JoshPlater: Thanks. Who doesn't want to see that? Elise, huh? That would be something. Yeah... Cedric... Let's just say I'm not the biggest fan of what they did with him in CS4. I liked where they were going, but at the end... A bit disappointing, to be honest. Kurt would've made sense as the leader, by the end of CS3; as for Altina... I'm not sure about that. She's had a lot of character growth, but the leader role seems a bit out of her wheelhouse, ya know?
Oh, you have no idea. XD
Perhaps. To be fair, the only time he told Rean to grin and bear it was the Cayenne party. He's never said that before or after; Rean, being Rean, took it to heart. Never truly privy seems like a bit much; he's overheard screaming matches between Teo and other nobles, so it's not like he's never heard Teo defend him. But you are right that most of the defense occurs behind doors.
Who knows?
Nayuta... From what I understand, the game is considered pretty much non-canon. As it was stated to not be related to Sky, Crossbell, or Cold Steel in anyway. That being said, that is a rather specific way to state it, so, who knows? Falcom could simply be trying to obfuscate the matter; though, I have my doubts. As for the McBurn thing... Yeah, I was not expecting where they took him. I think it made sense though, for the most part. I probably won't change that too much, as I felt it was fairly good. That being said, until he does recover his memories, I definitely have some ideas in store for him. And as for your question about McBurn being Towa's grandfather, I'll be honest, I don't believe it for a second.
Only Crow knows. I pretty much agree with you. As for Crow and Verrat... Well, I'll keep that one to myself for now.
I appreciate your enthusiasm; thank you for the well-wishes. I'll do my best, regardless.
Apex85: I've addressed this review in a PM. That being said, I will state it again here for posterity's sake: I apologize if what I said upset anyone. It is a personal opinion, not a statement on the writing (except for the speech Juna gave the original Class VII, as far as I'm concerned, that was not earned in the slightest.)
As for Rean, we're going to have seriously agree to disagree. Rean hates himself for most of the series, I'm genuinely shocked nothing quite like this ever happened. There was his breakdown with Towa, and the time Laura called him out on looking for a place to die to make up for what he'd done (in one of her CS4 bonding events), but still. So... yeah. With things even worse for him in this story than they already were in Canon, including but not limited to taking his first life, I believe this was very in character. However, every person has a different take on someone's character, (I still remember when a bunch of people were screaming that Rean was a poorly written self-insert, and yeah, he is absolutely not) so I can't just make you change your mind.
If you decide to drop this story, I completely understand, and I wish you the best in finding a story more suited to your tastes. And I wish to thank you for all the time you've spent reading and reviewing this story. It meant a lot to me, as you were one of my first readers on this particular story. :)
Yuuto3: Thanks! That's where I had been intending to take things for some time now. That's perfectly understandable; thank you. Rean taking forever to realize anyone had feelings for him: I understand how people got annoyed by it, but it made perfect sense to me. He truly does loath himself for almost all the games; when you see yourself as that beneath everyone, the thought of anyone being interested in you, let alone in love you, is unfathomable. So do I, trust me; no more waiting, here's the next one!
DCMatriXHunter: You're right, of course, it did make it hard to develop positive feelings for New Class VII. However, by the end of CS3, I did really like them, and was genuinely attached to them: except for Juna. For me, it was more CS4 where New Class VII fell apart. The stuff they built up for Kurt and Ash in particular just...never seemed to come to fruition, in my opinion.
As for Musse, I feel they could've handled her character plot a bit better as well. As for your comment about her rejoining way too easily, I have to agree.
That's my point, I never really got annoyed with Ash, even when he was dissing Rean. Ok, that's not true, I did get kind of annoyed, but not nearly as much as with Juna. He did it in a different way, more...brusque and to the point, if you know what I mean? While Juna always came off as whiny, and more importantly, misguided. She always acted like Crossbell was his fault, when it's because of him that things were so bloodless after the annexation. If she blamed Claire and Rufus, along with Rean, I would have understood.
Agree to disagree, I liked Kurt. He did start off a bit stiff and...I wouldn't say snobby, more like dismissive for a while. And you're right, he didn't listen very well, but he got over it.
Neither of us have complaints about Altina. She's awesome.
What you're saying about Juna is fair. And I never once stated she was badly written, because she isn't; I agree, she had humanizing moments and the like. The problem is that I don't like the person she is. Yes, there's your point about Rufus, but then there's her glowing opinion of Claire. And I know why, it's because she helped her, but Rean saved not just her life, but the lives of her little brother and sister. She had no right to treat him the way she did. Crossbell would have been annexed regardless of his involvement, but if it wasn't for him, she and her siblings would be dead, full stop. So, as far as I'm concerned, misplaced resentment or not, she was demonstrably in the wrong—there is no excuse for her behavior. She needed a serious attitude adjustment, but she never truly got one. She got to come to terms with it on her own, when what she needed was a real wakeup call. Also, a real damn apology to Rean for all the shit she'd thrown his way.
Agreed. Juna should never have been a romantic interest for Rean.
I don't really agree. Kurt would have made a decent leader, at least the way he was by the end of CS3. Musse would probably have been a better one, but as you said, she was too deep into her act to take that role.
I mostly agree. I think they actually did a pretty good job with everyone but Juna in CS3, but for CS4, they all fell off. They completed their character arcs, but it didn't really feel like it. They didn't truly progress that much from the previous game; not to say they didn't at all, just that it didn't feel like they truly finished is all. Except Altina, who was great in both games.
Well, I thank you for sharing your opinion in a cordial manner. I appreciate your input.
Gamer611: Thank you so much. Yeah, that's what I'm hoping too.
That was the intent, and I'm happy the chapter hit its mark. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. Since chapter 11, huh? I did my best, good thing it didn't disappoint.
I don't blame you. I can't stand him myself. Oh, trust me, he'll get his one day.
I have seen some clips, but no, I've not actually gotten the chance to sit down and watch Re:Zero proper. So while I'm vaguely aware of what you're talking about, no, I didn't draw inspiration from that scene, because I've never truly seen it. You've now made me want to watch it that much more though. I should get on that at some point.
Thank you, you're welcome, and I'll do my best. Merry Christmas to you too! Though it's after Christmas at this point, but the sentiment still stands.
RedBurningDragon: Huh, okay. We'll see-yes, the answer is yes and there's no way around that. Thanks, and don't worry, not dropped.
RosyMiranto18: Fair enough, I guess. Finished all the Trails games in English, plus the Crossbell games, yes.
-Hm.
-No problem, it's all good.
-Oof, that sucks , sorry to hear that.
-Yep.
-No prob.
-Un-huh.
Yes it is.
-Yeah. He definitely would. Yes they will.
-You're welcome.
-Yep.
-Probably bisexual, definitely not asexual. RIP, indeed.
Didn't ask anyone to feel sorry for me. I was just making a dumb joke since I moved into a trailer, is all. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. No, not ideas regarding Osborne's motive. What I was saying was that I had a theory about Osborne's motive, and it turned out to be almost entirely true: that was the one thing I basically predicted about the fourth game. Everything else that I thought might happen didn't happen.
Brave orders are fine, if a bit overpowered. The problem is that they nerfed S-Craft damage: for both players and bosses. Why would they nerf boss S-Craft damage? Without a brave order in 3, boss S-crafts tended to wipe your party: I loved that! Also, they made some fights four on one instead of a group. Seriously, there was no reason to fight just Rutger, the final battle with him should have been him, Xeno and Leo all at once. That would have made the boss fight sufficiently difficult.
Yes, I will write Juna fairly: I have to. I consider it a challenge as a writer, to be honest—write this character that you despise without demonizing them or bashing them constantly. I've done it before in other fandoms with other characters, I don't see why I won't be able to do it with her in this one. As for PM, I save that for something that needs immediate response, or if I feel like it's going to be a...heated discussion. Also I like keeping things public for the most part, so it might answer other people's questions.
-Who knows. Yes they do. That was what they were supposed to do, be painful in a sad way.
-It is indeed. somewhat true. Close to half and half.
-Yes, it is about Rean's insecurities, but Fie has some issues of her own. Unless you scrape and bow and sing his praises, yes, there is no right answer for Verrat. Undoubtedly.
-You're certainly not wrong. They were chasing after Fie, didn't have time to grab umbrellas.
-Perhaps, perhaps not. We'll see. It certainly means something that Crow overheard.
Thanks, and yeah. I intend to do my best.
xaldreca: That's perfectly fine and reasonable. Juna seems like a somewhat popular character, I expected my opinion to be in the extreme minority. To be honest, people have been far more cordial in their disagreements than I expected them to be. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I was expecting a lot of backlash and hate over that rant; only ended up getting the tiniest bit. So, I'm rather relieved about that. But, I'm getting off track.
Your arguments are fair, however, other than her speech, that we both agree doesn't fit, I am not stating or insinuating that she's a badly written character. She was well-written, as most Trails characters are. I don't hate her as a badly written character, I hate her specifically. I know she grew and accepted Erebonians, I'm not saying she didn't. I'm saying that I can't stand people like her. Bitchy seems a tad harsh, at least after the first half of CS3, so let's tone it down and say bratty. She's a brat who's too big for her britches, who as far as I'm concerned, doesn't belong with the rest of Class VII.
In short, this is a personal taste thing. I personally can't stand her. When she's not irritating me, I find her plain boring. I simply dislike everything about her. (Except her family, oddly enough, I liked them.) I'm not trying to make a statement about how she shouldn't have been in the game or anything; just because I don't want her in the game doesn't mean she shouldn't be there. I simply felt like getting all that negativity about her off my chest. What you mentioned about her being so friendly with Claire is actually a big part of it, to be honest. Claire, in the grand scheme of things, is more liable for Crossbell than Rean is. Not to mention she's the one who freaking ran Operation Birdcage!
As for you stating that Rean did more than simply save civilians, that's fair. However, it is made clear in CS3 that Juna knows ONLY about his efforts to minimize casualties. She knew nothing else. When Rean's battle with Lloyd is brought up, it's news to her. So that basically renders that point moot. If she had turned sour on Rean AFTER hearing about that, then it would have made more sense. (I was kind of expecting there to be tension between Rean and Randy over it: I get why there wasn't, I'm just saying.)
As for the whole leader thing, that's where we have to disagree. I just... The games treat Juna like she's so special, and she's just...not. In anyway, whatsoever. To me, anyway. In the character notes, she's literally referred to as the second heart of Class VII, like Rean, which just made me cringe (Personally, if I had to give someone that role, it probably would have been Altina.) And before you bring up how Juna's supposed to be like Lloyd, who's just a normal detective who rises above to overcome barriers, just no. For Lloyd, it works. For her, it doesn't. Again, I STRESS this is a personal opinion. I am not trying to dictate how anyone else should feel or see things.
Anyway, thank you for the discourse, and I apologize to anyone I may have offended. These are simply my personal feelings on the matter.
In regards to Rean, yeah, definitely a turning point. I didn't title last chapter Catharsis for no reason: that was the release Rean didn't get in Canon until his breakdown at the end of CS2 with Towa.
Guest: I thought so. Don't sweat it. Thanks. Yeah, most people do. Thank you. Don't worry, I'm not concerned about it, they gave their opinion, and while I wholeheartedly disagree with it, there's nothing more to it. Since the first chapter, huh? Kept you waiting, but glad it was worth it. You're welcome, I'll do my best.
EternalKing: Thank you. I'm sorry to hear that, but we'll have to agree to disagree; that being said, I will continue to strive to improve further. As for the flashbacks, I apologize that they don't seem to agree with you, but I believe them to be some of the best of what this story has to offer. Of course, as the writer, I cannot deny bias. I'll leave it at that.
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; thank you!
Please read, review, and enjoy.
ACT I - CHAPTER III - PART VIII
...
Half an hour passed before Rean and Fie untangled themselves from each other and emerged from the boss room; they walked back to the start of the floor together, in silence.
.
.
.
When they entered the elevator room, they were met with the concerned gazes of their seven classmates, and a subtly smirking Crow.
"Uh... Hey, guys." Rean greeted them sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Only now did he realize they'd had an audience at some point.
"How much of that did you hear?" His eyes passed uneasily over them, looking for a reaction.
He was visibly uncomfortable. The discomfort only grew as seven pairs of eyes bored into him. Crow, at least, had the decency to avert his gaze.
"Um..." Rean struggled to find words, a way to explain away what they might have seen and heard...
He was still a little too vulnerable at the moment, he wasn't ready for this. He couldn't possibly bring himself to unpack all of his angst and self-hate to eight more people...
They would think him pathetic, and perhaps, mentally unstable. Or they would pity him for the rest of their time together, and find themselves unable to look at him the same way. He didn't want that. He couldn't handle that.
He couldn't do this. Heartrate quickening, his body tensed. He needed an excuse, some way out of this. But there was none—he was trapped.
'What do I do...'
...
A sudden warmth pressed into his side, grounding him, allowing his mind to focus.
No one commented on Fie's sudden decision to intrude upon Rean's personal space, standing so close to him that her body was making generous contact with his.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Rean calmed down; he removed his hand from the back of his neck.
"Your heart to heart remained as private as possible; I convinced these guys to give you two a few minutes." Crow said, returning his gaze to the pair of childhood friends.
That was a load off of Rean's mind; he had to stop himself from breathing a sigh of relief.
"Mm." Fie gave the slacker a nod a gratitude.
"I presume by your reaction that you have no inclination to elucidate what occurred today?" Jusis said, brow quirked with dubiety.
"I'm sorry, but, no." Rean replied with a shake of his head.
"It's private." Fie added.
Alisa breathed an audible sigh of frustration.
"Will you not reconsider? Fie spontaneously flew into a panic without explanation; her state of distress was alarming, and you appear to have gone through an ordeal yourself. The thought that two of our friends are enduring such adversity on their own is perturbing." Laura said.
"We're your classmates and friends. We're concerned. We're perplexed. Why won't you confide in us?" Machias asked, audibly frustrated.
"We're just so worried about you guys." Elliot said.
"Both of you have been acting out of sorts since yesterday evening. Please, tell us, what happened?" Emma inquired.
"Did you two have a fight? About the letter?" Alisa queried further; glancing more toward Rean than Fie.
The implication was apparent.
"No, it wasn't anything like that." Rean said. "We sorted that out. It was afterward that... Well... It's like this... We... Um..."
Verbally floundering, he began rubbing the back of his neck once more.
"Like I said, it's private." Fie fixed her classmates with a look of bored irritation.
That elicited a few eyerolls from the others; they clearly weren't going to simply accept that and drop the matter.
...
"I... In my attempts to isolate myself, I got into an altercation with someone today. It didn't go well." Rean suddenly disclosed.
That statement incurred confusion amongst their classmates, with exception of Jusis and Machias—their expressions hardened.
"I had a bad feeling; I don't ignore my instincts. So I went looking for Rean. Turns out I was right on the mira." Fie said succinctly.
"I was...very upset when Fie found me. That's why I was in that sad state that you guys probably saw." Rean explained. "That's the gist of what happened today. We'll tell you guys all the details some other time, but, for now, can we just leave it at that? Please?"
That barely answered a fraction of their queries.
"What sort of altercation?"
"Who was it?"
"What about this floor, what happened down here?"
"Why were you avoiding everyone in the first place?"
"You didn't say anything about yesterday. What happened?"
This barrage of inquiries continued for several moments...
Until Gaius finally spoke, "More than any other question, this one bears answering. Are the two of you truly all right?"
Fie nodded in the affirmative.
"Yeah, we're okay. Everything's been sorted out, for the most part. We appreciate the concern." Rean answered with a small smile.
Their was a collective breath of relief from their classmates at that; more than anything, they really had been worried about them, that was readily apparent.
...
"That's all that matters. Let's allow them to keep the finer details to themselves." Gaius said.
"Yes, you are correct. We haven't the right to simply demand every aspect be shared with us. So long as they are well, that is what's important." Laura concurred.
"I suppose that's fair." Machias said, adjusting his glasses.
"If that's what you guys really want..." Elliot agreed, albeit reluctantly.
Alisa opened her mouth to argue-
"We all have certain things we'd rather keep to ourselves. We even have a member of this very class who remains tight-lipped about her own family, after all."
-only to be preempted by Jusis.
"D-Do you really have to drag me into this?!"
"My apologies; I meant no offense. I merely thought it prudent to remind you of your own reticence, before you went and made a hypocrite of yourself."
"Y-You..." Alisa frowned at her fellow blonde.
"Now, now, getting angry won't accomplish anything." Emma attempted to mediate.
"I-It's not like I'm trying to make a big deal out of it or anything... It's just...if everyone knew, it'd make things awkward between us, and I don't want that..." Alisa shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms.
With the focus off the pair of childhood friends, and Gaius, Laura, and Jusis' support, the matter was essentially put to rest, if only for now.
The class knew there was more to this incident, but they pressed no further.
By the time Class VII and Crow exited the old schoolhouse, the rain had come to a stop and the sun was setting.
With the entire class soaked to the bone, it was unanimously decided they would return to the dorm and take turns in the shower. The thought of hot water and dry clothes enticing them, they headed for the path leading back to campus, debating who got first dibs.
Three of ten lagged behind.
"Crow, about what you saw down there..." Rean began, just as the others got out of earshot.
He couldn't bring himself to look his friend in the eye as he spoke.
In nearly a decade, he hadn't revealed his...affliction...to anyone; the sole exception being his master, Yun Ka-Fai. This... This was worse. He couldn't warn or caution his friend; he'd seen it firsthand—Rean considered it a small mercy that it was just a fiend that his 'power' had been unleashed upon.
How does he explain that something dark and twisted lie beneath the surface of his skin? That all it might take is one real bad day to make him go berserk? That he had no way of knowing just who he might hurt, who he might kill?
"I don't know what you're talkin' about."
Rean chanced a glance at his upperclassman then.
Crow was giving him a half-smile; small though it may be, it was strikingly genuine, "Only thing I saw down there was a couple first-years hashin' out some personal stuff. Nothin' more, nothin' less."
Rean was momentarily taken aback.
Having said his piece, Crow turned around and walked away.
A warmth permeated Rean's chest in that moment. A warmth that very few other than Fie had ever instilled in him, "Thank you, Crow."
Not bothering to stop, Crow raised his left hand into the air, acknowledging his underclassman as he left the clearing.
.
.
.
"Verrat did this, didn't he?"
Now the only two in the clearing, the duo could speak of such things.
"I'm fine, Fie. Don't worry-"
Fie didn't allow him to finish; gently grabbing his arm, she rolled up the sleeve of his blazer and shirt alike, revealing several nasty bruises. He couldn't simply brush the matter aside with the evidence out in the open.
"Don't."
It was a single word, and yet, to Rean's ears, it was as if she was pleading with him.
"If you really want to know, I'll tell you."
So, he did.
.
.
.
"This is not okay." She said, cradling his arm as if it was something fragile, something precious.
Her reaction would have been far worse if she knew what Verrat had said, but Rean specifically omitted that detail. More for her sake than anything else.
'If she knew... I'm not sure what she'd do to him.'
Protecting Verrat wasn't his intention—protecting Fie was. The consequences she would face for beating a scion of the Four Great Houses half to death would undoubtedly be severe.
...
Scowling, Fie reached out and ran her hand up Rean's left side, gingerly brushing her fingers along his torso. She could tell there were an assortment of bruises hiding beneath his clothing. She'd seen it in the way he walked, had felt it when she held him, noticed it in the way he reacted to touch. It was subtle, but he gave himself away to her, because she knew exactly what it looked like when he was hiding his pain.
Scrutinizing Rean for a number of moments, she noticed a particular detail—Verrat had known what he was doing. Either he had prior experience with this sort of thing, or he was smart enough to think ahead. He'd left nary a mark that could be seen: it was all concealed under Rean's uniform. Until they changed to their summer uniforms, or swimming lessons began, no one would be the wiser to the injuries unless Rean specifically showed them to someone.
Fie was sure that, somehow, Verrat knew Rean wouldn't do so. It was an unsavory thought, but, perhaps, Verrat understood Rean on some level, at least enough to be confident he wouldn't reveal them to anyone.
'I wonder... Did he count on the bruises healing before anyone could see them?'
If Verrat had a rough idea as to how long it took particularly bad bruising to heal, he could have calculated that the evidence would be gone before discovery could occur. It reminded her too much of some of the more sadistic jaeger's she'd had the displeasure of meeting. Albeit, Verrat's cruelty was child's play compared to what they were capable of. However...
'Everyone has to start somewhere.'
Rean could see the gears turning in Fie's head, as she stared at his bruises. He had an inkling as to where her thoughts were.
'She's probably come to the same conclusion I did.'
Verrat had meticulously chosen where to harm him.
...
"Rean..." She raised her head to meet his gaze.
Fuchsia danced with lime-green.
"I get it. I understand. I know I have to do something about this." He assured her. "I can't run the risk of Verrat turning his attention to someone else and doing the same thing."
Fie's displeasure at that statement was almost palpable; she was essentially glaring at him now.
"Oh, uh..."
Rean quickly realized she wasn't worried about other people: she didn't want it happening to him again.
"I'll be doing it for myself as well, of course." He attempted to placate.
Letting go of his arm, she drew closer and embraced him, "You need to take better care of yourself."
That same warmth returned to his chest, only so much stronger. Rather than the feeling itself, it was the intensity of it that he associated with Fie.
"I... I promise to do better. To try and take better care of myself." He said, returning the embrace.
Pulling her head back, she rose to her tippy-toes and kissed him. Rean's eyes widened in surprise, despite this being the second time their lips had made contact.
...
Pulling away, a slight blush adorned Fie's face. Suddenly, it had become awkward: he hadn't kissed her back. The two broke their embrace, stepping away from each other.
"Sorry. I won't do it again if you don't want me to." She said, unable to bring herself look him in the eye any longer.
"N-No, it's fine! It was nice! I just-you-I wasn't expecting... I liked it." He verbally fumbled over himself to reassure her. "Sorry. I'm just...new to this..."
"Same."
"I just... Are you sure about this?" He had begun to rub the back of his neck. "I know your feelings are genuine, you left no room for doubt about that. But I don't know-"
"Are you comfortable with this?" She asked, lowering her head. "I don't want to force my feelings on you."
"Fie..."
How was he supposed to respond to that? That hadn't been what he meant at all...
"You never look out for yourself, never think about what you want, so I will. If you don't want a relationship, then that's that. If you need some time, I'll wait. Whatever you want."
Fie had always been looking out for him, even when they were kids... What had he ever done to deserve someone like her in his life?
.
.
.
"I want this." The words had forced themselves out before he could realize what he was saying.
Fie wasted no time in hugging him again, "That's all I needed to hear."
She really, really wanted this apparently. How could he deny her? Especially...when he wanted it too.
...
Rean and Fie came to the end of the path leading back to campus; they'd expected to find their classmates waiting, impatiently, for them. Sure of the fact that they would have noticed the two of them had hung back, and would not allow them to be without supervision after everything that had happened today.
Instead, near the corner rounding the front of the main building, they saw the seven other teens hold up by one Vice-Principal Heinrich. And judging by their collective posture and Heinrich's own body language, it was apparent they were being read the riot act.
The lack of Crow's presence made it evident he'd dipped at the first sight of the man, avoiding such a fate.
"I don't have it in me to sit through a lengthy lecture right now." Fie grumbled.
Rean couldn't fault her for her reluctance. In the few months they'd attended Thors, Heinrich had firmly established himself amongst the student body as the most punchable person on campus. Verrat technically had him beat in that category, but only for those privy to how vile his behavior could truly get.
"Let's go around the other way." Fie suggested.
Rean hesitated at that. He wanted to disagree and face up to the music along with the rest of the class, however, at the same time, he wasn't sure he had it in him to sit through a lecture after everything else he'd dealt with today. "Yeah, okay, let's-"
"Don't think I don't see you back there; Mr. Schwarzer, Miss Claussell, you two are in just as much trouble!" Came a middle-aged voice.
They'd been spotted; Rean and Fie visibly deflated at this.
"No use in trying to sneak away now." Rean said, striding forward to join the others.
Fie gave an annoyed sigh and did the same.
As they joined the others, the nine shared looks amongst themselves: they were all in the same boat on this one. With the addition of the duo, the Vice-Principal shifted his focus.
"Miss Claussell, I witnessed you running in the halls earlier! Not to mention all the water you were tracking in! Listen here! Contrary to the tainted image your instructor has provided you, this is a highly distinguished academy. You can see this exemplified by our upper-class students, whose noble behavior you would do well to learn by! Take heed of their every action and mannerism. Do you see them running in the corridors? No, you do not. Understood?"
Fie merely stared back at her lecturer, her complete boredom and indifference worn openly.
Machias quashed the urge to snort at the Vice-Principal's statement.
"As for you, Mr. Schwarzer, the faculty was under the impression you were out sick today. Your instructor submitted your slip of absence to me, personally. Care to explain why you appear to have been gallivanting about in the rain?"
Rean opened his mouth to explain himself-
"It appears your instructor has either falsified information for your benefit—a new low, even for her—or, you deceived her in an effort to play hooky. Enlighten me as to which is the case."
Alisa shifted from one foot to another, visibly uncomfortable, 'He's not exactly Instructor Sara's biggest fan, is he?'
Laura frowned, thinking along the same line.
Rean chuckled nervously; as far as he was concerned, there was no choice, "You're right, Sir, I pretended to be sick. I don't know what I was thinking—I've just been so overwhelmed lately. Between classwork, running errands for the Student Council, investigating the old schoolhouse, and our field studies... I'm sorry, that's no excuse. I... It's just been so much all at once..."
In spite of his nervousness, the lie rolled off his tongue effortlessly. No hesitation; it even sounded sincere! The entire class, barring Fie, had to stop themselves from outright gawking at him; they'd never pegged Rean as the type to be capable of lying so naturally.
Heinrich, already sporting a scowl, somehow looked even more displeased than before, "This is no laughing matter, young man. You are in serious trouble. That being said, your circumstances will be taken into consideration when deciding your punishment. However, if you attempt to pull anything like this again..."
"I won't, Sir, I assure you. Thank you for your leniency."
The Vice-Principal stepped back, giving the entire class his attention, "Remember, Class VII: your actions have an impact on the public perception of the academy at large. Case in point: I don't know what the 'strange phenomena' I keep hearing about are, but the Old Schoolhouse—which I know you just came from, don't try to deny it—is no place for silliness! It was established by the late Emperor Dreichels as a place of learning, not a place to idly frolic! Do not forget that!"
Jusis stifled the urge to roll his eyes, 'Yes, frolic, that's precisely what we do.'
Elliot fidgeted, 'That seems a bit unfair...'
Emma simply listened and smiled politely, though it did not quite reach her eyes.
Gaius, unlike the rest of his classmates, seemed wholly unaffected by the lecture. The Vice-Principal and his ranting seemingly did not bother him
.
.
.
After another few minutes of being chewed out, it finally, mercifully, came to an end.
"Enough loitering around here, it's late. Back to the dorms with you; be sure to go over what you learned in class today. And for Aidios' sake, change out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold." Heinrich dictated.
Lacking the energy, will, and even desire to argue, the nine teenagers simply complied.
Fie, a towel loosely hanging from her head, closed the door to her room. Reaching up, she began to dry her damp hair as she walked over to the bed, and proceed to plop down onto it.
It had been a long day. Her time in the corp got her accustomed to physical exhaustion, she'd pushed past her limit more times than she could count. However, exhaustion of the emotional variety was a whole other beast, one that she had only grappled with a handful of times before now.
Hair sufficiently dried, she tossed the towel onto her crates of explosives—she'd take care of it tomorrow. With a yawn, she fell back onto her mattress, and closed her eyes.
.
.
.
She'd done it. She confessed her feelings to Rean, and—this was the truly difficult part—managed to convince him of their validity. She had gotten across just how deeply she truly felt for him. He knew and truly understood that she was genuinely in love with him. It was a monumental success in and of itself.
She'd never been so thankful for combat links...
However, it wasn't over. Far from it. After all, her love didn't magically negate his self-hatred. But she would be there for him, helping him along every step of the way. She would remind him as many times as he needed that she cared for him, loved him, regardless of how he felt about himself. And, no matter how long it took, she would ensure that, one day, he understood that he deserved to be loved.
She just didn't know how to accomplish that yet...
It was a daunting task... Yet nothing, not even the divine will of the Goddess—if there even was such a thing—could stop her from taking it on.
.
.
.
With a sigh, she opened her eyes; staring at the ceiling, her mind wandered in different direction.
'How do relationships actually work?'
She had no clue, and honestly hadn't given it much thought before now. The members of Zephyr didn't exactly have the most stable love lives, and Sara wasn't any better. She hadn't paid much attention to Teo and Lucia's dynamic for the half a year she was in Ymir either. So she quite literally had no real point of reference. She'd certainly never been in one, never had an interest in it until recently.
The more physical aspects of a relationship were easy enough for her to grasp. Shortly after she'd turned thirteen, Xeno and Leo had sat her down and explained the 'birds and bees' to her. The Boss, deeming their explanation inadequate and too kiddy, laid it out the simple facts. And Ramona, being one of the few female members of the corp, went in-depth about how her body functioned and the specifics of intercourse.
In short, it took the team effort of four elite mercenaries to teach one young girl how sex worked.
So, the mechanical aspects of the physical side of a relationship weren't a concern. Instead, it was everything else.
'What am I supposed to do?'
Was it okay to be more affectionate, or would that be too much, too soon? She already gravitated towards Rean as it was, preferring to be in his company whenever possible.
Should she verbalize her feelings more often? She was self-aware enough to understand she could be rather taciturn at times; she'd been working on trying to express herself more recently.
Perhaps she needed to do more to show she cared? She'd already tried cooking from him, surely there was something else she could do for him; he did so much for anyone that asked, but rarely, if ever, was that reciprocated.
Did she even need to do anything differently at all? At the same time, she wondered... If nothing changed, would Rean begin to doubt her feelings once more?
'Now I'm the one overthinking things.'
...
'Guess I'll just have to wing it.'
When Rean finally returned to his room, it took all he had in him to make it to his bed before collapsing.
"Bad idea." He hissed to himself, pain flaring through his battered body from the jostling.
Uncomfortable and in pain, he really needed to adjust himself into a more comfortable position. However, he simply didn't have it in him. Today had been physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. So, he simply lied there.
.
.
.
'You may hate yourself, but please, Rean, please... Know that I love you. Nothing will ever change that.'
Fie had said that. She had actually spoken those words to him. And most importantly—she had meant it.
It still didn't feel real to him... Any of it. Her confession, his own admission... It almost felt like it had happened to someone else entirely. However...
The feeling of her lips lingered—it grounded him. A reminder that it did happen.
She knew everything. His darkest secrets; lack of belief in the Goddess, the mask he wore for others, the depths of his self-loathing, even his insidious 'power'... and she still cared. She accepted him. She loved him. The sheer elation that had welled within him from the revelation was overwhelming, and had failed to fade even now. And yet, at the same time, there was an underlying sensation of dread... Wasn't it just a matter of time before he fucked this up? Just like he did with everything in his life?
He could let her down, disappoint her, hurt her without meaning to... There were so many ways he could ruin things... It was absolutely terrifying.
She made him feel like everything would be okay; no one had done that for him before. He couldn't lose that. He'd had it for only a short time, but he already knew that if he lost it...
He didn't want to think about it.
.
.
.
He didn't deserve her. He was unworthy of her pure acceptance, let alone her love. He knew that. But he would strive to better himself, to become worthy of her. He would do all he could and more—he could give nothing less. Perhaps he was in love with her, or perhaps he wasn't. He truly did not know. However, the one thing Rean did know, above all else...
'I want Fie by my side.'
.
.
.
Finally managing to summon a little strength, Rean moved his body into a more comfortable position. Closing his eyes, sleep took him almost immediately. And, for the first time in a long time, pleasant dreams were waiting for him in his slumber.
6/12 - Saturday
Early in the morning, Emma stood in the dormitory kitchen, occupying herself with the task of grinding up herbs and tea leaves.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Or perhaps she wasn't so alone—a black and purple cat with luscious fur sat near her feet, hidden from plain sight due to countertops and other miscellaneous objects that would obscure the vision of anyone who might enter the room.
"I'm making some of Grandmother's-"
"That's not what I meant—on that subject, however, why are you using magic to help with some boy's cold? It's not like it's anything serious." Came the voice again—it was unmistakably feminine.
"That boy is my friend. Moreover, no one will find out, not from this. I'm being careful."
The feline rolled it's eyes, "Fine, whatever, back to my point: it's been more than two months, and yet, you've made zero progress."
"Perhaps it would be best to postpone this conversation. We never know when someone might-"
"Don't give me that; we both know the only other people present are awaiting you upstairs. There's no cause for concern."
Emma tilted her head in deference, if a bit hesitantly.
"You've been spending all your time with that blonde girl."
"She's my friend, and her name is Alisa."
"She's not who you're here for; you're supposed to be vetting 'him' as a potential awakener."
"I know... You're right." Emma admitted with a sigh. "I've been stuck in my own head and haven't been performing my duty properly, I'm sorry. It's just..."
"Just what?"
"He's been going through so much lately; I thought it best to leave him be for now, wait for things calm down a little."
"Emma..."
"Okay, I promise to be more proactive in my role."
...
The feline seemed content to leave it at that.
It was about time for the students of Thors to be in class—Elliot, however, was still in his room, in bed.
"This-ahck-sucks-ahck-so much..." Elliot groaned between coughs.
"Our entire class was drenched; the odds of you being the only one to catch a cold are miniscule..." Machias muttered from his spot next to the bed.
"Bad luck, I guess?"
"We should have had our umbrellas; it was irresponsible to go traipsing about in the rain like that." Machias said, frowning.
"It was hectic, we didn't know what was happening. Rean and Fie weren't acting like themselves, and then suddenly she leaves the dorm in a hurry-Achoo!"
The rest of Elliot's sentence was killed by his sneeze; Machias handed him some tissues in response.
"Thanks."
"Of course."
As Elliot used them to blow his nose, Machias continued, "Being in a rush is no excuse. I should have made sure that we brought them—it's my responsibility."
Ellliot threw the used tissues in the wastebin his friends had placed beside his bed before responding, "You're our class vice-president, not our dad or caretaker or whatever. Don't you think you're taking this too seriously?"
Machias sighed at that, "I suppose you're right. I'm just wound up."
"About yesterday?"
"What else?"
"I'm pretty sure everyone's bothered by what happened with those two, Machias."
'True, however, I'm more concerned with the altercation Rean got into... What did Verrat do this time?' Machias kept that thought to himself.
The sound of knocking interrupted their conversation.
"Come in."
Elliot needn't have bothered with those words, however, as Machias was already up, opening the door.
"Thank you." Emma said as she entered the room; a small plate with a teacup atop of it rest in her hands.
Walking over to the Elliot's bedside, she waited for him to sit up, and handed him the plate.
"This is a special herbal tea my grandmother would brew for me when I was sick. The herbs in it promote recovery and assist the immune system in battling infections. It should help make you feel a bit better, at least." Emma explained with a gentle smile.
Elliot smiled in return, "Thanks for this, guys. But shouldn't you have left for the academy by now? You two always show up early; it'd suck if I made you guys late."
"We'll make it to homeroom before the bell rings, don't worry. And even if we do end up running a bit late, it was to take care of our classmate. There's nothing wrong with that." Emma assured him.
Machias waved off his friend's concern, "While I have no desire to be tardy, Emma is correct. Making sure you're properly taken care of takes precedence. Besides, our own instructor is late to homeroom half the time anyway."
"Alright... Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Anytime."
...
After Machias and Emma had left, Elliot took his first drink of the tea. He could feel the heat of it work it's way down his throat, into his stomach, and, shortly afterward, begin spreading throughout his entire body—warming him up from the inside out.
"Wheh, that's some strong stuff!"
He took a moment to examine the black liquid, as if he could somehow discern what was within, "Emma's grandmother's tea is no joke."
...
After several more sips, Elliot put the plate and teacup aside, before laying back down. 'Guess I might as well get some more sleep.'
.
.
.
Sleep didn't come as easy as he'd thought it would.
'Weird... I was so tired just a few minutes ago...'
.
.
.
Lying there, wide awake, his mind began to wander...
This morning had been kind of hectic—the moment the rest of the class had learned he was sick, Machias went to fetch Instructor Beatrix. After diagnosing him, a cold and nothing more, she gave him the choice of spending the day in the infirmary or the dorm, he chose the latter. She left after he promised to come straight to her office if his symptoms got any worse.
After that, his classmates took turns visiting him, spending their entire morning before school making sure he was okay and didn't need anything. Even Fie and Jusis, the more aloof members of their class, had come to check on him—they seemed a fair bit more subdued in their concern than the others, but it was still there.
Rean had apologized to him, saying if he hadn't worried Fie, and everyone else for that matter, this wouldn't have happened. Elliot, of course, assured him he didn't feel that way, especially since he'd gone chasing after Fie with the others of his own volition.
And then Gaius went so far as to offer to keep him company for the day. He refused, obviously, and assured his friend that he'd be just fine on his own.
...
To think his friends would care so much about a simple cold...
'Maybe... Just maybe...it's not so bad that I had to enroll here at Thors.'
At the same time, however, he couldn't help but wonder how he'd feel if he'd been allowed to truly choose for himself.
Leaving academy grounds, Gaius began his walk back to the dorms.
Homeroom was already in session, but he had something to see to first. With permission from Instructor Sara and Instructor Beatrix alike, he was to take Elliot some medicine to help keep his symptoms mild. While there were several members of Class VII who volunteered to bring the small bottle to their sick classmate; Rean, Emma, Machias, Alisa, Laura—Gaius assured them he would handle it. They thanked him, and off he went.
.
.
.
Medicine in hand, he passed by the chapel and made for the Third Dormitory. Despite it being school hours, no one really paid his presence any mind.
Reaching the entrance to the Class VII dorm, he let himself in.
'Hopefully this medicine is effective. A cold is never fun.'
...
Exiting the dorm, Gaius began his return trek to the academy. Mind off of Elliot for the moment, his thoughts turned to a certain duo.
Since Gaius first met Rean, he'd been able to discern that the swordsman was always holding something back, bottling something up and trying to keep it locked away—all of Class VII had. But in recent days, his burden seemed to be compounded by a new weight, one heavy enough to drag him down even further than before. While most of their classmates had failed to differentiate this new hardship from the original, he had.
For the past week or so, Rean had been a big, tangled ball of stress and anxiety; he hid it well, even compared to what he was originally holding back. So when Gaius saw him down in the Old Schoolhouse, he was capable of perceiving the difference almost immediately—something had changed. Interacting with him this morning only cemented that observation. Compared to just two days ago, there was a remarkable difference, if you knew what to look for.
It was subtle, but the excess of stress Rean had been holding onto had seemingly lessened to the point where it was almost nonexistent; the additional weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Whatever had happened down there had acted as some sort of release for him. Whatever Fie had done, and Gaius was sure it was her who'd done it, had eased Rean's burden.
That was why, though he wanted to know as much as anyone, he'd convinced the rest of the class—with Jusis and Laura's assistance—to let things be. He was concerned that if they'd pushed Rean for answers, he might have regressed back into that tangled mess.
Hopefully Rean would share exactly what had happened, as well as what he's been bottling up, with them soon.
And as for Fie, she was simultaneously easier and harder to read. Despite her deadpan demeanor, her actions tended to speak volumes to those who really paid attention. However, when her actions were a frenzied mess that was difficult to discern the meaning behind...
Fie's sudden, panicked sprint in the rain posed just as much of a conundrum as Rean's introversion. She clearly had her own problems to contend with.
...
Gaius just wished he could think of a way to help the two of them.
Machias was diligently taking notes as Instructor Neithardt explained the finer details of a certain military formation.
'I must be as prepared for the midterms as humanly possible. I will not allow a repeat of the entrance exam.'
Machias had gotten the second highest score, right behind Emma. He was determined to come in first this time. Grimacing to himself, he scratched out the most recent line, and continued working.
.
.
.
He was attempting to focus on the lesson, but found it rather difficult no matter the effort he put forth. When class was in session, he always—always—paid rapt attention to the instructor and soaked up every bit of knowledge they put forth. However, today, his mind could not stop straying.
Even as he scratched out another line and rewrote the information properly, all he could truly think about was Rean and Fie. What had happened the day prior still did not sit well with him. Were they really okay?
Fie didn't go storming out of the dorm, frantically exerting herself in the cold rain because of a hunch or bad feeling—everyone knew that was bullshit. Something had happened, the only question was what. Rean had been shaken; Machias had seen him bullied, injured, scared, and suffer through absolute vitriol—through all these things, he'd only cried once: when Fie was lying bloodied in his arms. So what the hell happened that made him break down into tears?
The fact that Verrat, of all people, had been involved in some way was highly disconcerting. Machias' immediate conclusion was that Verrat had escalated in his mistreatment.
'If that noble bastard dared to lay his hands on my friend, I swear to Aidios I'll-'
He cut that line of thought off immediately; he realized that he was getting too worked up about what was, at this point, purely hypothetical. To act without any sort of evidence or proof would simply be impulsive.
...
Pushing those thoughts down, he refocused on Instructor Neithardt, and continued scribbling away at his notebook.
When Alisa entered the cafeteria, her eyes were immediately drawn to the table closest to the back. There sat two thirds of Class VII; Laura, Jusis, Machias, Gaius, Fie, and—of course—Rean.
Alisa made it a point to avoid looking in his direction as she got her lunch.
It didn't bother her.
Taking a seat at one of the middle tables, she put her tray down and began to eat; the background noise of other students talking amongst themselves filled her ears. Blocking the sounds out to the point where it was just white noise, she tried her best to focus solely on her meal, as she awaited her friend to come join her.
Until recently, she, Emma, and Laura would all eat lunch together. However, shortly after their second field study, Laura had gravitated towards Fie, and by extension, Rean. So it was just the two of them at this point.
It did not bother her.
She had called them a clique once, half-joking. Now, with two more added to the group, and only her and Emma left out, that seemed to be exactly what they were.
'That's not fair. If I went over there and just asked to sit with them, I'm sure they'd welcome me.'
And yet, she still could not bring herself to stand up and do so.
It did not bother her even in the slightest.
Every time she made an effort to befriend Fie, she was rebuffed. Perhaps not as brusquely as she had at the beginning, but still. Alisa wasn't blind, it was easy enough to figure out why: Rean. Fie had picked up on her unease around him, and, apparently, avoided her because of it.
'And I just had to go and make it worse.'
...
"Are you okay?" Alisa asked.
"Hm?"
"You've been even more withdrawn than usual. Did something happen?"
Fie didn't bother to respond, simply looking away. She clearly had no desire to speak with anyone.
'She's been like this ever since she came back from talking to Rean.'
"Did Rean do something?"
There was brief lull of silence between them then, as the silver-haired girl slowly turned her head to look at her.
Fie's face was blank, her expression inscrutable, "What?"
Alisa could almost feel the mood shift. Had she said something she shouldn't have?
"The way he reacted when he found out about that love letter wasn't appropriate; it was something private. I'm sure he means well, but if he said something insensitive to you, if he upset you, then-"
The words died in her throat as she realized the younger girl was glaring at her. The former jaeger's baleful gaze bore into Alisa, robbing her of breath.
"Shut up. Go away."
...
Just thinking about how bad that had gone made the blonde wince. She pissed of a former jaeger, not a good idea. That bridge, if not burned, was so frayed that it was about to fall apart. She needed to walk on eggshells around Fie for the foreseeable future, lest she wish to ruin any chance they could have at being friends.
Her best chance to fix this lie with Rean himself. However... Every time she tried to connect with him, she'd hesitate and pull back at the last second. No matter how hard she tried or how much she psyched herself up, she just could not bring herself to get too involved with him. All because she couldn't get past her first impression of the affable swordsman.
He was hiding something. He was never being genuine with her, or the others, for that matter. He was always, always, holding something back—bottling it up. It stood to reason that, eventually, whatever it was, would explode... And Fie, because it was painfully obvious to everyone, was in on it.
Okay, it bothered her. It bothered her a lot.
However, she'd also noticed that Rean had started becoming more open with the class. Bit by bit, that facade she was so perturbed by was falling away, even if it was far slower than she was comfortable with. And while that still left the far more concerning matter of what he was keeping from everyone...
'It's not really any of my business, is it?'
So long as it wasn't hurting anyone, his secrets were his own. She couldn't simply demand he reveal it to her, just so she could be comfortable around him. That wasn't fair.
'I'm just being stubborn, aren't I? No. Unreasonable is what I'm being.'
Because what else could she call it? After all, it'd been more than two months and nothing had happened. Whatever his secret was, the likelihood of it being anything that affected the rest of them was close to nil. If it was anything dangerous, Fie would have told someone by now, obviously.
Why had she even doubted him so much in the first place? She'd first met him when he was thwarting a train robbery—saving her from being kidnapped in the process—for Aidios' sake!
Feeling a migraine coming on, Alisa released a tired sigh and began to massage her temples, 'Being around Mother and her machinations for so long has made me paranoid.'
.
.
.
"Alisa-"
"That's it. I'm done with this."
Alisa stood abruptly, momentarily surprising Emma, who'd had just gotten her lunch before coming over.
"Come on, Emma."
Grabbing her tray and pushing her seat in, Alisa bid Emma to follow her, then marched right over to the table where her classmates were chatting away.
"Got room for two more?"
That got their attention.
"Of course."
"We've been waiting for you to join us, actually."
"You're more than welcome."
"Sure."
"We are classmates, it would only make sense for us to eat together."
"I was wondering when you'd finally ask."
They warmly welcomed them to the group.
...
Emma couldn't help but smile, proud of her friend for managing to get over her hang-ups all on her own. She'd been ready to try and persuade her to do this very thing just moments before, but there was no need for her to know that.
...
Alisa did her best to join the flow of conversation, managing mild success. However, she quickly noticed that someone was staring at her—Fie. She eyed the blonde warily; all but outright accusing her of being up to something.
Alisa gave her a sheepish smile, trying to assure her she meant no harm.
.
.
.
Fie maintained eye contact for a dozen or so moments, before finally looking away, and rejoining the conversations around the table.
Well, it was a start, at least.
Seventh period had just ended, and Class VII was currently leaving the field; Instructor Sara saw them off, remaining there for the next class' period of combat practice.
Laura was one of the last to ascend the stairs, purposely lagging behind. Her gait was slowed as she followed behind, eyes locked onto one individual in particular: Rean. She'd been closely observing him during combat practice, and had quickly taken note of the discrepancy in his performance. He was far too stiff in his usual movements, and, unless her eyes were deceiving her, appeared to be in at least a modicum of pain. The fact that she had not noticed until he tried to exert himself flummoxed her.
Concerned, she had wanted to inquire after him immediately. However, it was apparent by his attempts to perform to his usual standards that he was trying to conceal his discomfort. Furthermore, Fie's occasional furtive glances his way made it clear that she was aware of it. Laura was certain that Instructor Sara had also noticed, but for some reason or another, she had chosen not to say anything.
The sword-maiden was unsure as to which perplexed her more, that none of their classmates had perceived the difference in Rean's motions—or that their instructor had, yet took no action.
Deciding to respect Rean's efforts, she opted for discretion; she would speak with him about the matter privately.
...
As they arrived at the classroom, Laura pulled Rean aside as the others filed in; if she was quick and to the point, she could take advantage of the slight modicum of privacy the empty hallway provided.
"Is something wrong, Laura?" Rean asked.
"I apologize for the abrupt nature of this, however, I must ask—are you all right?"
"What do you mean?"
"You are clearly injured. I am ashamed to admit that it took me until you were training to realize."
"Oh. It's nothing too serious. No need to worry." He tried to assure her with a small smile.
"Are you certain? Your movements during combat practice were rather stiff, and I am quite sure of the fact that you were in pain during most of the exercise."
"I was in a bit of pain." He admitted. "But it's nothing I can't handle."
"I am sure. But why have you not gone to Instructor Beatrix for treatment? If you had, there is no doubt that you would be in far better condition."
"I spend too much time in the infirmary as it is. I didn't see the need to bother her with something minor I can handle myself."
Laura frowned at that, "Are you positive of that? It would be remiss of you to neglect your own health."
"I'd already planned to go to Instructor Beatrix if it got too bad. It's only been a day, and I treated myself immediately once I got back to the dorm. I'm fine." He responded, that smile still present.
It was only in this moment that she realized it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Your excursion into the Old Schoolhouse must have been trying; this is the first time any of us emerged with any sort of real injury."
"You could say that."
...
Silence fell between the two of them then; neither was sure what to say.
"Something up?"
Someone had come out to check on them. Of course, it was Fie.
"We're coming. Sorry for the holdup." Rean said.
As he made his way into the classroom, Laura could hear the two of them whispering to each other for a moment; she was unable to make out what they were saying.
Just what was going on?
Ninth period had come and gone, the final bell of the day mere minutes away.
The students of Class VII were in their seats, waiting for Sara to arrive to close out the day. Most of them engaged in idle conversation, while a couple doublechecked the notes they'd taken for the day.
Jusis did not partake in either of these activities; his mind was elsewhere at the moment.
.
.
.
Jusis was accustomed to other nobles talking behind his back, of overhearing their whispered words, snide comments, and other disparaging remarks said under hushed breath. He was, after all, a bastard son with commoner blood diluting his veins. Over time the verbal venom lost its sting, and eventually, he simply became bored by the gossip—it was just so very pedestrian.
So, when the whispers of the noble students reached his ears this day, he expected more of the same; they'd surely grown tired of their flitting about, trying to win his favor at every turn. Their honeyed words would turn vile, as they finally realized that he would not play the fly.
However, as their mutters filtered into his ears—in the morning, at lunch, during shared classes, between periods—he was surprised to find they had little to do with him.
"Did you hear? Apparently that adopted noble, Rean I think it was, offended the Cayenne household a few years ago."
"Verrat says the Schwarzer boy is nothing but trash."
"Get this! He once raised his hand to Duke Cayenne's son!"
"I heard he was friends with Duke Albarea's son though."
"But why? He's a minor noble, an adopted one at that. Why would someone from one of the Four Great Houses waste his time with such a plebian?"
Those were the more polite things he'd heard.
The gossip was distasteful at best; he quite loathed it. He'd grown up hearing all sorts of sordid rumors about himself, however, this was the first time he'd heard someone else, someone he considered a friend at least, be dragged through the muck. He found that bothered him a great deal.
He'd been concerned about what transpired the previous day with Rean and Fie, particularly in regards to Verrat. This only caused him to become more so; it was blatant the Cayenne heir had been the one to start this round of tittle-tattle.
Frown marring his face, Jusis was unable to quell the vexation he felt, 'If only they were speaking ill of Regnitz instead...'
While he wished no harm upon Class VII's Vice-President, and would not entertain any of the nonsense if someone attempted to share it with him, he could easily dismiss the matter and go about his business. If Regnitz was the subject of the bavardage; he could take care of his own problems. But no, it just had to be one of the few people Jusis had decided he could truly call friend; he felt almost obligated to involve himself at this point. Due to the simple fact that, despite knowing Rean for less than three months, he was rather certain his friend would take no action in this regard, not of his own volition.
Unfortunately, he couldn't do much to kibosh the situation. There was a possibility, however, that he could address the cause of it. But first, he needed answers.
'Rean is unlikely to talk; I shall speak with Verrat instead.'
Crow had been trying not to think about what he'd heard down in the Old Schoolhouse.
Shifting the heavy box he was carrying, Crow managed to open the door to the Engineering building with his currently free hand. Carrying it inside, he used his foot to close the door behind him.
He wasn't even sure why he'd listened in on them in the first place...
Walking over to the currently empty workspace, he set the box down under the counter, precisely where George had asked him to put it.
So some first-year had self-esteem issues, big frickin' deal—it wasn't his problem.
He let out a sigh, "Back to class, I guess."
He may have helped his junior out from time to time, but it was no hassle and he saw no harm in it—this was different. The real world didn't care about your feelings, it would knock you down and trample all over them, and you, for that matter. That was an unequivocal truth. One that everyone had to learn someday.
A little self-hatred wasn't rare, nor did it rank particularly high on the scale of real problems. So why did it bother him?He had so many other things that required his attention, numerous things that he could occupy his mind with—yet, all his brain could do was replay those words over and over again...
'I HATE MYSELF!'
Why had that stirred something within him?
.
.
.
Exiting the Engineering building, he strolled back to the main building; the moment he entered, the final bell of the day began to ring.
'To Kirsche's, then.'
Walking back out, he headed for school gate.
He should be focusing on that mysterious power Rean displayed; trying to figure out what it is, if it might pose a threat, how to combat his transformed state, etcetera. Instead, his mind wanted to hyperfocus on some juvenile, emotional bullshit.
It's not like he'd be able to help anyway.
'I got too much hate in me to try and teach someone how to let go of theirs.'
Thors' main building was almost completely devoid of people, the lack of clubs to keep students on campus showing through. Sara, too, would have made herself scarce, if only she hadn't forgotten a bit of paperwork on her desk.
'Get in, grab the papers, get out.'
Opening the door to the faculty room, she'd hoped to find it empty, or at least missing a certain walking-talking mustache. Her hopes were dashed, however, as upon entering the room, she immediately caught sight of him talking Makarov's ear off.
"The upper classes always score the highest on their examinations. And Class I is always at the top with the highest average of all. But that should come as no surprise. The exemplary ladies and gentlemen of the nobility would never lose to commoners. Ahem. My remarks are certainly not biased by my role as Class I's homeroom teacher, either. The upper class students are simply superior to the commoners. That is not prejudice, but merely an objective fact. Nobles almost universally receive a higher standard of education than those of the lower class. Thus, I hope you're looking forward to seeing Class I score the highest."
From the mix of exhaustion and disgruntlement on Makarov's face, Sara was pretty sure he wanted someone to shoot him, or shoot Heinrich, it honestly could go either way.
'Crap. Okay, if I'm quick, hopefully he won't notice-'
Her efforts were for naught, as the moment she reached her desk, Heinrich turned around. She could've sworn she saw Makarov fist pump at the fact that Heinrich's attention had been diverted from him—damn him.
"I'm just here to grab some papers, then I'll be on my way. Don't mind me." She said in a singsong manner.
The Vice-Principal quirked a brow at her, "Instructor Valestein, I trust you've properly prepared your class for the exams?"
"Of course, of course." She responded sweetly, almost too sweetly; she shuffled through the slight mess on her desk, looking for the papers she required.
"You had best be certain of that. Let us not forget that your class snatched up some students who were meant to join mine. And while Class VII as a whole could never hope to come close to the noble classes scores, they had best perform admirably."
She was only paying half-attention to his droning, as she finally found the papers she was looking for, "Found'em."
Heinrich sighed at that, "You clearly aren't taking this seriously."
"What? I'm taking this completely seriously. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
Most unfortunately, her plan of a quick escape was foiled as Heinrich stepped over, blocking the path to the door. And while she could just go around him, that would only make things worse—she'd done it last year, and hadn't heard the end of it 'til graduation. She was trapped; with no choice, she was forced to listen further.
"Once again, Instructor Valestein, it appears you need me to put the pieces together for you. Class VII consists of students from distinguished families and those of noteworthy grades and capabilities. Now think for a moment—should their grades drop after entering the academy, who would be to blame, hmm?"
As he went on, Sara stared at him with half-lidded eyes, not making the slightest attempt at concealing her irritation and exasperation, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Any more harping, and you could join the orchestra."
"Oh, you 'get it,' do you? How many times have I heard that from you now? Keep it up and the only thing you'll get is fired!"
...
Sara had finally gotten away from the high-strung Vice-Principal, though only after suffering through another fifteen minutes of admonishment.
'He's just so damn punchable...'
With a sigh of relief, she exited the main building, and started down the path to the rest of town.
.
.
.
As she walked back to the dorm, evening of drinking already planned, her thoughts turned to a certain swordsman.
She'd chosen not to say anything to him at the time, but she had very much been aware of the abnormalities in his movements during combat practice. It would have been impossible for her not to notice. He was injured in some way, though it didn't seem like it was too serious, thankfully. The question was how had he sustained it in the first place? It had to have been some time yesterday, but what could he have been up to? Why hadn't he gotten it treated? And why was he trying to hide it from everyone? Furthermore, why did Fie know, but not do anything about it?
Sara was certain that if Fie had asked Rean to tell someone about his injury or go to Beatrix to get it treated, he'd have done it. 'That boy is wrapped around her finger, and they're not even dating yet.'
The only thing she knew for sure was that Rean had been outside and gotten soaked from the rain. That, however, told her precious little. What was more telling was the fact that he never showed up to class that day, and had been isolating himself since Thursday evening. Only to suddenly go back to normal today?
'Fie was rather moody yesterday, too.'
She'd asked her charge if something was wrong, but didn't get an answer.
.
.
.
How could she help if they didn't tell her what was wrong? If her students didn't want to come to her, she would just have to go to them.
'I'll talk to them tomorrow.'
END NOTE: First, I know the chapter title is kinda..meh. But for the life of me, I could not think of anything else that fit and wouldn't be stealing potential from a future chapter title. Second, since I've beaten CS4, and, of course, seen Fie's final romantic event, I am now aware of her Canonical birthday. I will apply that in this story from here-on: August 31. So, to update an author's note I left in one of my rewritten chapters, Fie will be 16 as of August 31 1204.
As no other Canonical birthdates have been given out, (I've been aware of Rean's birth month for quite some time) the rest I listed will remain as they are.