[IS]: Insert song - "Bullet Dance (Blazblue: Calamity Trigger)"
[ISE]: Insert song end
Time seemed to slow down for Morgan as she watched the events play out, from the moment the monster they thought they defeated stood up to when Rean pushed Machias and Jusis out of the way and took an attack that was meant for them. Though he was able to shift his body slightly to avoid attacks to the vital areas, Rean still sustained a heavy hit to his upper right arm. The monster's claw ripped the fabric of Rean's uniform and left a big gash.
"Aaagh!"
"R-Rean?!"
As she said his name, the only things that were going through Morgan's head was what she could have done to prevent something like this. She should have checked to see if the monster was truly defeated. She should have stabbed it at least a few more times just to make sure it was dead. She should have…
She should have…
"You should have known better!" her father angrily rebuked her. "We told you not to go running off on your own, and look what has happened! Because of you, your mother is…!"
The image replayed over and over in her head. A monster catching her off guard and lunging at her. Her mother pushing her out of the way. The monster's claws slashing across her mother's delicate face.
In the background, she could hear the nurse's voice deliver the news to their relatives. "...damage is permanent. At this rate, she won't be able to…"
"I'm sorry," she quietly apologized, hanging her head in shame and on the verge of tears. "I'm really sorry. I'll be a good girl, just don't be angry…"
"You don't realize it, do you?" Her father knelt down in front of her and embraced her. "I'm only acting like this because I love you! If neither of us got there in time, you would have…"
At the sight of her father's quivering voice and faltering grip, she finally understood the gravity of the situation.
"I've been a bad girl…" she whispered. "Haven't I?"
"Morgan," he told her. "You're our pride and joy. Your mother and I would lay down our lives for you without question. We devoted our lives to making sure yours was a peaceful one, but in doing so, we deliberately sheltered you from the harshness of reality. We wanted to tell you once you were of age, but it seems that time won't wait for us."
He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her dead in the eyes. "Let today be a harsh lesson for you: your actions will have consequences. Some may be small, while some can last a lifetime. I won't be around forever to save you, so the only thing you can do is learn from your past mistakes and ensure they don't happen again. Sometimes you may fail, but trying is better than doing nothing. Promise me, both for my sake and your mother's…"
[IS] No. Things weren't going to end the same way.
Morgan was so furious, she began to see red. The sound of laughter reverberated through her ears. She drew her weapon, and in the corner of her eye, she saw someone else do the same. No words were uttered between the two of them, for one look at each other's eyes was all they needed.
Fie opened with a sweep of bullets from her gunswords, all expertly aimed at the monster's head and feet to lock down its position. Morgan then dashed forward and stabbed her axe past the monster's guard before forcefully dislodging it upwards. The monster began its retaliation by stepping back, moving to the left and right, and finally pouncing forward, but Morgan wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. As the Fate Spinner lunged with its pincers, she changed her weapon to its two-handed form and pointed it forwards, resulting in the monster impaling itself on the blade of the bardiche. Though its weight caused Morgan to step back a bit, she managed to stand her ground.
With the monster stuck in one place, Fie went into motion. She leapt onto the monster's back, stuck her gunswords in between its shell and flesh, and pulled the trigger. The gunshots caused the monster to writhe in pain and shake Fie off its back. She took off before she could lose her footing, performing a front flip and landing cleanly on her feet.
Finally, Morgan fished out her ARCUS and began a quick cast. Not even bothering with what stage her art was in, she pressed her orbment against the monster's body and gave the order to fire, resulting in a small fiery explosion that launched the Fate Spinner away from her. As the monster hit the ground, Morgan ran up to it and stabbed her weapon through its chest. Once again, the monster's body went limp, seemingly for good.
"And stay dead this time." With their target silenced, Morgan's vision cleared up. She felt like she had just come out of a daze. [ISE]
"...Nice work," Rean weakly congratulated.
She and Fie walked over to him. "Rean! You all right?" Morgan called to him.
"I'm fine," he insisted, clenching his shoulder. "It's just a scratch."
His wincing expression indicated that it was not, in fact, just a scratch.
"Scratch or no scratch, we should treat it while we're still in the clear." Morgan knelt down beside him. "I'll need to take off your jacket first. Fie, could you grab the other end?"
"On it." Fie knelt down and tugged at Rean's other sleeve.
"Machias? Jusis?" Morgan called to the remaining two group members. "I hate to ask you two to cooperate, but could you watch out for any monsters?"
"R-Right." "It shall be so."
Both males readily complied. It was evident from their expressions that they were feeling guilty.
"I was so sure we'd killed it, though!" bemoaned Rean. "Guess I shouldn't have let my guard down."
Morgan shook her head. "No, this one was on me. I should have checked on it beforehand."
"We all messed up," Fie curtly stated. The look of disappointment permeated through her usual stoic facade, though whether that disappointment was directed inwards or outwards was ambiguous.
At last, Rean's jacket was off, leaving just a short-sleeved dress shirt. The wound was one long, bloody gash along his upper arm that reached his shoulder. Morgan retrieved a healing balm from one of her pockets.
"That healing balm…" Rean regarded it with a slight familiarity. "Isn't that the one we got from Celdic last month?"
"From the father? Yeah, it is." Morgan screwed open the top. "'A good tactician always has something in case of emergencies.' Rean, could you roll up your sleeve?"
The swordsman complied and Morgan began applying the ointment. Rean winced as the healing effects started to kick in.
Morgan finished things by preparing an art with her ARCUS. "Tear." A watery glow surrounded Rean's arm as the bleeding stopped.
"That should do for now." Morgan helped Rean roll his sleeve down and put his jacket back on. "I'd do more, but we're all the way out here in the open. It's best if we go back to Bareahard first."
"This is more than enough," assured Rean. "Thanks, Morgan, Fie."
"You know, this takes me back to Instructor Beatrix's classes," Morgan said to lighten the mood. "Remember when we first learned how to dress wounds?"
"That was two weeks ago, right?" Fie recounted. "I remember cause we had our practical exam on the 14th, the same day as Sara's peer evaluations."
"You've got a good memory," Morgan commended her.
Together, she and Fie helped Rean to stand up. To rest his shoulder, Rean tucked his right arm into his jacket while buttoning only a few of his jacket buttons to make a makeshift sling. The incapacitation of his sword arm, however, meant that Rean wouldn't be able to participate in combat for the time being.
"Hey…"
The three looked up to see Machias and Jusis walking back towards them.
"I'm sorry, Rean," Machias apologized. "I…"
"It's our fault you were injured," Jusis finished.
Rean shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about it. It wouldn't have happened if I'd-" He noticed Morgan and Fie staring at him and decided to amend his statement. "No, if we'd been paying more attention. This is a learning experience for all of us, but at least neither of you were hurt."
'You could stand to show a little concern for yourself, you know…' was what Morgan wanted to say, but considering how quick she was to blame herself for the situation, she withheld her comment.
"At any rate," Rean continued, "we need to tell the provincial army about the monster we just defeated. Speaking of which…" He turned to Morgan. "Morgan, aren't you going to do something about that?"
He used his left arm to point to the spot where the Fate Spinner was. The body itself had disappeared, as all monster bodies did, and in its place was a bounty of sepith that was waiting to be collected.
Morgan grinned. "Why, yes! I think I will."
Group A continued along the canyon path until they came across a huge stone brick archway and were met with the full sight of Aurochs Fort. Morgan recalled how Misty had mentioned that the fort underwent some heavy reconstruction, but the radio hostess's words did little to prepare her for the real thing. From just its appearance alone, the fort exuded dominance through defense; the tall towers and thick fortifications made entirely of stone bricks helped to give off the impression of a Middle Age fortress that was brought into the modern world and further reinforced on top of that. If anything, "Aurochs Fort" had become more like "Aurochs Castle."
To the left of the fort was a set of train tracks that acted as the only other means of entry aside from the front gates. As the students walked closer to the fort, they caught a glimpse of one freight train that was carrying a huge number of vehicles covered by blue hoods behind it. Judging from the shapes of the vehicles, they appeared to be heavily armored tanks, and it was then that Morgan remembered another tidbit Misty had mentioned: a rumor that the duke was acquiring state-of-the-art tanks for his provincial army.
Naturally, the sight of a provincial army going to such lengths to arm itself garnered the curiosity of the other members of Group A as well, with Machias being the first to pester Jusis about the whole matter. But when the younger Albarea was given a chance to talk…
"Can you truly be so ignorant?" he snided, showing his hand to the fortress. "This is the reality of the present situation within the Empire. Tensions between Osborne's Reformist Faction and our Noble Faction grow worse by the day, though admittedly, it's been happening mostly under the surface, away from the eyes of the general populace. This is just one of the many ways that conflict is manifesting itself."
"I've heard the rumors…" Morgan murmured. "But seeing it in person is something else."
"No doubt my father was the one who ordered these fortifications," Jusis surmised. "I have no intention of giving any comments of my own on his decision, but if you wish to lodge a complaint, I'm quite happy to listen."
Jusis eyed Machias as if he was daring him to start fuming, but the bespectacled teen shook his head. "No, it's fine. We need to hurry up and finish our tasks. The sun's going down."
Indeed, the sun had already started to move past its zenith in the sky. The students decided not to waste any more time and reported the completion of the monster request to the guards stationed at the front gate. From there, they made their way back to the canyon path where they made a slight detour to gather the pink bath salts for Ralph.
"If I recall, the salt deposits should be in this general vicinity…" Jusis said as he brushed aside some foliage. "Ah, there they are."
He pointed to a particular spot on a natural formation that was colored a faint shade of pink.
"So these are bath salts…" Rean remarked. "Do nobles really put this in the bath?"
"You are a noble yourself, are you not?" Jusis responded with a raised eyebrow. "I thought this shouldn't have surprised you in the least."
"That's just how I was raised." Rean raised his index finger. "'A lord should live like his people, not above them,' is how my dad always put it."
"An interesting philosophy," Jusis mused with slight curiosity, "but the reasoning behind it is understandable. Well, I don't really care for bath salts myself, but they seem to have some positive health effects. Perhaps that is why Lea has been taken with these as of late."
"That's the name of Ralph's daughter, right?" Morgan asked to make sure. She had started working on chipping away salt pieces with her weapon and showed her collection to Jusis. "What's she like?"
"I suppose the right word for her would be 'coarse.'" Jusis looked at Morgan's batch of salt crystals and nodded in approval. "She wears a stoic facade a majority of the time, but in truth, she can be rather stubborn and temperamental. She also has quite the sharp tongue when provoked."
"Stubborn and temperamental, you say?" Morgan's eyes wandered to Machias, who was currently reprimanding Fie for attempting to lick a piece of salt. "Well, that reminds me of a certain someone…"
"There is one key difference, however," Jusis quickly added, "and that is her honesty. She isn't afraid to speak her mind, no matter who she is talking to. That trait alone makes her at least more tolerable to be around than our class vice president."
"Heeeh…" Morgan started to raise her eyebrow.
"You'd best watch your eyebrows, Daraen," Jusis warned. "I know what you're about to say, and your thoughts couldn't be further from the truth. Also, I must ask: why must you use your weapon to gather the bath salts?"
"Well, how else am I supposed to mine for them?" she asked. "Pick them by hand?"
"That would at least be a better alternative than the axe you use to kill monsters with," he replied drily. "At least try to show some decency for the people you're doing this for."
"Bath salt is still salt, right? It'll just dissolve and no one will even notice how it got there." Morgan put a finger to her lips. "It's not like I'm using it to cook or something like that."
"For future reference, don't even think of using your weapon to cook," Jusis pleaded.
"Oh, I'd never stoop to something that barbaric," she claimed. "I did use my mother's sword to cut apples once when I was younger, but that's about it. Needless to say, she never let me use it as a fruit knife ever again."
"I grieve for your mother."
At that moment, the students were interrupted by the sound of a loud siren reverberating through the canyon.
"What's that…?" wondered Rean.
"I know that siren!" Jusis turned in the direction of Aurochs Fort. "Something must have occurred at Aurochs Fort."
The students hastily gathered their supplies and rushed out to the main path.
"!"
"What is it, Fie?" asked Morgan.
"Up there."
The group looked in the direction of Fie's finger. Rising above the fort was a silver...thing that appeared to be carrying a small child. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, but the shape of the unidentified flying object resembled that of the scarecrow Instructor Sara used for her practical exams.
Before Group A could discern what they had just witnessed, they heard the horn of a vehicle headed their way. It was one of the armored cars from the fort.
"Lord Jusis!" The provincial soldier that sat in the passenger's seat exited the vehicle. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but could we have a moment of your time?"
"Is this about that silver thing that flew past us?" Machias guessed.
"Y-You saw it?!" the soldier exclaimed. "Which direction did it go?!"
"It flew off to the southwest mere moments ago," Jusis answered. "And at a rather significant speed, might I add."
The soldier cursed to the side before apologizing for his language. "If you'll please excuse us! Do take care, Lord Jusis!"
"You won't be able to catch it," Fie commented.
"That may be so," the soldier admitted, "but we must try! The object was carrying an intruder. Our pride as the provincial army is at stake!"
With a salute to Jusis, the soldier reentered the car and gave directions to the driver. The armored vehicle quickly drove out of the students' sight.
"So there was an intruder at the fort…" Jusis murmured.
"Some good those defenses did," Fie minorly scoffed.
"I'm more curious about the silver object," said Machias. "It looked like that 'scarecrow' Instructor Sara uses, but bigger and it could fly."
"You guys think we should mention this in our report?" Rean proposed. "It isn't related to our field study, but it is noteworthy."
The group collectively agreed before they continued along the Aurochs Canyon Path back to Bareahard.
The sun had already begun to set by the time Group A returned to the Verdant City, and they were all exhibiting varying amounts of fatigue. The students didn't run into any monsters on the way back, much to their relief, but with all the walking and fighting they did today, they were just about ready to turn in for the day.
However, there was one last request they had yet to fulfill, so the group made a beeline for Sorciere. As promised, Ralph had remained in the same location in the terrace outside the restaurant, though his position had changed since they last met. Now he was sitting at a different table by himself while reading a small novel, his friend from earlier nowhere to be seen. His dog, meanwhile, was sitting by one of the terrace corners and admiring the sunset.
"Ralph," Jusis called to the noble. "We have returned.
The bespectacled noble looked up from his book. "Ah, Lord Jusis! Welcome back-" His eyes immediately turned from calm to panicked as he eyed one student in particular. "You! Young man with the black hair!"
"I'm Rean, sir."
"Let me see your arm!" He rose from his chair and marched over to Rean. "My word, what the blazes happened out there?"
"We...er, had an accident while hunting some monsters," Morgan summarized.
Machias and Jusis noticeably grimaced at that.
Ralph retrieved a pocket watch and checked the time. "I suppose I have enough time. Please, may I ask that you take me to your lodgings? I'm afraid I can't take this lying down."
That surprised the students. "Why?" asked Fie.
"Why else?" Ralph looked at Fie incredulously. "One does not simply leave an injury such as this unchecked! I shall treat it myself!"
"Treat?" Morgan repeated. "Are you sure? I mean, we wouldn't want to inconvenience you."
"I recall you asking earlier today what sort of services he provided, correct?" Jusis recounted to Morgan. "You see, Ralph here is a practitioner of the medical arts. Rest assured, you're in good hands."
Ralph bowed slightly. "You flatter me, Lord Jusis."
"What about payment?" Rean pointed out. "I don't think we have the mira to cover a house visit."
"Ah, yes. About that." The bespectacled noble looked around at the entire group. "Do you happen to have the bath salts I asked for?"
"Yes, sir," Morgan answered. "I have them right here."
"Then we have a deal," Ralph went to gather his belongings. "I will provide my services as a reward for the completion of the request. That should suffice, no?"
Given how Ralph genuinely seemed willing to lend a hand, Group A had little reason to decline his offer. The bespectacled noble whistled for his dog, who loyally got up to follow him. "Now then, let's get a move on, shall we?"
The group plus Ralph made their way to the hotel across from the restaurant, but just as they were about to enter, a car horn honked from behind them. The group slowly turned to find the Albarea family car parked outside the hotel.
With his eyes widened, Jusis immediately began descending the hotel steps and towards the limousine. As he neared it, one of the windows lowered to reveal an older man with a mustache wearing ornate clothes. Jusis bowed in respect, and upon further inspection of the passenger, Ralph did the same.
"I'm terribly sorry for not coming to greet you, Father," Jusis said. "Although I'm here but for a short time, I, Jusis, have returned to-"
"Enough." His father cut him off without even looking. "As I informed Rufus, you may do as you wish while you're here. However, you will do nothing that brings shame upon myself, nor upon the Albarea name." He then turned to face Jusis with scathing eyes. "Please be ever mindful of your position and what you represent."
Jusis stood there, silent, before bowing dutifully. "Yes, Father."
"Should I require anything of you, you will be contacted." With that, Jusis's father turned away and raised the car window before the limousine drove away.
The other members of Group A, who couldn't even begin to comprehend the interaction that had just occurred between father and son, were about to descend the steps to join Jusis, but they were stopped by Ralph's arms.
"Now, now." Ralph grouped the teenagers together. "Please, guide me to your rooms posthaste."
"But what about-"
"I understand your concern for Lord Jusis," Ralph interrupted Rean, "but I believe it's best to let him be for the moment. The relationship between father and son is not one outsiders should tread lightly on."
As Ralph shepherded the students into the hotel, Jusis could only stare at the ground and sigh. Truthfully, he had half-expected to not receive any acknowledgement at all during his stay at Bareahard, so he should have felt grateful that his father at least went out of his way to address him personally. And yet, that did little to assuage the sting of the greeting.
Those cold, accusing eyes had not lost their touch in the slightest. Jusis couldn't even muster up the courage to introduce his new classmates, though given his father's temperament, he probably would have brushed them off regardless. He silently cursed to himself; what family pride could he ever hope to uphold if his own pride in himself buckled under the gaze of others?
So, he started to walk. He should have gone back to regroup with his classmates, but they likely would have pestered him on the encounter they had just witnessed. Between this, Count Gorti's impertinence, the new and frankly unnecessary renovations to Aurochs Fort, and his part in indirectly causing Rean's injury, Jusis desperately needed a moment to cool off. Pedestrians along the streets stopped to greet him, but they abstained when they saw his disgruntled expression. It was understandable; given his social status, no person would ever have the gall to interrupt him while he was in a bad mood. So, he continued to walk.
...Until he bumped into someone who failed to get out of his way in time.
"My apologies-" Jusis started to say, but then he eyed the person more closely.
"Someone looks more out of it than usual today," the person said with a condescending female voice. "Almost like one of those dead animals Richard would drag in every morning."
Given his social status, no person should ever have had the gall to interrupt him while he was in a bad mood.
"You would bump into me on purpose," Jusis scoffed, "just for a chance to tell that to my face? You have a lot of nerve."
But it seems the Goddess had other plans.
"Only that which has been tempered by steel." The female curtsied. "I'm looking for someone. Would you care to tell me where he is?"
"...And that should do it." Ralph wrapped the last of the bandages around Rean's shoulder. "Just take care not to touch the wound or make any sporadic movements. Medicine can work wonders, but time is the best healer."
"It already feels much better," Rean remarked. "Thank you very much, Doctor."
"Please, I'm not a doctor," Ralph chuckled. "At least, not officially. Now, regarding my payment…"
"Right here." Morgan retrieved the small bounty of bath salts from her pouch and handed them to the noble, who took a moment to inspect them.
"Exquisite," he remarked. "These salts are more than worth the down payment. And do not fret about the exact amount; such things are priceless if it is for Lea."
"You really care for her a lot, don't you?" Morgan questioned.
"Oh, you don't know the brunt of it," Ralph replied. "There are only a handful of people that I trust these days, and Lea is the only one who I trust wholefully."
"And why is that?" Machias blurted out, to which he was met with a handful of questionable glares. "W-With all due respect, I was just curious."
"It's quite the tragic tale, you see." He chuckled lowly to himself as he began putting away his equipment. "I hail from Remiferia, where I studied medicine as all Remiferians do. However, following the bio-terrorist attack five years ago, I lost everything. My wealth, my possessions, even those whom I called friends...the only thing that kept me going was my daughter Lea. We made our way down south with nothing but rapiers to defend ourselves with…"
"I thought you said you lost all your possessions," Fie abruptly cut in.
Instead of reacting angrily, Ralph merely threw his head back and laughed. "Haha! Well, perhaps not everything. At any rate, we crossed the border to Erebonia and found our way to the Kreuzen Province, where Lord Voltaire was kind enough to give us refuge. We slowly built our way back up from there, and by the Goddess's grace, we were able to become acquainted with Duke Albarea and his family as well."
"That IS quite the tale," Rean commented. "I can definitely understand why you would want to look out for your family."
"Yes. I would do anything to keep her safe." Ralph then checked his pocket watch. "And speaking of which, it's almost past 7:00, so I should be going." He knelt down to scratch his dog's chin. "Thank you again for retrieving the bath salts. I bid you and Lord Jusis the best of luck on the rest of your field study."
With one final bow, the bespectacled noble left the students with his dog tailing behind him.
"He was...something," Fie said once the door closed.
"Even if he said he wasn't a doctor, he definitely knows how to act like one." Rean noted. "Hm? What's up, Machias?"
The son of Governor Regnitz was sitting on his bed in contemplation. "He was a noble, yet he didn't think twice about helping someone in need," he murmured to himself. "Putting it like that, he's just like…"
He noticed Rean looking at him confusedly. Instead of addressing his classmate, he simply averted his gaze.
"Oh!" Morgan got up to her feet. "I just remembered! I have someplace I need to be!"
"You do?" Rean questioned. "Where?"
"It's a secret to everybody!" Morgan hastily gathered her ARCUS. "Don't worry; it's just for a short while. I'll be back before you know it!"
Before anyone could say anything, Morgan was already out the door.
"Did she just say 'it's a secret to everybody'?" queried Machias.
"She did," Fie affirmed. "It's got a nice ring to it."
The bespectacled vice president scratched his head. "Why do I feel like I've heard that somewhere before…?"
Rean got up from his bed and lumbered over to the table where the students had put the envelope containing the field study tasks. He was wearing his academy jacket properly this time, no longer tucking in his right arm to wear as a makeshift sling. Thanks to Ralph's treatment, Rean was able to move his arm much more freely with almost none of the pain. In fact, he felt like he was ready to get back on the front lines and start fighting again. However, he knew better than to disobey a trained professional's orders, and regardless of how Ralph currently viewed himself, he was certainly a professional.
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
A knocking sound came from the door.
"Come in," Rean responded.
The door opened to reveal Jusis on the other side.
"Welcome back," Rean said. "Are you feeling all right?"
Jusis snorted. "That should be my line, but since you asked first, yes. I'm feeling better. I needed some time to myself is all."
Rean nodded. "That's good to hear. As you can see, my arm is feeling a lot better now. Ralph really does know his stuff."
"By the way, I saw Daraen running out of the hotel a few moments ago," the younger Albarea added. "She was heading towards Artisans' Street. Do any of you have a theory as to why she would go there at this hour?"
Fie made a humming sound.
"Do you know something about it, Fie?" Machias asked.
After a few moments of silence, the silver-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "Guess it's a secret to everybody."
Machias pressed his palm against his face. "Great, now you're doing it, too."
"Doing what?" Jusis, having not been present at the time of Morgan's departure, was understandably confused.
"She just said...never mind, it's nothing important." Machias shook his head. "Seriously, I could've sworn I heard that somewhere before…"
For the first time since she left for Bareahard, Morgan felt like she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
There were a number of tribulations on their first day, including a skirmish against a quest monster that ended far less spectacularly than it should have, but by the end of the day, she was able to enjoy what Bareahard had to offer. To list what Morgan did after Rean's arm was treated, she trekked back to Turner's Jewelers to meet with Bruc, became over 9,000 mira richer, and had a fulfilling dinner at Bareahard's most famous restaurant without having to spend anything. The one downside of the meal was that the menu was fixed due to the nature of the reservation, so Morgan wasn't able to order the deluxe herb chowder. However, the succulent flavors provided by the other dishes more than made up for that.
Now Morgan was putting the finishing touches to her report for the day. She got a bit of a late start on it, which was justified since she had been occupied with other matters, so naturally she was also the last student to hand one in. Morgan remembered to add certain parts, like the sighting of the floating silver object at Aurochs Canyon Path, while also leaving certain things out, such as her secret business deal. A part of her conscience admittedly felt guilty about covering up the ending, but it was also her fault for not telling her classmates about it in the first place, and it was better to leave one little detail out for the sake of uniformity than having to amend four separate reports.
"And dooooone!" Morgan put the last period on the paper and leaned back in her chair in triumph. Once in that position, she took a moment to look around her room for the night.
The hotel room she and Fie were given was without a doubt smaller in size compared to the family room she shared last month in Celdic, but it made up for what it lacked in quantity with quality. There was a small chandelier in the center of the room for lights with other lamps placed on the walls, a table with four seats, an orbal record player, and a finely-carpeted floor. Morgan had also taken a moment to lie down on the bed once before, and it was without a doubt the softest bed she ever laid down on. A bit too soft for her tastes, but she wasn't going to complain.
So now that work was officially done for the day, what should she do now…
Obviously, there was only one correct answer. She grabbed a random piece of paper and started writing again. After talking with her classmates and witnessing their combat capabilities firsthand, Morgan finally had a solid grasp of what each of them did. True, she had already become acquainted with their fighting styles due to Instructor Sara's classes, but now she was able to look through the lens of practical application. Specifically, she would be looking at the three classmates she had been grouped with for the practical exam.
First on the writing block was Machias. His shotgun was rather unwieldy to use against other humans due to safety concerns, but against monsters it proved essential in blowing away defenses while also covering a wide area in front of him. According to him, his master quartz's special ability was raising his defense. Given how he was usually stationed in the back of the team formation, there was rarely a chance for him to showcase it, but it did explain how he was able to take a full tackle from the Fate Spinner and get up with no injuries whatsoever. In other words, he was a defensive wall that could counter other defensive walls.
Next was Jusis. If Morgan could describe him in one word, it would be "balanced." He was skilled in swordplay, so he had no issues with enemies up close. One would think that such a boon would indicate he was challenged at longer ranges, but in contrast to Rean and Laura, Jusis used his ARCUS more frequently, so he wasn't completely helpless. According to him, his usage of arts was to make the most of his master quartz's innate ability, which was increasing the potency of offensive arts at the start of every battle. In short, he was a jack-of-all-trades who was able to cover a variety of areas, though designated specialists in those specific areas will still outperform him in certain ways to compensate.
Finally, there was Fie. On the outset, she should have been the easiest to figure out. She was really fast, but she also had little to no defensive options. Her master quartz, according to her, had the added bonus of increasing her overall agility. That information alone should have been enough to classify her as a flanker of sorts and call it a day, but Morgan hesitated. It was difficult to simply hand someone a role when their capabilities had yet to be fully explored, and in Fie's case, she showcased an entirely different level of combat proficiency during the skirmish against the Fate Spinner than she did during class. Not to say that she wasn't proficient before, but after Morgan rewatched that final performance in her head, everything started to click. Her nimble acrobatics, the way she fired her gunswords conservatively yet efficiently, her uncanny ability to cloak her presence and attack when least expected, and, most importantly, the fact that Morgan never recalled the two of them ever forming an ARCUS link during their united onslaught. Being able to pair up and work together seamlessly without the assistance of technology was not unimaginable, but it was difficult to perform without actual combat experience.
Thus, all the facts were able to add up to one theory: Fie Claussell was holding back.
And as much as Morgan was reluctant to admit it, it took one to know one.
To summarize, there were some details about Fie that were obvious, such as her build denoting that she couldn't take many hits. Everything else, however, was variable. How fast was Fie really? How much of her agility was due to the ARCUS and how much was her own talent? What other things did she know how to do, and to what degree? Morgan would have asked the silver-haired girl sooner, but as previous experience showed, getting her to talk wasn't easy.
The bathroom door opened as Morgan was deep in thought.
"Still writing your report?" asked Fie.
"Already finished, actually," Morgan corrected. "I've been jotting down some-" She had to stop momentarily when she noticed that her classmate's hair was still wet. "Fie! Did you even dry yourself properly?"
She shrugged. "Just enough."
Morgan made a buzzing sound. "Bzzzt! Wrong answer! Give me that towel!"
Morgan got up from her chair and tried to tackle the younger girl, but Fie had already moved out of the way, dropping only her towel. The two girls began playing a game of cat-and-mouse, with Morgan the cat and trying to capture Fie the mouse. Morgan had to hand it to Fie; her reaction speed was top-notch, and no matter what feints Morgan would try to throw in to mix up her approach, Fie would always be able to sidestep out of the way.
After a few repetitions, Morgan decided to be crafty. Noticing Fie's dropped towel on the floor, she reached out to grab it. Immediately after, she stepped in one direction while throwing the towel in the opposite direction. Fie dodged Morgan's advance as expected, but she failed to notice the towel until it landed straight on her face. Before Fie could comprehend what had just happened, Morgan switched her momentum and pounced towards her classmate, successfully pinning her to her bed.
"Ha! That's checkmate!"
Fie attempted to squirm her way out, but she wasn't strong enough pry off Morgan's arms. "Are you...crazy?"
"Crazy as crazy gets!" Morgan retorted. "Now dry your hair! Wouldn't want you catching a cold."
Fie sighed in defeat. "Okay, I give. Just...let go. Now."
Morgan released her hold and rolled onto her back. "Whew! Haven't had this much fun in a while."
"This is your idea of fun?" Fie questioned as she dried her hair with her towel.
"You say that, but…" Morgan looked over to her. "I could tell you were getting into it."
Fie stopped drying her hair momentarily before resuming. "A bit," she quietly admitted.
With no better time than now, Morgan decided to stop beating around the issue. "You're really something, Fie, you know that? You're only fifteen, and yet your skills are already top-notch. But that begs the question…" Morgan sat up. "Where did you learn how to fight?"
Fie put down her towel, an unamused look on her face. "Should've known you'd lead into that question."
"Hey, it had to happen eventually," Morgan reasoned. "You hardly ever pay attention in class, so there must have been some reason you were admitted into Thors. I had my suspicions occasionally, but that fight against the quest monster earlier today was what got me thinking. We worked together to take down that thing, and if memory serves correctly, we didn't even need the ARCUS links. I'm not saying I want you tell me all your secrets, but if we were able to achieve that level of teamwork when we barely even interacted before…"
"We made breakfast together," Fie pointed out. "You forgot already?"
Morgan waved her hand. "Well, that's besides the point. Basically, what I'm saying is that your level of expertise had to come from somewhere."
There was a brief moment of pause where neither girl said anything.
"If that's the case, then I've been wondering something about you, too," Fie finally said.
"You do?"
Fie nodded. "Mind if I come closer for a bit?"
Without even bothering for an answer, Fie crept closer to Morgan like a cat inching closer to its prey. As the younger girl's face drifted closer to hers, Fie raised her hand, bristling Morgan's cheek…
...And traced it along the scar that ran diagonally up her face.
"Looks like a pretty big cut," Fie observed. "It's faded out a bit, but it's still plenty visible. The fact that it's still there means it's probably gonna stick."
"So you're wondering where I got this from, huh?" Morgan guessed.
"Actually, now that I've gotten a good look, I think I have a good idea."
"Oh?"
Fie finally leaned away. "Judging from the size and angle, it must've been something quick and sharp. It looks too clean for a monster, so probably some sort of blade, but it's too big for a knife, and anything bigger than a greatsword would've done damage to other areas. That leaves two possibilities: either you got into a really bad fencing accident or…" Fie paused for a moment to take a breath. "You got that from a real fight. Not just a sparring duel; a fight to the death."
Morgan was taken aback by the younger girl's perception. "You're pretty sharp. That's exactly what happened."
Fie snorted, to which Morgan realized she let out an unintentional pun. "That wasn't intentional."
"I'll say," Fie drily retorted. "How long has that been there?"
"I'd say about…" Morgan had to think for a moment. "Two or three years, give or take?"
"That's pretty recent," Fie remarked. "I guess that also explains why you dodge instead of block."
"How so?"
"Surviving a blow to the face rarely ever stops at physical damage," Fie explained. "Outside of non-lethal sparring, at least. Whatever gave you that must've left some sort of impression that you haven't recovered from yet, so you're still not used to confronting things head-on."
"Actually, that's just how I've always fought," Morgan corrected. "Defense was never my strongest suit, but I was pretty quick on my feet to compensate, so I focused more on outmaneuvering than outlasting. Although…" Morgan looked to her right hand. "There was a period in my life where I couldn't even pick up a sword without dropping it, so maybe you've got a point."
"Were you ever part of a corps?" asked Fie.
"Corps?" Morgan repeated. "You mean, like a jaeger corps?"
The silver-haired girl nodded.
Even Morgan knew what jaegers were. Among all the mercenary outfits on the Zemurian continent, jaegers were undoubtedly the most feared for the lengths they would go to wreak havoc so long as they were paid. Just two years ago, the Bracer Guild houses in Heimdallr were attacked by the Jester jaeger corps, launching a string of consecutive attacks in six imperial cities that lead to the eventual closing of the Bracer Guild in a majority of the empire.
"No," Morgan answered, "but I did have to fight other humans. And you?"
Fie readjusted her sitting position. "Before I came to the academy, I was a jaeger. That's where I learned how to use my gunswords, among other things."
Morgan should have felt surprised, but given everything else Fie had said earlier, it seemed only like natural progression. "You mind if I ask for the name?"
"Zephyr," Fie replied. "We aren't related to Jester, if that's what you're wondering. We heard about their operation on the imperial guilds, but we didn't play a part in it."
"How long were you in the corps?" Morgan felt that so long as they were in the mood, they could keep the conversation running.
"About as long as I can remember." Fie looked up wistfully. "The boss, we called him the Jaeger King...he took me in at a young age. Everyone else was all nice to me, despite their quirks."
"The Jaeger King?" Morgan was amused by the name. "What did that make you, the Jaeger Princess?"
"That wouldn't come until later," she semi-confirmed. "I followed them for a few years until I fought my first real battle at around...ten, I think. Became a full-fledged member of the group soon after."
"Ten?!" Morgan was slightly shocked. "And they were okay with that?"
"The boss was reluctant," Fie admitted, "but the others persuaded him. To be honest, it actually made me feel closer than ever to them. They may have been mercenaries, but they were the closest thing I had to a family." Her gaze lowered. "At least, until…"
"Until…?"
The silver-haired girl shook her head. "Let's just say there's a reason why I'm here by myself and not with Zephyr."
"Fie…" Morgan could probably hazard a guess as to what happened. There were a lot of ways mercenary groups ended, some possibilities better than others. However, it looked to be a touchy subject for the now-former jaeger, so Morgan decided not to pry further. Instead, she simply wrapped her arms around the younger girl, and this time, Fie made no attempts to prevent her gesture. "You've been through a lot, haven't you?"
"That's saying something, coming from you."
"And how much DO you know about me?" Morgan wondered. "I'm all ears, Detective Fie."
Fie hummed for moment. "I think you're really, really nosy."
Morgan snorted. "I prefer the term 'shamelessly self-driven'!" To drill the term in the younger girl's head, she changed her grip and started rubbing her fist on her hair. "Come on! Say it with me! Shamelessly. Self. Driven!"
Fie groaned. "Shamelessly...driving...self...nuts!"
Morgan was laughing too much at the younger girl's reactions to care, so she let her go. "Close enough."
"It's funny." Fie rubbed her head. "I've never told anyone this much about me before."
"I can't blame you. Jaegers are basically synonymous with the Grim Reaper. If everyone else found out they were sharing a class with one…" Morgan found herself shuddering at the thought. Rean coming out as a noble was one thing, but a former hired gun as a classmate? That definitely wouldn't sit well with others.
Fie tilted her head quizzically. "Me? A reaper?"
Her voice brought Morgan back to reality. "Sorry, I didn't mean to call you that."
"No, actually…" Fie tucked her legs in. "It's pretty fitting."
"Let me tell you one thing: when I look at you, I don't see a reaper. I see a girl who would fight for her family no matter what. That takes dedication." Morgan placed a hand on her chest. "If it makes you feel better, it takes one to know one."
"It doesn't," she bluntly replied, "but at least I'm not the only auslander here."
"Ous-lander?"
"Jaeger talk," she explained. "That's our word for jaegers stationed in other countries, but it basically means 'outsider.' They're people who have something that keeps them from fitting in with everyone else, so they stay on the outside. People like us."
"Outsiders…" Morgan mused. "Well, I can't deny that. Compared to other Erebonians, we're sort of like the irregulars. But you know…" She grazed the small of her back. "I don't think that means we can't try to at least understand them a little. You might learn a thing or two from them."
"Even if they'll never accept you?" Fie's eyes seemed to be filled with skepticism.
"I've found that acceptance isn't something you can just get," Morgan argued. "It's something you earn through trust, and trust is gained gradually over time. You need to give people a reason to trust you, but you also need to learn how to trust others. It goes both ways."
She held out her hand. "If you want, we can start trying now. What do you say, fellow auslander?"
Fie just sat there in silence, almost stunned by her behavior.
And then she laughed. It wasn't forced or sarcastic; just one genuine, honest laugh.
"What an insanely corny speech," Fie finally said, still smirking. "You could give Sara a run for her mira."
Morgan understandably pouted. "Hey, I was trying to help!"
"Like I said: really nosy." Fie flashed her usual sarcastic grin.
"Fiiieee!"
Despite Morgan's protests, Fie simply pulled the bed covers over herself and plugged her ears with her fingers. Deep down, however, she felt relieved. Even if this life was different from everything she had experienced up to that point, at least she had found someone like herself. Even if she couldn't figure out everything about that person yet, at least that person was willing to give her a chance. Even if that person was admittedly rather nosy, at least she wouldn't have to be too alone in her troubles moving forward.
And that, as Sara would have put it, was a step in the right direction.
Author's note: As you may have noticed, the insert songs are back, and this time I'm trying out a new format by using shorthand code instead of writing a full sentence. This way, the action of the scene won't be halted by a break in-between sentences saying that a certain song is playing at this exact moment, the people who don't care for the insert songs can simply skim them over, and the few people who do can have the songs ready by the time they appear in the story proper. I know that this is basically an unnecessary add-on and it would save space to do away with them completely, but seeing as how fanfiction basically revolves around adding our own unnecessary things to completed works, I figured I may as well run with it.
Aside from that, I'm surprised at how long this chapter ended up being. I know I said that this chapter would be slow compared to the previous one, but I hope I didn't bore you. If I did...well, I suppose I'll have to work on my succinctness. (-∧-；)