They were completely stuck.
As much as it galled Fie to admit it, it was the undeniable truth. An entire month had passed since that debacle at Trista and they still had yet to reach their destination. And with the way things were looking, she didn't see that changing anytime soon.
The first few days after the battle had been hectic, but productive. Celdic wasn't all that far from Trista, so even while staying away from the increasingly dangerous roads the group of her, Machias, and Elliot made good time and reached the area near Celdic within a day. Of course they couldn't just stroll into the market town as the Noble Faction already had it secured, which made sense given it's position between the capital and Bareahard.
That being said, they desperately needed the supplies that the town could provide. Fie had all but resolved herself to sneaking in and stealing whatever they needed, but Elliot had come up with a better idea. The young musician explained the details of the very first field study that Group A did in that town and how he hoped the friends they made would be able to help them out.
The silver-haired girl couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of annoyance as Elliot told his story. How come Rean's group for a nice easy first trip while she was stuck with Machias and Jusis during their annoying spat? Talk about unfair. Although she supposed she didn't have much right to complain considering her own issues with Laura just a couple months later.
Annoyance aside, it was a sound plan. Although they couldn't directly meet with anyone inside the town, Group A had assisted a farmer outside of the town with a monster extermination request, so that was where they went initially. The farmer, Syro, remembering what Class VII had done for him half a year ago, was more than willing to help.
With his help they were able to get a message passed to Otto, the market manager and another friend of Class VII. The older man, after hearing their request, readily agreed to come out and meet with them. There, they (mostly Elliot and Machias) explained to the manager everything that had happened and asked if he would be willing to assist them any.
They had been hopeful that the man might help them out a little bit with supplies, but given their lack of mira and status as fugitives weren't expecting that much. So when Otto offered to provide them with everything they needed they were shocked to say the least. Machias had initially tried to refuse such a generous donation as he didn't want to affect the livelihood of the merchants living there, but the older man had countered by informing them that the Provincial Army was making it quite clear that they were going to start requisitioning supplies for their war effort very soon, and so it would be better that the goods go to someone who could actually make good use of them.
And did he deliver. The next evening a large cart was waiting for them with all kinds of foods and supplies. The merchant in charge of the mission, who they learned was their schoolmate Becky's father, even handed them a key to an old windmill outside of town for them to use as a temporary base of operations.
And while they had asked for some clothes to help hide their affiliation as students of Thors, they weren't expecting the people of Celdic to deliver entire trunks of all different kinds of clothing for them to choose from. Although she never was one to care for personal appearance, the fact that Celdic was often frequented by jaegers meant that some of the offered items reminded her of her Zephyr days and she couldn't resist that temptation.
What she ended up going with was a green crop top under an unbuttoned black jacket, a simple pair of shorts, and a pair of trusty combat boots. Comfortable and unrestricting of her movements, while still possessing enough little hiding spots for any tools she might want to bring along, even if her supply of those would need to be heavily rationed until she got a restock. To finish off the ensemble she had selected a black scarf and a pair of goggles.
Apparently the outfit was a bit much for the two boys she was with, given the way they stared at her in shock after she changed. That was pretty funny. What was less funny was the lecture she had to endure from Machias. Something about dressing more appropriately for the season or something? She wasn't really listening. Still, if she could get that much of a rise out of Elliot and Machias she was pretty excited to see how Rean would react once they found him again...
Now that they were well-supplied, didn't stick out like big red targets, and had a base of operations it was time for the most dangerous leg of their journey: Crossing the Twin Dragons Bridge. Her initial observation of the bridge confirmed her fears that the entire area was locked down tight. Taking a gamble and approaching the nearest guard they were informed that the bridge would be shut down for a few days. Unspoken was their belief that it would only take that long to crush the 4th Armored.
A belief that appeared to be unfounded as security never seemed to lessen around the area. Eventually the bridge did open up to passage, but only for people who had passes giving them access. Something which seemed to be in high demand based on the very few civilians she witnessed passing through.
Going around the bridge wasn't viable at all either, as the river was quite vast and what few crossing points did exist were almost certainly just as guarded as this one by this point. And none of them wanted to travel the entire length of Erebonia to reach the end as that defeated the entire purpose of keeping their distance from the other groups.
At least their position was tenable. Their little windmill home was a perfect hiding spot. And while Celdic was fully occupied, security there had been relaxed after the first week and the villagers were safely on their side. As long as they took certain precautions it was safe for them to occasionally stop in for supplies or information.
She had initially been worried for Machias, as the serious boy looked just like his father, the Imperial Governor. But removing his glasses was apparently all it took to get the guards to let him pass without second thought. Idiots. She didn't need to worry about Elliot at all, as despite sharing the same hair color even she still struggled to believe that the timid musician was related to the legendary Craig the Red in any form.
They had even heard that a couple of other Thors' students were present in Celdic, but they didn't want to risk making contact. Elliot claims to have spotted Rosine near the church and while the other was unknown, the fact that Becky's family lived in the town gave them a solid hunch as to who it could be.
A routine had developed with the three of them. Usually one of the boys would head off to Celdic while she and the other would spend the day at or around the Twin Dragon Bridge, listening for any information on the battle, checking troop movements, and searching for any possible opening that they had missed all the previous times they had checked. Not the most productive use of their time, but it kept them busy enough. At least she managed to 'borrow' a couple military-grade radios from the Celdic guard post to make their observations a lot easier.
So yes, they were completely stuck. "This sucks." She muttered as she got up from her makeshift bed that morning.
"You've been saying that every morning. Are you ever not going to complain?" Machias groused as he leveled a glare at her. She merely gave him a flat stare in return until the older boy relented. "...But yes, everything about this does suck."
"Haha..." The third member laughed sheepishly. "At least we haven't been caught yet. That has to count for something?" Ever the optimist, Elliot Craig. But it was far too early to be dealing with his positivity.
The two boys shared a nod. "We'll be right back." Muttered the bespectacled one as the two departed from the windmill that had served as their home for the past month.
This was another thing that sucked about the entire experience. The old Fie would have had no problems in situations like this, but the new Fie was civilized now and it made everything so difficult.
Take the current situation, for example. Elliot and Machias had left so she would have privacy changing. It was completely unnecessary and a waste of time. Something that nobody in Zephyr would ever bother with. And yet, while changing in front of men was something Sylphid wouldn't have cared about one bit... Fie couldn't help but be uncomfortable with the idea.
Sure it would have been fun to see the two boys flustered at seeing a little skin, but something about the idea sat wrong with her. Not that they would have let her in the first place, of course.
Same with bathing. By every metric it was a terrible idea for them to wash in turns as they were wanted criminals living in a monster infested area, but she didn't protest at all when that was what Machias decided they were going to do. She wasn't even that interested in spotting them naked for teasing material!
Perhaps it was because she was now in a relationship? If she had been sharing a windmill with Rean that would have been a different story, but instead she was living with two other guys. With a sigh at the realization of just how domesticated she now was she proceeded to change into her outfit before calling the two back in.
Now reunited, the trio sat down to eat while planning their days activities. Fortunately they had just gotten a new shipment of fresh food from the nearby farmers so they had an ample selection of fresh vegetables and fruits to go with their meal. It was tasty, but she wished they had a little more variety in their diet. She tried making ration bars for them once, but the two boys had acted like they were dying after taking a single bite. Kinda rude. Sure they weren't exactly the tastiest thing, but they were designed to provide ample energy throughout the day.
"So what are we gonna do today?" Elliot asked through bites.
Machias hummed thoughtfully. "I think I will head into town. Hopefully I can get my hands on the newest issue of the Imperial Chronicle. After that I will check in with my contacts."
Fie rolled her eyes. Contacts, he called them. All he did was find a couple kids willing to pass on any rumors they heard. He was just trying to sound cool. She made a mental note to tell Jusis about it some day so he had some extra ammo to use against his rival.
"Sure, that sounds fine. What should we do, Fie?" The redheaded musician asked.
She sighed. "Let's do a sweep of the area. Gotta clear out the monsters." It did nothing to further their goal of getting to the fortress, but it was enough for her own mission. That promise she made to protect the others. Even if they accomplished nothing else, so long as they were safe she could look Rean in the eyes once they found him again.
"Alright, that sounds fair." Machias responded. "Let's meet up once we're all finished." The two younger members of Class VII watched as the gunner made his exit from the windmill.
The two began their patrol. Generally monsters, while never being particularly friendly, usually avoided human settlements and any large groups of people. Lately, however, the local beasts had been acting up and some weren't following those rules anymore. Thus the need for them to occasionally thin the herd to keep their little hideout safe.
It was odd. Elliot was perplexed and explained to them how the monsters were a lot less dangerous when Group A did their field study here earlier in the year, despite generally being the same critters. It reminded her a lot of the monsters they fought during her Zephyr days. The Boss once mentioned how they could sense the chaos of war and reacted accordingly. Fie wasn't one to put much stock in the more mystical side of things, but perhaps he wasn't just making stuff up to impress a little girl. There was also the fact that after the weird stuff they have seen in the Old Schoolhouse she couldn't really deny all of that anymore.
Still, even if they were more dangerous, they weren't that much of a threat to the trio of students. Elliot and Machias were both a lot stronger than they were in those early days and Fie was pretty sure she herself was too.
In a way that presented its own problems. The only thing they had been fighting the past month were simple monsters, and those didn't really do anything to help her get stronger or faster. Although she would never admit it out loud, she really was beginning to miss those long training sessions in the Old Schoolhouse with Laura and Rean.
Especially as she knew the other side was filled with strong people. Powerful generals like Aurelia Le Guin, Rufus Albarea, and Wallace Bardias, Vita and whatever other members of the mysterious Ouroboros were involved, Crow whom she now knew was far more powerful than he had let on while a student. And of course, Xeno and Leo were out there somewhere.
While she didn't know how strong the others were, she was very acutely aware of the strength the Trap Master and Behemoth possessed. Individually they were even stronger than Sara, and their teamwork was impeccable. She wasn't sure if all of Class VII together could beat the two of them if they fought seriously, and even victory would almost certainly come at an unbearably high cost.
Still, these were problems for the future. Although she wouldn't consider herself a heartfelt believer in the power of friendship like Rean and most of the others, she could at least admit that they had a chance as long as they were working in unison. For that future to arrive they needed to survive the here and now.
Thus their need to sweep the area for Flying Felines, Bear Moles, and the occasional Scary Dinosaur. Nothing she and Elliot couldn't handle, although she did find some amusement when the musician told her that Rean, Laura, and the rest had initially struggled with a dinosaur in their field study. Guess they really have come far.
The next few hours passed as they constantly engaged in low intensity combat. They engaged the last of the immediate threats shortly after noon. Despite being a fairly large group of monsters they still fell quickly to her gunblades and Elliot's skill with water arts. She hadn't initially thought much of the timid musician, but his skill had certainly improved quite a bit since they started, even if her evasive combat style meant she had far less need of a dedicated healer than someone like Laura who took her opponents head on.
"Think that's enough for now?" Elliot asked through deep breaths. Despite the improvements he had made, fighting nonstop for hours on end was enough to take its toll upon him.
"Mmm." She agreed with a nod. Even she was feeling a little winded from all the combat and could use a break.
Sadly the return trip would have to wait as she heard the increasingly familiar sounds of soldats in motion and the engines of armored cars. Not much of a surprise considering their patrol took them near the North Kreuzen highway. Beckoning to Elliot the two hurried to find a spot near the road where they could observe the passing column.
As expected, it wasn't much different from the ones they had seen before. A trio of Drakkhens led by a Spiegel plus a group of armored cars. Of note, however, she noticed that these machines bore the scars of battle and looked like they weren't in the best condition.
"They must be reinforcing the troops at Garrelia." She surmised.
Elliot looked grim. "I hope dad is alright..."
She would never consider herself a people's person and thus lacked the skill to cheer someone up like Rean possessed, but at the very least she could rely on her experience and knowledge. "He must be if they're pulling troops from other battles and rushing them up here without repairs. Seems like the Kreuzen Army is getting desperate."
Information was limited from their location, but from what they have heard and witnessed for themselves, while the provincial armies had generally been successful against the scattered Imperial troops, it hasn't always been the case. Despite being isolated, many Armored Divisions were still holding out. And of those, none were more successful than the elite 4th Armored Division that was their supposed destination.
"Haha, you're right. Thanks, Fie." It seems her words had the desired effect. Hurray.
With that little detour out of the way they made the return trek to their little base. It was silent between the two students, which suited Fie just fine. Instead, with the most aggressive monsters culled she allowed her guard to relax slightly and her mind to wander freely.
Beyond the practical difficulties of the past month, there was still the matter of how she herself was handling everything. And despite how she was easily the most qualified of Class VII to deal with loss like this, it still wasn't easy. In fact, she would almost say it hit her harder than when Zephyr disbanded, despite how much she had grown.
She could only assume it was because of what she had gained in that previous half a year, only to have it so cruelly ripped away. Zephyr had been her first family, but outside of the Boss none of them had been overly close with her. Sure they were all friendly to her, but at the end of the day they were grown killers and she was just a young girl, even if she did eventually spill blood alongside them. Even Xeno and Leo, while taking up the role of big brothers, still kept their distance from her somewhat, presumably as they understood that their career choice could end with one of them dead at any moment.
It was different with Class VII. Although they all had different backgrounds and personalities, in the end they were all people she could stand alongside as equals. A group where she could truly fit in. A new family. Studying with Emma. Playing with Millium. Hanging out with Alisa. Messing with Jusis. Or just quietly relaxing with Gaius. And although she would never admit it, even under penalty of death, she kinda missed Sara and her stupid antics. Machias and Elliot were with her, true, but it just wasn't the same without the rest of what made Class VII tick.
And of course she missed Rean. A lot. Not only was he someone who had become a very important person in her life, but the circumstances of his parting were less than ideal. Although logically she understood that it was unlikely to happen, the fact that an entire month had passed without even the smallest rumor of him or his weird knight was cause for considerable fear.
Being stuck in this stupid windmill area unable to do anything about it only added to the frustration and worry she felt. On more than one occasion she had found herself almost telling the others to abandon their mission so they could instead search for the missing swordsman, but stopped herself as realistically she knew their best chance lay with the Imperial Army and Intelligence Division. Even though she wasn't a true believer she still sent a private plea to Aidios since there was nothing else she could do.
But what really surprised her is just how much she found herself missing Laura. Sure she had readily acknowledged the blue-haired girl as her best friend, but it was only now sinking in just how much of a constant the older girl had become in Fie's life ever since their little spat ended. It was she whom she sparred the most with and her room she would visit whenever she needed advice.
And it was Laura who helped her to understand the weird feelings she was having for a certain swordsman who caught both their eyes and encouraged her to act upon them despite her own interest. And when she failed miserably it was Laura who came up with the insane idea of them working together even if it was seen as wrong by most others. And although she didn't need the help she appreciated that Laura was the first one to come to her defense when others judged them for their weird relationship.
Despite their different upbringings Laura had quickly become her closest confidant and best friend. An integral part in her life. And lately Fie found herself wondering if...
She missed them all. Not knowing if they had made it to their destinations safely only made it worse. There was a big gaping hole in her heart and she didn't know how to fill it.
So even if she wasn't as lost in the physical sense as she was after the Boss had died, the unexpected emotional pain was enough to make her want to revert back into that scared timid little girl that Sara had found. A jaeger among kids.
But she resisted that temptation, even if she knew that she alone would be able to find a path across the bridge. Because that's not who she was now. Not anymore.
Instead she latched onto that promise she made Rean in the heat of the moment like it was a lifeline. Separating Class VII, while the practical solution, meant she wouldn't be able to protect them all in person. So instead she would focus her all on keeping Elliot and Machias safe until they were reunited with the others. If that meant being stuck at a windmill for an entire month, so be it. At least they weren't in any immediate danger there.
"...Fie?"
She was shaken from her thoughts by the sound of Elliot's voice as he shot a concerned look in her direction. "Hmm? What is it?"
"I've been calling to you for a few seconds now. Is everything alright?"
She blinked in confusion. Had she really been so lost in thought that she lost track of everything around her? Even if the area was relatively safe now that was no excuse for such a lapse in concentration. Perhaps she still needed a bit of the old Fie needed to remain after all. "...It's nothing. Just had something on my mind."
Although she didn't elaborate on those things the red-haired musician seemed to come up with his own answer. "I'm sure Rean is fine, wherever he is."
His guess wasn't fully on the mira, but it was close enough and she appreciated the gesture all the same. "You're right. Thanks, Elliot. I still miss him, though."
"I do too. Him and Gaius and all the others." Despite that, he couldn't help but smile. "But they're alright, I know they are. Just a gut feeling I have."
She wasn't sure how much she wanted to rely on a gut feeling, but if nothing else his optimism was contagious. "Mmm. You're probably right. We're still fine, after all." Despite being the shortest route, theirs was the most hazardous. She could just imagine Laura relaxing in her sweet little mansion in Legram right about now. Why oh why did she pick the windmill option?
"Haha..." He laughed awkwardly. "I guess we are. I just wish we were a little more successful crossing that bridge..."
Now it was her turn to provide a little baseless optimism. "We'll find a way. Sooner rather than later, if I had to guess."
By this time their makeshift home had come into view. With her focus now back on her surroundings she was sure the area was abandoned. On the plus side it meant their hideout was still secure. Unfortunately it also meant that Machias wasn't back yet and they would have to wait for his return.
While they waited for him Elliot busied himself by preparing them something to eat. Fie thought about observing, but decided against it as it was too depressing. It wasn't like Elliot was a poor cook by any stretch of the imagination, but with their lack of kitchen tools their options were quite limited. Thus, even with the fresh ingredients they had they were stuck with the most basic dishes day after day. If there was any positive to the experience it was that she learned how to make a pretty mean scrambled egg during their stay.
Elliot was just putting the finishing touches on his vegetable juice by the time Machias returned. In his hand was the newest issue of the Imperial Chronicle. The older boy had a conflicted look on his face as he sat down with a groan.
"...Machias?"
Her call was enough to cause him to refocus on the two of them. "Sorry, it's just... Here." He refused to elaborate, instead all but shoving the newspaper into her hands. Curious, she opened it up while an equally curious Elliot read over her shoulder.
Most of the issue was just the normal junk they had been printing ever since the occupation forced their hand – News about Provincial Army victories, articles denouncing the old Imperial Government, and continued promises the normalcy will start returning as soon as the war ends – But there was only one story that could explain Machias's state of mind. A brief mention about the arrest of the former Governor Carl Regnitz.
"Oh..." Elliot muttered sadly. From what she had heard, the governor was a pretty popular person in the capital, so it wasn't much of a surprise that the musician respected the man beyond his role as Machias' dad.
But while she didn't know the man personally, she understood war well enough. "He'll be fine. The people in charge of the Nobles aren't idiots. If they plan to rule the country after winning this war they won't start hurting popular government officials. His confinement will probably be a lot more comfortable than where we are right now." She wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with the Emperor and his family.
"Right, that sounds logical. Thanks." He perked up a bit after her encouragement, but hesitated briefly. "The kid who sold me the paper actually had an interesting story to share. I don't want to say any more until I know for certain, but I plan on spending the afternoon here following up on it..." While he was being annoyingly vague, there was a hopeful look on his face. And why was he looking at her?
She shared a glance with Elliot who shrugged in return. "Well, alright. If you're gonna be weird about it, that's fine."
"Don't worry, if it actually ends up being true you two will know soon enough."
"If you say so..." Elliot was just as confused and curious as she was. "For now, let's eat up. We can figure out our next step after."
Mixed fruits, some dried meat, and a cup of vegetable juice. Machias also prepared himself a cup of coffee thanks to the machine he all but demanded she acquire while she was stealing the radio, much to her eternal annoyance. A simple lunch, but a healthy one that ensured they had enough energy for the rest of the day.
With the midday meal finished it was time for their next course of action. She let out a yawn. Obviously now was the perfect time for a mid-afternoon catnap, but the looks the two boys were sending her made it clear that they understood her intention and weren't about to allow it. Perhaps she should just slip away and climb up the windmill where they couldn't find her? Wouldn't be the first time...
"Don't even think about it."
"C'mon, Fie..."
Damnit. She let out a miserable sigh. "You guys really suck, you know that?"
At least Elliot was still timid enough to 'eep' nervously when faced with her annoyed stare. Machias meanwhile just rubbed the side of his head in exasperation. "Just because our progress has been limited doesn't mean we should begin slacking off now. Diligence is its own reward and-" His lips were still moving, but she had since stopped paying attention.
Something which he eventually seemed to understand as he slumped down in defeat. "Fine, ignore me. But I really must insist. We can't stay here forever. And if the rumor I heard is actually true..."
Once again she shared a look with Elliot. Just what was it that he heard? Curiosity and annoyance battled for supremacy in her head before the latter eventually won out. "Stop trying to act all vague and cool. It doesn't suit you. At all."
"Haha... Yeah." Elliot agreed with a sheepish laugh. "That's not really you. That's more of a Crow thing-" He trailed off, a sour look appearing on his face.
Understandable. The issue with Crow had become a sore one for them, and probably the rest of the class as well. She had spent many an idle moment thinking back to her interactions with the hidden terrorist. For someone so proud of her observation skills it really galled her that she hadn't suspected a thing from him. Sure he was skilled enough to fool Sara and the Intelligence Division too, but that wasn't much solace for her. If only she had had spotted the clues sooner...
"Fine." She muttered, both to appease the bespectacled annoyance and to shake her thoughts from that worthless path. "We'll go look at the bridge. Again. Your little rumor had better be worth it. C'mon, Elliot."
Luckily, despite how dangerous the bridge was, they had found a really nice observation point on one of their earlier scouting missions. A nice little elevated position that was far enough away for them to evade detection, while still close enough for them to get a good view of the weapons of war deployed there. It was to that point they went, radio in hand.
For now, they would simply stand there and observe. Little did she know that the rumor Machias was investigating was one that would actually pan out and change her life for the better.
Fun fact: I actually wrote this chapter right after the Laura intermission chapter, but about midway through I realized the tone was a lot different and that it would be better placed at here. Feels really weird coming back to a chapter I had written nearly two months ago only to shelve for the entire time. Still, hopefully it is interesting enough to tide y'all over until the gang finally gets back together.
...Which is next chapter, I promise!