Manu259: Something funny, I hope.
Ah, okay, good, the scene did one of it's jobs. Glad ya liked it!
Define 'worse'. It could be viewed as worse in some ways, could be viewed better in someways. You'll just have to judge for yourself.
Indeed he shall.
Ooh, that would have been funny. Considering she doesn't know anyone in Class VII very well, however, not much room for me to squeeze her in. She'll be around for other comedic moments down the line though, don't you worry,
You're welcome, thank you and I most certainly will!
Lyrista: You're not wrong. That sounds like something she might propose. And, even worse, something Fie might eventually do. XD
Jose19: I think so, yes. Um, okay.
Harem king is a bit much. Well, I mean, even if I decide to give Rean romantic interests besides Fie, which I might, the number wouldn't come close to matching the number of possible romances, from what I've heard, in CS4. Maybe three or four, so, not as hard as you might think. Certainly not easy, mind you. But, it's not like he's trying to be chaste or anything, he was just overwhelmed is all. A girl he thought could never see him that way just came on pretty damn strong and it freaked him out.
Yes, he does, I don't contest that. I could even see him being slightly perverted in a sense, but only when alone with his significant other. I'm not a hundred percent sure what you're trying to get at, so I'll just end my response here. Thanks for your review.
Abyss seeker777: Thanks! Yes and yes, no, no, he could not. XD
Because she's working on getting it through his thick skull that he's so much more than he thinks he is and that yes, someone can have feelings for him. She's working up to the confession, if you will. She hopes that he'll get the hint and realize her feelings with every attempt, but also doesn't completely believe they'll succeed, she just hopes they do. She just really wants him to realize it himself, that someone could want him, love him. In short, it's a process. A bit convoluted, but when dealing with the sorts of self-esteem issues Rean harbors, sometimes you've gotta be that way.
Well, I mean, in Canon he killed a monster/beast. In this version, he killed an actual living, breathing human being. It made even more of an impact on him because of this.
Apex85: Thank you.
Thanks.
Highly unlikely? I finished CS1 in about nine or ten days on my first playthrough, and clocked in a little over ninety hours of playtime. CS2 was similar. I was on my fourth playthrough for each game when I posted the last chapter, and I carried over everything from all previous playthroughs. So battles were a breeze for the most part, even on Nightmare. So, just to cut to the chase, I did beat them in three weeks. How? Simple, when I do trails, I put in between seven and ten hours into the game every single day. Yeah, this last playthrough I finally platted them, and I, too, plan on getting the platinum for 3 and 4. (What can I say? I love video games. Don't judge me! XD)
Cold Steel 3 though, that took roughly about sixteen days for me to beat. I did, with the exception of a single quest and reading every book, just about everything in the game in the first playthrough, though.
Guest: Thank you very much. I appreciate you kind words of praise. I hope I continue to deliver enjoyable chapters to you and all my other readers. :)
RedBurningDragon: Yep.
You knew he would be.
Yeah, don't worry, I'm already planning some Link Crafts/Team Crafts. They're still in a very rough planning stage, but they will be coming, don't you worry.
I agree, it is nice.
Okay then. :P
Yeah, pretty much.
LaughingCoffin's revenge: Good! Well, not good, almost passing out is, of course, bad. But I'm quite happy that I managed to elicit such a reaction from some of my readers!
RosyMiranto18: Yeah, that can happen.
Yep, they left another spoiling review half a day after you left your last one. No fancy name that time, though. I deleted it, of course. As for what was spoiled about Millium and Crow, well, I can't say what it was, lest I spoil others reading this story. As for how I got spoiled, I was reading a fanfiction that spoiled some stuff, and they didn't put a spoiler warning until after that, so there was no avoiding it, unfortunately. No one's at fault on that one though, Yeah, I know of the demo, I didn't end up playing it, just waited until I got the full game.
-Eh
-They'll get plenty touchy feely and intimate, don't worry. Sorry, I don't write lemons. Not only because they're against the sites guidelines, but also because I'm not very good at it. An additional reason is that those sorts of scenes tend to attract certain readers who are only interested in that sort of thing, and not the rest of the story.
-Yep.
-I will.
Okay.
-You're welcome.
-Yeah, I get it. Like I said, I'm already aware that Fie can't be romanced until CS4, you ain't gotta tell me. As for Juna, I can't say I care all that much. I really don't like Juna. She rubs me the wrong way and annoys me with more than half the crap she does. As far as I'm concerned she's nothing more than a brat too in over her head; the game tries to paint her as the pseudo leader of the new Class VII, she seems to share this role with Kurt; but all I saw her as was a whiny punk who's too big for her breeches, or skirt, as it were. Harsh, sure, but that's my honest opinion of her. I'm sure plenty of people love her, but I do not. She could, of course, improve in Cold Steel 4, however, for now, that is my stance.
-Maaaaybe?
-Eh.
-You're welcome.
-Well, I mean, I only had two games with him before this chapter was posted, now I've had three, with the promise of a fourth.
-Coy is, you know what, forget it.
-Perhaps. Um...not sure what you're trying to say here. Your wording is poor and I'm afraid I can't parse out the meaning behind the sentence. Sorry.
-I don't know about that.
-Gotcha. Thanks. I'll do my best. Understood.
You can hope for a remake, but, eh, it's not too likely. Could happen though. Nope, gameplay was about as expected. Nope, don't really like Estelle. I mean, I like Estelle more than Alisa, but that's not saying a whole lot...so, yeah. What? I never said anything about being confused about anything related to plot. What are you talking about? Nah, Full-body only took about 3 days and Ao only took about 8 days. Yep.
-Yeah. Definitely. You're welcome.
-Okay. Yep. I mean, I have. Almost every chapter has the date of the day posted right there in bold for you to see. The only time I don't do that is if it's the same day but just hours and hours later. So..yeah, I've already been posting the dates. Rean is too nice for his own good, yeah.
-That's part of it, but it's also that it's a deck of cards and is easy to carry, and the fact that she quite likes the game. Yep. Why not. Yeah, no Verrat allowed.
-Yep.
-That's understandable. Do you? Indeed, he is.
-Nah, I'm not gonna watch any playthrough. I got a switch between now and the last chapter and played and beat Three Houses. Blue Lions. Gonna do the Golden Deer here soon. Nice suggestion with NicoB, though, he's cool. Yeah. Maybe. Really? I like Kenneth and Annabelle together...
-Having finished CS3 at this point, yes, the Croire De thing was only brought up in there. So...yeah, there was no way for me to know about the De at the time.
-The whole point would be that Sara wouldn't want to damage their relationship or have her ward thinking she was trying to steal Rean from her. That's why I'd see her telling her first.
-Yep. Yes, Verrat is a second year. Okay.
I probably will. Yep. You want my opinion on CS3? Okay, here it is: absolutely fucking spectacular! It is in my top ten games of all time! It took almost everything I love about the first two games and turned it up to eleven! I'm not a professional critic, so I'd need some real time to write up a full review, but in short, I loved the game and have pretty much nothing but glowing praise for it. One complaint I could think of, though, is this: needs more Fie. XD
The Cold Steels are 90 hour games for me, not 70-80, as I try and do everything. (CS3 broke the 100 hour mark and I adore that.) And yes, I usually put 7-10 hours into a trails game a day. As for how much time, enough, I guess. I have responsibilities to take care of, but once they're taken care of, I'm usually good to play for a while.
-Eh. You know she will, eventually.
-Rean ain't no slouch. Fair enough. Yeah. Indeed it is. Nah, meltdown. As in he thought Machias might not even be able to function after dealing with Verrat. Exactly. Yep.
-No, Gaius and Jusis started the prep. Once Rean was done speaking with Machias, he came down and they cooked. And that does take a while. Nope. Doesn't mean he wants to follow that path.
-Maybe, not sure. Yeah. Yes, yes she is. I could see that, though Kenneth might make a better judge.
-Sylphid Dance. To spar, to train. They've been offering, and they want to be taken up on their offers already. Nope, just when they first met.
-Fie can sing pretty decently. She isn't the best, but definitely better than the average person. I'm not even gonna acknowledge the rest of that, because Fie being with anyone but Rean is complete heresy, outright blasphemy I say! Yeah, Fie trusting people was a result of Rean. Yeah, Warrick mentioned when he was first introduced in Celdic that he used to belong to the Silver Serpent jaeger corp, along with his brother.
-Who can blame her, really? Maybe. Yep. Wasn't anything in the cave she could use. Nope, the wolves thing was a flashback that happened back in Chapter II Part I and was referenced once or twice after that. Surprised you don't remember it. No, it's not obvious. If you don't remember, Teo came to chase the wolves off after Rean passed out, and no one told Rean anything, so it was natural to assume Teo had saved him along with Fie. So Rean knowing has good reason to surprise Fie.
-I know, right? Machias is a cool guy, but when it comes to studying and stuff, he really is a damn killjoy. Oh, trust me, Fie will eventually try to do so, just give it time. Um...not sure what you're saying there. Again, not sure what you're saying here. Yeah, you caught me, Machias and Emma are gonna be a pairing in the future. Yet again, not sure what you're saying here. Nah, no Crow and Alisa, those two don't go together at all; it was just a comedic moment.
-To an extent. Most of them just can't fathom the fact that Fie would be so...'daring' in her way of getting Rean's attention. RIP indeed. And yes, yes they have been broken. Um...yeah. Yeah, the poor guy, he's never had anyone even flirt with him before Fie, and now she comes on strong enough to make almost anyone blush. I don't know about that, Fie can be pretty goddamn blunt. XD
Yeah, but there's a reason she was singing that song in particular. You'll find out in future chapters. Yep. Not true, actually. The PS4 version of CS1 and CS2 have fifty percent more English voiced dialogue, so I got to hear the amazing voices of all the characters even more! That was awesome! Here I am with the next chapter, so yeah, I'm keeping it up!
rikotch: I gotta address multiple reviews here, so I'll break it down so neither of us gets confused.
Chapter 19: Glad to see you liked it so much!
Verrat, yes; honestly, even after beating CS3, my plans for Verrat haven't changed much. Keyword being 'much', as I've definitely decided to alter the course with him a little because of the things I now know, just not too terribly much.
Yeah, the wait between FC and SC being a major factor in favoritism and the almost straight up 'elitism' I've seen from some fans regarding the Cold Steel entries makes a lot of sense. I'd always thought it was a factor, so it's not like it comes as surprise or anything. I expected people to have their preferences, of course, however, I never expected to see such fervent dislike and even disdain toward the CS entries. Whatever though, just how some people are. Not everyone's like that, obviously, so it's not that big a deal. It just irks me is all.
Chapter 20: Covering your ears will only work for so long, but you do you. XD
Oh? Interested in a jealous Fie, are you? Well, it's not coming up anytime soon, however, you're in for a treat eventually... I think. XD
Chapter 21: You liked that huh? I've had that planned since I began the story; I'm happy to see that people enjoyed it and took to it for a first meeting between the two.
You're a huge fan of Crow/Alisa huh? Looks like I'll have to disappoint you, for once, then. Crow and Alisa will not be a thing, sorry. Rean and Fie has been planned from the start; with the possibility of more romantic interests appearing; I'm undecided on that; though it would only be two or three, not nearly the same amount as in the actual game. The Machias and Emma pairing has been locked in since around the end of the first field study or so. As for Crow, I've had a pairing in mind for him since the first chapter as well, though his partner is much more obvious than one might think.
As for Alisa, I'm not opposed to pairing her with someone, just not sure who to put her with. I don't decide these things arbitrarily, after all, I only choose pairings that I feel have genuine chemistry. And, at least in my opinion, she doesn't have much chemistry with anybody, at least in a romantic sense. She has non-romantic chemistry as a sort of sister figure for Fie and Millium, but that's about it. One of the greatest challenges I'll be facing through the course of this story is figuring out what to do with her. I have to be fair, despite the fact that I don't like her much, as she deserves a fair shake as a member of Class VII and because all the interesting characters related to her. I'll just have to figure it out.
Oh, I did. My fourth replay of CS1 and CS2 was great, that said, my first playthrough of CS3 completely blew them out of the water. Good goddamn was that game amazing. First Trails game to ever crack my top ten games of all time.
CMAlm: Here ya go, more, like you requested. :P
JoshPlater: Trust me, I know all too well. That cliffhanger is the only one to ever surpass CS1's cliffhanger; and it was fucking brutal! Agreed. Almost? You monster! Tears were streaming down my face and I felt the same as Rean; we were both out for blood. Yeah, I feel your pain there. Um, you could use the ore shards. You had to take them to Jingo and trade them for a full chunk of Zemurian Ore, which would let you make another weapon, so I'm afraid that's on you.
xaldreca: Thanks, and don't worry, I know what I'm doing. No, this isn't dead.
Bolticrontic: You're not wrong. But people can be weird about these sorts of things, ya know? Besides, I've already explained why she's doing things this way.
TheBoona: Thank you very much! I'm continuing it now, and have no intention of ever giving up on it as long as I'm alive, of that, I can assure you.
Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank all those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. There are too damn many of you this time for me to list out, you'd artificially inflate my word count, on top of making this author's note a mess! XD Still, thank you!
Also, two things before we get into this.
The first: I have rewritten the first three chapters of this story, both parts of the prologue and part 1 of chapter 1. They read considerably better, and have a good bit more content. The first part of the prologue doubled in size, making it the longest chapter for this story, surpassing the Warrick battle chapter. I have partially rewritten part 2 of chapter 1 and added a scene with Towa to it (that is referenced in this chapter!), and I've sprinkled in a few small, new scenes here and there through some of the other chapters.
Mostly just NPC stuff, like with Beryl, Fidelio, Rex, Hannah, Harison, and Becky. They're nothing big, just more introducing them and a small bit of dialogue. They also set up potential scenes for the future of this story, which is why I put them there. Oh, I also included a small tidbit about Rean's birthday in chapter 7, the first intermission. For the end note on that chapter, I list all the birthdays for Class VII in this story. I also finally changed the name of that chapter.
The second: HOLY FUCK! COLD STEEL 4! OCTOBER 27TH! I CAN'T WAIT!
Okay, okay, I'm calm now, I swear. :D
Let's get down to it. Please read, review, and enjoy.
Septian Calender 1183
The south-western reaches of the Lamare Province: Olbia Lowland
A boy, only eleven years of age, was busy toiling away in the blistering summer heat. Running errands, unloading cargo from ships, skinning small animals; if it could make mira, he was willing to do it. Even if it meant whiling away all the time others his age would use playing with fellow children, and instead spend it performing menial tasks, both big and small.
Putting down a particularly heavy crate, the child took a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow.
Muscles aching, he was tempted to take a break, or even call it quits for the day. However...
'I've gotta get these jobs done, the bill's due today.' He reminded himself in that moment; this effectively acting as a kick in the pants and getting him back in gear and moving once more.
This boy was stout for his size, though not overweight; his muscles were visibly further developed than any normal child his age; all the physical exertion he went through in his day to day life was to thank for that.
'Tristan is probably finishing up about now, I should pick up the pace.' The boy thought to himself as he rushed about.
...
Roughly an hour later, at the local hospital...
The eleven-year-old boy stopped in his tracks, as he came upon the scene of his older brother in an altercation at the front desk.
"What the hell do you mean I can't see her!?" A stocky teen, appearing roughly fifteen years of age, demanded of the nurse in front of him.
"Exactly what I said: you can't see her." The woman repeated herself with a huff of aggravation.
"She's very weak at the moment; she can't see anyone. She needs her rest. You don't need to be concerned, all right? We've medicated her the best we could with how much-with how..." The nurse hesitated before trailing off, a pang of guilt hitting her, face scrunching up in an unpleasant expression.
"Go ahead, say it! Just say it! You medicated her the best you could 'with what you could afford to pay', right!? That's what you were gonna say, wasn't it!?" The fifteen-year-old boy raged; anger exuding from him as he nearly growled at the woman.
"I...I'm sorry, we can't just...we can't feasibly afford to give our patients better care than they pay for. We're going through a severe medical shortage. We simply don't have it." The nurse tried to explain the hospital's circumstances, displaying genuine remorse.
"The Duke has promised us financial aid and supplemental medical supplies, however, until they arrive our hands are tied. We cannot treat anyone who can't afford it, and it's quite literally because we don't have it. Do you think that if we had the medication required to treat your mother that we would simply withhold it from her because we wanted mira? Of course not! We're here to help people! We can't give your mother the medicine she needs because we simply lack the funds to acquire it! Every mira you give us is put toward her medicine, you have my word!" The nurse tried to make the boy understand.
"It always comes down to mira, doesn't it?!" The teen snarled. "That's all anyone cares about! How much they can make off us! You bastards are scum!" He derided the woman and those associated with her.
"Me and my little brother work tirelessly, day in and day out to afford that damn pathetic, half-assed treatment you give her! We scrape and save every last mira so that we can pay the bill! So I'd say we have every damn right to AT LEAST see our own mother!"
The teen would continue his tirade for another few minutes, before the nurse finally gave in and escorted him and his brother to their mother's room.
...
The moment the door to the room was closed and the boys were left alone with their mother, they were at her bedside checking up on her.
"How you doin', Ma?" The oldest of the brothers queried, attempting to mask his worry and concern for his mother with a brave, serious face.
"Feeling any better, Mom?" The younger brother echoed the question, his concern worn far more openly.
The sickly looking woman smiled at her children in an attempt to reassure them. However, it did little to comfort them. For even as she held out, being strong for her boys, they could see all too clearly just how little she had left.
She'd always been fair-skinned, but was now pale, far more so than was natural. Her long black hair had lost all it's sheen and luster, her vibrant purple eyes had become dim, and most noticeably, she had become alarmingly thin. Her ribs weren't quite showing just yet, but her hospital gown consumed her so entirely, you'd be forgiven for thinking for just a moment that she might not even have a body under there.
"My precious boys, coming to visit your mother so soon after getting off work...you're too good to this old woman."
"Old? But you're not even fourty yet!" The younger brother protested.
"That may be, but I feel eighty, munchkin." The kindly woman retorted with a mirthful grin, reaching out to ruffle her youngest's short crop of purple hair.
The boy beamed at the nickname and the show of physical affection.
"We don't get to see you too often these days, so of course we'd stop by, no matter how exhausted we might be." The older brother stated.
"Tristan!" The eleven-year-old snapped at his elder sibling.
As their mother's happy visage faded and a deep frown marred her face, it became evident to the teen that he'd screwed up.
"Shit. I'm sorry about that, Ma. We're fine, really." He tried to assure her.
"I'm sorry, boys. I truly am." She apologized to her sons, looking rather upset at the moment.
"We've been over this, Ma." Tristan let out a tired sigh at that.
"I know, I know. You're strong boys, I know that. But still..."
In that moment, the bedridden woman looked so forlorn that her sons couldn't help but physically wince.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way. If only...if only I'd had more mira...I could have bought you boys all the things you wanted, the things you begged and pleaded with me for, but I couldn't give to you. And more than anything...I wish I'd had more mira so my sons didn't have to break their backs every day to pay for my medical bills. I've made you poor boys' lives so very hard...and for that, I am so very sorry." She openly lamented, unshed tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.
"Don't talk like that!" The younger boy scolded his mother.
"We've told you a hundred times, Ma, we don't care about that." The older boy brushed her concern off.
"If it means taking care of you, every minute of that crap is worth it." He proclaimed.
"Yeah. We're just sorry we can't do more. If we made more, we could get you better treatment." The purple-haired boy added, his heart worn on his sleeve as his guilt showed through.
"Now don't you two worry your little heads about that." She insisted, visibly straining herself as she reached out and stroked both their heads, smiling at them kindly once more.
"You two do far more than anyone should ever expect of their children. You boys have always been troublemakers, but you always took the time to help me out with whatever I needed done around the house. You never listened to the sister in charge of your Sunday school classes, but you always had time for your mother. I'd say jump and you'd say how high. Even now, you've done nothing but take care of little ol' me ever since I got sick. You're mischievous, sure, but you're the best children a mother could ask for." She gushed about them to their faces, radiating warmth.
The pair of brothers couldn't help but blush at that. Both boys' eyes fell to their feet, becoming bashful in the face of their mother's kind praise.
"Ma, I'm not a little kid anymore." The fifteen-year-old whined as his mother ran her hand through his short black hair.
He was like an open book, embarrassed to be treated like a child, but all too happy to receive the affection.
"Heh heh." The eleven-year-old laughed happily, no qualms with being treated in such a manner.
"Nonsense. No matter how old you get, you'll still be my little boy. And the same goes for W-"
The brothers brows both furrowed in sync, as their mother suddenly stopped speaking.
Raising their heads, they saw their mother's face had scrunched up.
"Ma, what's wrong?" The oldest of the two asked with concern.
The woman's face relaxed then, and she pulled her arms back to her sides; her movements were sluggish, more so than usual.
"I-It's nothing, I-I just, I...I just had this strange feeling. I-I'm not sure how to describe it. Boys, do me a favor and-" Before she could finish her sentence, her body went completely rigid.
She proceeded to fall back onto her hospital bed, stiff as a board, arms and legs visibly tensed.
"Ma!?"
"Mom!?"
That's when the fit began, the woman's entire body beginning to convulse and shake, her limbs starting to flail about; her bed shook, groaned, and creaked from the erratic movement.
Her eyes stared straight up at the ceiling, looking vacant as her body thrashed.
"MOM!" The younger brother cried out in shock and fear.
"NURSE! DOCTOR! ANYONE, GET IN HERE, NOW!" Tristan shouted at the top of his lungs for help.
A few, precious moments passed before help arrived.
Three nurses stormed in; the elderly head nurse immediately made for the patient's side, while the other two went to the brothers and began ushering them out of the room.
The obstinate boys resisted, of course, refusing to leave their mother's side.
"NO! I don't wanna leave Mom alone! I won't go!" The youngest declared, as he struggled against the nurse.
"STOP! Quit trying to force us out and do your damn jobs: help our mother!" The oldest demanded, not budging an inch despite the second nurse's efforts.
The younger nurses ignored such things and continued trying to eject the boys from the room, explaining to them all the while that their presence would only complicate matters.
Needless to say, they did not listen.
The whirl of commotion only grew further out of control as a doctor finally came upon the scene.
"What's going on here!?" The middle-aged man questioned.
"Doctor, I need your help! She's having a seizure!" The head nurse quickly informed the medical professional.
Snapping to it, he went to his patient's side and began assisting the head nurse.
The pair of brothers had yet to cease their resistance; it looked like the two younger nurses wouldn't be able to remove them from the room.
Things changed when the boys' mother's fit ended without warning; the thirty-something woman going deathly still as her spasms subsided.
All eyes were on the woman in that moment.
As the doctor and head nurse took action to save the woman's life, the other two nurses found their opportunity; the two kids were too stunned to put up any further fight.
Taking their chance, they swiftly escorted the boys out into the hall.
...
Out in that hall, nothing to do but pace back and forth and fret and worry over their mother's life, the brothers had no idea how long they waited for someone, anyone, to come out of the room and tell them what was going on.
Minutes turned to hours, and they dragged on so painfully slow that it nearly made them go insane.
...
...
...
Eventually though, after an agonizing amount of time had passed, someone did come out to update them.
Only...it wasn't what they wanted to hear.
The middle-aged doctor closed the door to the room behind himself, before coming over to the brothers.
"How is she doctor!?"
"Is Mom okay!?"
With a heavy sigh and a visible slouch in his posture, the balding-man had to look the children in the eyes, "I'm so terribly sorry, boys; I'm afraid...she's gone.", and tell them of their mother's passing.
Deafening silence ensued...
No one spoke for a time, then, all of sudden...
Tristan lost it.
He began screaming and shouting at the top of his lungs, slinging every obscenity in the book at the doctor. He grabbed one of the chairs out in the hall and threw it, he punched and kicked the walls, he even threatened the doctor and the nurses who came rushing to see what the commotion was about.
The younger brother, however, had gone catatonic.
He was aware that his older brother was essentially losing his mind not two arge from him, but he was in a state of shellshock and couldn't even truly comprehend what was going on around him. He could do nothing but stare, vacantly, ahead into space.
He simply couldn't believe it. His mother, the woman who'd given him life, the person his whole world revolved around...gone, just like that. The source of light and happiness in his life, the person he could trust with anything, snuffed out so unceremoniously.
The countless hours of backbreaking labor, all the blood, sweat, and tears he'd shed to pay for her medical bills, so she could get better, so she could come home and love him again...everything had been for naught.
"Mom is...dead..." As the eleven-year-old finally brought himself to utter these words, something snapped.
Throwing his head back, the boy let out a cry of pure despair.
ACT I - CHAPTER III - PART VI
...
Septian Calender 1204
6/10 - Thursday
The Sutherland Province, south-west of Parm
The Forgotten Village
Warrick's eyes snapped open as he woke.
The jaeger's body subtly shifted as he rejoined the waking world; the thirty-something man adjusting his back against the hunk of wall that managed to remain intact in the desolate ruins of the village the retrograde found himself in.
Stifling a yawn, he blinked the sleep from his eyes as three voices invaded his ears.
"Did you procure it?"
"Of course. It may be finely crafted, but it is a simple tool regardless. It was rather easy to acquire, honestly. If you'd requested an orbal assault rifle or some heavy artillery, then we'd have some problems."
"Then it is fortuitous that the jaeger uses such basic weaponry."
Lifting his head, Warrick's vision was filled with the three figures standing across the way from him.
First was Comrade R, missing his usual cloak, baring the attire underneath: a long-sleeve, brown v-neck shirt, nondescript black pants, black and brown hiking boots, and brown and black fingerless gloves.
Second was a man of average build and height, decked out in tactical combat gear: a thick, long-sleeve, black shirt, military grade body armor designed to protect the torso and shoulders worn over that, along with black gloves, and black trousers tucked into similarly colored combat boots. To finish the ensemble, a black gas-mask to, undoubtedly, hide his identity.
Third was a man that stood nearly head and shoulders above the other two. He was adorned in multiple layers of black and white clothing; cloth wraps twisted around his head to obscure the the entirety of his face, with the sole exception of his ruby colored eyes.
"Warrick."
"Eh?"
As R approached him, that's when the mercenary realized what he was carrying: a machete.
"Here." The brown-haired man said, proffering the weapon.
Warrick took the offering, taking a moment to inspect it as he did.
"This is pretty damn good craftsmanship, I won't lie." The purple-haired retrograde remarked. "Has just the right amount of heft to it, too. Should do fine as a replacement."
"You have Comrade M to thank for that." R told him, gesturing to the man in the gas mask.
"You have my thanks." Warrick responded simply.
Tucking the machete away in the empty sheathe on his lower back, the jaeger regarded the third man with a borderline rude stare.
"Care to introduce Mr. Monochromatic?" He gruffly queried.
"You can call me K." The man with ruby eyes introduced himself.
"Okay then. We ready to leave yet?" Warrick inquired brusquely and suddenly.
"Yes, we have finished paying our respects." R informed him.
"Good. I'm tired of being here. The place makes me damn uncomfortable." The jaeger commented.
...
Leaving the ruins of the village behind, the four men began traversing the unused highway.
Warrick walked several paces behind the others, keeping to himself.
'Damn bastards. Dragging my ass all the way out here, and for what? Some desolate ruin of a village that most people don't even remember. Pisses me off. A tragedy they call it. So what? Shit happens all the time. Why should I care? No one gave a damn about my little village. People were dying left and right from lack of resources. By the time we got any help, half the fucking population was dead.' The jaeger ruminated bitterly.
'Mom was...'
...
A small plot with a poor excuse for a headstone, it was a pathetic final resting place.
And it was all she got.
The funeral had long since finished, having been a tiny affair with only a handful of people.
The brothers still remained, having refused to leave.
They'd placed white chrysanthemums on their mothers grave, a final act of love from her sons.
"Death and grieving. That's what these symbolize." Tristan had told him through tears.
The younger brother was even worse, wracked with uncontrollable sobs. He couldn't even properly speak through his blubbering.
"I-It'll be okay. We'll take care of each other, Warrick."
...
Shaking his head furiously, Warrick banished those thoughts and memories from his mind.
"I need a fuckin' drink."
Trista, Thors Military Academy
The day's classes had been over for nearly an hour by the time Fie returned to the third dormitory.
As she entered, she noted Rean sitting in the common area, Imperial Chronicle in hand, reading and relaxing with a cup of tea. He didn't react much to her presence, but he did at least greet her with a smile.
Thankfully, nothing negative came of her stunt the previous night, as Rean acted like it had never even happened. He was avoiding the subject, and anyone who brought it up got shut down as he changed the subject, but that was the extent of it.
It wasn't ideal, but as far as she was concerned, it was better than him avoiding her, which with his reaction, she had feared for a brief moment.
Deciding to join him, she started to approach, only to pause as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
There was an envelope visibly sticking out of her mailbox.
Curious, she walked over and pulled it out.
Flipping it over, she found it was lacking the name of the sender. Shrugging, she opened it anyway.
...
Emma and Alisa entered the foyer then, taking notice of their younger classmate standing barely an arge from them, engrossed in some piece of paper.
"Hey, Fie, what's that you got there?" Alisa inquired.
"A love letter." The stoic girl answered simply.
Rean proceeded to choke on his tea.
"Someone wrote you a love letter?" Emma queried.
"Does it say who it's from?" The blonde archer questioned.
"Nope."
Rean, after dislodging the liquid from his windpipe, was almost instantly by Fie's side, newspaper lying forgotten on the table.
"Can I see the letter, Fie?" He asked of her, an uncharacteristically stern expression on his face.
"Excuse me? A love letter is something private, meant for the recipient's eyes only. She has no obligation to show you anything. Where do you get off-" Alisa started to scold him.
"Sure, have a look." Fie acquiesced immediately, handing it over.
The blonde girl's screed died in her throat at that. She hadn't been expecting the young girl to so readily agree.
"Wha-What!? Why would you...?" She began with confusion.
"You can read it too, if you want. I don't care." The ex-jaeger offered with a bored inflection.
"Oh, um, I suppose if you don't have a problem with it. I am curious." Alisa admitted, somewhat sheepishly.
"If you truly don't mind..." Emma reluctantly agreed.
With that the three read the contents.
The letter reads as follows...
Miss Fie Claussell.
I know we've only known each for a few months now, but I've just got to let you know how I feel. From the first day we met, it was like I've known you forever. You are an incredibly kind and beautiful girl. When I gaze upon you caring for your precious flowers, I am entranced. You are the epitome of lovely.
I love you. And I wish to express my feelings to the fullest extent. To that end, I have put pen to paper to write them out. I urge you, seek out my second letter. You will find it, and perhaps even I, at the Trista river dock. -Your Secret Admirer
...
"Aww, that's actually pretty sweet." Alisa cooed.
"Do you intend to do as the letter asks, Fie?" Emma inquired.
"Mmm... Maybe." The silver-haired maiden answered noncommittally.
"Why do you seem so unenthused?" The archer questioned with a quirked brow.
"Dunno. Guess I just don't care all that much. Outside of Class VII and my club, I don't really know anyone." The former jaeger responded with a shrug.
"I understand. You don't feel it's genuine." The bespectacled girl surmised.
The stoic girl nodded in affirmation.
"Oh, I get it now." The red-eyed girl remarked. "Yeah, I see where you're coming from."
Fie had hardly interacted with anyone outside her small social circle. How could this person possibly be in love with someone they hardly even knew?
"So are you just going to throw the letter away, or..." Alisa started to ask.
Rean crumpled the letter into a ball, squishing it in his now clenched fist.
"I suppose that answers my question." The blonde quipped.
What he'd just done really set in then.
"You can't just do that, that's Fie letter, she should be the one to decide-" The archer started to rebuke.
But then she noticed the look on the swordsman's face, her words failing her as she did.
He had a steely expression, his lips set into a grim line, eyes narrowed.
"Rean?" Emma called her classmate's name with a hint of concern.
Fie regarded her childhood friend with an appraising stare, but once she got a look at his face, she had a pretty good idea what was about to go down. "Not good."
"Not good? What do you mean 'not good'?" Alisa inquired, rapidly growing worried and confused in equal measures.
"I haven't seen that look on his face since Luke tried to kiss Elise's cheek." The silver-haired girl disclosed.
"Who did what now?" The archer requested clarification, completely out of the loop.
"Who is Luke?" The Class President questioned.
Rean had been silent, not responding to anything the three girls had said. When, finally...
"I'll be back."
With those three simple words, the Schwarzer heir strode toward the front door.
"What's he going to do?" Alisa inquired, a tad apprehensive at this point.
"Fie, should we get the instructor?" Emma queried, rapidly growing more concerned.
"Not sure that would do any good, to be honest." Fie opined.
The entire campus was now at risk.
Rean Schwarzer's protective instinct had been invoked.
Rean, having stuffed the balled up letter in one of his blazer's pockets, did as the note bade, and went to the little river dock.
There, he found one Kenneth Lakelord, fishing away, tackle box on his right, and a bucket next to his feet.
There was also a little girl there with pink hair beside the bucket, who Rean recognized as Emile's little sister, Annie.
Said little girl was staring down at the bucket with a big ol' smile.
"Oh, fishies! Ahaha. There's so many!" Annie exclaimed with laughter.
"Well, they're a lot easier to catch when the weather warms up. You want one? They grill up pretty nice!" Kenneth offered.
That's when the fisherman took notice of Rean.
"Hey, Rean. Come to do some fishing?" The noble-born teen asked with a pleasant tone.
He'd barely looked at his fellow fisherman, only paying half attention to his presence.
"No, not today." The Schwarzer heir answered with an even tone.
"Really? Then what's up? Did you want to talk? I told you before, I'm not the best at giving advice, but I can at least listen." The laid-back first-year responded as he reeled in his latest catch.
"I do have something I wanted to talk to you about, actually."
"'Kay, I'm all ears." Kenneth told him as he caught the fish he'd been working on, the creature flopping around in his grasp.
"Why don't you put that fish back in the water? You should probably put the rod down too. We need to have us a serious discussion."
"Why would I do that? I mean, I was gonna let it loose anyway, I've caught plenty of this species as it is, but why on Earth would I stop-?"
The young Lakelord went silent as he glanced back at the raven-haired youth; the expression on his face was something the noble had never seen before.
Rean's mouth was stretched into an insincere smile, lacking any warmth or cheer.
It instilled a sense of unease in Kenneth, for it was a smile that promised pain.
"Um...okay." He numbly agreed.
Throwing the fish back in the water, pushing his tackle box away, and putting his rod aside, he glanced over to the small girl beside him.
Annie was too entranced with the fish wiggling around in the bucket to really pay attention to what was going on between the two.
Assured of that, the young Lakelord walked over to speak with his fellow first-year.
"What's this all about, Rean?" The fishing enthusiast inquired, visibly concerned.
"I just need to know if you wrote this." The Schwarzer heir said in a faux pleasant tone.
Pulling out the crumpled paper, the eighteen-year-old made it halfway presentable, then showed it to him.
Taking a quick moment to peruse the words written on the paper, the fisherman's brows furrowed.
"I have no clue what this is." He stated.
Meeting the swordsman's eyes, Kenneth continued, "I hardly know Fie. I've only spoken to her a handful of times when I was fishing near the garden, that's the extent of our interactions. I would have no reason to write this."
He disclosed this clearly and concisely.
Just like that, the air of hostility seemed to vanish; Rean's abnormal smile fell away.
"That's good to hear."
"If you want, though, I could help you find this second letter. There aren't a lot of places to hide something like that near the river without running the risk of getting it soaked and ruining it." The young Lakelord offered his assistance.
He was still just a tad wary, understandably so.
"Yeah, thanks, I'd appreciate that. Sorry for the trouble." Rean apologized.
He seemed halfway normal again.
Kenneth felt much more comfortable in that moment. "Sure, no problem."
"Kenny! What's this?"
The sound of Annie's voice caught both students' attention, the first-years looking over at her to see what she was referring to.
The pink-haired child had opened the tackle box, revealing the envelope within.
"How in Aidios' name did that get there!?" Kenneth exclaimed, bewildered.
"May I see that envelope, Annie?" Rean kindly asked of her.
"Can I take it out of your box, Kenny?" The kid questioned.
"Yeah, Annie. You can." The fisherman replied, still visibly trying to work out how that item had gotten into his tackle box.
"'Kay."
She snatched up the envelope.
Walking over to the two teens, she handed it to the swordsman. "Here ya go, Rean."
"Thanks, Annie." He told her with a small smile.
As she went back over to stare at the fish, Rean's smile fell away as he tore up the envelope, and read what was inside.
Kenneth leaned over to get a look as well.
The letter read as follows...
My dearest Fie.
When I talk to you, it makes my heart beat faster. You overwhelm me and I feel drunk with desire in your presence. I smell your sweet scent for hours after we meet. My desire for you burns like the sun. You are the only spice in my life. I could go on and on and on about how wonderful you are for an eternity. Two simple letters are woefully inadequate to portray the depth of my feelings.
I implore you, seek out my next letter; you will find it, and perhaps even I, in the Cooking Club room. -Your Secret Admirer
...
"Wow. Guy's laying it on thick, isn't he?" Kenneth remarked.
Rean sucked his teeth, visibly aggravated.
"I've gotta go. See you later, Kenneth."
Stuffing both letters in blazer pocket, Rean turned right around and left.
...
"Well, that was something." The young Lakelord said to himself.
Turning around, he went back over to the little river dock with Annie, took up his fishing rod once more, and got back to it.
It was bugging him though.
Who could have left such a thing in his personal tackle box?
It hit him then.
'Wait, I think I know who put it there.'
...
Rean was speed walking toward the academy, having already passed through the three-way intersection.
He was halfway down the path, when he came across a certain orange-haired noble.
"Schwarzer! You-"
Verrat started with a snarl.
"I don't have time for this right now."
Rean brushed him off entirely, striding right past him.
"Wha-What!? How dare you-"
Verrat's tirade petered out before it even truly began, as he realized the Schwarzer heir wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention.
"How dare he!? I won't, can't accept this! I-I-I... He will...argh!"
The Cayenne heir growled with barely suppressed rage.
This was the final straw.
...
Rean stepped into the Cooking Club room to find, of course, Nicholas.
"Oh, hello, Rean. What can I do for you today?" Nicholas greeted his junior with a pleasant smile.
"Nicholas, did you write this?" Rean questioned curtly, producing the second letter for the older teen to read.
Despite the startlingly difference in demeanor the swordsman exhibited, the kindly second-year didn't so much as bat an eye.
"Let me see here..."
The head of the Cooking Club perused the contents of the second letter.
"I did not. I've never written a love letter, actually." The second-year told the first-year.
Rean seemed to relax a little bit at that.
"But now that you've shown me that, it puts something from earlier into context."
Nicholas grabbed an envelope he had set to the side, and proffered it to his junior.
"I found this stuck to the bottom of one of my pans with a note attached. The note asked me specifically not to open it until someone came looking for it, perhaps it is the aforementioned third letter?"
"Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty safe bet." Rean commented, taking the envelope.
Tearing it open, he took out the third letter and read it's contents.
It read as follows...
My Sweet Fie
From the moment I laid eyes on you, my world changed forever. Your cute smile and soft, alluring skin, and those magical eyes make me yearn to be close to you. Every time I hear you speak, your spell over me deepens. I want nothing more than to pull you close to me. I know I'm being forward, but the connection we share is just so strong. We are truly kindred spirits.
I beseech you, seek out my next letter; you will find it, and perhaps even I, in the academy courtyard. -Your Secret Admirer
...
Rean stuffed the new and previous letters into his blazer.
"Thanks, Nicholas."
With that, the Schwarzer heir exited the room.
...
"I wonder what that was about?"
Nicholas honestly had no idea what was going on.
...
Rean, after quickly making his way downstairs, went through the side exit of the main building, leading directly out into the courtyard.
There, surprisingly, he found another person he recognized, if only vaguely.
Vincent Florald: a second-year noble student with fair skin, neck length, fluffy violet hair, and yellow eyes.
What's more, he had a reputation for being quite the flirt, hitting on pretty much anything wearing a skirt.
That, combined with the fact that he was holding what appeared to be the next envelope...
Sirens had begun going off in Rean's head.
...
Vincent Florald liked to think of himself as a man of principal. He was passionate about his beliefs and wanted nothing more than to make lovely ladies happy. Part of that included protecting them from danger, when necessary. As such; he possessed great courage, that, combined with his fine spearmanship, made the mere notion of backing down in the face of danger completely ludicrous.
And yet...
"Hello there. What's that you've got?"
When he laid eyes on the face of Rean Schwarzer, mouth twisted into something that resembled a smile but reflected none of the positive emotions associated, and instead promised unimaginable pain and suffering...
It took everything Vincent had not to cower away in fear.
"W-What is this about?" The Florald heir inquired, perplexed and trepidatious.
"That, in your hand." The Schwarzer heir tersely indicated.
"I-I just found it on one of the benches. I was curious as to what it was, but it would have been uncouth of me to simply open it. So, finding no name on the front or back, I had intended to ask around if anyone had misplaced it." The violet-haired second-year nervously explained.
"So, and I'm just checking to be sure, you didn't write these?"
The swordsman showed him the letters, allowing the older teenager to briefly scan the contents.
"Oh my, of course not. I would never dare lead a lady on such a chase. It would be entirely ungentlemanly." He declared.
"That's good to hear." Rean said with some relief, placing his hand on the second-year's shoulder.
"It would have been real bad if you had."
"I'm having trouble even recalling a girl by such a name." The nineteen-year-old put forth.
"Guess I'm forgettable." Came the sound of Fie's voice.
She stood in the center of the path between the courtyard and garden.
"Yes, I recognize you now. I have glimpsed your likeness once or twice." The noble-born teen remarked.
He took a moment to truly look at her then.
"My, you are a lovely vision. I can see why this mysterious admirer is so taken with you. Please, would you be so kind as to do me the honor of allowing-"
Vincent's words died in his throat, as Rean beared down on his shoulder, exerting a grip so strong it put vises to shame.
"Think carefully about the next words that are going to come out of your mouth. They'll determine your fate."
Rean menaced his upperclassmen with a light, pleasant tone that starkly contrasted with his threatening words, his scary smile asserting itself prominently once more.
"I-I see. I shall retract my request then." The Florald heir capitulated instantly.
"Seeing as I have made it clear that I was not the one to write these letters, would you kindly excuse me? I'm sure Sariffa is wondering where I am."
"Yeah, sure, sorry to hold you up." The swordsman responded, his positive yet frightening demeanor not budging.
"Thank you."
After Vincent handed over the envelope he'd found, the underclassman removed his hand.
Now unrestrained, the nineteen-year-old wasted no time in leaving.
...
"What's up, Fie?" Rean inquired, now that they were relatively alone.
"Nothin'. Just came to make sure you hadn't broken anyone's bones yet." She replied nonchalantly.
"No, no, of course not. I'm just going find this guy, whoever he is, and have a little talk with him. Let him know that if he even wants to think about trying to date you, he has to measure up to certain standards."
Rean wore a tight smile that lacked any friendly connotations.
His intentions were not even remotely hidden.
"There's no need. It doesn't matter who it is: I have no interest." She bluntly informed him.
"All the more reason, then. I can make him aware that his advances are unwanted." He followed up.
"Can we talk first?" She requested earnestly.
"What about? Is something wrong?"
His unnerving demeanor faltered for a brief moment, concern shining through.
"Last night."
He slipped right back into his previous state of mind at that.
"That can wait until later. I need to take care of this first."
It was all too apparent that he still had every intention of ignoring the previous night and the implications of her actions.
Fie let out a sigh.
"Fine."
With that, she walked off.
Rean immediately returned his attention to the task at hand, ripping open the envelope and reading the contents.
The letter read as follows...
My Darling Fie
You are a ray of sunshine in my life, which dispels all clouds of gloom. I can never be the same again, now that I know you. I love you more than you can ever imagine and more than anyone else in the world ever can. I do not say this out of pride or vanity; I say this because it is the simple and honest truth.
I beg of you, seek out my final letter; you will find it, and perhaps even I, at the entrance to the Noble's Salon. -Your Secret Admirer
...
His next destination known to him, Rean was off to the Student Union building.
...
Rean finished climbing the two flights of stairs leading to the third floor.
There, at the entrance to the Noble Salon, stood none other than Patrick T. Hyarms.
And to make matters worse?
He was holding the final envelope.
'Oh hell no!'
Patrick picked the exact wrong moment to turn around.
The strawberry-blond noble came face to face with the raven-haired swordsman; eyes closed, and the lines of his mouth stretched into a closed-lip predatory smile.
"You wouldn't happen to know what's in that, would you?"
The Schwarzer heir's tone projected kindness, yet every syllable that passed his lips oozed pure venom.
Despite himself, the proud Hyarms boy felt a shiver run down his spine.
'What is this feeling of terror!?'
"N-No. I-I found it taped to the entrance of the salon. I was about to open it."
Patrick felt almost compelled to answer.
"All right then. Just hand it over and I'll be on my way, then."
Rean held out his hand.
"S-Sure."
The noble-born boy placed the envelope in the outstretched hand.
"Thank you."
Just like that, Rean turned around and descended the steps.
...
Once the Schwarzer heir was out of sight, Patrick let out a sigh of relief.
'What...what just happened? What was that?'
Patrick was both bewildered and befuddled.
It took him a number of long moments to realize he'd just been browbeaten by the faux noble.
That's when his confusion turned to anger and aggravation.
"Who does that worthless nobody think he is!?"
...
Rean was halfway down the the second flight of steps when he heard it.
"Rean?"
The sound of his name being spoken by a familiar voice stopped the Schwarzer heir for a moment; looking up, he saw Towa at the top of the staircase, staring down at him.
"You seem to be in an awful hurry. Did something happen?"
"You could say that, President Towa. I'm handling it, though." He tried to assure her, itching to get going.
"I heard from some of the students you've been running around all over the place. Would you mind telling me what's going on? I'd like to help, if I can." The dutiful second-year kindly beseeched.
He opened his mouth to reject her offer outright-
Then he remembered how he'd lied right to her face.
His refusal died on his tongue.
The guilt that nagged at him from that encounter still remained, so, despite wanting to continue with his personal task of hunting this secret admired down...
"Yeah, okay."
He reluctantly acceded.
Fie had returned to the dorms.
Lying down on one of the sofas in the common area, she contemplated taking a nap.
She didn't have to think long, honestly; closing her eyes, she tried to find slumber.
...
...
...
Despite the lack of noise generated by their gentle footfalls, the ex-jaeger was entirely aware someone had come down to the first floor, having sensed their presence.
She recognized who it was by the time they sat down on the adjacent sofa: Gaius.
"You seem troubled. Would you like to talk about it?"
She didn't bother to open her eyes.
"I heard from our classmates that some of the other students have been bothering you. Is that what this is about?"
It appeared as though she had fallen asleep.
"Or, is this about Rean?"
She didn't stir.
"I apologize if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but I would like to help you, if I can."
Silence...
"You know, recently I tried to have this same conversation with Rean. I wasn't able to get him to talk about what was bothering him, unfortunately. However, to my surprise, he did confide in me about something. He confessed that he did not believe in the Goddess as he was raised to."
"He really told you that?"
Finally, a reaction.
"Yes. He actually expected me to be offended." Gaius said with a chuckle.
Fie opened her eyes and poked her head up.
"He seemed so relieved when I assured him I wasn't. It was like he thought he'd damaged our friendship somehow."
"That's exactly what he was thinking."
"Really?"
"Mm."
"Do I really come across as the sort of person who'd be that judgmental?" Gaius questioned with a small, concerned frown.
"Nn." Fie shook her head.
"Due to Rean's circumstances, he's hyper-aware of how people view him. He worries that the slightest thing out of the ordinary will strain his relationships with other people. It doesn't help that, before Class VII, you could count all the friends he ever had on one hand. Luke, Maple, Lisa, and me." She apprised him.
'More than any noble, his fear of his 'power' is to blame.'
Fie could still vividly remember how little Rean had begged and pleaded with his parents not to tell anyone what had happened that night, what he'd done. He had been so scared that the few friends he did have, that the entire village, would look at him like some sort of freak.
The fifteen-year-old's chest grew tight at the memory.
"His circumstances?" Gaius repeated with visible confusion.
"He's adopted nobility, remember?"
"So?"
"You don't realize what that means?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Rean was ostracized." She bluntly informed.
"Are you serious?" He queried with incredulity.
"Mm. Barring a few exceptions, he was shunned by everyone outside of his hometown."
"What about those outside the nobility?"
"Not a whole lot of commoners visit Ymir on a regular basis. Those who do are wealthy or important enough to rub elbows with nobles." She explained.
Gaius went quiet then, his frown having deepened considerably.
Fie sat up, before leaning back into the sofa; if this whole talking thing was gonna continue, she didn't see the point in remaining prone.
"You sure seem to know a lot about his situation, even for as close as you two are." The soft-spoken nord remarked.
"I did live there for half a year." She pointed out. "I'm sure Rean's told you that by now."
"Besides, I can relate." She mentioned almost offhandedly.
"You were treated in a similar manner growing up?" The gentle spearman seemed further dismayed at the thought.
"I was a jaeger, remember? Noble or commoner, most didn't take kindly to me." She told him matter-of-factly.
"Stones were thrown at me, I was screamed and cursed at, spat on; you name it, it probably happened." The ex-jaeger candidly divulged.
Through this entire conversation, the silver-haired girl had spoken in her usual dispassionate manner. That was the norm for her; the entire class knew that.
And yet, to Gaius, it made everything she said hit that much harder.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Fie. You have my sympathies."
"Appreciate it, I guess. No need to be upset though. My corps had my back anytime things went beyond words."
His mood lightened a bit at that.
"I'm glad to know they looked out for you."
"We were family." Was all she said in response.
A comfortable silence settled between them then.
...
"I'm irritated." Fie suddenly admitted.
"With Rean?"
"Kinda. I mean, I'm annoyed that he doesn't seem to get it. But I also understand why."
"Why don't you simply tell him how you feel, then?"
"I've been considering it. But I want him to take notice of my feelings, realize it on his own. Actions speak louder and all that."
'It won't stick if I just tell him. I have to show him. He hat-'
She didn't even want to think that last part.
"If you're set on it, then simply try again." The kind nord suggested.
"Yeah, no duh." She replied with half-lidded eyes. "I'm just not sure what to do."
"You've already attempted cooking for him, and...whatever that was at dinner last night. So why don't you try something you're more familiar with this time? Express your feelings in a personal way: a way you're comfortable with." Gaius advised.
"Something I'm familiar with...?"
That was it.
Why hadn't she thought of it in the first place? It was so disgustingly simple!
"Thanks for the advice, Gaius. You've really helped me out."
Fie stood up from the sofa and made her way for the door.
"You're most welcome."
Gaius watched her leave the dorm, a smile returning to his face.
...
Fie had made her way over the garden.
"Edel?"
"Yes, Fie?" The kindly second-year acknowledged her junior's presence, looking up from the flowerbed.
"Can I ask for a favor?"
Rean and Towa sat across from each other on the sofas in the Student Council room.
He had just finished filling her in on the day's events.
"So you've been running all over because of these letters? Don't you think that's a bit extreme?" Towa worriedly queried.
"Not at all." Rean answered simply, completely composed.
"Rean...maybe you should ask Fie how she feels about this. I'm sure she appreciates your concern, but she might not like how you're behaving." She suggested.
"I'm not sure what you're getting at."
"Well..."
The tiny second-year let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm just going to be blunt here: you're exhibiting an unnatural level of jealousy. It isn't healthy by any stretch of the imagination." She leveled with him, tone solicitous.
The Student Council President's face was marred by anxious concern.
"It could even come off to those who don't know you as twisted." She added.
"Jealous!? What?! No! No, no, no, no, no. That's not what this is at all!"
Rean's denial was vehement.
"I'm just looking out for her, is all!" He insisted fervently.
"Are you sure about that, Rean?"
She fixed him with a dubious look.
"I mean, you wouldn't react like this if say...your sister received these letters, right?
Rean didn't even have to think about it.
"No, I'd definitely still hunt the guy down and force-feed him the paper he wasted."
He didn't bat an eye as he gave his answer, completely nonchalant.
Towa was so dumbfounded by his answer that she could only laugh nervously in response, sweatdropping.
'Wow, Rean has a sister complex.'
While that was a problem all it's own, she was still visibly relieved.
"Okay. That puts most of my concerns to rest, at least. However, your behavior still isn't quite appropriate. It's overprotective, for a start." She pointed out.
"I made peace with that a long time ago." He replied.
"Haha. I think you might be missing the point."
"Look, President Towa, I'm sorry for causing you trouble. Once I've dealt with this, I promise I'll submit myself to any disciplinary action you and the principal deem appropriate." He assured her, frowning.
"No, no, no, no, no!"
Towa burst out, waving her hands wildly in front of her, flustered and dismayed.
"That's not what I mean! You're not in any trouble!" She averred desperately, audibly abashed.
Rean just looked at her with confusion.
Her rapid arm motions ceased, and with a heavy sigh, she hung her head; an almost palpable air of disappointment about her.
She groaned.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think I was trying to reprimand you."
Raising her head, sincerity and kindness shining in her eyes like little beacons, she proclaimed, "I just wanted to help you."
It was his turn to groan.
'She's like a tiny adorable mascot.'
It took everything Rean had in him not to pat her head.
In fact, it was only due to his mind being preoccupied with the letters that he was able to resist the urge.
"Thanks, President Towa. I appreciate it, I really do." He assured her.
"But that said, what I would appreciate more than anything right now would be for you to give me the envelope back."
"All right, if that's what you really want." She capitulated with a sigh of defeat, handing it over.
"Thank you."
Like a switch being flipped, he was immediately in his previous state of mind, nearly ripping the envelope to pieces to get at the letter within.
It read as follows...
Fie, my love
I never knew how joyous life could be until I saw your face. My heart leaps like a bird in flight every time I see you. This is something I have never felt before, and it is you that inspires it. I feel like my heart will burst with all the longing and excitement I feel when I think of you. I cannot bear the fact that I am without you even as I write this. I can withstand it no longer.
Please, come find me behind the equipment shed, and I shall confess to you properly. -Your True Love
...
Standing up, Rean quickly tidied up the mess he made with the paper, stuffed the final letter into his blazer, and then promptly left the room.
...
...
...
"I really screwed that up, didn't I?" Towa whined to herself.
Rean had hurried to the academy field, the plot of land void of people.
Except for one.
He couldn't see them as he approached the equipment shed, but he could sense their presence. Whoever wrote all those letters was just ahead.
This person's aura was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place who they were, not familiar enough with them. It confirmed that he did know them, however.
As he mental sifted through potential suspects, he rounded the corner of the shed.
Coming upon a moderately private space with some crates and scattered items, sequestered away from the rest of the area, he found the culprit.
"You!?"
Only it wasn't someone he'd even come close to considering a possibility.
"Yep! Me!" Vivi excitedly declared.
This turn of events gave Rean pause.
The person who was claiming to be in love with Fie was a girl?
His protective instincts were unabated by this revelation; man or woman, the same standards applied in his mind. The gender of Fie's 'Admirer' didn't matter, the only thing that did was that they didn't have a chance in hell while he was around.
Would he still feed her the paper she wasted by writing the notes though?
Maybe.
That's when he realized that Vivi didn't seem surprised in the least to see him.
"What...what's going on?" He inquired, his brain still processing everything.
"Well, Fie is just such a sexy little number that I couldn't help myself!" The pink-haired troublemaker exclaimed.
Her usual mischievous grin was on prominent display
"I mean, if you weren't ever gonna make a move, I figured I would." She snarked. "Y'know, before someone else snatched her up."
"E-Excuse me?"
The Schwarzer heir was only further perplexed by such a comment.
That's when Fie made her appearance, walking around the shed to join them, flower in hand.
"Oh, Fie! You sexy vixen! I love you oh so much! Please be mine!"
Vivi emoted dramatically, throwing herself at the younger girl.
"Not interested." Fie rejected her outright.
Sidestepping, she avoided the girl's attempt to glomp her, resulting in Vivi eating dirt as she hit the ground.
"Owww..." She groaned.
Any dignity the perverse girl had was stripped away; face down, ass up, her panties were on full display.
"Your panties are showing." Fie remarked cavalierly.
"Like'em?" Vivi questioned from her spot on the ground with a lascivious smirk, craning her neck to look at the other two.
"No."
"Aww."
Ignoring her friend, the ex-jaeger turned to face the very bewildered swordsman.
Locking eyes, lime-green danced with fuchsia.
...
"This is for you." Her voice in that moment was soft and tender, a stark contrast to the bored inflection she'd regarded Vivi with.
Fie presented him with the lone flower she held: a honeysuckle.
Rean was absolutely perplexed as to what was happening. He didn't understand.
The letters had clearly been another prank of Vivi's, judging by how she was acting. However, that left Fie's actions.
Why was she suddenly giving him a flower?
It's not that he didn't appreciate the gesture, he just couldn't help but wonder what had brought it on. And more importantly, why her eyes were glimmering with...what was that?
Warmth, fondness, and...love?
No, no, that was impossible.
Then, unbidden, a memory came to him.
'This is a honeysuckle. In the language of flowers, it stands for devoted affection.' His mother's voice echoed in his head.
Rean was rendered stupefied; staring at the offering, eyes wide, heart pounding in his chest.
This...
This meant...
No. Fucking. Way.
End Note: I know this took a long while to get out, but between moving and Covid, well, yeah, don't think I need to say any more than that, do I?
Oh, and in regards to the the edits/touch-ups I did for the previous chapters, not to mention the partial rewrite for chapter 4, and the full-on rewrites of chapter 1-3; I very much do recommend going back and reading them, as they will affect the overall story. For example, there's new foreshadowing, character building, and a bit more screen time for Alisa and Emma. Also a bit of NPC stuff, but that's sparse enough that it might not be worth it to go back, either way, it's up to you.
I will let you guys know this now, you might be a little confused in the future, because I will reference some of the new stuff I added in those chapters. Just a heads-up. I'm not saying you'll be lost, cuz' you won't, I'm just saying it might be a good idea to, at least eventually, check them out. At least the first three, and possibly the fourth. I'm gonna start rambling, so I digress.
Only minor editing. I don't have a beta and I got shit to do because of personal circumstances at the moment. Sorry. I'll touch it up eventually. But, it should be more than fine, judging by my once over. Hope you guys enjoy it!