Main Story — “Initiation” — Oakridge Campus — Friday, 11:24 AM
The day after graduation was always slow and silent at the academy. Most classes had come to an end, the younger students had already returned home, and the summer courses did not begin until two weeks later. During this layover the struggling students of the academy were given the chance to retake exams and rewrite failed essays. However, they were few in numbers, as Oakridge kept a relatively high standard when it came to academia, and strived to motivate students in a multitude of different ways. Rumors had it that some students failed on purpose in order to secure exclusive time with the instructors betwixt graduation and summer classes. The academy frowned upon this kind of behavior, as it meant a great deal of additional administrative work for the instructors, but they did not punish the students for it. They could appreciate the students’ desire to work closely with the instructors, which could prove to be difficult during the semester, so there was not any official consequence for failing on purpose.

This day also marked the registration period for senior Guardians who aspired to be considered for Oakridge’s private military force. The Special Warfare and Reconnaissance Group, or WARG was known all around the world as a top tier, covert intervention group consisting exclusively of Guardians. While people had heard of it and knew that it existed, all of their operations were classified and known only to the headmaster of Oakridge academy. Each group, consisting of two to as much as ten Guardians, operates as independent cells. They are unaware of each other’s missions and whereabouts, but recognize each other in the field when and if they accidentally meet. The size of each cell determines the magnitude and importance of their mission. A large group will typically deal with large scale assaults, purge Mordrem nests, and offer assistance to the regular army; whereas smaller groups will operate in the dark side of things by investigating Sanctum, carrying out assassinations, and avoiding major confrontations in order to deliver surgical strikes.

The Helston Team had received their recommendations to join WARG a few weeks prior to graduation. The team itself consisted of Guardian students whom were all from the same town. Cid Dysley, the Headmaster of Oakridge, had kept his eye on their progress ever since they first stepped inside the academy. While the youngsters may not have been the ideal candidates for WARG, their superior strength rested in their unity. Even if some of them appeared to hate each other, there was a sense of kinship within their ranks that was extremely difficult to artificially create within other groups of students. The Headmaster knew about Samuel, of course, and the tragic history that the children of Helston had suffered, but in his mind it was the direct opposite to weakness, which is why he had personally overseen the Helston Team’s education and motivated them wherever and whenever possible.

However, keeping the friends of Helston in line was perhaps easier said than done. They spanned a wide range of different personalities, which were more than prone to mischievous and questionable behavior. One of the girls in the group, Olivia Celestine, was the first line of defense when it came to keeping them together, and the Headmaster had kept in close contact with her throughout the years. However, even she was not the ideal student that the instructors wanted everyone to be. Being a social butterfly, Olivia enjoyed various parties around campus and in the city a little too much. The graduation party was no different. She had dragged her friends to Lasana, which was the closest metropolis to Oakridge, and vigorously visited a dozen different clubs for the duration of the night.

Olivia had miraculously made it back to her dormitory at campus in one piece. This was not always the case. She had on more than one occasion awoken in strange places after a night of partying. One time she found herself in a dumpster behind some sleazy bar, and another time she woke up on a train headed to a city on the other side of Cetra. However, the academy was usually the place where Olivia would find herself on the day after. Whether it was on some bench in the park, in a classroom she needed to be, or in Aaron’s bed did not matter. At least she was in the right place. The peculiar thing was that Olivia never remembered how she had gotten to those weird locations. The night of fun and drinking was as clear as day, but the last few hours leading up to passing out were always foggy.

The alarm on Olivia’s phone sounded. She had no recollection of whether it was meant for this day or some previous purpose. It did not really matter, as she had to get up anyway. Olivia could instantly feel the alcohol on her breath and she was still clad in the clothes from last night—a pair of platform pumps, black shredded jeans, and a festive, oversized top. In addition, the door to her dormitory room was open. Apparently, she had just stumbled into the tiny apartment of sorts and passed out on the bed before she could do anything. Olivia could hear the sounds of housekeeping down the hall. Their vacuum cleaners were worse than wailing Mordrem. In the corner of her eye, Olivia could see the odd student passing by her room and leer inside. The girl sighed at the thought of everyone who had seen her drunken behind passed out on the bed. But, what did it matter? At least her spirits were at ease. The ceiling of Olivia’s dorm was clad in a miniature storm with dark clouds and occasional sparks of lightning gluing themselves to the walls.

Olivia groaned as she reached for a bottle of old water on the floor beside her bed. As she took a few sips, a message in the PA system sounded throughout the campus. It called the Helston friends to the Administration Offices. They were to register for WARG before lunch, which was in half an hour. Olivia sighed again. The process of being sworn into that group consisted of a student signing his or her name on a contract, which basically stated that they cannot talk about anything concerning WARG, that they must obey orders as given by the administration and other leaders, and that the service is a lifelong commitment, etc. However, it was the one job where students could make a hefty amount of credits every month. They had to pay for their own expenses, of course, but with some minor and proper management, that would be the least of their problems. Olivia and her friends had personal dreams and goals in their lives, of course, but WARG was certainly a good place to start. They were about cash in a million credits a year on this job straight out of school.

The Oakridge campus was an annex to the main academy where classes were held. There were dormitories for up to eleven hundred students, split in clusters of about a hundred and fifty apartments. Olivia’s room was located in the Omega section of the campus. Each section was built in the shape of a sphere around a central garden, and each sphere was connected to a central hub that housed cafeterias, recreational centers, libraries, and such. Olivia floundered out of her room on her fabulous platform pumps and leaned against a railing that overlooked the garden. It was a sunny day, nearing the end of May. The girl contemplated whether or not she had the time to change her apparel, but that process itself required more time than expected. Eventually, Olivia just gave up on the thought and proceeded to walk towards the campus hub. Her first destination was the Surfer’s Rest, a cafeteria with exceptionally good coffee, which she was in desperate need of.

Main Story – Music – Oakridge Campus – Friday, 7:03 AM

Alabaster heard the knock on his door but decided against answering. His head was pounding from the late night he had spent with the others. Olive had—once again—drug him from his dorm of solitude. Aaron was no help dissuading the others from pulling him out and if not for Rui, he might had still denied them. However, the night had been fraught with peers drinking, fast women attempting to gain his attention, and of course, subtle glances towards the one he liked.

Even after the night was nearing its end, Alabaster found himself leaving and watching Olivia stumble down the concrete path. His statuesque face fell into a calm frown as he decided to walk her home. Fear gripped him for her safety, though his mind told him to stay away. It was a simple matter getting her home and laying her down. But as he left, in his peripheral, he saw Sam’s wispy figure. A leaning figure of gray shadows against her door frame, warning him of the possible heartbreak that could incur if he got too close to someone again.

He felt his lips part hestiantly before crossing his arms and striding out of her room; in such hurry that he forgot to close her door. Before long he had reached his own dorm, the image of Sam’s figure still fresh in his head. He tensed his jaw and felt his thoughts lead towards self-indulgence.

What would you have done I wonder? Would you have left her to herself, trusted her to find her own way home. Or would you … would you have done the same as me? Sitting on the edge of his bed, his room dark and silent, Alabaster felt the faintest smile bless his face. Knowing you, you would have been drunk off your ass and still found the strength to take her home. Amazing. He chuckled.

Alabaster swept aside his platinum blonde hair before falling onto his back. His bed was soft and eased the tension of the night away. Where the club had sewn in discord and exhaustion, his bed had erased angst and created a unique comfort. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, though it wouldn’t last long.

Before his dreams could began, a dainty knock resounded in his room. He opened his eyes but didn’t move from his bed. When Kade spoke, he felt the usual warmth fill his stomach. Her voice tended to have that effect on him. Sitting up, he wasted several seconds just trying to shake the irritation of his restless sleep. It didn’t take much longer for him to unlock his door and swing it back.

Standing in the doorway with only black joggers on his legs, Alabaster rested his hand on the top of the door. He squinted away the sleep with a narrow stare before speaking. “Wassup?” he asked, looking beyond her for the others. He hated when they ganged up on him and forced him to come out. “Wanna come in?”

The click of dress shoes echoed sharply through the empty halls as the monotone voice droned on through the speakers sprinkled throughout the ceiling. Eric straightened the tie he wore and adjusted the clip holding it to his shirt.

Today was a very special day indeed. Registering for a WARG wasn't something any Guardian would experience often. The cash flow and job security were a plus, but then again which job in the world had you put your life on the line 24/7 to fight against these monsters that you weren't even sure could be killed or not? It was something to think about.

The call had gone out an hour ago, and had been repeating itself at ten minute intervals ever since. Eric noted, with some interest, that the voice was not automated, and that there was probably some poor sap sitting in a room somewhere mindlessly droning away into a microphone for the announcements. It amused him, not greatly, but enough to elicit a small smile as he adjusted his attire on his way to the aforementioned administration office. It wasn't far, just about a fifteen minute walk from the dorm sphere he and the rest of his friends were housed in. However the process of registration was to commence just before lunch, and as much as he delighted in the promise of hot food and good company, this took precedence. So, unfortunately, Eric went hungry in favour of being early. He'd satisfy his cravings for pasta and soup later.

Dressed to impress, Eric had worn his usual regalia of a suit jacket, crisp white shirt, waistcoat and tie, along with slacks and dress shoes, all in a very regal navy blue. His weapon hung from his waist, the rapier seated snugly in its gilded sheath as he pressed onward. School rules had dictated that Guardians were to wear their armaments on them at all times, in case of emergencies, and the discipline and regimentation of their training had only enforced that. That same training had also enhanced his sense of punctuality, and as such he noted, with mild satisfaction, that he was the first one there, strolling to a stop right in front of the office. Though one to always be punctual, it was never like him to do something this important without his friends, and so he waited, leaned up against a railing as he quietly read from a little pocket book he had.

The school was quiet. Just as quiet as it had been not a few hours ago, when he'd just woken up. The events were quite clear in his head.



Eric awoke to the sound of a door knock. His head spun as he forced himself to sit upright, groaning in discomfort from the events of the night before.

"Bloody hell, the next time I let Olivia talk me into going clubbing I'm going to politely refuse. This is not the sort of thing I like..."

Grumbling mostly to himself he stretched and got out of bed, groggy and wobbly. His head still pounded with the feverish, noisy music of the clubs they'd been in. Granted, he'd also been too smashed off his rocker to care, but now that he had complete control of all his faculties he was beginning to regret every single decision he'd made last night. Especially downing that double shot of Cetran Brandy. Especially that.

As he poured himself a glass of water, he heard Kade and Alabaster just next door. Staying one room away from the mostly angsty young man, it made listening in to conversations quite easy, and as he leaned against the wall, he heard them talking. Not much, though. Just Kade knocking on the door, asking if Al were in, and Al opening said door and offering his room. Not much else in the way of gossip or anything else, so he downed his water with a dose of headache meds and threw on a shirt and pants. Then he slipped on some flip flops, attire hardly befitting his normally formal appearance, and walked outside.

He saw Kade to his right and gave her a little wave as he walked outside, leaning against the railing as he gazed out into the central garden, light streaming in through the windows above.

"Morning Kade. Up early, I see."

Then, upon seeing Al also standing in the doorway, he quickly responded.

"Oh, Al, good morning. Don't mind me, just needing some fresh air. If you want to talk to Kade in private just go ahead."

For Rui Liú, the graduation party was something akin to a living funeral —and not in a philosophical way either. This was not some symbolic event, which marked the end of irresponsible youth and innocence; the last time one could party as a minor and the first time one would party as a full-fledged member of society. No. For Rui, zhe had no doubt in zher mind that the graduation party was going to be the last big social gathering zhe would ever be a part of. So zhe sure as hell made sure zhe had as much fun as possible —although what constitutes as “fun” for Rui is questionable.

For the first half of the party, when Rui was not partaking in typical party activities with zher peers, zhe was stealthily causing some kind of trouble as if zhe was the director of a live reality show or prank show; trouble that usually involved more than one person and caused unnecessary drama, to which Rui would simply watch from afar while simultaneously pretending to be innocent of any involvement. It was a terrible thing to enjoy and Rui knew zhe’d go straight to whatever hell equivalent Libra had to offer to abominations (the void, perhaps?), but it was totally worth it. Or, at least, it was to Rui.

While Rui did find some enjoyment in mingling with zher peers who actually knew little to nothing about zhim, it was only when the second half of the party started when Rui really started to have some fun: Olivia tracked down and kidnapped all of her childhood friends and dragged them to various nightclubs in Lasana for the rest of the evening and the early part of the morning. At each club the group talked about trivial things; played stupid games; danced until their legs ached; drank a little too much to be considered healthy; and just enjoyed each other’s company. Rui did, however, refrain from drinking and was probably the only person who remained truly sober the entire time. Zhe did this largely for five reasons: 1.) zhe didn’t really like the taste of alcohol in the first place; 2.) someone had to be the designated driver; 3.) zhe wanted to be sober if and when Scout, Eric, and/or Aaron did something stupid so that zhe could tease them about it when they did eventually become sober again; 4.) zhe never wanted to be the vulnerable one; and most importantly 5.) to protect the clueless drunkards from the dangers that were ever present in every other bar they went to, especially Alabaster.

Powerful superhumans they may be, Guardians are not immune to the effects of… suspicious looking drugs. Rui immediately recognized the looks some of the clubs’ patrons gave to the good-looking men and women in the group —which Rui would proudly proclaim that it was every damn person in said group— and was automatically on high alert. Every time someone added something that was not supposed to be in a drink for any of zher friends or zhimself, Rui made sure it failed to reach anyone’s lips by “accidentally” spilling the contents of the drink on: the floor; the person who offered the drink; Scout’s hair; or Eric’s expensive looking suit. But mostly on Eric’s clothes. The only exception was when a spiked drink was given to Alabaster. Like the spiked drinks before, Rui felt Malice get unusually excited by the drink and noticed other spirits of particular emotions respond strongly to the drink to it as well; “prints” of the perpetrator and their intentions oozed from the innocuous looking drink… and it disgusted Rui. Before Alabaster’s fingers could touch the drink, Rui quickly snatched the glass away and managed to subtly return the drink to the perpetrator when zhe offered to buy them a drink. Then zhe waited. Waited until zhe was sure they drank their own poison, before excusing zhimself from the group. Rui disappeared with the now-victim ex-perpetrator into the back of the club and didn’t return for 30 minutes. When zhe finally returned, zhe was alone. If anyone asked where zhe had gone off to, Rui claimed that zhe went to the bathroom. Those who went to the bathroom and happened to check on the other one to see if Rui might have been in there knew that zhe was lying; or at least not telling the entire truth. When told about this, Rui just smiled, “I’m not lying. I had to clean the mess off myself in the bathroom.”

---

The second the door shut behind zher, and zhe was left standing alone in zher dark dormitory room, Rui suddenly felt an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness. Perhaps it was because zhe had spent a full day hanging out with people or perhaps the sudden realization that zhe had graduated —that “this life” was over— hit Rui as hard as a bird hit by a bullet train, or perhaps both. Zhe surveyed zher room, the only home zhe had ever had, as if it was the last time zhe’d ever see it again. Zhe wondered what would happen to zher stuff. If “they” were going to throw the stuff away, maybe zhe should just completely destroy zher own room as one last “f**k you” to the world. The thought only lasted for a split second, however, since it was quickly replaced by Alabaster’s face, then Elvira’s, and then the rest of the gang, until Samuel’s face emerged. Rui sighed, almost in defeat, before zhe began to organize zher personal belongings into specific boxes and cleaned zher own room.

By the time Rui was finished, the sun rose high into the sky. Zhe hadn’t slept at all, but didn’t feel particularly tired either so zhe decided it was a good of time as any to get ready for the day. Sure, there was nothing special happening today, but Rui would never be caught dead wearing the same outfit two days in a row if zhe could help it. Well, okay, maybe zhe was lying to zhimself: something “special” was supposed to happen today, but if Rui were to wear something that best represented how zhe felt about WARG registration, Rui would have dressed up as a hobo and rolled in a pigsty before heading to the administration office. But alas, “hobo” is not in Rui’s fashion arsenal and is unlikely to be a trend within Rui’s lifetime. The best thing to do was to take zher sweet time getting ready, which zhe does.

When Rui finally left zher room, housekeeping had reached zher end of the dormitory. Zhe smiled at the housekeeper and greeted her politely, “Good day Mrs. Green.” The middle woman greeted Rui with a warm smile, “Hello darling. Starting the day off late, I see?”
“It was an exciting night. I don’t think anyone who went to a party woke up early… well, at least not without feeling incredibly sick.”
“Oh, you don’t need to tell me. I’ve already cleaned most of this place and I have seen the damage. I can never understand why people would drink to the point that they’d throw it all back up the next morning. It’s such a waste… and more work for us.”
“You are a braver soul than I, Mrs. Green. I cannot imagine how you manage to do your job.”
“Sweethearts like you make it much more easier. Now, I know the answer, but I’ll ask anyways: does your room need cleaning?” Mrs. Green glanced at Rui’s door, which was left ajar, then immediately raised her eyebrows. The housekeepers never had a problem with Rui’s room since it was always kept clean, but it had never looked so bleak before. It only took a few seconds for Mrs. Green to realize that almost everything had been placed into moving boxes. She turned to Rui quizzically, “Are you moving out, darling?”

Rui was about to open zher mouth when the announcement rang through the halls, summoning the members of the Helston Team to the administration office. “I’m sorry Mrs. Green, it seems I am wanted.” Rui bowed lightly.
“It’s okay. Have a good day, darling.”
“You too, Mrs. Green.” Rui began to walk down the hall, but then quickly halted when a black garbage bag caught zher eyes. Rui turned back to the housekeeper, “I’m sorry again, Mrs. Green, but is it all right if I can have this?”
Mrs. Green’s eyes followed the direction Rui’s finger was pointing, “Oh, I doubt you’d want what’s inside of there, darling. It’s some of the damage I was just talking about. Mostly… you know, things like vomit and… other human excretions that contaminated objects.”
“I was helping Dr. Edrik with collecting… samples for a study. He didn’t specify where I could get the samples, so I thought we could use this opportunity to use what is… naturally available and plentiful at the moment.”
“Dr. Edrik? Well… if he wants these… samples, I can deliver it to him after I’m done with these rooms.”
“Oh, no Mrs. Green, you are far too busy to be doing that! I have to meet Dr. Edrik later today, anyways, so I can deliver it myself.”
“Are… you sure?”
“I am positive,” Rui took the garbage bag and saluted to Mrs. Green, “I wish you luck on your dangerous, but necessary quest.”
Mrs. Green laughed lightly at the gesture, but returned it before vanishing into the dorm room next door. As soon as she disappeared, Rui swiftly returned to zher own room with the bag and came back out without it a few moments later, locking the door shut.


It didn’t actually matter whether or not Rui went to the administration office to register for WARG: as Rui’s “owner” the military already decided everything for zhim. Zhe could have ignored the summoning completely and Rui’s registration would have still been completed… a month ago. So in truth, Rui going to the office was just a formality. The only reason why Rui was even heading to the office was because zhe had nothing better to do and it was highly likely that zhe would see some familiar faces if zhe went. Zhe didn’t expect the first face to be Eric though. On second thought, of course it was Eric. Why wouldn’t he want to be the first one there?

Rui groaned and was ready to accost Eric, when zhe thought zhe heard his stomach rumble. Rui waited a few more seconds, hoping to hear it again for confirmation, but no such thing happened. Was… Eric hungry? Rui stared at the man, then glanced down at the granola bars Rui had snatched from the cafeteria on zher way to the office as a light late-breakfast, then at what the man wore, then at the coffee vending machine that was placed in the waiting room. A wicked smile grew across Rui’s face.

---

“Hello, Eric!” Rui cheerfully greeted Eric as zhe walked towards him, “How’d you sleep?” With how long they’ve known each other it should have been obvious to Eric that Rui was up to something; most likely to torment him in some way or form. “I’m just soooooo tired, I needed to get a cup of coffee,” Rui said as zhe raised zher extremely shaky hand to show Eric the coffee zhe just purchased from the vending machine. Rui continued to shake the cup —ever threatening to spill it’s contents on to the floor… or more likely, on Eric’s expensive suit, just like the night before—, “sorry, I’m feeling a little shaky for some reason. Maybe I’m hungry,” Rui said as zhe whipped out an already open granola bar and took a nice, slow, bite out of it. “MMMMM! De-licious.”

Main Story – Music – Oakridge Campus – Friday, 11:34 AM

Alabaster sighed as he heard his name over the intercom, instinctively his head went up towards the nearest voicebox. Since meeting with Kade and by extension Eric, he had changed into more fitting attire. Something lax but urban, complimentary of his platinum hair and light blue eyes. His dark shirt laid underneath a dark denim jacket; his legs were fitted with blue jeans, his feet black boots. If nothing else, his mother: Theresa had taught him that appearances were important. He wondered if Kade would follow him or decided to go off on her own. If she had, he would had bid her a awkward farewell as usual.

Once ready, he made his way to the administration office a bit full from the small meal he had insisted Kade and himself eat earlier. As he drew closer to the office, he noticed Rui's small figure first and while indulging in Kade's voice was always a treat, he found that his heart sped up. Out of everyone else, he felt closest to her. His steps quicken slightly.

As Rui so childishly delighted in bothering Eric, Alabaster placed a tender hand on her head, his face as usual was lacking in expressive emotions. A quaint smile pulled his lips as he greeted Eric with a nod than Rui with actual words. "Pestering Eric again, huh?" he asked while reaching over and gripping her coffee with his fingertips. He pulled it to his nose and sniffed it once before sipping it. "Try the hazelnut next time." He added quietly, returning the container to her.

Olive, she's not here yet. His eyes fell on the entrances connecting the dorms slyly.

Main Story — Oakridge Administration Offices — Friday, 11:35 AM — Theme
The automatic sliding doors leading into the administration offices hissed slightly as pressurized air flowed through its mechanisms. The first person to meet Olivia’s eyes was the secretary sitting at the reception. The girl did not look much older than the seniors at the academy, but there was a minimum of three year military service before one could apply for a job at Oakridge, so she was at least twenty-six or more. The secretary smiled at Olivia and gave a subtle gesture that pointed to the waiting room on her left. The chatter of the infamous Helston gang could be heard all throughout the offices. No surprise there.

The secretary glanced at Olivia’s feet as the young Guardian passed reception area. Olivia had removed her glamorous, although uncomfortable shoes in the elevator going up to the administration offices. As such, she was walking around barefoot. She could also feel the invading pressure of her jeans, the skin of her legs visible through the aesthetic shreds in the fabric. Even though Olivia was not much of a loose pants type of person, and had an unconditional love for stretchy and flexible leggings, tight jeans made her uneasy. Or, perhaps the queasy feeling was due to having partied all night, barely slept at all, suffering a massive hangover, and being all icky and sweaty. Olivia had definitely seen better days.

Upon entering the waiting room, Olivia threw the cup of coffee that she had procured at the Surfer’s Rest in the bin. Hopefully, the caffeine would give a slight jolt to her senses. Seeing her friends again also sparked life in her system. Olivia was like a dog in that sense, no perception of time whatsoever. She would be equally happy to see them after ten minutes as she would ten years. How she greeted them would be the only thing that would differ. Olivia did not always necessarily give a verbal greeting. She was much more inclined to be physical, though in a subtle way. It was far removed from romanticism. It was just how she usually expressed herself. For example, a slight touch to the arm or neck could indicate a simple hello, just as a casual hug or kiss on the cheek would.

Eric was as handsome and well-dressed as ever, Rui being her mischievous self, and Alabaster observing the teasing as it unfolded. It put a smile on Olivia’s lips. She halted her pace and stopped by Alabaster’s side, slightly bumping her shoulder into his. Even though Olivia had a difficult time to remember the final events before she passed out on her bed the night prior, there was a faint image of Alabaster in her mind, as if she had seen him just before everything went dark. However, Olivia’s train of thought was interrupted by the end of Rui’s relentless teasing. Even if Olivia was a bit of a fan-girl, that ‘dark side’ did not sit well with her.



“Rui, was that really necessary? You can be such a bitch sometimes, it’s not healthy,” Olivia said, but smiled and chuckled. The comment was all in good fun, of course. Lighthearted teasing was mostly fine with Olivia, but the really dark moments of Rui’s were not particularly enjoyable. Those were the moments that Olivia actively attempted to suppress, little by little, day by day. She was not sure whether or not Rui was aware of it herself, or how she felt about it. Olivia did her best to mask her true intentions of abolishing that dark side altogether and she was not alone in the matter. The Headmaster of Oakridge, Cid Dysley, had once admitted to Olivia that he actively tried to promote Rui’s good side.

The casual moment was interrupted by the Headmaster emerging from his office. Speak of the Devil. He was always a welcomed sight for the Helston gang. Even if he tried to keep his favoritism under the rug it become utmost apparent when nobody was around. Olivia respected him for that. He was a man of principle who knew the distinction between personal and professional, which she had troubles with herself. Perhaps it was due to his age. He was an old man by now, a veteran of the break out war with the Mordrem thirty years ago. It was during that confrontation that he lost his younger brother, who had not received military training at that time. It inspired Cid to start a school for everyone wherein they could learn to defend themselves and fight the hostile invaders. His passion and Sujian discipline formed Oakridge into one of the most prestigious military schools in the world.

“Hello, kids,” the Headmaster said.
“Hi, Cid!” Olivia exclaimed and trotted over to the old man, embracing him.
“Oh my, careful now, I might break something,” Cid chuckled.
“You’re not that old, silly!” Olivia laughed softly in return.
“How is everyone today? I hope you didn’t party too much last night. There’s much to be done, still,” the Headmaster said.
“I think some survived it better than others,” Olivia said and gulped.
“At least you haven’t lost your spirits,” Cid chuckled loudly, eyes squinting. He was a man of terrible puns. Their actual spirits was not what he meant, but the emotional state that they were in, mostly looking towards Rui and Eric. Olivia could not help herself but to give the Headmaster a gentle slap across his shoulder.
“Don’t start with those bad puns!” She said. Cid continued to chuckle akin to an old master, who could do nothing more than to laugh at life.
“Please, come into my office,” he said. The man paved way for the youngsters to step inside, patiently waiting for each one that was present.

Main Story – Music – Oakridge Campus – Friday, 11:36 AM

Alabaster looked down at Olive as she bumped into him, hiding the jump of his heart as she finally showed herself. He smiled lightly, a tease dancing on the edge of his angst before ultimately being snuffed out. As she spoke, he found himself listening intently to her words, thought he feigned disinterest as he toyed with Rui, placing his light-weighted elbow onto zher neatly made head.

Kade’s voice warmed his ears soon afterwards. A greeting from afar that whispered pleasantries to his senses, he looked over his shoulder at her, smiling toothily and waving once. “Yo,” he replied, though he refrained from responding to her questions. It caused discontentment in his gut, a swirling of nervous emotions that amplified his need to be alone. To think. He hated it but at the same time, it had become natural to him. Just the possibility that they all could be separated made him ... lonely.

He bit the inside of his cheek before ruffling Rui’s hair to distract himself, staring off beyond the expansive admission’s office.

It wasn’t long before the Headmaster strolled out, as usual he was in high spirits. Olivia and Cid got along well, just enough that it made Alabaster glad that they were all looked upon with favor. Because honestly, if they hadn’t, he would have sworn Cid looked only at her with favoritism. As he walked inside the man’s office, he picked a low desk, one filled to the brim with books and leaned against it. His arms were tight across his chest, his jaw tense. He just knew this wasn't what it seemed, that the headmaster had more to input.

Rui almost jumped three feet into the air when a hand planted itself onto zher head. Zhe might have “accidently” hit the person behind zhim had it not been Alabaster, but the second Rui registered his face, zher expression of surprise bloomed into a warm smile. “Al!”

“Pestering Eric again, huh?”
“Of course! I need my daily dose of Annoying-The-F-0ut-of-Eric. It’s part of a complete breakfast for—… hey!” Rui’s tone quickly turned into one of concern and zhe tried to stop Alabaster when he took the coffee out of zher hand, “careful Al! It’s still hot!” Rui was ready to get some cold water, but when Alabaster gave the cup back to zher without changing an expression, zhe relaxed.
“Try the hazelnut next time.”
“They’re out of hazelnut. Plus, I got this to ruin Eric’s suit. I needed it to be blacker than my soul.”

Before Rui had the chance to do anything else, Olivia appeared right next to Alabaster. It was subtle, but it would take more than subtle for Rui not to notice that an awkward moment passed between Olivia and Alabaster. A quick trip to memory lane gave Rui enough to know why. Zhe decided against commenting, however.

“Rui, was that really necessary? You can be such a bitch sometimes, it’s not healthy.”

Rui stuck zher tongue out at Olivia, “You know what else is not healthy? Overdrinking.” Zhe knew zhe didn’t have to say more to hint at the fact that Rui knew what crossed Olivia’s mind. Not that Kade’s arrival gave Rui or Olivia say much more.

As Kade spoke, Rui finally retaliated Alabaster toying by leaning all zher weight against him. If he was using zher head as an armrest, zhe was going to use him as a wall. It was a playful and harmless interaction. Rui could have done much worse in retaliation, but it was highly unlikely that Alabaster would ever be the target of such action. Compared to interaction’s with other people, Rui’s banter and toying with Alabaster was toned down signify. Almost like a vicious beast trying to pet a small fluffy animal: the pets are gentle and caring, but reserved as well; the beast wants to love and protect the small animal as best as it can, but it knows that monstrous things it could do. The beast knows it would eventually become feral and that it would hurt the small animal the most.

When Alabaster suddenly ruffled Rui’s hair, zhe looked up, ready to complain about how much time and care it took to make it look perfect, but ended up not saying a word as zhe stared at his face. Zhe unwrapped one of the granola bars and pressed it against the tall man’s lips. As soon as his lips parted, for one reason or another, Rui pushed the granola bar into his mouth then immediately ruffled his hair as much as zhe could. He still had to pay for messing zher hairdo after all. Such a terrible crime was quickly forgiven, however, as Rui gave a reassuring hand squeeze. Zhe didn’t actually say anything, but zhe wanted to let Alabaster that he was not alone.

Then, Cid Dysley came.

Instantly, Rui’s facial expression lost all warmth and zher body stiffened. Zhe said nothing to Cid like some of the others. Zhe just stared at it him with a blank stare. The only time Rui wasn’t a living statue during this brief moment was when Eric stood up to move. Rui turned to Eric and shoved the coffee and two granola bars into his hands. If Eric seemed confused, Rui simply responded with, “Better than throwing it away.” No one needed to know that zhe got extra granola bars just in case someone was in the same predicament as Eric nor did anyone need to know that coffee was a natural appetite suppressant that might help with Eric’s hunger for a short period of time. After Eric took Rui’s “leftovers,” Rui resumed being a living statue.

After everyone present entered his office, Cid finally broke the silent staring contest, “Will you not be joining us?”

---

“No, Headmaster Cid Dysley.” Rui’s voice and stare was just as aloof as the physical distance was between zhim and the headmaster, “I would to prefer to stay out here until my presence is required.” The corner’s of Rui’s mouth elevated, but Cid knew that the young graduate was not actually smiling, “Unless you would like to order me to come inside, Headmaster Cid Dysley.”

Cid held eye contact a little longer. Despite the space between them, he felt as though he could clearly see his own reflection from Rui’s dark deadpan eyes. He sighed and smiled weakly, “Come inside when you are ready, Rui. I’ll call you—… I’ll send one of your friends out to call you in when we need to begin.”

“As you command, Headmaster Cid Dysley.”

Before closing the door behind him, Cid turned back to look at Rui, “I’m sure you don’t need reminding, but Dr. Edrik is expected to show up… to talk with your appointed team leader.”

Rui’s eye twitched once and only once. “You tell me this as if I have a choice in the matter, Headmaster Cid Dysley.” Rui “smiled” once again, “I advise ‘you’ to not provide the illusion of freedom, if ‘you’ have no intention of giving it… Headmaster Cid Dysley.”

Eric gave Rui a glance from above his glasses, then immediately returned to his book. He'd grown used to her annoyances over the years and frankly it was less annoying more exasperating, really. The events of the previous night had been an exercise in tolerance for him; he had Ramuh to thank for defending his pristine shirt from ever getting wet by her attempts to spill drinks on him. Every time she did, the offending liquids bounced harmlessly off Ramuh and landed on the floor, mostly onto her shoes. Granted she'd been way too drunk to notice, and that was just how he liked it. Even now, as Rui teased his growling stomach with the promise of strong coffee and one of those delicious granola bars, he felt Ramuh gently crackle over his chest, invisible mostly save for a few orange sparks that spat from his buttons.

Then Alabaster showed up and spared him the thought of actually responding. As the lanky young man tousled Rui's hair, he was shortly followed by Kade. The threat of more suit staining went unnoticed, though Ramuh flared at the young woman's words. Eric merely glanced down at his chest, shook his head and muttered under his breath.

"It's not worth pursuing, old man."

As the temperamental spirit settled down, Olivia showed, prim and proper though barefoot, as he idly noted. Her platform pumps were grasped in one hand and she appeared slightly flustered but otherwise alright. He surmised that waking up this morning had been rough on her, so he snapped his book closed and returned it to his inner jacket pocket, turning his attention to her.

"Olivia. You look like you need something to drink. A strong coffee perhaps."

Of course, at that moment headmaster Cid appeared from within the office. Rui immediately snapped to attention, thankfully, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed her glance towards him, her hands gently tensing around the coffee cup and granola bars. Expecting her to move, he merely turned towards her and opened his hands and, true enough, she bolted forward and deposited the cup and bars straight into his waiting hands. With a smirk and a nod, Eric took breakfast and handed Olivia a bar and the cup, in one smooth motion of course, as was his norm.

"There you are, Olivia. Coffee, strong and bitter, and an energy bar. I know lunch is around the corner but this should tide you over until then."

He knew his instinctual abilities infuriated Rui to no end. Just as she annoyed him, so he would anger her.

Meanwhile Olivia was busy giving Cid a big warm hug, so he waited. He and the headmaster were on good terms, though they spoke rarely for the most part. He stood straighter and gave the old man a warm smile as greeting.

"Morning, Headmaster. Cheerful, as always, hm?"

"Always, Eric. But you should learn to relax, dressing so proper like that so early in the day."

He smiled and bowed his head in mild embarrassment.

"Headmaster, you should know by now I always dress like this. I don't have anything else, except for those shirts the others gave me on my birthday last year."

Cid grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

"So serious! Lighten up, Eric!"

With a chuckle he returned the grin and shook his head.

"I'll try, Headmaster. I'll try."

He muttered a soft thanks as he entered the old man's office, choosing to stand to one side of the door as the rest filed in slowly.

Main Story — Oakridge Administration Offices — Friday, 11:30-40 AM

Olivia smiled at Eric and took care of the offerings handed to her. Even though she had already had her morning coffee, it could not hurt with another one. However, Olivia did not want to allow Rui the pleasure of her snappy retort. Olivia frowned slightly, though with a mischievous smirk and playful tone in her voice.
"Thanks, Eric, but Rui doesn't think that overdrinking is healthy, so I really shouldn't be having this second cup of coffee. I might just explode and reveal my robot self," Olivia chuckled, mocking Rui in regards to how she behaved around the Headmaster.

Olivia had always secretly been jealous of Kade’s natural, tanned skin and attractive eyes. During the summer, getting Olivia’s pale skin to glow with aureate coloration was a race around the clock. Not only was it her own desire, but it was also expected of her by particular individuals at the academy. Coming back to school in autumn without a tan was social suicide for some girls, especially those like Olivia. However, due to how she was as a person, being able to hang out and talk with anyone, it would not be as bad for her as it would others who could not or did not want to associate with different groups.
A wide smile surfaced on Olivia’s lips. She approached Kade and wrapped her arms tightly around the exotic beaut.

"Sure thing, sweetie," Olivia said. She turned her head to glance at the Headmaster.
"Will we have time after this meeting?" Olivia continued. One could tell that Cid wanted to allow his favorite students all the freedom that he could spare, but the time had come to grow up. The friends' first, serious mission was upon them, and they needed every minute that they could spare to focus on the task at hand.
"I'm afraid not. This meeting is about your first mission as graduates and WARG, which you've known for quite some time now, I presume. I'm sorry," the old man said with a soft tone, looking to Olivia and Kade.
"Well, we'll try to get to the city after this anyway," Olivia said, gently took ahold of Kade's hand and led them both into the Headmaster's office.

While everyone had gathered inside the Headmaster's office, Rui was still outside in the waiting room, refusing to step inside unless ordered to. Olivia made herself visible by the Headmaster's side, and then spoke. "Come on, Rui, don't be an evil snail." There was not much else that Olivia could do, so she left the matter to Rui's choice, if there was such a thing. Dr. Edrik would eventually come along and force her inside, anyway. The Headmaster chose to leave the door to his office slightly ajar, and then he began to make his case.

"Well, as you may or may not know, you've been selected as this year's squad for the WARG program," Cid began.
"I don't like to keep my students in the dark, so I'll just tell you why you have been chosen. The reason is simple: all of you share a unique bond, a sense of trust that is difficult to create amongst students that have not known each other as you do, or been through the same hardships as all of you have," he continued.
"You will become WARG's most unconventional group, but that's a good thing, as we need those as well. However, this also means that you will receive unconventional missions, tasks that the Administration believes no other group can accomplish. The Administration has also chosen to name Olivia the squad leader for the same reason that this whole group was selected for WARG," the Headmaster said and looked to Olivia, whom was slightly startled.
"She has kept all of you together for so many years now that she might as well continue to do just that. Any other choice would certainly disrupt that sense of trust the Administration is so fervently interested in. Olivia will make the executive decisions in the field, but only after she has considered all of your input," he said.

Olivia’s eyes sailed rapidly across the room, catching everyone’s reactions. This was the first time in many years that she had felt self-conscious in the presence of her friends. She had taken the leadership courses in school, but it was mostly for meeting the credit criteria for the next semester. They had always done things together. There never was a single leader among them, except Samuel of course. It was in this moment that Olivia realized that she had gotten his job. This squad leader position was supposed to go to Samuel, not her.

The Headmaster sat down in his chair, and sighed.

"Now, you all know that I don't agree with most of Sanctum's decisions in this war, and I would never send newly graduated students to deal with them, but the Administration feels otherwise, and they think that this is a good opportunity for us," he said and paused for a second.

"Your first mission is to investigate the disappearance of a Sanctum Inquisitor. In the best case scenario, he has simply been killed by the Mordrem. However, in the worst case scenario, the Inquisitor has gone rouge. I’m sure it’s just a mistake or malfunctioning communications, but remember your training and what you learned about Inquisitors in school, and you’ll be fine,” the Headmaster said.

The Sanctum Inquisition is the dreaded elite of the official military force. Even if they are part of the government, they heed their own laws and codes of conduct. Sanctum itself is pale in comparison to the zealous fanatics that are the Inquisition. They are known to burn towns to the ground and people alive when rumored of being infected by Stigma. There are no exceptions and there is no mercy. Inquisitors are what is known as ‘meta-Guardians’. Unlike normal Guardians who attained their spirits during their life, Inquisitors were born with them and have an incredibly strong bond with Gaia. When they are recruited into the Sanctum Inquisition, their identities are destroyed and they become completely anonymous. To enhance their intimidating and commanding presence, and to protect who they are, all Inquisitors wear various, intimidating helmets that mask their faces.

“Where are we going?” Olivia finally broke the silence.

“You ship out in two hours. A shuttle will take you to a small town called Doral, which is east of here near the coast, past Mount Kinabalu. So, gather your things and make ready. The shuttle will wait for you outside the academy gates at 1400 hours,” the Headmaster said.

This was it. They had received their first, proper orders as members of the Special Warfare and Reconnaissance group. Olivia usually did not feel anxious about anything, but this unexpected and sudden responsibility hit her like a truck on the freeway. Her mind rushed in all directions and her heart pulsed at an unreasonable pace. There were so many questions that she needed answers for, but one of them towered above all else: how would this change her relationship with her friends? She already had troubles with distinguishing between personal and professional, so the Administration’s decision to make her the squad leader was strange. Olivia was never their leader after Samuel and Helston, nobody was. It is true that she had taken it upon herself to keep them together, as glue, but that is a role far removed from taking the first step in the field of battle.

Olivia did not know what to feel or what to think. The girl just had to sit down for a moment, so she seated herself in the comfortable chair by the window, next to a statue of two parents cherishing their newborn child.

Main Story – Music – Oakridge Campus – Friday, 11:36 AM

Alabaster let the granola bar sit on his lips for a second before slowly clamping it between his teeth. He looked down Rui with a quaint smile. Zhe reminded him … no, made him realize that loneliness could be conquered. As Cid explained the situation, Alabaster could not help the obvious, relief-filled sigh that escaped him.

And then Olive’s position was announced. Unlike the others, who may had reacted in predictable manners; anger, acceptance, happiness. Alabaster remained rather stoic, the only change being a quick glance towards the office floor than back at Cid. This was just another excuse for him to accept. Another reason to not stay away from her. But he didn’t need to be closer to her.

His blue eyes held a glow to them as he glanced towards Olive.

“Congrats, Olive. You deserve it.” he said after the end of everything. For a long moment, he could feel the need to stay within her circle anchoring him to the ground. He simply stared at her or more so, at the Samuel he saw in her. Again, that wisp of gray shuddered in his peripheral. Alabaster decided he wouldn't give it time to warn him. A faint smile pulled his lips as he brought his fist up for her to bump it. After she did, he started out the door.

Beginning to leave, Alabaster paused in front of Rui, stuffed his hands in his pocket, and with a single arm brought zher into his chest. “Thanks for earlier. I needed it.” The hug was quick.

On one hand, now he got to spend more time with everyone. On the other, more dreadful hand, he was forced to spend more time with everyone. Whether he had someone to join him or not, he would head to his room to pack his things.

Rui instinctively turned zher attention to the hallway when zhe felt a familiar presence approach Cid’s office. As if on cue, Dr. Edrik appeared from the corner and into the area, which Rui was waiting patiently in. Dr. Edrik —or Aethelberht Uisdean Edrik— was one of the key scientists of the Stigma Project and liaison between Oakridge Military Academy and Stigma Project headquarters. It was unlikely, however, that anyone knew about Dr. Edrik or his accomplishments without hearing about his family first: the House of Edrik was an influential family famous for putting their hands into just about anything, although they are primarily seen in the world of business and politics; they even had a seat in the Sanctum. With the name Edrik attached, no one dared to cross Dr. Edrik lightly—… except for Rui who just punched the man straight across the face the second he greeted zhim.

“87,” he said as he straightened himself up. He seemed to be waiting for the next punch to come within the next five seconds, but when the five seconds passed, Dr. Edrik’s eyebrow rose, “Are you done already? Seeing that you have 13 punches left, I thought you would have exhausted them to stop me from entering the room. You do realize this may be your last chance to punch me?”
“That’s for me to decide.”
“Ah, I see: the illusion of choice. Well then,” Dr. Edrik fished out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped off the blood on his mouth, “shall we get this over with?” Dr. Edrik and Rui walked into Cid’s office and shut the door behind them.

---

“I don't like to keep my students in the dark, so I'll just tell you why you have been chosen. The reason is simple: all of you share a unique bond, a sense of trust that is difficult to create amongst students that have not known each other as you do, or been through the same hardships as all of you have.”

Dr. Edrick could just see the anger radiating off of Rui the more Cid spoke; he managed to press all the wrong buttons on Rui just by talking. It was a talent really. Or perhaps he was doing it one purpose? Perhaps it was both. Dr. Edrik did have to give credit where credit was due: Rui managed to keep zher rage contained successfully. He didn’t need another incident like the last one happening right now.


The doors went flying across the room when Rui barged zher way into his office, “WHY THE F**K AM I IN WARG WITH THEM, YOU MOTHER F******G S**M CHUGGER!?”

Unlike his assistant, who was absolutely mortified and ready to dive straight towards the panic button, Dr. Edrik looked at Rui with disinterest. He eyed the other scientist and shook his head, “No need. Leave us be.”

“B-but sir.”

As a laboratory that deals with both the Stigma Project and young Guardians, it was not rare for students go berserk. There was always security on standby for just such an occasion. Unlike other students, however, those who were second-class citizens and part of the Stigma Project were more likely to be put down at the spot or sent to a facility with maximum security where they will never see the day of light again. Dr. Edrik spent over a decade on test subject Rui, he would not have something like this end his work prematurely. “Do not worry, it is nothing more than a temper tantrum. I will be fine.” His assistant looked at him and then at Rui hesitantly. “You are excused,” he said sternly.

After watching the scientist leave, Dr. Edrik continued his conversation with Rui, “I do not see what the problem is exactly. WARG is an elite force: you should feel honored that you were even considered to be a candidate. Are you aware how difficult it is for low lives like you to be in WARG?”

“I get that I’m the equivalent to a condom to your people; use me just to throw me away along with all your little problems and dirty secrets. But that’s not what I’m talking about a****g! Why am I in the same team as them?”

It took a moment for Dr. Edrik to realize that Rui was referring to zher childhood friends from Helston, “Well, I would have thought you would have been overjoyed by the news.”

A good knuckle to the jaw told Dr. Edik that his assumptions were wrong. “80,” he rubbed his jaw, “congratulations, you now only have 20 more free punches before you are sent off to the pound.”

“They shouldn’t have to know about it! They don’t need to know!”

He was surprised that he didn’t laugh at the statement, “Do not tell me that you are afraid of them discovering how much of a monster you truly are? All, if not most, of your friends already know you are a devilish imp; I highly doubt their impression of you can get any worse… Or perhaps it will? Who knows, I am not an expert in human psychology.”

“Why did you put me in their team!?”
“I did no such thing. Administration made the final decision. I only provided the necessary information that was required from me.”
“Then why did they put me in their team!?”
“Because you are their ‘friend’.”
“B******t! That’s not the reason why!”
“I think you misunderstand me: they did not put you in their team out of generosity. They teamed you up with your friends so that it would be, theoretically, difficult for you to abandon them or outright murder them during a mission.”

Rui stared at Dr. Edrik, speechless. But not for long. Soon, zhe started to burst into a maniacal laughter. “Seriously?” zhe asked no one in particular before continuing to laugh at an unfunny “joke.” The small student suddenly grabbed Dr. Edrik’s desk and flung it directly into the wall. The scientist sighed. Such a mess. “SERIOUSLY!?”

“We both know you would have attempted to escape the second the chance was presented to you. You cannot deny that the thought crossed your mind on multiple occasions.”
“So this is basically blackmail.”
“Oh please, you give yourself too much credit: this is not all about you. Unlike you, the other members of the team are not expendable. There were many other factors that determined the outcome of the Administration’s decision. Blackmail was only a fragment of it.”

Rui growled in response, but eventually fell silent and deep into thought. He wasn’t sure if zhe was listening anymore, “Think of it this way: you will be able to spend more time with your close friends and if you are lucky, you will die in their arms… or by their hand. You will not have to die in solitude… On the off chance that they decide to abandon you for what you are, then your belief about the world would simply be reaffirmed. You can die alone knowing that you were always right.”


“Now, you all know that I don't agree with most of Sanctum's decisions in this war, and I would never send newly graduated students to deal with them, but the Administration feels otherwise, and they think that this is a good opportunity for us,” he said and paused for a second. He looked at the Guardians to make sure everything he said sank in. When his eyes landed on Rui, he was met with a judging stare that said, “Excuses. All you have are excuses. You’re all the same” in silence. Cid didn’t let that stop him from finishing his briefing, however.


Dr. Edrik approached Olivia, “Ms. Celestine, may I have a moment of your time?” It was a rhetorical question of course. The scientist escorted the newly appointed leader into a room where he, Olivia, and Cid could sit down while having enough table space to show off important documents. “As leader,” Dr. Edrik began as soon as everyone sat down, “you have many responsibilities. You obviously do not need me to tell you this, however, I am here to tell you that you will have additional responsibilities that many WARG leaders do not have.” He opened the unusually thick file on Rui and selected specific documents for Olivia to read. “Before I talk about your additional responsibilities, I first must explain the current situation Rui is placed in. As you may or may not know, it is a second-class citizen. As such…”

---

The room was filled with silence. It was hard for Dr. Edrik to tell what Olivia was thinking or feeling as she stared at the documents that lay before her. Suspecting that she was not actually reading the papers anymore, he collected them and replaced them with a number of contacts that needed her signature. As he started to get ready to leave, he began to explain what the contacts were for, “You will need to read the fine print for the details, but the contract on your left states that you fully acknowledge your duty and that you promise you will keep the lab up to date on Rui’s condition. I know for a fact that Rui will not contact us itself, so it is vital that you keep record and report to us. The contract to your right basically grants pardon to any crime that you, and those under your command, do against Rui. It tries to avoid saying it outright, but it gives you permission to kill government property. So no charges will be pressed against you if and when you do dispose of Rui.” Dr. Edrik checked the time and gathered his belongings to leave, “Now you must excuse me, Ms. Celestine. I have other pressing matters to attend to. Please be sure to turn in the documents before you prepare for your mission. We cannot allow your team leave without them.” If Olivia said anything —protest or even a simple goodbye— Dr. Edrik did not respond. It seemed as though he would have left the room without uttering a single word, but then he stopped at the entrance. “I will not be surprised if you are hesitant to murder someone you consider a friend, but you will be doing the world and Rui a favor by putting it out of it’s misery. It is no coincidence that Guardians involved in the Stigma Project are prone to attracting ‘negative’ spirits. Ending Rui’s life will always be a mercy kill.” Then he left.

“Ethel, wait.” Cid chased the scientist, leaving Olivia alone in a room with pieces of paper that demanded her signature.

“You should know better than to be calling Rui an ‘it’ in front of Olivia, Ethel.”
“And you should know better than to be playing favorites, Cid. It is unprofessional.”
“I care about all my students.”
“There are exactly 195 ‘its’ in this academy alone. If you truly cared about them, you would have done something, anything, to change their situation.”
“Do you honestly think I agree with second-class citizenship?”
“You can talk about how much you disagree about it as much and as long as you want Cid, but actions speak louder than words. We had 215 ‘its’ yesterday and we still have 195 ‘its’ currently enrolled here; twenty of them officially graduated and are forever out of your reach. You had your chance since the very first second-class citizen was admitted to this academy, Cid. Stop pretending you care. At this point, you only come off as a hypocrite. Now that we have wasted enough of our precious time on a trivial matter such as ‘what pronoun should we call Rui,’ I must leave immediately or I will not have enough time to help it get ready for the mission. I am sure you have your own work to focus on as well.”

The two older men entered the waiting room where, true to it’s name, Rui was waiting in. “We are done here,” Dr. Edrik announced.

Rui approached him anxiously, “Does… does she know?”
“Yes.”
“Is she going to tell the others?”
“She will decide whether or not to tell the others… though I did advise not to. At least, not until the team gets used to their new position.”
“How’d… she take it?”
“I believe you will find out soon enough. Why do you ask? Are you finally going to use up your punches if she cried?”
Rui grinned, “I might do the exact opposite, actually.”
“I am not entirely sure if I want to know what the ‘opposite’ of a punch is. Remember, I only agreed to punches, nothing else.”
“I know,” Rui finally looked at Cid. Out of habit zhe was about to change to a blank expression, then zhe remembered what the meeting with Olivia meant. Rui smirked at Cid, “I suppose this means you finally got rid of me. Oh, you don’t need to say anything, old geezer; the feeling is mutual. I hope I never see you again. Goodbye, Headmaster. Cid. Dysley.” Rui presented a big authentic smile full of malice that managed to appear angelic. It had been years since Cid saw Rui smile at him. Zher last words to him were, “Thanks for nothing” before zhe stomped zher way out of the admissions department with Dr. Edrik tagging along behind zhim. Half way through, Rui snapped the Oakridge student ID card in half, threw it to the ground, and stepped on it for good measure.

Cid lost Rui’s respect ages ago; he betrayed any hope Rui had in him and “adults” in general. He had years to redeem himself and he failed. With Rui officially out of his jurisdiction and deemed “useless” by zhim, Rui was more than happy to say what he already knew to Cid’s face. He half expected Rui to brutally attack him. Then again, the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.