Apologies for the late update.

[It's been a hot minute since I worked on this story. And took so many hot minutes to work on it.]

Super-Jacin-t: Part Four

Andromeda Academy, Luna

Jacin awakes to an unfamiliar alarm going off in the school. He shoots out of bed to flashing red lights coming from the hallway. Jacin scrambles onto his feet, the floor unsteady as he bounces around to force shoes on. He isn't sure if they're the same pair but it doesn't seem like there's time to think. Jacin runs over to his dorm's door and throws it open to cadets rushing down the halls, following barking orders barely making it over the alarm.

He follows the crowds as he throws on a sweater. Was it backwards? No, the hood is draped over his back.

The ground lurches and they all sway to the side. Some scream, others fall and help each other up before continuing their way. Chatter fills the halls, adding to the noise. Some asking those who brought their phones and if it was the volcano acting up.

Jacin feels his phone's cold screen in his pocket. He doesn't remember pulling it out of the charger on his night table. Gut reaction.

They enter the gymnasium where loads of students in their pyjamas, jackets, and an assortment of shoes gather. A lot of them talk to the faculty on the school grounds about what's happening and what to do now, others are trying to contact their families. Shaking, crying, panicking, yawning despite soldiers on site telling everyone to file in calmly and quietly — Jacin just wants his parents because, and he's grateful, his parents are on campus.

Where are Iko and Kinney? He can't see them in the blur of faces.

He turns, sidestepping students as he walks over to the front where he finds his parents talking to some administration. Both have tired eyes but are more dressed than the others, his father is somehow in uniform and his mother wears a jogging set. The moment they see him, his mother hugs him tightly as his father wraps an arm over his shoulders and kisses his head (which would've caught him off guard if it was any other circumstance).

"What's happening?" Jacin asks his mother as his father turns back to his conversation with the National Guard. "Have you seen Iko or Kinney?"

He doesn't hear an answer because his phone vibrates in his pocket. Jacin catches the time — 2:18 AM — and an incoming call from Winter. It's only late in the evening in Commonwealth. He doesn't think he can get a clear call in the current state of the panicked gymnasium and should save his battery. He's more shocked that anyone even has cell service.

But who knows for how long?

Jacin: Hey, Trouble, too loud to take your call. We seem fine for now but I think we're in trouble here.

"Jacin!"

Jacin looks up and sees Iko running up to him with Kinney following. She hugs him tightly first before Kinney joins in.

-o-

Commonwealth, The Earthen Union

Winter and Cinder couldn't sleep that entire night the moment they heard about the earthquake in Artemisia. They sat in each other's rooms, huddled under the sheets and leaning against the headboard. Their phones shine in their faces as they refresh their news feeds and try to contact their friends and family friends. They've seen footage of wrecked residential areas, cracked sidewalks and roads, cars out of place and broken windows. Fallen trees and knocked newsstands litter the people-less streets.

They sat in tense silence, barely breathing and blinking. They eventually heard Levana wake early (or "wake" since they doubt Levana was asleep. They imagine she was awake too, looking at the updates or watching them on TV). She walks through the hallways and lingers downstairs in the kitchen before heading out to work.

The Blackburn girls know that Mayor Torin will have a busy day ahead of him given Artemisia's earthquake.

"Hey," Cinder says, getting up out of bed, "let's get some fresh air. We'll grab a bite to eat."

Winter shakes her head. Tears streak her cheeks. "I'm not hungry."

"Watched phones don't ring. Besides, the news said there's no cell reception. Andromeda Academy probably has a bunker of some sort."

Cinder watches her cousin's eyes gloss over, looking down at her phone. She knows Winter will not be doing well with all this, especially not hearing anything from their friends. She can't lose her cousin in a situation she can't fix.

Winter turns her phone off and slides out of bed. Cinder exhales relieved as they both go to freshen up and change, still checking their phones for any updates or messages. Even if they thought they heard a ding from their phones, they would look over and turn their phones on only to see their lockscreens and the time looking back at them.

They met downstairs and decided to walk to The Rampion instead of driving. Traffic wouldn't be terrible this early but neither could focus on driving and the fresh and chilly air and sunrise put them at ease.

They were silent for the whole walk, checking their phones only for nothing. If under different circumstances, they would've enjoyed the early morning walk.

Cinder opens the diner's door and the whiff of fried hash browns, roasting coffee, and sizzling pancake batter. A lot of the early morning patrons are older people in friend groups (they often joked that'll be them in 60 years) or truckers making pit stops along their route. Occasionally, there would be doctors, nurses, or business people stopping by to grab something to go, either on their way to or from work.

No way Scarlet would be here this early — spades, she's probably still asleep.

Cinder looks around for a booth and stops when she sees Cress and Wolf sitting at one. She takes Winter's hand and guides them over. Cress and Wolf look up, not even surprised to see them as they scoot over. Cress moves her breakfast burrito that she picked apart with her fork and knife so much that it looks like a scramble, and Wolf takes his coffee which was in a to-go cup.

"I came here when it opened and decided to eat," Cress says. "My mom's in Luna doing an expedition and she's either in a cave or underground. Is it safer? Debatable. I've tried looking it up but it came back inconclusive. Then he came in."

"I didn't see her till I was on my way out," Wolf adds. "My mom was on the phone all night. Family there is being evacuated by the army."

"What about Jacin?" Cress looks at Winter. "Iko hasn't been saying anything in the group chat."

Ever since Scarlet learned that she's a quarter Lunar and told the girls, they all got excited and changed the name of their group chat to The Lunar Ladies and got Iko in on the action.

The diner's bell dings as the door opens and Kai walks in. When the others see him, they wave him over and he smiles at them as he approaches.

"How are you guys doing?" Kai asks as he slides into the booth beside Cinder.

"Jacin's dead," Winter states.

"What!" Kai yells, causing heads to turn.

Cinder snaps in Winter's face to get her attention. "Don't say that! He's not. He's fine. The earthquake probably cut out service." She looks at Kai and takes a breath. "Why are you here so early?"

"Torin has to do an emergency press conference about possibly sending aid over and accepting refugees, whatever's needed. I came to pick up food to deliver there."

Cress laughs a bit under her breath. "Kai Rikan Eats now does delivery."

"Zero out of five stars for getting distracted on the job," Wolf adds. "And no tip."

Winter's phone chimes and everyone looks over. She glances at her screen and jumps in her seat when she sees Jacin Bae with a photo of him calling her. She scampers, climbing over Wolf aggressively to exit the booth. She lands on her feet before heading outside, the bell above the door chiming as she holds the phone to her ear.

Her friends watch her start talking on the phone, wiping tears as she sits on the curb. Wolf wipes Winter's footprints from his jeans with his jacket's sleeve. Thankfully, Cress covered her food to protect it from Earthquake Winter. Too soon?

"I don't think he's dead," Cress states.

Cinder nods, seeing texts from Iko flooding in. She holds up her phone, turning around in her seat to catch a quick selfie. She's sticking her tongue out, Kai's kissing her cheek, Cress holds up a peace sign, and Wolf's still dusting off Winter's prints.

"Iko's fine," Cinder says as she sends the selfie. "She says that the school had to assemble in the auditorium and they had to strategize things. Classes were cancelled until further notice and they aren't allowed to leave campus."

Wolf scoffs. "What's new about not leaving?"

-o-

Winter had to take many deep breaths before she could talk to Jacin on the phone. Just seeing his contact photo calling her sent her mind into a different whirlwind. What if it's not him, though? The call was choppy when she picked up, not that she expected immaculate service given the current state of Artemisia. Spades, she's grateful she got a call. But she can't help the thoughts that the worst news was to come. Jacin's dead. His blood on the walls. She thought she started seeing it in The Rampion, at home. Splotches of it on Cinder's face when she tried to calm her, guide her - Winter takes another deep breath of air that's fresh of The Rampion's breakfast menu and loitering car fumes. She holds the phone to her ear as she stretches her legs while sitting on the curb.

Jacin Bae: Is this call going through?

"Yeah," Winter exhales, "I just couldn't process it actually being you. Are you okay? Is everyone okay?"

Jacin Bae: I'm sitting in a lounge with other cadets. Iko's back in her dorm and Kinney went to grab food. My parents are talking with the other staff.

"Okay…" she chews on her lip. "But are you all okay?"

Jacin Bae: Winter, we're good. I didn't finish a required reading for a quiz I was supposed to have today.

A laugh escapes Winter's mouth which warms her. She knows he's lying to make her feel better. "Don't make me laugh."

Jacin Bae: It'll be fine.

"Don't say that. I'm worried."

Jacin Bae: Well now I'm worried.

"Good. You should be."

Jacin Bae: Don't make me laugh.

Winter smiles as she hears Jacin laugh, a rare but always comforting sound to calm her.