The days passed by, Kaiyuu slowly adjusting to his new life as an employee of Arkride Solutions. There was still some friction here and there but for the most part he was finding that he was adjusting okay. He sighed, adjusting the shoulders of his cloak and then he retrieved the compacted form of Crimson Rose from his desk, clipping it to the connector on the back of his belt. Now ready for the day, Kaiyuu swept his gaze over the room one final time and then turned on heel, leaving without looking back.

'Almost time to head out," he murmured.

His thought was interrupted by a knock at the door behind him and he turned his head toward it, "Yeah?" he called out.

"Ready to go?" Van's voice cut through the air of the room.

"Yeah," Kaiyuu called back, "Just getting the last of my gear together."

"We're headed out soon as you're ready."

"Right, won't be long."

The young man made sure his cloak was attached properly and then turned, his cloak swishing behind him as he shifted his stance toward the door. He gave his cloak a final adjustment, making sure it sat properly over his shoulders, then turned toward the door. The fabric shifted behind him, the weight settling as he reached for the handle. Another job, another step forward. Whatever came next, he was ready.

"Where are we headed?" Kaiyuu asked Van as he exited the doorway

"Little agricultural village in the rural area northwest," Van told him, "Ferida's request is based there."

"Creil? The one on the border with Ored and Remiferiaa?"

Kaiyuu trudged down the stairs, stifling a yawn as he caught sight of Ferida and Agnes already waiting near the entrance. His cloak settled around his shoulders as he rolled them back, shaking off the last traces of sleep.

"Finally," Ferida huffed, crossing her arms. "Thought we were leaving first thing in the morning."

Kaiyuu let out another quiet yawn, rubbing the back of his neck. "Pretty sure it still is morning," he mumbled.

Ferida gave him a flat look but didn't push the complaint any further. Instead, she shifted her weight, her impatience clear in the way she tapped her fingers against the strap of her weapon. Agnes, ever the composed one, offered a small smile as she adjusted the strap of her bag.

Van rolled his shoulders, glancing over at the group. "Everyone set?"

Kaiyuu adjusted his cloak, giving it a final tug before nodding. "Yeah. Let's go." He stifled another yawn, barely catching it behind his hand. It was still too early for all this, but at least he wasn't the only one suffering.

Yume rubbed at her eyes, her tiny frame swaying slightly before she waved a sluggish goodbye. "Bye-bye, Van, Kaiyuu, Ferida, Agnes!"

"Before you go," Paulette said, stepping forward with a briefcase-like picnic basket in hand, "there's some sandwiches, milk, and coffee in here. You can have this in place of breakfast."

Van chuckled, taking the basket with an appreciative nod. "That'll be a lifesaver. Thanks."

"You really didn't have to go through all that trouble," Agnes said, her voice carrying the warmth of genuine gratitude.

"U-um, we'll be sure to enjoy it!" Ferida added, straightening her posture, though her tone made it sound more like she was reassuring herself than anything.

Kaiyuu exhaled, rubbing at the corner of his eye as he blinked the last traces of sleep away. "Y-yeah, thanks for preparing all that." The thought of coffee was more than welcome right now.

Paulette smiled warmly. "Stay safe out there."

Van shifted the basket under one arm before turning toward the door. "Let's get moving. We've got a long trip ahead of us."

Kaiyuu shot one last glance at Yume, who looked about ready to crawl back into bed where she stood. He wasn't sure if he envied her or not. With one final tug at his cloak, he followed Van and the others outside, the crisp morning air greeting them as they stepped into the streets of Edith.

As Van rolled the garage door up, the truck came into view, its deep blue paint reflecting the morning light. It was a sturdy, well-worn vehicle built for endurance, with a reinforced front grille and thick, rugged tires that had clearly seen their fair share of rough terrain. The extended cab provided enough space for passengers, while the open flatbed in the back was ready for cargo. It wasn't the most glamorous ride, but it had a presence. Functional, reliable, and built to last.

Kaiyuu stifled another yawn as he took a step forward, rolling his shoulders to shake off the lingering heaviness of sleep. He wasn't exactly thrilled about setting out first thing in the morning, but at least the truck's seats looked comfortable enough for a nap.

"Wow!" Ferida exclaimed.

"What a big car!" Agnes exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess so," Van shrugged, then he turned to the younger three, his arms folded over his chest, "This baby's made by Ingert, one of the four major orbal car manufacturers. They're the ones known to specialize in sports models. I've been working on customizing this brilliant pickup truck for a while now, especially the frontend and suspension."

Kaiyuu, despite still looking half-asleep, ran a hand over the truck's frame, his curiosity winning out over his exhaustion. "How'd you offset the weight when it comes to speed?"

Van grinned. "Had to reinforce the suspension and tweak the power distribution to keep it from throwing itself off balance. Adjusted the stabilizers too, so it doesn't handle like a runaway horse on tight turns."

Kaiyuu hummed in approval, running a hand along the side of the truck. "Makes sense. You wouldn't want the torque messing with the weight balance either."

Agnes blinked. "Umm…"

Ferida tilted her head, her expression blank. "Uh… so it's a very cool car then, right?"

Kaiyuu turned to them, a pitying look in his still-sleepy eyes. "Wow. You poor, unfortunate souls."

Van slumped forward, exhaling through his nose like a man who had just been deeply wounded. "It's fine. I wouldn't expect you girls to understand a man's heart. Most of the girls I know just see cars as a means to an end. They don't even consider the model, the horsepower, the soul of the machine."

Agnes smiled awkwardly. "I mean… I'm sure there are some girls who care. I just don't really, uh…" She trailed off with a nervous laugh.

Ferida, at least, tried to be supportive. "I really do think it's cool! It's… tuned up, right? I don't really get it, but it's cool!"

Van let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head. "Well, I suppose that's the best I'm gonna get."

"Alright, alright," Kaiyuu muttered, rubbing at his eyes. "Much as I'd love to keep talking shop, we've got a long drive ahead. Let's go."

Van straightened, smirking slightly. "You have taste, I'll give you that."

Kaiyuu gave a lazy grin, finally pulling open the door. "I totally love what you've done with her. I still prefer the Red Star myself, but that's cause I like feeling the wind in my hair."

Van scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's see how much you like the wind when it's full of dirt and bugs."

Kaiyuu shrugged, climbing in. "You get used to it."

Agnes and Ferida exchanged looks as they followed suit, still not entirely sure how an orbal car had inspired so much passion.

Kaiyuu smirked, stretching his arms behind his head as he leaned back in his seat. "This also doesn't jump as easily as a bike."

Van huffed a small laugh, shaking his head. "Fair."

He started the engine with a low, satisfying hum, the vibrations settling through the frame of the truck as he shifted into gear. The girls had finally given up on trying to understand the depth of the conversation, though Agnes still looked mildly intrigued. Ferida, on the other hand, had already settled into her seat, clearly content to just enjoy the ride.

"Alright," Van said, gripping the wheel. "Everyone ready?"

A chorus of nods followed, and with that, he pulled out onto the road, the truck rumbling smoothly beneath them as they left the alley behind. The city of Edith stretched out before them, the morning light bouncing off glass and steel as the streets gradually thinned, giving way to the open road.

Kaiyuu let out a slow breath, his gaze flicking toward the passing scenery. He hadn't been in this part of Calvard for long, but there was something about the road ahead that always made him feel just a little more at ease. Another job, another journey. Whatever came next, he'd take it as it came.

It almost reminded him of those trips between cities back when he was an operative for Omnexis. Leaving a familiar place to step into the unknown. Back then, there had been no room for uncertainty—he had moved with purpose, every assignment carrying the weight of necessity. The constant motion had been a comfort in its own way, a routine built on efficiency and precision.

But now, things were different.

Now, there were no cold directives waiting for him at the end of the road, no silent expectations looming over his every step. The company he kept wasn't bound by the same rigid structure, nor did they look at him as a tool to be sharpened and wielded.

He leaned his head back slightly, exhaling again. Maybe that was why the road ahead felt lighter than it used to.

From the backseat, Kaiyuu cracked one eye open, shifting against the window with a tired sigh.

Van caught his expression in the rearview mirror and smirked. "How are you not used to this?"

Kaiyuu barely lifted his head. "Being used to it and liking it are two different things."

Ferida turned slightly in her seat to look at him, blinking in mild confusion. "You've been on the road more than any of us, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Kaiyuu muttered, shutting his eyes again. "That's the problem."

Agnes giggled beside him. "I don't know, I think it's kind of nice. Seeing more of the country like this."

"Yeah, until you're forced to paint that scenery red."

Agnes' smile faltered slightly at Kaiyuu's words, her fingers tightening on her lap. Van's gaze flicked toward the rear view mirror, catching the shadow that passed over the younger man's face.

Ferida's expression remained neutral, but her eyes sharpened, assessing him in a way that reminded Kaiyuu far too much of their past. He exhaled through his nose, shifting his gaze toward the window as if to escape the weight of their stares.

Van let the silence stretch for a beat before he spoke, his voice measured. "Not every road leads to that kind of ending."

"I guess it's mostly down to luck though," Ferida said.

"Yeah but even then, there's rules to luck. Not everything is chance. To the wise, Luck can be assisted by skill."

Van smirked faintly, keeping his eyes on the road. "So, you're saying you can cheat fate?"

Kaiyuu let out a slow breath, gaze still fixed on the passing landscape. "I'm saying that if you rely on luck alone, you're setting yourself up to lose. People who survive don't just get lucky. They make sure they do."

Ferida nodded, arms crossed. "Tactics. Preparation. Instincts. That's what decides who walks away."

Agnes shifted slightly, glancing between them. "That's… a little bleak, don't you think?"

Kaiyuu let out a quiet chuckle, but there was no real humor in it. "Maybe. But it's the truth."

Van reached for the coffee Paulette had packed, taking a sip before responding. "The way I see it, the real trick isn't just surviving. It's figuring out what you're surviving for."

The words hung in the air for a moment. Ferida leaned back in her seat, thoughtful but not arguing. Agnes looked down at her hands, lips pressed together.

Kaiyuu finally turned his gaze from the window, watching Van for a long moment before settling back against the seat. "Fair point."

Kaiyuu let out a slow breath, eyes half-lidded as he shifted against the window. The steady hum of the engine, the slight vibrations of the road beneath them—it was doing a decent job of lulling him into something close to comfort. He wasn't about to complain.

Ferida, meanwhile, perked up as they hit a smoother stretch of road. "Wow, it's so fast!"

"But even then, it's not shaking too much," Agnes observed, running a hand lightly over the seat beside her. She turned to Van with an approving nod. "I think I understand a little of why you're so proud of it."

Van grinned, clearly pleased. "Ha! You're damn right. We should be coming out onto the expressway in about ten minutes, then it's onto the Northern Highway. You'll get an even better feel for the speed and stability at that point."

Kaiyuu, still leaning against the window, gave a tired but satisfied sigh. "Good. I could actually fall asleep like this."

Van smirked at him through the mirror. "Now that's a first. You usually look ready to throw yourself out the door after an hour."

Kaiyuu closed his eyes, letting the motion of the truck pull him deeper into relaxation. "Yeah, well. Maybe I'm just that tired."

Ferida tilted her head, watching him curiously. "Do you not get much rest at home?"

Kaiyuu cracked one eye open, glancing at her. "Not really." He shifted slightly, getting more comfortable. "I'm making up for it now."

Van chuckled, shifting gears smoothly. "Well, you might as well enjoy it. Once we hit Creil, I doubt we'll get much downtime."

Kaiyuu hummed in response, already sinking further into the seat. "Fine by me. Just wake me when we get there."

Van smirked. "You got it, Sleeping Beauty."

Kaiyuu's head dipped slightly as the steady rhythm of the truck and the warmth of the morning sun started to lull him toward sleep. His arms remained loosely crossed, but his posture had relaxed, the exhaustion from days of travel and work finally catching up with him.

Agnes stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked… tired. Not just in the way someone lacked sleep, but the deeper kind of exhaustion that settled into someone's bones. She hesitated for a moment, then shifted slightly, just enough that if he did end up dozing off, he wouldn't hit the window too hard.

Ferida, watching the movement, raised an eyebrow. "Careful," she remarked, a knowing edge to her voice. "If he falls, it'll be your problem."

Agnes' face warmed slightly. "I-it's not like that," she protested, quickly tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "He just looks… really tired."

Van smirked from the driver's seat, keeping one hand on the wheel as he reached for his coffee. "If he's tired, he should sleep. Just gotta hope he doesn't slump over and start drooling."

Kaiyuu, eyes still half-closed, let out a slow exhale. "Not happening," he muttered, voice thick with fatigue.

Ferida hummed in amusement. "We'll see."

Agnes lowered her gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't entirely sure why she felt responsible for making sure Kaiyuu didn't slump over, but the thought lingered nonetheless. He was still adjusting, still settling into their strange little world, and maybe—just maybe—some part of her wanted to make that transition easier for him. If he ended up leaning against her, well… there were worse things.

For now, though, she let him rest, the soft hum of the engine filling the space between them as the truck rumbled steadily down the road. The movement was almost hypnotic, the rhythmic vibration of the tires against the worn pavement giving the journey an easy, lulling cadence.

Van shifted slightly in his seat, breaking the silence. "Changing the subject a bit," he said, "I know you've got three days off for the holiday, but didn't the semester just start?"

"I'd be sad to be the only one left out," Agnes replied softly. "Besides, there's still the matter of the Genesis units, and I want to help however I can." She glanced toward him before adding, "Oh, and don't worry. I submitted my notice of overnight absence to the dorm last night."

Van sighed, shaking his head. "You're way too prepared, as usual. I thought Aramis was supposed to be a prestigious school, but they've gotten pretty lax if they're just letting students run off like this."

Agnes gave a small, knowing smile. "They trust us to be responsible. I haven't given them any reason to think otherwise."

From the front seat, Feri turned slightly, tilting her head. "So you go to one of the Republic's famous schools, and you're working part-time for Mr. Van too?"

"That's right," Agnes confirmed. "I just started helping out recently." She gestured toward Kaiyuu, who had shifted slightly, his posture sagging with exhaustion. "Kaiyuu's new as well."

At the mention of his name, Kaiyuu barely stirred, though the slight tension in his shoulders suggested he was still half-listening. Agnes watched him for a moment, then turned back toward the road.

The journey had only just begun, but somehow, it already felt like they had settled into a rhythm.

"She pushed me into it," Van explained, with a sigh, "And taking Kaiyuu on was a favor to an old friend."

"And old friend?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said, but didn't elaborate, "By the way, Ferida, you can drop the 'mister' anytime now. You're paying the fee so you're a customer. No need for formality."
"In that case you can call me Feri, Van."

Van smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Feri, huh? That's easier to say at least."

Feri gave a satisfied nod. "It's what everyone calls me."

Kaiyuu cracked one eye open from where he was slouched against the window, watching the exchange with mild interest before shutting it again. Agnes wasn't sure if he was actually asleep or just pretending to be.

"So, Feri," Van continued, adjusting his grip on the wheel, "any particular reason you went out of your way to hire us instead of handling this with your own people?"

Feri's expression didn't change, but there was a brief pause before she answered. "There are some things my clan can't do. And some things I want to do myself."

Van hummed in understanding, leaving the rest unspoken.

Agnes watched the exchange in quiet fascination. It hadn't been long since they'd all met, but the dynamic between them was already taking shape. Van, ever the capable and adaptable leader, Feri, a composed but driven warrior, and Kaiyuu… well, she wasn't sure about him just yet.

She glanced at him again, noting the way his shoulders remained tense even in rest. He was listening, even if he wasn't saying much. She thought back, again, to the fight in the underground, the way he'd taken on such a difficult enemy on his own.

It wasn't just skill—there had been a sharpness to the way he moved, a precision that didn't come from simple training. He fought like someone who had been doing it for far too long. Someone who had learned the hard way that hesitation meant death.

Agnes exhaled softly, shifting her gaze back to the road ahead. The truck rumbled over the paved highway, the hum of the engine filling the silence between them.

Feri, meanwhile, had settled comfortably into the seat beside Van, arms crossed as she stared out at the passing landscape. "We should reach Creil Village before sundown if the roads are clear."

"Yeah," Van agreed. "Assuming we don't run into any surprises along the way."

At that, Kaiyuu let out a quiet, almost scoffing breath from the backseat. Agnes glanced at him again, watching as he shifted against the window, rolling his shoulders slightly as if trying to loosen some unseen tension.

"Something funny?" Van asked, catching the sound.

Kaiyuu cracked his eyes open again, this time fully, though his exhaustion was clear. "Just remembering how often things actually go according to plan."

Feri tilted her head. "Not a fan of surprises?"

"Let's just say I've had my fill of them," Kaiyuu muttered, letting his eyes slip shut again.

Agnes considered his words, then let her gaze settle on him fully. Despite how he carried himself—aloof, distant, like none of this actually mattered—there was something unmistakably worn about him. He hadn't just seen too much; he'd lived too much.

Without thinking, she shifted ever so slightly, just enough that if he did end up leaning, he wouldn't fall straight into the side of the door. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to do it, but she did it all the same.

The journey was still long ahead, and Agnes suspected there was a lot more to learn about the people she was traveling with. But for now, she let the hum of the engine fill the silence between them, the quiet weight of understanding settling in.

Agnes watched him for a moment longer, the quiet hum of the engine filling the space between them. His posture had eased, his breathing slow and steady, but the tension in his shoulders never quite left. Even in sleep, he was braced for something.

She shifted slightly, careful not to disturb him, but as the truck rolled over a small bump in the road, Kaiyuu's balance wavered. Before he could catch himself, his head tilted sideways, landing gently against her shoulder.

Agnes stiffened, her breath catching for a second. She glanced down at him, expecting him to wake, to pull away, but he didn't. His expression remained peaceful, his body giving in to exhaustion.

For a fleeting moment, she thought about nudging him upright, but the impulse faded just as quickly. It wasn't a big deal. He was tired, and right now, it was the least she could do.

Settling back against the seat, she let her gaze drift toward the window. The city lights had long since faded behind them, giving way to the open stretch of road ahead.

Van caught the moment in the rearview mirror and smirked, but wisely said nothing. Feri, too, noticed, her expression unreadable as she flicked a glance back before returning to her own thoughts.

Agnes lowered her gaze, a quiet smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't sure why, but she found herself hoping he would sleep a little longer.

Van let his smirk linger for a moment before returning his focus to the road. The truck rumbled steadily onward, the open highway stretching before them. Whatever lay ahead, they would deal with it when the time came. For now, he'd let Kaiyuu rest.