In an instant the world stopped making sense. There was no mistaking the middle-aged man standing atop a hill, looking down at everyone in his Zephyr uniform. This was definitely Rutger Claussell, the man she knew as Boss.
B-But it made no sense at all! She could recall that horrid moment with painful clarity. When the last of his energy faded and all the injuries suffered at the hands of Baldur Orlando made themselves known in a fatal manner. The peaceful look on his face when he finally passed after fighting through the greatest duel Zemuria would probably ever witness.
While others would come and go tragically, Boss was always the one immortal pillar in her life. He was the only one that young Fie had ever thought was impossible to kill. So while the others accepted his loss with the same detached nonchalance jaegers were known for, she had refused to believe it. And yet no matter how much she wanted to believe otherwise, there was no denying the truth that lay in front of her.
Rutger Claussell, the Jaeger King, was dead.
It was that moment that Fie Claussell also died.
And yet right now that very same dead man was standing in front of her, looking as if nothing had ever happened.
"B-Boss...?" She repeated the same words, her voice barely louder than a hoarse whisper. It was everything she could muster in that moment.
And yet despite how quiet she was he seemed to hear her with perfect clarity as sharp but warm eyes immediately focused upon her, "Nice to see you again, Fie. Glad to see you've grown since our last meeting. Hard to believe that you're that same little twig that followed me around like a lost pet."
The absolute nonchalance with which he spoke to her... Deep down she knew that was just the kind of person Boss was, but in the moment she did not want to hear it. This was not a casual reunion after a week-long scouting mission! He was dead! And now he was standing there!
Belatedly she turned to her 'brothers'. They at least weren't ghosts sent to haunt her with their mere presence... right? "X-Xeno. L-Leo. W-What's going on!?"
They at least seemed to treat the moment with a little more respect as Xeno rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Ahaha... Sorry, Fie. Let's just say that a lot has happened since Zephyr broke up."
"Suffice it to say, this has been our mission from the very start." The deep voice of Leonidas followed suit, "Even our employment during the civil war was in pursuit of this moment."
T-They were trying to raise the dead!? Even ignoring the morality of such an action – something which was easy for her to do – that was something that simply wasn't possible. And yet that wasn't what bothered her the most.
"...Why?" Why didn't they bring her along!? She would have gladly spit in the Goddess' face if it meant bringing him back. Why wouldn't they trust her to help!? Why would they abandon her like that!?
"Don't blame them for what happened." Rutger seemed to understand her unspoken question as he quickly came to the defense of his subordinates, "It was my decision that they leave you behind. Can't say I expected things to turn out like they did..." He let out a casual shrug, "It is what it is, I guess."
He was the one who decided to leave her behind? But that made no sense! Yeah all jaegers went into battle with the expectation that they might die, but for a decision like that... Did Boss already know the outcome of his duel in advance?
And most importantly... "But... why? Why leave me behind?"
"Figured you could use a change of pace." He admitted with the same ease one would use when talking about changing out a decoration, "You were in the corps for as long as you can remember. Thought Purple Lightning or some other bracer would take you in and find you a new crew to run with." He let out a grin and a chuckle, "Guess we all managed to underestimate just how quick and sneaky you were, though."
Two years. She had spent two whole years on the move, doing whatever work she could to make a meager living while seeking answers that refused to be found. And all that time and effort amounted to was a little praise and a smile!? Her emotions were such a jumbled mess that she wasn't sure she would ever be able to think straight again.
She was relieved to see her old family one more time.
She was angry at being abandoned like that.
She was happy that the Boss was somehow alive.
She was confused at how that had happened.
"Well, I think that's all the time I can spare today." ...And frustrated that it didn't seem like he was gonna give her any answers, "As much as I'd like to stick around chit chat we're on a job right now. You know how it is." With a final nod Boss leapt away from Fie and out of sight.
Was he really leaving her behind again? No. She couldn't allow it to happen. Not again. The young student opened her mouth to call out to the retreating figure-
"Get back here!" It was the bracer Agate who yelled that out before she could. In all honestly Fie had completely forgotten that there were other people in that clearing with her. The looks she was getting from the others were as varied as the stars in the sky, but right now she couldn't be bothered with caring about that. Xeno and Leo still hadn't left yet, so if she moved at her full speed she should be able to catch up and demand some answers-
That train of thought was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound as out from where Boss had vanished it appeared. It being a large purple machine that looked almost exactly like Rean's Divine Knight. Before she could even begin to react to this new surprise she noticed something that stopped her short.
...In its hands was a massive replica of Boss' buster glaive.
T-That meant... B-But why was he in a Divine Knight?! It was one thing after another and the former Zephyr member was at her wits' end. She could only stare in mute confusion as the new machine flew up to the disabled Aion and decapitated it with the power and speed Zemuria's most powerful jaeger was known for. That clearly wasn't enough for Rutger as he proceeded to impale the massive behemoth before obliterating it from the inside and causing it to erupt in a massive explosion. At the last second she belatedly felt Laura grab onto her hand and pull her back to where Altina was waiting with a barrier to protect them all from the blast.
"Fie. Ashen kid. See you next time. And when that time comes I'll see about giving you the answers you deserve. Promise."
"Later, Fie!"
"You'd best be prepared for next time we meet."
And with that, Xeno and Leo turned and departed. Boss followed suit in his overwhelmingly fast machine. She knew she couldn't catch up to him, but she could still catch up to her brothers if she-
She couldn't move. In fact that was the point when her legs completely gave way, sending the exhausted girl to her knees. "Fie!"
"I'm fine." She wasn't, but while she had been warming up to her classmates she still didn't want them to see her like this. She was confused, tired, and in such distress that her body refused to respond to her commands.
Most of all she didn't want them to see the tears pricking at the edge of her eyes.
Fortunately the others were distracted by the departure of the Ouroboros agents and the arrival of the rest of the students and their other instructors, giving her time to partially recover her shield of stoicism. With only half an ear the distressed girl listened as Rean dressed them down for their actions before surprising them by praising the four of them for their teamwork and actions. It was a mixed signal, but what she got from the conversation was that they weren't getting expelled.
A shame, all things considered. Getting her freedom back would have helped a lot in what she needed to do now.
Since they were already there the teachers had no choice but to give them the full details of the tragic tale of Hamel. She was a little too distracted to process the story in the moment, but she did at least notice that Tita seemed especially distressed as she stared at a grave marked with an exceptionally dangerous looking blade.
Everything after that was a complete blur. At some point the now massive procession made its way back to the camp, but she hardly remembered any of it. A few of her classmates and friends tried approaching, but she brusquely waved them off, citing exhaustion as an excuse. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't entirely truthful either.
Fortunately the others seemed to buy it completely. Rean even agreed to let her turn in early for the day to get some extra rest. After a quick meal and a shower the silent girl made her way back to her room.
She would rest, yes, but not at the moment. Right now she needed to plan. She had no idea where Zephyr had gone, but it couldn't be too far.
The sooner she could get after them, the better.
As he stood alone in the darkness Rean couldn't help but think back to what had become a very eventful day. Traveling around with his classmates after over a year felt extremely good. He even got to see a bunch of familiar faces in Elliot's dad, Major Neithardt, and Toval. Plus he was fortunate enough to acquaint himself with a stalwart new ally in the bracer he originally met on the train – Agate.
Those were the highlights.
Everything else had been a little less pleasant. From discovering one of Erebonia's darkest secrets in Hamel to engaging Ouroboros at those same ruins. From watching his irresponsible students disobey his orders and recklessly throw themselves into battle to give his team the edge to fighting the powerful Aion alongside one of said students.
And the greatest mystery of all happened at the very end with the arrival of Zephyr in what appeared to be a Divine Knight of their own. That the pilot just so happened to be a supposedly dead man and the adoptive father of his most emotionally troubled student was the absolute cherry atop the messy day they had gone through. It was that final thing that had him standing outside the Derfflinger when he should have been getting some much needed rest in his room.
He was broken from his thoughts as the door to the train car slid open, causing him to smirk slightly – Right now he was quite glad that all but one of the doors were locked at night. As he waited in the shadows a lone figure stepped out. The girl was wary as her gaze darted to and fro before quietly stepping out of the car.
He stepped out of his hiding spot just as Fie began to relax, causing the Zephyr member to pull back with a start, "What are you doing here?" She hissed warily.
"You're surprisingly predictable for such a stealthy girl." He allowed himself the brief moment to tease knowing the conversation was about to take a more serious turn.
"...Are you going to try and stop me?" She asked. He didn't fail to notice her hands subtly moving towards her gunblades.
Rean shook his head knowing that the sharp-eyed girl would be able to make it out easily enough despite the low visibility, "Not at all." Her eyes raised in surprise at that admission, "I've heard some of the story from Instructor Sara, but he was really important to you, wasn't he?"
"Of course! He was everything to me!" He wasn't sure if Fie realized she was shouting. Not exactly the best idea for a stealthy getaway, "He was the one who took me in. He taught me everything I know! He gave me my name!" The girl calmed down slightly, but her gaze was resolute, "...And now he's back and I need to know why."
"I understand, but-"
"How can you possibly understand!?" Fie spat venomously, "He was my dad and yet he abandoned me before dying. And now he's back..." The fire faded and she looked away sadly, "...I need to know why."
Despite the situation Rean couldn't help but laugh heartily. As dour as the subject was, he couldn't help but find her words funny in a morbid way. Abandoned by her father only for the man to surprise everyone by returning from the dead? How could he possibly understand indeed?
Naturally Fie thought he must have been laughing at her judging by the glare she sent him, causing the teacher to raise his hands in surrender, "Sorry. It's just... You'd be surprised at just how much I understand."
Rean coughed, realizing that they were getting a little off-track, "But like I said: If you want to leave I won't stop you. Still, I want you to think your decision through first."
"I've done enough thinking already."
"I'm sure you have," He agreed easily enough, "but I have a feeling you've been thinking with your heart and not your head. You need to calm down and-"
"I am calm!" She snarled out, clearly not calm, "I don't have time to wait around! If I don't leave now they'll get away!"
The young teacher let out a tired sigh, "How long were you searching fruitlessly for Zephyr before coming to Thors?"
"T-That's different!" She argued immediately, "I have a starting point now! I'm sure I can catch up with them now!"
The way Fie glanced away made it obvious to Rean that she believed in her words about as little as he did, "Fine. Let's look at it from a different angle – How quickly did you find them after enrolling at Thors?"
"Huh?"
"One month." He continued immediately, "It took one month here for you to have more success than all the time you were alone."
"T-That was just a coincidence!"
He shrugged, "Maybe, but maybe not. You saw what he was piloting, didn't you?"
"...A purple Divine Knight."
"I can't say for certain, but it does seems that way. And while I have no idea how or why he has one, the simple fact of the matter is he does. I'm not a betting man, but if that truly is a Divine Knight than it seems likely he and I will encounter each other again. He even said as much before leaving, didn't he?"
"..."
It seemed that whatever argument she had been about to use had died on her lips. That was good. Time to seize the initiative and end this with one final push, "Look, I'm not saying you wouldn't have more success on your own, but with a little patience you can guarantee the answers by staying here."
Fie's hesitance was laid bare as she rubbed her arm nervously, "I don't know..."
"You might try to deny it, but we've all seen how much fun you've been having here. You've found a kindred spirit in Altina. Juna can seemingly get along with anyone, and based on what I saw during that mech battle it seems you've patched things up with Kurt. Plus there are your friends in the Cooking Club. I'm sure you will befriend more students given enough time. And all the instructors are quite fond of you, you know?"
For a long minute there was silence and he could see the internal battle being waged in her head. Eventually a victor was decided as all the tension left her body, "...You're an annoying bastard, you know that?"
"Haha. So I've heard." Perhaps letting his student call him an 'annoying bastard' wasn't the wisest thing an instructor at a military academy could do, but given how tense the situation was been he was definitely willing to let it slide.
It certainly beat having his student run away in the dead of night.
"You know this is just a temporary thing, right? If... when I see the Boss again I dunno what I'm gonna do. If he wants me to go back to Zephyr..."
"If that's what you want to do then you have my blessing." Fie glanced at him in surprise, prompting him to elaborate further, "Contrary to what you may believe you weren't sent to Thors as a punishment. Lots of us enroll because we're still lost and seeking a path in life. Should you decide that your purpose is to rejoin Zephyr, then by all means."
"Fine. I'll stay. For now, at least." The taciturn student admitted what they both already knew with a heavy frown.
Rean couldn't help but exhale, "Good, because if I wasn't able to convince you I would have been forced to use Plan B." He was met with a raised eyebrow, "...Plan B was reminding you that while I had no intention of stopping you the same might not be true for Principal Le Guin. I'm not sure she would be so willing to allow a student to leave her school, especially one she has taken an interest in like yourself."
It was slightly comical watching Fie pale considerably. As fearless as the former jaeger acted even she knew to be completely terrified of the force of nature known as the Golden Rakshasa, "You could have just started with that and spared me the long speech."
"Perhaps, but I think this was for the best." He might have continued further had Fie not chosen that moment to yawn loudly, "...Why don't you go get some rest. For real this time."
"Yeah, yeah..." As much as she grumbled he could tell she agreed with the idea as she turned around and began heading back to the train.
But before she left completely he still had one final card to play, "Oh, and you seem to have forgotten to hand in your reports for the first two days. I'll be expecting them all tomorrow." ...He might be a teacher concerned for the well-being of his emotionally damaged students, but even he had his limits and this girl had caused him so much trouble. A little revenge was justified, right?
Fie froze in place before once again glancing out towards the trees and shadows in the distance... She wasn't seriously reconsidering, was she? After a second she let out a long shuddering sigh before shuffling back into the train.
Once again alone Rean allowed himself to relax. Was this really what Instructor Sara had to go through when dealing with Machias, Jusis, and all the other times the original Class VII caused trouble for her? If so than that woman was deserving of far more respect than what they had given her at the time. Being a teacher was not easy!
Still, it seemed like the worst was behind him now. After a field study like this he should be free from tiresome student drama for at least a few months... right?
"Yaaaaawn!" Come to find out that going through two days of emotional exhaustion had really taken its toll on the lithe student as even after one of the heaviest nights rest possible she was still dragging her feet the next morning. That both Juna and Altina had managed to wake and leave without her noticing was a testament to just how tired she had been. As much as she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and snooze for a few more minutes – or preferably hours – the girl knew she needed to drag her carcass out of bed.
The feeling of the train beneath her feet was a reminder of the decision Rean had all but forced her to make. That she was still on the Derfflinger surprised even her, and yet there she was.
Still a member of Class VII: Special Operations.
As surprising as that was, Fie couldn't deny that for some reason she found herself feeling a little... happy. The schoolwork was boring, the other students could be a pain, and she was stuck with one of the most annoying instructors in the history of the continent, and yet all of that sounded a lot better than being on her own once again.
Still, she wasn't lying when she told Rean that that decision could change down the line. For now she would simply content herself with the fact that against all odds her old family was back together again. But if their next meeting ended with Boss asking her to rejoin Zephyr...?
That was a decision for future Fie, but present Fie was pretty sure she knew how she would answer.
Luckily for her, right now present Fie merely needed to concern herself with getting through the day. Thank the Goddess the field study was basically finished and they were going back to Leeves in a few hours because she was pretty sure she never wanted to step foot in Sutherland again. Way too much of an emotional ride for the normally laid-back girl.
After sluggishly dressing the student made her way to the food car. Many students were still there munching away, but she didn't see any of her classmates. Instead she made her way to the kitchen where as usual Sandy was hard at work.
"Fie!" Naturally the cheery girl let out a greeting once she spotted her, "Good morning!"
"Morning." She blearily greeted her friend as she took a seat. What surprised her was to find a large plate of food awaiting her. As she gazed upon the assortment of fruits, eggs, toast, and sausage her stomach let out a terrible sound.
...Apparently during all her time of emotional distress she had forgotten all about eating, and she was paying the price now.
Before she could dig in she sent a questioning look towards the Class IX girl, "I figured you'd be pretty hungry after yesterday." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "I even snuck in a little extra for you."
While Fie was grateful for the food, she was equally grateful that the Cooking Club member didn't ask about the previous day. Sure curiosity and concern were plainly visible in her eyes, but outside of the occasional glance Sandy was almost entirely focused on cleaning the kitchen space, allowing the famished student to eat in peace.
The idle conversation taking place in the car came to a halt when the door opened and their red-haired instructor stormed in. "Alright boys and girls! This train is leaving in five hours and anything left behind is coming out of your paychecks! So anyone not doing something needs to get their butts outside and begin tearing stuff down!"
Fie glanced at her fellow former jaeger. After that she glanced down at her now empty plate of breakfast – Damn. She really should have paced herself better.
Most of the other students were already shuffling out the door to do what Randy said, but she was not most students. Even if the task itself wasn't all that difficult it still wasn't something she wanted to do. Fortunately for her an excuse to evade manual labor had already come to mind, "Oh, no!" She spoke loudly and very dramatically, "I have to go write my report for Instructor Rean! Guess I can't go help the others." She shook her head in faux dismay, "What a shame."
Paperwork wasn't much better, but at least she could do that somewhere private. Her proclamation caused Sandy to giggle. With a wave the silver-haired girl departed in the opposite direction of everyone else as she retreated back to her room to suffer through the misery of written reports.
Turning two of the most physically and emotionally draining days of her life into the blandest report ever was an interesting experience. Was their teacher actually gonna read any of it? He had been there for everything except the short time he ran off with his friends, after all...
Whatever. Mission accomplished. With that task done the gunblade wielder finally stepped forth into the sunlight where everyone was still hard at work. As she glanced about it appeared that must of the cleanup had already been completed.
What a tragedy.
"And where have you been?" Turning to the voice she saw her dear teacher and the rest of Class VII – both old and new – gathered together a short distance away.
With all eyes upon her she let forth a mental shrug before approaching, "You told me I had to do my report today. So I did it."
Rean looked bemused. Kurt merely rolled his eyes while Altina looked completely disinterested. Juna however had a strange look on her face as the two students stared at one another...
"Haha. Seems like you need to be more careful with what you say, Rean." Elliot teased with amusement, "That's twice now she's used your own words against you."
Surprisingly, the black-haired teacher couldn't help but laugh a little, "Guess so. Can't really be angry at you doing what I said, can I?"
"Are you alright?" Surprisingly it was Laura who approached first with the question she had been expecting, "Even from an outsider's perspective it is clear that you have gone through quite the ordeal."
"...I'm fine." She really wasn't sure how to respond to such honest concern from a complete stranger.
Even if her words were pretty bland the older woman seemed convinced, "That is good. I regret that I didn't get much chance to see your skills in action. I look forward to our next meeting." The swordswoman turned her gaze towards Fie's classmates, "That sentiment extends to the rest of you as well, naturally."
"Yeah!" The famous musician chimed in, "After yesterday I'm convinced that you guys are Class VII through and through. I'm sure we'll get to work together again soon!"
Fie found it funny how Rean kept trying to be a strict and professional teacher while his former classmates undermined his intentions at every turn. The original Class VII was definitely nothing like how rumors portrayed it as, although in hindsight that made a lot of sense considering Sara had been their teacher.
The two seniors continued to converse with the students for a few more minutes until Major Michael's announcement that the train was gonna depart caused the conversation to end. A distance away Fie witnessed Tita slump down in disappointment as the warning meant her time with the red-haired bracer was at an end.
Fie grinned. Definitely some future teasing material there.
As she got back on the Derfflinger she couldn't help but reflect back on these past few days. Despite the emotional turmoil, physical pain, and mental stress she couldn't help but feel that something good had happened. She just didn't know what it was.
Such deep thinking wasn't her thing, after all. Instead she was more focused on the immediate future. Such as trying to figure out a way to avoid unpacking duties once they got back to Leeves that evening. Perhaps if she-
"Oh, Fie." She was approached by her teacher. The man had a smile on his face, but unlike his usual kind grins this one felt off. It kinda felt evil, "The other instructors and I will be reporting to the principal as soon as we return. Given that you're well rested and all I nominated you to be placed in charge of unloading the train. I trust you can handle it?"
Wait. He wasn't serious, was he? She stared blankly, waiting for the hero to rescind that crazy order, but no such words came. From afar she heard snickering – he had said it loud enough for many other students to hear. Horror dawned as painful realization began to set in.
That absolute bastard.
Even as most of the other students began trudging up the steps to their rooms Fie hesitated. It wasn't as if she wasn't tired – right now she wanted to do nothing more than to collapse in her own bed for a week or two – but there was something that she wanted to do first. It promised to exhaust her even more than she already was, but she had a new goal now and it was time to begin working towards it.
Leo had said it as they parted. Fie would meet up with Zephyr again and if she wanted to get the answers she so desperately needed she would need to be ready. Boss and the others might be more laid back compared to other jaegers, but nothing ever came free in that business.
It was time to up her training.
But while the training room inside the dorm was a pretty spacious one, the fact that it was the only one meant it was usually occupied. And as she approached the room she was entirely unsurprised to see the current occupant was her classmate.
The former jaeger stood there silently as Kurt continued his training, completely oblivious to the spectator. While she had watched him fight in the past, this time she actually focused on his movement, his footwork, his swings, and everything else. After a few minutes she noticed something and decided to bring it to the swordsman's attention.
"Hmm." The way Kurt abruptly halted his training made it clear to her that he hadn't noticed her presence until she made the noise. Clearly his situational awareness needed work, but at the same time she would have been ashamed of herself if she couldn't sneak up on a single distracted student.
After the initial jump of surprise Kurt settled down once he realized who was standing there, "Ah. Sorry, Fie. I didn't notice you were there. Were you looking to use this room too?"
"Eventually." She was quick to wave off his question, "I actually think I spotted your biggest flaw while watching you."
Her declaration caused him to raise an eye in interest, "Oh? And what might that be?"
"You think too much."
"...Huh?"
She almost laughed at his dumbfounded expression. Instead she settled for an amused grin before elaborating to the confused Vander, "I'm no sword weirdo, but to me it looks like you're always trying to take the right stance and use the right move in every situation."
"...And that is a problem?" He definitely did not look convinced. Understandable, really.
"Yup. It's a problem cause you're trying too hard to use the right move. When you're trying to be fast you don't have time to stand around and think. By the time you've come up with the right action the moment has passed and any opening you've created is gone. Better to just rely on your instincts and act, even if it isn't the perfect move for the situation."
He tilted his head as he considered her words, "I... suppose that makes some level of sense. What would you suggest?"
Instead of answering verbally the former jaeger made her intent clear as she drew her gunblades, "I'm gonna come at you with everything I've got. You just need to not die." She wouldn't be shooting at him quite yet, but at full speed there would be no time for her classmate to consider his moves if he wanted to fend her off. She earned that Sylphid moniker for a reason, after all.
"I see." Kurt smiled as he assumed a ready stance, "In that case, I accept your offer!"
"You might regret that. I was taught to never hold back. If you slip up even a little I could hurt you."
Despite the words the noble swordsman let out a laugh, "Sorry, but if you think a warning like that will deter me you are sadly mistaken. Clearly you've never met my father." She hadn't, of course, but that was a story for another time. For now she could content herself with the fact that he had accepted the challenge.
Even as the first clash of steel reverberated through the student dorm Fie couldn't help but feel that things had turned out well between them. Despite their differences it was clear that both she and Kurt needed strength to prove themselves to others, and this was the best way for both of them. She would get stronger, even if she had to beat up her new friend in the process. It was the only way she would get strong enough to confront Boss and the others when the time came.
The clashing of blades would ring well into the night.