually achieving a stable link. And while it is doubtful repeated attempts will yield superior results, it is far better than simply throwing in the towel." The blond gave his two cents.
"Not to mention, if this hypothesis regarding the ARCUS turns out to be accurate, then as we work toward a proper combat link we should make some sort of progress in meeting what you dubbed as the prerequisites. So long as we keep and open-mind and remain civil, of course." He reasoned.
"Exactly. You just have to keep trying." The diffident swordsman told them with a small smile. "As long as you try and understand the person you're attempting to link with just a little bit better each time, you should eventually manage to attain a proper combat link."
Fie, Machias, and Jusis all nodded their heads in understanding at that.
"That's quite the cogent postulation." The blond noble lauded his friend. "It would not surprise me to find out that's exactly how the ARCUS' combat links function."
"He's right. The way you went in depth like that, it was like you'd wrote a thesis on the subject. Or a rough draft of one, at least." Machias agreed with his rival, clearly somewhat impressed.
"Rean's always been smart." Fie stated matter-of-factly.
Rean chuckled at that, scratching his cheek somewhat bashfully. "I don't know about all that...I've been thinking on it since we all first linked together in the old schoolhouse, mulling it over in my head every chance I got... So maybe that's why I was able to come up with the idea. Regardless, thanks, I appreciate that."
Laura, while just as impressed as the others were, found her gaze drifting downward to the floor, only able to think of the events from last night. Both her heated argument with Fie, as well as what followed afterward...
Rean stood in the middle of the central plaza of Bareahard, the moon providing just enough light for him to make out his surroundings. There were a few benches he could rest on, but the teenager opted to stand instead, his thoughts consuming him. 'I hope Fie's managed to fall back asleep by now. She needs her rest.'
The eighteen-year-old shook his head at that. "You're one to talk. She's back in bed, yet here you are loitering outside when you should be sleeping." He acknowledged his own hypocrisy aloud.
That's when he felt it, another presence behind him; the sound of footsteps reached his ears half a second later.
Recognizing the presence, he wasn't alarmed, as he turned around to face the one approaching him. "Laura, what are you doing up?" He inquired with a dash of concern.
The well-spoken swordswoman, dressed in her uniform once more, joined her classmate at his spot in the middle of central plaza. "I apologize for bothering you this late at night. However, I wish to speak with you, and when I could not find you in your room, I assumed you had come out here. Whether for a breath of fresh air or to be alone, I am unsure."
"The former." He answered. "I was just about to head back inside, so it's not like you're inconveniencing me or anything. So if you wanna talk, let's talk. Though, I have a pretty good hunch as to what it is you want to discuss." The diffident swordsman intuited
"I wanted to speak with you...about Fie." She said simply.
"Yeah, I figured." He let her know. "So...what do you want me to say? We talked about this back at the academy, and I'm not sure what I can add to what I've already said." He bluntly informed her.
"Am I correct in assuming that you've always know about her being a jaeger, even when you were children?" She posed this to him, pensive in tone and expression.
"Yeah. She was pretty upfront about the fact that she belonged to a jaeger corp. I think she honestly thought that my family and I would turn her away because of that." He apprised her of this fact, before shaking his head. "Like we'd ever do that."
"How do you deal with it? The fact that she is...that she used to be a killer for hire. I mean...do you have any idea the things she must have done during her time as a jaeger?" The diligent noble girl inquired grimly.
"Yeah, I do, actually. I acquainted myself with the normal activities a jaeger would partake in as I entered my teen years, the sole reason behind it being that I couldn't stop thinking about what Fie was up to. I studied up on jaegers as much as possible, read any old newspapers I could get my hands on with articles about them, I even asked my dad about it, and knowing how close Fie and I had been, he told me all he could. More than that though...Fie's told me herself. She's relayed some of the horrors she's experienced. None of what I learned was pretty...yet I can't find it in me to care." He explained to her with a shrug, his tone completely indifferent.
"W-What!?" Laura gasped with shock, unable to find any other way to respond, so utterly caught off guard by what he'd said and how he'd said it.
"Don't get me wrong. I hate what she had to go through, and the things her corp did to people. I'm sad that it all turned out like it did. And I'd change it if I could. No one should suffer like that." He stated, a deep-seeded sadness showing itself through his eyes in that moment. "However, if what you're asking is if it changed how I saw Fie or felt about her, the answer is no. In that regard, I just don't care. She's still my best friend, no matter what she did." He explicated, willfully banishing the sorrow from his visage.
"She's far from a pacifist or anything of the like, but she's not the kind of person a jaeger is always categorized as. She would never take pleasure in killing, or harming people for that matter. Judging her as some sort of monster or villain...that's about as far off base as assumptions can get." He imparted this truth to her, more serious in that moment than she'd ever seen him.
"Even still..." Laura lowered her gaze then, hesitating in her continuation of the discussion.
Even now, she still found herself incapable of empathizing with one she saw as a former rogue, worse even, a butcher.
"Irreverence, carelessness, deceitful manner, brash crudeness, ruthlessness...I can handle these things, understand them even. I see these things in people, and I can still accept them for who they are and understand how they view the world. I can still empathize with them. But the cold indifference Fie has for the world...on top of her bloody past as mercenary, a paid butcher of peoples lives...I cannot find it within me to accept someone like that, no matter how hard I try." The blue-haired girl confessed with an overabundance of anxious frustration, fists clenched and quivering, and her entire body nearly shaking.
Rean was unable to keep the scowl from his face then, even if he could understand where she was coming from.
"How can you...?" She spoke under her breath, words so faint that the second party could hardly hear them. "How do you reconcile who she was and what she did with your way of the blade!?" She demanded to know, raising her head to meet his gaze.
"How does it not conflict with your own ideals?! You told me yourself, you took up the path of the sword to protect someone close to you! The fact that her entire way of life up until now was nothing but war and bloodshed, violence and death...how does that not bother you!?" She beseeched him for an answer.
"Because from the very beginning, she's the one I wanted to protect." He divulged this to her, as his gaze hardened.
"W-What!?" Came the usually well-spoken girl's rather ineloquent response, somewhat dumbfounded by this disclosure.
"Let me put it this way. Other than the fact that Fie was once a jaeger, what do you know about her?" He inquired directly.
"I..." She hesitated.
"Do you know her favorite color? Her favorite food? What about her hobbies?" He questioned her bluntly. "Did you know that she's had a long time interest in cooking? Did you know that before coming to Thors she'd never even attended school before? And yet, in spite of that, she somehow manages to scrape by. Granted, she may be lagging behind most academically, but still. When you take into account the fact that she's younger than us as well, it's actually pretty impressive." He expatiated on the matter.
"How about the fact that she loves animals, cats especially? Or the fact that she hates dresses? Speaking of which, do you know her sense of fashion? What about the fact that in spite of her stoic nature, she loves to laugh?" He probed her for information that they both knew all too well she did not possess, the diffident swordsman pressing her to make a point.
"Do you know anything at all about Fie?" He adjured her for an answer.
Laura found herself speechless then, words failing her completely. The expression on her face was somewhere between complete angst and utter confusion, with an aspect of helplessness mixed in, as she desperately sought out some sort of reply but found she had none to offer. She couldn't possibly come up with an acceptable response, and so, she remained silent as a result.
And as the two stood in the silence for a number of moments, it became evident that this conversation was over.
"Goodnight, Laura." Rean spoke to her pleasantly, before passing by her as he returned to the hotel to finally get some sleep.
'This debacle regarding the ARCUS' combat links simply serves as further incentive to put this issue with Fie to bed. I have to get over my hang ups regarding her past, I have to understand her better. We have to make amends and close the rift between us, otherwise...'
Laura's thoughts were interrupted then, as the sound of Rean's protests caught her attention and brought her back to the situation at hand.
"F-Fie, stop it. I told you, I'm okay." The raven-haired youth calmly asserted, as Fie removed his jacket from his person.
"And I said I wanted to check your wounds. You might need further treatment." She insisted.
"That's fine, but not in the hotel lobby!"
"Here, hold this for me." Fie addressed Jusis, holding out Rean's blazer to him. "Keep it away from him for a few minutes." She requested of him bluntly, an ever so slight air of levity to her words and actions.
The usually aloof noble could not help but smirk at this, as he decided to humor her. Taking the proffered article of clothing, he played along. "I'll perform this task to the utmost of my ability."
Fie regarded him with a nod, before lifting Rean's shirt from behind, allowing her to see his bandaged back.
This caused Machias, and a few on-duty maids, to gawk at her in disbelief.
"Damn it Fie, why won't you just listen?" Despite his words and the situation, the eighteen-year-old seemed rather calm for the position he was in.
He was a little embarrassed, for sure, but he seemed more concerned with others sense of propriety than he was with the actual act that was taking place.
"Checking my wounds is fine, but not out in the open where everyone can see. Do you know what most people would think if they saw a girl trying to lift a boy's shirt like this?" The sensible swordsman patiently attempted to reason with his childhood friend.
"Let them think whatever they want. Your health takes priority over what a bunch of random strangers think of us." Fie responded to his concern with a somewhat reasonable answer, moving his bandages as she began to take a look at his healing wounds.
...
From Jusis' position, he was able to perceive the fact that the manager, Richelieu, had taken notice of this little impropriety going on and had begun his approach. No doubt he was going to tell the ones involved that such a thing was not acceptable and they would have to stop immediately.
Seeing his approach, the blond swordsman was able to wave him off before he could get close enough break up the antic; it wouldn't do for the levity to be halted, not when things had gone so sour this day.
The elderly business owner did not hesitate in doing as he was bade, and as such backed off, as it was what the young lord wished.
"Rean is right, this is definitely inappropriate." Machias agreed with his friend then, recovering from the minor shock of the youngest member of the class' actions.
"That said, Fie has a point, one is more important than the other. Plus, I won't deny, this is certainly funny." The class VP admitted with a mirthful grin, feeling much better about all the linking drama thanks to this fun little distraction.
"Come on Jusis, help a friend out." Rean asked of Jusis then, meeting his gaze, clearly in need of assistance. "This isn't exactly appropriate for the lobby of a hotel." He made a fair point.
Even still...
"You'll have to forgive me. I'm afraid having a friend is new to me. Am I not supposed to act like this?" Jusis replied, downright facetious, amused grin growing in size.
"Smart-ass!" Rean retorted with a snap, annoyed.
Yet, at the same time, he had to fight back a grin of his own, finding the usually closed off boy going along with this as quite humorous in spite of himself.
Nearly the entire group broke into laughter then, for the simple fact of the ridiculousness of it, if nothing else.
...
Laura, the only member of group A not laughing, was once again too caught up in her own thoughts.
'This is...not how I picture her. So silly and carefree. She's smiling and laughing...she might have even done this to brighten everyone's mood in the first place, for all I know. It doesn't fit with who she's supposed to be...who I thought of her as. This is not a jaeger before me, but a normal girl. I still find myself conflicted...but, I think...I think I'm starting to understand now.'
"Pardon me. I shall return shortly." Laura quietly excused herself.
Rean watched her as she left, but once he saw her enter the lavatory across the way, returned his attention to the rest of the group
...
"Well now, you're a lively bunch, aren't ya?" Came a masculine voice, mirth in his tone, catching the entire group's attention.
The man in question stood out just a tad. He was of average height and build, with rather short, messy blond hair, cyan-blue eyes, and fair skin. His attire consisted of a lime-green undershirt, a dark green zip-up overshirt, nondescript black pants, and a pair of short boots, almost sneaker like in design; they were white with blue accents. Additionally, he sported twin brown belts, one on top of the other, with matching pouches attached. Finally, to top it all off, he wore a long white overcoat with blue lining.
Having been caught in her antic, Fie put Rean's shirt back down, already satisfied that his injuries were looking much better than they did the day before anyway.
This, in turn, prompted Jusis to give Rean his blazer back, and for the raven-haired youth to put it back on.
"Huh, don't see many people dressed like that around here." The stranger noted to himself, taking notice of the fact that the four teenagers were all wearing the same uniform.
"Those are some fancy red uniforms, you guys students or somethin'?" He asked them, rather straightforward in his manner.
"That's correct." Machias confirmed with a nod. "We're from Thors Military Academy in Trista."
"We were sent here for a field study as part of our curriculum." Rean elaborated.
"Thors, huh? Pretty fancy place, ain't it?" The blond man remarked, more to himself than the teens he was speaking with.
"Is there any particular reason you felt the need to come up to a bunch of random teenagers and strike up a conversation?" Fie questioned him bluntly.
"Yes, it does seem a bit...out of place. Perhaps even suspicious." Jusis commented.
"Fair point." The stranger conceded with a chuckle. "I've got this bad habit of being friendly though, and I just can't seem to break it, no matter how hard I try." He told them with a carefree smile.
"Guess I'll just have to live with the fact that it makes people suspicious of me. Oh well, what can ya do, right?" He remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.
His friendly demeanor was disarming, to say the least.
"Name's Toval, by the way." He introduced himself. "Toval Randonneur."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Rean Schwarzer." Rean reciprocated the introduction.
"Machias Regnitz."
"Fie Claussell."
"Jusis Albarea."
The group of students introduced themselves in tandem.
"Look at you guys being all polite, it's a nice surprise." He told them, his good-natured smile only growing. "Can't say I'm used to seeing that from kids your age. You bunch are a breath of fresh air, in that regard." He continued. "Anyway, I've got no idea what they've got you doin' for your field study, but good luck." He wished them luck.
"Bareahard's a pretty nice city, but it's not without its share of problems. So watch yourself." He advised them, before walking away, making for the front desk to speak with the manager.
"That was certainly...interesting." Machias opined.
"He was friendly as all get out." Fie remarked. "Really didn't seem like a bad guy." She admitted.
"I've never seen him before." Jusis divulged. "So he's certainly not a resident of Bareahard."
Rean said nothing, simply staring after the man for a few short moments.
...
It was then that Laura exited the lavatory, missing the blond man entirely as she rejoined the rest of Group A.
Before the other four could inform her of this Toval character...
"Excuse me, Lord Jusis." A feminine voice interrupted, diverting everyone's focus to her.
Dressed in the standard black and white uniform, there stood a maid, one of the many that worked at this hotel.
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt. However, I must speak with you, Lord Jusis. One of your family's servants left a message for you, he went by the name Arnauld." She apprised him.
That got Jusis' attention.
"Understood. Excuse me for a moment." He excused himself, standing and moving to follow the maid.
...
The aloof blond noble returned a few minutes later, looking rather perplexed.
"Is something wrong?" Rean asked him with a bit of concern.
"No, nothing." Jusis assured. "I was just informed that I'm needed at the Albarea manor." He seemed rather dissatisfied at the notion. "As such, I'm afraid we must postpone our-"
It was at that moment that five Provincial Soldiers marched into the lobby of the hotel, catching the attention of everyone present in the establishment.
"Hold it right there!" Barked the first provincial soldier.
"The Provincial Army?" Almost every member of Group A said in unison.
"You're those students from Thors Military Academy, aren't you?" The second provincial soldier inquired, as the five men marched over to where Group A sat on the sofas.
None of the men seemed to notice the presence of a certain noble boy, all their lines of vision focused solely on the four sitting down on the sofas.
"The ones who've come for a 'field study'?" The third provincial solider further inquired.
"Yes, that's us." Rean confirmed, a tad confused.
"Is there some kind of problem?" Laura queried, sharing her fellow blade user's confusion.
"He's a perfect match for the photo." The fourth provincial soldier said then, speaking to his comrades, as he visibly appraised Machias.
"How convenient for us." The fifth provincial soldier commented.
Jusis, genuinely taken aback by what was happening in front of him, could only stare in disbelief as these soldiers completely blanked on his presence and continued with this charade.
"What, exactly, is going on here?" The bespectacled academic queried with an abundance of befuddlement.
"First-year student Machias Regnitz, correct?" The second provincial soldier tried to ascertain.
Not that they waited for an answer.
"You're under arrest. You won't try to resist, if you know what's good for you." The first provincial soldier warned him.
The soldier then grabbed the teenager by the arm and pulled him up, roughly forcing him off the sofa and onto his feet.
"W-What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Machias vociferated furiously at the rough treatment.
As Rean, Fie, and Laura all opened their mouths to object, Jusis beat them to the punch, as he finally made his presence known.
"Just what is the meaning of this!?" He demanded.
"O-Oh, L-Lord J-Jusis!" The first provincial soldier exclaimed in shock, finally taking notice of the noble teen. "I wasn't aware that you were-I mean, I thought you were at the Albarea Manor." He hurriedly corrected himself, already breaking into a sweat at the hard gaze he was met with.
The other four were much the same, clearly cowed quite a bit at his presence.
"Did you? And what, exactly, would make you think that?" Jusis queried, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
They clammed up at that, stammering and stuttering, but giving no real answers. Not that they needed to.
'Father, just what are you up to?' Jusis wondered to himself, putting the pieces together rather quickly.
After all, it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on here. Especially not if you knew the kind of man Helmut Albarea was.
Before this tense situation could escalate or resolve, something far more pressing and urgent reared it's head.
SMASH!
The sound of the front entrance, walls and all, being smashed in reverberated throughout the establishment.
All of the sudden, a young girl that appeared roughly thirteen years of age, wearing a white battle-suit and sitting atop the silver object from the day prior, came crashing through the hotel.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD!?" Vociferated the manager, completely flabbergasted.
The rest of the staff present all gasped to varying degrees.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" One of the provincial soldiers shouted in shock, his compatriots doing much the same.
The rest of Group A all but jumped to their feet, as the commotion diverted focus off of everything and everyone prior, to this little girl and her smashing entrance.
"It's that girl!" Rean exclaimed in surprise, recognizing her build and the vague features he'd been capable of making out.
"That silver object is here as well!" Laura added.
Rubble and shards of glass littered the floor of the lobby, the front windows having not been spared in the slightest. There in the middle of it all was a young girl atop some strange silver contraption; it looked almost humanoid and had just begun to make strange noises that were unintelligible to everyone present.
"Yeah, I know, they're right behind me. I have to get out of here before they catch up." The small girl responded to noises.
And yet, despite all of that, one thing in particular caught Rean's notice over it all, and drew his focus to it exclusively. That was the fact that the tiny girl's right arm was heavily bandaged near the shoulder, and that said bandages were all but soaked through with the crimson of her blood.
'She's hurt bad.' This thought roared above every other Rean had.
'They're right behind her? Someone must be chasing her...' Fie mentally noted
"Who are you!? And just what do you think you're doing!?" Jusis demanded of the strange girl.
That's when the young one took notice of the teenagers presence.
"Oh hey, it's the military academy students!" She stated almost excitedly, as if she wasn't currently bleeding amongst rubble.
"Sh-She knows about us...?!" Machias all but stammered, taken aback by this revelation.
"Something's going on here." Fie opined then, hands already reaching for her weapons.
Her classmates shared her opinion completely.
"Answer me! Who are you, and why are you going around wrecking Bareahard property!?" Jusis reiterated his demand, his anger leaking into his tone.
"W-What!? N-No!" The strange girl attempted to deny quickly, sounding a tad distressed she was being blamed for such a thing. "I wasn't trying to-oh geez, this looks bad!" She acknowledge this fact.
"I really don't have time to explain!" She insisted then.
"She went this way!" Came a voice from outside.
"I'd love to talk to you guys, but I'm kind of in a really sticky situation here! Sorry, gotta go!" The young girl hurriedly apologized, before giving the silver contraption a light slap on one of its arms.
"Let's go Lammy, double time it!" She barked, the object making another unintelligible sound before obeying, taking her right out of the establishment rather swiftly from the same great hole they'd created on the way in.
"Wait, get back here!" Jusis yelled after the strange girl.
He and literally everyone else in the building rushed to where the wall once stood, so as to get a look outside.
What they saw once they looked out was the child still riding atop the floating object, as two figures, one male and the other shrouded by a brown cloak, caught sight of her and attempted to cut her off.
The silver object juked to the side and continued to flee, as the two figures seemed to trade words before following after.
Rean's eyes were wide, having recognized one of the figures immediately. 'Warrick!'
Fie was much the same. 'Damn, what is he doing here!?'
Two things stuck in the the affable swordsman's mind then. The first was that the young girl was injured, the second, she was being chased by Warrick of all people.
"She needs help!" And with that, Rean, without any warning, wasted no time and broke from his spot with the others into a sprint, chasing after the hurt little girl and her pursuers.
"REAN!" His classmates exclaimed in surprise at his actions, having not expected him to go rushing off like that.
Well, that is except one of them in particular...
Unlike the other three members of Group A, Fie knew a split-second after Rean began to move exactly what he was doing. And as such, followed after him immediately, legging it along with him as they began their own pursuit.
'That kid won't last long, not against Warrick. She needs help if she wants to have any hope of surviving.' Fie knew this was exactly what her childhood friend was thinking as he recklessly dashed after them, as such, she had to back him up.
'Because he's not wrong.' She thought grimly to herself.
It only took a moment or so before their classmates realized precisely what they were doing.
"Could those two be any more reckless!?" Machias voiced the exact thing the other two were thinking.
"Just what are they thinking!?" Jusis wondered in a similar vein.
"Quickly, we must follow!" Laura told them.
"Right!" They both affirmed.
All three went running after their reckless classmates.
Completely dumbfounded, the squad of provincial soldiers just stood there, dumbly watching as the teenagers leapt into action when they themselves could not do the same, even while damage was being done to their city. It was only the incessant sounds of the hotel staff verbalizing their anxieties, worry, and concern over what had happened and what was to follow, along with the screams of distress from the citizens out and about Bareahard that caught sight of the chase happening, that snapped the men out of their stupor.
"AFTER THEM!" The first provincial soldier ordered, as the five charged ahead to do just that.
...
Across the way from the hotel, next to the church entrance, stood the man named Toval.
Having exited the hotel before that whole debacle had unfolded, he was only able to catch the tail end of it as everyone spilled outside of the building into the open. However, that was enough.
"Glad I came here from Legram for this." The blond man remarked. "Sara was right, that kid has a real knack for getting into trouble." He spoke to himself with a hint of concern.
"I'd best let her know what's going on."