i'd stop the world from moving, i'd stop the clocks from turning

Because I said this before and I'll say it again; I love the NPCs in Trails like no other series.

Note that the sections don't all take place at the same time – they're all in the nebulous 'last days before Class VII leaves' timeframe that the game tosses at us. SPOILERS for the end of CSII!

Thors Military Academy, Art Room

Linde held her breath, her right hand gingerly applying deft finishing strokes with the piece of charcoal, and part of her couldn't help but wonder when her movements had become so precise and steady.

She supposed that her work on the Courageous must have played a large part; with a console that complex and the stakes so high, she couldn't have afforded to be sloppy. There were definitely perks to being a radio operator, it looked like.

So lost was she in her work that her normally keen ears didn't hear the door opening, and it was only when the pink haired girl leaned back with a satisfied sigh that she noticed the tall lancer standing directly behind her, looking quite impressed.

Her reaction was predictable, to say the least. Linde hadn't changed that much, after all.

"G-Gaius!" she exclaimed, nearly falling out of her chair at the sight of the Nord boy, and much to her chagrin the all too familiar sensation of blood rushing to her cheeks soon followed. Joy.

"Apologies Linde," her clubmate greeted, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "I didn't mean to startle you. I'd have said something when I walked in, but you were concentrating so hard that it would have been a shame to interrupt…"

"N-No, that's quite all right!" she replied in a half laugh, half gasp, her heart rate slowly starting to come down. "You didn't. Um, startle me, that is," Linde added hastily, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt in an attempt to regain at least a little dignity.

Not that she felt it was working any, but it was the thought that counted.

"If you say so," he said, calm as ever. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you working on?"

Oh, good, art. She was much more comfortable with this.

"Ah, well…"

Linde debated explaining what it was for a moment before she decided to step aside; if her art couldn't speak for itself, then she really was in trouble next year.

Gaius glanced at the canvas for only a second or two, and his delighted laugh was a good enough evaluation as any.

"This is a landscape of Thors from the viewpoint of the upper deck of the Courageous, isn't it?" he asked, turning his head to the side.

Linde nodded, looking proud. "I remember when we touched down for the first time after Trista was liberated, and I-I wanted to preserve how it looked, how I felt… everything."

"I understand," Gaius replied, his tone warm. "Your work here is excellent, by the way. The use of erasure and shading to create light is really something else, especially considering how easy it is to overdo things with charcoal smudging. This is a fantastic piece."

In spite of everything Linde found herself blushing again, but the pride she felt wouldn't let itself be denied. "Thank you, Gaius. That means a lot coming from you. I just… I hope it's enough for next year, you know?"

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I remember being joining the Art Club on the first day and being absolutely stunned at what Clara was capable of. Next year, when it's just me, I really want to…"

She trailed off then, looking uncertain, and the lancer's eyes softened in understanding.

"You're going to do a great job at running the club, Linde," he promised, cutting right to the heart of the matter, and she couldn't hear a hint of well-meaning deceit. "I know you will. You've grown so much since I first met you, and if I weren't leaving Thors I'd have been honored to have been your number two."

Her gaze flew up, stunned. "Wait, you think that I'd still have been – even if you…?"

Gaius nodded resolutely. "There would be no one better."

... Wow.

"Not to break this little pep talk up," a third voice broke in, and the boy and girl turned to see their president setting up at her usual station with a bored expression on her face, "but Worzel's one hundred percent right. You're gonna be fine with or without us, so stop wasting time that could be used to create. You're an artist, remember? That's what you're here for, and that's the attitude you'd better show everybody next year."

The taller boy grinned broadly. "Well said, Clara. Though I don't think any of the new first years would be opposed to you getting that message across a little more… approachably."

Clara simply snorted at that, turning away to unwrap her tools.

"I… I…" she started, before taking a deep breath and collecting herself, facing them both with a firm expression on her face.

"Thank you both. I won't let either of you down, I promise."

"We know you won't," Gaius said with a kind smile, before gesturing to his easel with a wave of his hand. "On another note; would it be too much trouble if I got your opinion on the rest of this? I started my preliminary sketching from a rooftop perspective, so I was going to head up there and finish before starting the real work. A mira for your thoughts when I'm done?"

"Certainly," Linde agreed, setting her charcoal down. "I'm just about finished anyway. Are you staying here Clara, or…?"

A sniff. "Hmm, that's sounding an awful lot like 'hey Clara, would you like to haul a half-done sculpture and your tools up a flight of stairs to watch someone else draw', so I think I'll pass."

Gaius laughed, taking no offense. "We'll see you when we get back, then. Shall we?"

Thors Military Academy, Student Union 2nd Floor

Machias crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, his hand coming up to adjust his glasses in a manner that Stefan had come to recognize all too well, and when the gunman moved his rook three spaces up the second year saw how much trouble he was in.

"Damn it," he muttered, reading through the sequence and understanding that there was no good way out of the situation without surrendering a piece, and he was down in the count as it was.

His opponent didn't say anything, the only sounds coming from the hustle and bustle of students traversing the corridor to his back, but the look of confidence on his face told the entire story.

"I'll play your game," Stefan said at last, making the expected sacrifice while the gears in his head churned furiously, trying to figure out some way – any way – out of the bind his forces were in.

It was always best to play on until all possible avenues were exhausted, anyways. Having the intelligent first year as a clubmate had taught him that. Graceful resignation was demanded by chess etiquette, but giving up too early was a bad habit to get into.

"Hmm," Machias replied in something that was probably approval. "Not to try and break your concentration, but when did you say the upper class club was coming for that match again?"

"Oh, in two days," Stefan answered, debating the possibilities in his mind. "It was difficult to lock down an exact date with the second years all worried about exams – "

A scoff.

"Along with Class VII," Stefan added, chuckling a little at the younger teen, "but we managed to come to a consensus. You'll still be free, right?"

"I can't see why I wouldn't be. The study sessions that Emma and I run don't start until everyone's available after clubs wrap up for the day, and I wouldn't want to miss the chance to beat those bluebloods one last time."

Stefan barely stifled a laugh at that; while the words and sentiment may have been textbook Machias, the underlying anger and scorn that would have been there at the start of the year was gone, having been replaced with the simple determination to win for its own sake.

His poker face, however, apparently could have used some work, because Machias immediately bristled in suspicion.

"What's so funny?" the gunman challenged, some of the old brashness returning to his voice.

"It's nothing. I'm just comparing how much calmer you are about these games than you were about the last ones. It's a pretty big change."

"… Yes. Well." He paused for a moment, his eyes closing. "Over the course of my time at Thors, I've… changed my viewpoints on a number of things. For the better, I feel."

Stefan stayed silent.

"I have many people I need to thank for that," Machias continued, before raising his head to look at Stefan. "Now's a good a time as any to let you know that you're one of them."

Blue eyes widened behind square lenses at his friend's solemn tone. "R-Really? I don't think I – "

"I remember that you never wanted to stop bridging the gap between the two clubs in spite of our conflict, believing that our shared love of the game should trump all else. I also remember feeling that was being far too optimistic, but when all was said and done, you were right and I was wrong."

He took a deep breath, the game forgotten. "I may still have a long way to go, but I understand now that I'm going to get there eventually. So… thanks."

Stefan was utterly speechless for a second before he managed to summon his voice for a reply, still taken aback – and truthfully, more than a little touched by – the younger boy's frank admission.

"I need to thank you too, Machias. To be honest, before you came along I'd almost given up any hope of this club ever becoming anything more than a footnote, but then you showed up and turned out to be the best clubmate anyone could have asked for! I'm not sure who's going to run this club next year with both of us gone, but I hope that with everything you've helped me do it won't be any trouble to get it up and running again."

The green haired boy chuckled a little, letting his head drop again. "That's high praise. I'm not entirely sure if I lived up to it, but…"

"You did. You absolutely did," Stefan assured him as he looked up. "In fact – "

When a sudden choking noise ended his sentence, Machias looked up at his pale club president, confused. "Stefan? What's wrong?"

"… W-Were you supposed to help Dorothee edit something today, by any chance?"

"That's right, I agreed to it when Emma asked me yesterday – which reminds me," Machias said, a metaphorical light bulb going off and ushering in a bleak realization, "our door was open this whole time, wasn't it?"

A nod.

"Dorothee's standing in their club room doorway and overheard the whole thing, didn't she."

Another nod, and the gunman's hand came up to massage his temples; Goddess only knew Stefan could relate.

"… She's going to start saying things now, I imagine."

A loud clap.

"How could I not after such a wonderful moment?! Oh, only in the pure friendship between men would you find such unfettered, heartfelt emotion on display, bare for all to see! The only thing that this scenario needs to be truly complete would be a warm embrace between the two, and then – "

"EMMA!"

Thors Military Academy, Home Economics Room

"C'mon Lammy!" Millium cheered, whisking as furiously as her arm would allow. "We've got a lot of recipes to make before we go, so let's blast through 'em!"

From the front of the room, Nicholas raised his eyebrows at the minute girl's higher than normal enthusiasm… which was really saying something considering how energetic she normally was. "I see someone's fired up."

"But of course!" Margarita proclaimed in her usual grandiose manner, her attention briefly being diverted from the pastries she was frosting. "If our time at the Cooking Club is almost at an end, then we must use what time we do have to the fullest! How would I be able to call myself the next head of the club – much less a member of the nobility – if I did not?"

"Yeah, what she said! Y'know, without the nobility stuff."

Nicholas could only shake his head and chuckle under his breath, carefully stirring his reduction on the stove-top all the while. His club may have been a handful at times, but they had enthusiasm and heart in spades, and there was no doubting that he would really miss them when graduation came. The girls had grown on him, they truly had – which made taking their ambitious days a whole lot easier.

"You don't really plan to make every recipe I have here, do you?" he asked, remembering Millium's bold proclamation when she and Airgetlam had burst into the Home Economics room.

A furious nod. "Uh huh! Like she said, we don't have a whole lotta time left, so me and Lammy need to make the most of it! Afterwards… well, I'm probably gonna be real busy after this, so we won't have the chance to do stuff like this anymore, right?"

Ah.

So, that was it.

Millium's speech hadn't slowed and a bright grin was still fixed on her face, but there had been a certain spark missing from her normally ebullient personality – something that, judging by the look of sympathy on Margarita's face, the noble girl saw too.

Well now. That simply wouldn't do.

"Not so busy that you'd be unable to make time for two old friends in the future, would you?" Nicholas teased lightly, lifting the spoon to taste the fruits of his labor.

The tiny girl blinked. "Huh? Well, yeah I probably could, but you guys wouldn't – "

"Hmph! I for one would gladly find time – far be it from me to forget about a friend. That's almost as preposterous as me forgetting about my dear Vincent; such a thing could never happen!" Margarita declared proudly.

"Absolutely," Nicholas agreed, reaching out to grab some salt and deciding that any comments he had about Margarita's affections were best kept to himself. "While you and I may be leaving, Margarita clearly has designs on continuing to improve, and she'll be sure to learn even more as she goes on. I'll be trying to do the same thing myself, and mark my words; when I see you girls again, I'll be more than glad to cook you up a feast that shows you how far I'll have come! Assuming, of course," he added with a smile, "that you'll both be up for handling desserts. You two seemed to have a flair for that part of a meal."

For a moment or two, Millium appeared to be totally speechless before she smiled again, and this time when she spoke to them every syllable sang with joy.

"You bet, Nicholas! You two keep working and getting all good and stuff, and when the time comes I'll make desserts so awesome you guys won't know what hit you! Right, Lammy?"

The burst of high-pitched static soared and twined with Margarita's happy laugh, and Nicholas nodded and smiled, returning to his stirring with his heart light once again. At the end of the day, he would be fine, and so would they.

That was all that mattered, as far as he was concerned.

Thors Military Academy, Gardens

"Whew! Finally finished," Vivi exclaimed, standing up from her plot and looking at the freshly turned dirt with a satisfied expression. "That's all of them on my end!"

"Same," Fie added in, the ex-jaeger evening out one last pile of soil before stepping back, patting her hands on her skirt. "Those new seeds'll look great in full bloom for sure. Right, Edel?"

"I'm sure they will," the second year agreed, her violet eyes sparkling with the satisfaction of a job well done as she stood up from her own spot. "How could they not, being planted by the two of you?"

"And you too, remember?" Fie was quick to point out, raising a slim eyebrow. "Wasn't like we did all the work, y'know."

A mock gasp. "Hey, now! Why get in the way of perfectly good flattery, Fie? A little goes a long way to making a girl feel good~!"

Fie snorted. "And a lot might go a long way to turning me into you. I'll pass."

"Oh, I don't think that'd be such a baaaaaad thing…" Vivi mock-pouted, trying mightily to keep her lips from twitching up into a grin.

"Now now," Edel told them with a chuckle, adjusting her ever-present hat with a placid smile. "Shouldn't you two save what's left of your energy for dealing with what's waiting at your dorms?"

"Don't remind me," the white haired girl griped, looking a little put out. "I don't know what's worse, the storm of exams Class VII has coming or the study sessions that Emma and Machias are putting on. Slave drivers…"

Vivi winced in sympathy. "Not gonna lie, that sounds pretty crappy."

"Indeed," Edel sighed, putting one hand to her cheek. "Are you doing all right with your preparation for finals? The both of you," she added with a look of concern at Vivi.

"No complaints so far! Reviewing's going fine so far, and even when it doesn't… well, Linde's around," the pink haired girl told them with a snicker. "Making my study buddy squirm's always a nice pick me up."

"You're a good sister, Vivi," Fie deadpanned.

"I try. How are things with you?"

She shrugged. "Rough, but that's the same case with everyone. Even the four-eyed wonders are working overtime when they think no one sees – "

"Yeah, but when you think about the fringe benefits I can't blame either one of them. Machias is pretty hot when he's all focused and glare-y, and Emma… well, we've all seen Emma."

"… I'm ignoring what you just said. Anyway, somehow everything from the review sessions are sticking in my head, so I should be ready when finals come around, and then…"

She trailed off, leaving a heavy silence in the air.

Surprisingly, it was Vivi who broke it first, all teasing gone from her voice. "And you're sure you're gonna be okay after, right?"

"I'm pretty sure. Not the first time I've had to strike out on my own, and it won't be the last. Besides, I've got stuff to do."

"If you say so. Just… be careful, all right?" Vivi told her, her words heartfelt and solemn. "You Class VII people are super-badass and all that, but… still."

Fie blinked twice before a small smile worked its way across her face at her clubmate's concern. "Don't worry. I'm not about to get careless, especially considering what I'll be doing after. Thanks, though. It means a lot."

Wonder of wonders, Vivi's cheeks actually flushed at that.

".. Hehe."

Edel's giggle made the two first years turn in stereo, and the sight of their nigh-identical confused expressions made her giggle harder.

"Edel?"

"What's up?"

The second year took a moment to collect herself before giving the two girls a fond look, her eyes soft.

"You know, I remember when I first met you both, when I told you all about caring for plants. How to watch them, nurture them, and help them to make sure they bloom as best as they possibly can, and now – look at you now."

Her violet gaze swept over them again, and this time the fondness was mixed with a fierce pride that neither of them was certain they'd ever seen on their quiet leader before.

"I'm so proud of how the two of you have bloomed in the time I've known you. I'm proud that I played a small part in helping you two along, and I'm proud to have been the head of your Gardening Club. Goddess above, you've both come so far."

Edel might not have been renowned for speeches – or speaking a lot, in general – but Fie just knew that, like she had with most of Rean's, she'd carry the words she heard with her to the end of her days, carving them into her heart so they'd never be forgotten.

As for Vivi…

"Are you crying?" the ex-jaeger asked quizzically, tilting her head – diplomacy, it seemed, was not part of the blooming process.

"N-No! Of course not!" she denied, her hand rushing across her face to wipe the tears away. "Don't be dumb…!"

"Man. You totally are," the white haired girl sighed, and Edel watched as the smaller first year moved over a few steps, raised her right hand, and settled it on top of Vivi's head with a gentle touch that she had only ever given the flowers she had tended.

"W-What are you – "

"This is what Rean does whenever he wants to cheer someone up," she explained, patting the upset pinkette a few more times. "It seems to work for him, so…"

"Oh, does it? Perhaps I should help too, then," Edel decided, and in short order the second year's delicate hand joined Fie's atop Vivi's head, much to her chagrin.

"H-Hey, stop – you can't seriously think that – ugh, how does this even work on people, anyway…?!" Vivi protested without moving a rige, and when Edel reached out to draw them both into a loose hug she sniffled and reached back to return the embrace, thanking them both in the only way that she could.

And all the while –

"Hey, look on the bright side. You finally got your hands on Edel, Vivi."

"Shut up, Fie!"

– the flowers danced in the breeze.

Thors Military Academy, Academy Field

The ball seemed to vanish, a white blur streaking through the air, before a stick flashed out and captured it within its netting, and down the field – the sight of purple.

Another blur, another catch, and Alisa and Ferris were off running once again, Theresia and Emily close behind.

It wasn't like this before, Alisa noted, some part of her brain still being able to make clinical observations despite the adrenaline surging through her body right now.

When she had first met Ferris, the noble girl had been determined to prove her superiority over the Reinford heiress; pushy, rude, and nothing but abrasive in the face of Alisa's attempts at non-hostility (because truthfully, true friendship with her clubmate had seemed about as far away as the sun), the kindest thing the blonde could say about her was that she never shied away from putting the work in to truly pull ahead. Ferris Florald, for all her bluster, had never used her highborn blood as an excuse to avoid toil, which was more than could be said for a lot of the other nobles at Thors.

She wouldn't have been surprised if subconsciously, that was why she could never truly have hated Ferris in spite of her flaws; Alisa knew all too well what it was like to rely on effort when talent alone would not suffice.

Her crimson eyes flew upward then, tracking the movements of her teammate, and when she stopped running and shifted her weight, Alisa immediately cut left.

The pass rocketed right to Alisa, and the archer sighted and caught the ball in one fluid motion, her own feet starting to propel her further down the field.

Ferris' mouth turned upwards. "Splendid read."

Alisa shot her a quick wink back, mindful of the other two second years. "Better pass."

"Maaaaan," Emily groaned in exertion as they ran, though the underlying satisfaction with the game so far was impossible to miss. "Did you see that? It almost makes me think that I should flunk this year just so I can stick around a bit longer! These two have really gotten better."

"Don't get any ideas!" Theresia warned, matching strides with Ferris to be in optimal position for an interception if a pass attempt went awry. "I'm not taking time to help you study for nothing, you know."

Emily pouted. "You're no fun."

Alisa bit her lip, willing herself not to laugh. She didn't have the breath to spare, not if she had to do what she thought she'd have to do…

The jerk of her teammate's head was barely noticeable to the average person, but to Theresia it might as well have been a red flag to a bull, the ponytailed girl immediately rocketing off in pursuit of the sprinting Alisa, who had whipped a quick pass to Ferris without a moment to spare.

"Oh no you don't!" she growled, lengthening her steps in order to keep pace; a textbook play for a team sport, really. Cover the open person, so that the player with the ball is left with no choice but to execute under pressure.

Ferris narrowed her eyes and raised her stick, Emily angling off to take away the ideal shooting angle –

Before the redhead was startled by a surprised yell. When she looked back, she saw that Alisa was standing still now; normally not a great move in a sport like lacrosse, but Theresia had been taken off-guard by the sudden switch in momentum and was now out of the play, and when she turned back to Ferris, the noble girl had already taken advantage of the brief opening, the ball well on its way to an open Alisa.

No time, no thought, no hesitation – just the polished movements of two friends who knew each other's tendencies and habits as well as they knew their own and a result that was inevitable to everyone on the playing field.

A second later and the ball was in the net, the two first years cheering in unison as their serious expressions melted away to grins of delight.

"Yeah! Looks like we draw first blood," Alisa cheered, high fiving Ferris with her other hand.

"Indeed! Excellent shot, Alisa," the purple haired girl complimented back, and Emily and Theresia simply shook their heads at being outfoxed.

"Geez. Shoulda seen that coming," Emily grumbled, shaking her head. "My fault for thinking the main playmaker was going to shoot instead of pass. Sorry, Theresia."

"Oh, don't apologize. I was caught off guard by Alisa's change of pace, remember?" the older blonde told her friend with a smile. "But it was impressive how well you two coordinated and improvised out there!"

"Hehe. Never doubted her for a second!" Alisa said, grinning at her rival, and the two upperclassmen exchanged smiles of their own when Ferris grinned right back.

"Hmm. Same to you."

"But hey – the day's still young, and we're only down by a goal. The game's just started, and we're aching to get one back!" Emily declared, Theresia nodding resolutely beside her.

Alisa simply smirked and gripped her stick harder in response, and she didn't need an ARCUS or a combat link to feel her friend's determination blazing just as brightly as hers.

They would all be parted soon. Nothing had changed, and no one had forgotten that. But for now, the four of them were still at school, continuing to make precious memories just like they had before, and so they would remain the Lacrosse Club of Thors Military Academy for a little while longer, setting all thoughts of uncertainty and the future aside.

"Shall we?" Ferris called out.

"Let's."

There just wasn't time for such things. They had a game to play.

Thors Military Academy, Student Union 2nd Floor

"I can't control what she thinks, Machias!" Emma called back, trying and failing to affect an air of disapproval as Dorothee strolled back into the room, and judging from the large, goofy grin the dark haired girl wore it was clear the conversation she had just heard was going to give her material for months to come.

"Why couldn't they have had that heart to heart earlier?" she lamented, dropping into her chair with a dramatic sigh. "I could have worked them into the last manuscript if they had! Oh, could you imagine how wonderful that would have been? A love triangle to end all love triangles…!"

"… Wonderful. Of course," Emma replied vaguely, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor in this case – it wasn't as if dissuading Dorothee of her ideas was easy at the best of times, anyway.

Dorothee frowned a little at the lack of enthusiasm, but her tune changed almost immediately when she saw the brunette set down her pen and shut her notebook with a sigh of satisfaction. "You're finished?"

"Yes!" she answered, smiling at the second year in clear approval. "Wonderful work as always. In fact, I think this may be your best yet."

Inwardly, the arts specialist mused that a big part of that might have been the total absence of… er, adult material, in stark contrast to her other stories. Without the lurid imagery as the sole focus of her writing, her natural strengths at plotting and character interaction really shone through. Luckily she had opted against using Machias and Jusis as the protagonists this time, so when the green haired boy got his turn to look over the story in a few minutes he at least wouldn't suffer a heart attack halfway.

Well, probably.

Dorothee giggled, more than a little flattered. "Thanks a lot, Emma. I really appreciate your help. The magazine wanted me to have a story or two ready to go right away, and if it passes your standards then there's no way that it wouldn't be ready for print! I just hope Machias feels the same way."

"Trust me, you won't have anything to worry about. This may not be his… usual genre," she said with as much diplomatic tact as she could muster, "but he's always had an eye for the mechanical side of the writing process – between him and I, not a lot of editing stones are left unturned."

"… and you're sure you don't want me to submit any of your work as well?" Dorothee broached, knowing what Emma's answer probably would be but still duty bound as a fellow literature hound to ask. "You write so well, and I'm absolutely sure that everyone would love your stories…"

Emma's sigh was kind, though it had an air of decisiveness that told Dorothee that this battle had been lost long ago. "Thank you for the compliment, but my refusal still stands. I'm certainly happy that you think so highly of what I've done, but after Thors I just won't have time to continue writing in any serious capacity… there's simply too much on my plate."

The second year heard the slight catch in Emma's voice, and she barely managed to squash the urge to ask what was so important to keep her away from something she adored and was clearly so gifted at, but squash it she did.

After all, when all was said and done whatever her reason was wasn't her business. Class VII had their own paths to forge, and Emma was no different. Dorothee understood that, and though it pained her to know that such talent would be left unused, she had a feeling that it wouldn't remain that way forever.

Someone who loved literature as much as Emma did would return to it eventually. It was the natural order of things, and Dorothee understood that, too.

"If you say so," the club head acquiesced with a shrug, a small smile on her lips. "That said, I hope that one day in the future you'll have some time to indulge a friend again over tea? I plan to keep on improving my writing after Thors, and I wouldn't exactly mind some constructive criticism to help me along the way."

Emma's sapphire eyes softened at what was left unsaid, and the affection in the smile she gave back was impossible to miss. "Hehe. I'd be more than happy to, though by then I'm sure anything that I do will be just a formality. Someone with your gifts is going to need strictly professional editing before long, there's no doubt about it."

"Oh, well. It looks like we'll just have to settle for swapping stories and doing the other stereotypical catch-up activities, then," she said with a theatrical sigh.

The brunette laughed, warm and melodic. "I'm going to hold you to that, you know."

"Naturally. Now, shall we head over there? I have a feeling that those two are still rife with unmined material, and Machias will probably be more receptive if you give him the manuscript as opposed to me. He seems more… um, docile around you, for some reason," Dorothee finished, somehow managing to keep a straight face.

"It's not hard to see why, considering only one of us uses him as story fodder," Emma teased, the slightest tinge of pink ghosting over her cheeks. "But yes, I'm all finished, so I'm ready when you are."

"Lead on, then," Dorothee said with a flourish, watching as the first year walked into the Chess Club and greeted her classmate with a squeeze on his arm and a quiet smile as she set the notebook down in front of him.

Seconds later, Stefan flicked his gaze toward the dark haired girl as she sat next to him, waiting for the inevitable.

"So if you hadn't noticed me, would a fiercely passionate hug have been on the horizon, or…?

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not dignifying that."

She pouted. "Has anyone ever told you that your heart lacks romance?"

"You. Constantly."

They watched their younger friends in silence, their camaraderie a familiar sight by now, and Dorothee couldn't quite help the fond smile that crossed her face.

"… I'm really going to miss them," she whispered.

"I know," Stefan whispered back. "Me too."

Thors Military Academy, Academy Field - Stables

"You really enjoy grooming the horses, don't you?"

Paula merely sniffed at that, not bothering to turn around at the sound of her clubmate's voice. "So what if I do? Someone's gotta do it, and besides; I find it relaxing."

Jusis chuckled, and even with her back turned Paula could discern that the expression he currently wore held no trace of the condescending mockery that it would have at the start of the year. "I see. I suppose this is your way of dealing with pre-exam stress, then?

"Like it would be any of your business even if it was!" the commoner fired back, and much to her irritation he merely chuckled again, though at least it still wasn't in that infuriating noble way that set her off so often in the early days.

"… A little bit. Kind of. Maybe," Paula admitted moments later, setting down the brush with a quiet sigh. "It's more that I'm studied out, really."

"Meaning… what, exactly?"

"I mean that I think that I've reviewed all that I can," she answered, turning around to face the Albarea scion. "I'm pretty sure any more is just gonna hurt me, but I've still got energy to burn, so…"

"So you're choosing to be productive with your time. That's certainly admirable, especially considering the responsibilities you'll have to take on next year."

"As if I needed a reminder of you bailing on me. Thanks for that, Jusis," Paula mock-grumbled, expecting an equally mocking reply immediately – such was the nature of their time-honored routine.

The sudden quiet was unnerving, to say the least.

"… If circumstances didn't dictate my departure from Thors at the end of this school year, then I would have been more than happy to stay and help, I assure you."

His words were stiff and distant, sounding far too much like they had when she had first met him and Paula bit back a groan, realizing her mistake far too late.

"Crap, I – Jusis, I-I really didn't mean – " she stammered, feeling her heart drop out of her chest; she truly hadn't meant to dredge up anything unpleasant, but somehow it looked like her big mouth had managed to pull that off anyway.

"I know."

"No, seriously, I – "

"I know!" he snapped, his voice cold enough to freeze, and Paula could only glance away and wince guiltily, knowing that for once it was entirely deserved.

The stable was filled with uncomfortable silence, broken only by the sounds of the horses eating or moving, until…

"… I know," he finally said a third time, this time with an undercurrent of regret, and Paula knew the look of remorse she saw when she turned back at him was genuine. "I-I apologize. I shouldn't have been so quick to anger. You didn't mean anything by it."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry too," she told him, meaning every word. "I wasn't… I didn't think before I said that."

In spite of himself, he smirked. "Do you ever?"

She exhaled sharply at that, wondering why she had bothered to expect anything else. "Ugh. Such an ass," she muttered as she turned back to her grooming, figuring the conversation to be over.

He was full of surprises today, it seemed.

"… Will you really be all right next year?"

Paula froze, wondering if she had heard that right, and when she looked back again there wasn't a hint of deceit on his (concerned?) face.

"Y-Yeah. I'll be okay – after watching you and Lambert, how could I not be?" she asked with a shake of her head, hoping against hope that he hadn't noticed her hesitation. "I'm pretty sure I should be asking you that, though."

Jusis scoffed, and Paula couldn't help noticing that the sound rang hollow. "Don't be ridiculous. This may have come sooner than expected, but considering my brother's position the leadership of Bareahard was going to fall on my shoulders eventually. I'm more than ready to face the challenges that come with the title."

She stared at him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. "Hmph. You really are, aren't you?"

He blinked, not exactly sure how to take that. "I beg your pardon?"

"You're going to do fine, Jusis," Paula sighed. "I might have had my doubts when I first met you, but you've improved a whole lot since then; you're more patient, not as pompous, and holy crap you're so much less of a jerk – "

"Hm. Your first time encouraging someone, I take it."

Aidios above, this freaking guy…!

"H-Hey!" she exclaimed, standing up with her hands on her hips. I'm trying, y'know!"

"You're also failing. I would be remiss both as your clubmate and as a noble if I didn't point that out."

"I take back everything I just said," Paula grumbled, rolling her eyes and throwing up her hands. "Definitely a pompous jerk."

"That still leaves your first observation. Well, I suppose improved patience is better than nothing. Goddess only knows dealing with Regnitz for so long had to pay dividends somehow."

Paula didn't say anything to that, nor did she say anything when he grabbed a brush of his own and joined her in grooming, the motions well practiced and almost automatic at this point.

It wasn't quite 'thank you', but then again she hadn't expected one, so…

"… You're going to do fine too. The Riding Club is in the best of hands, I'm sure of it."

She blinked and turned, thinking for a second she had imagined that, and the confident look he wore said more than words ever could.

What did you say to that, exactly?

It must have shown on her face, because Jusis simply shook his head before she could open her mouth. "There's no need. I understand and appreciate your sentiment, and besides; anymore attempts at pep talking will probably result in my suffering from some kind of complex, so…"

The girl's shoulders started to shake with barely repressed laughter, and the fond smile that crossed her face was a perfect match for the one on the boy's.

"Seriously, Jusis. Such. An. Ass."

Thors Military Academy, Gymnasium – Swimming Pool

"Time!"

A loud gasp was heard as Laura breached the surface and she immediately looked over to Klein, who was standing alongside Casper and Monica on the pool deck with her ARCUS in hand.

"H-How did I do?" the Arseid heiress asked, willing herself to take deep, slow breaths instead of the rapid pants that her body was demanding – something her father had ingrained in her from the first time she had begun training with him in earnest.

The second year glanced down at the device before grinning at the blue haired girl and flashing her a big grin, clearly impressed by her performance.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Congratulations Laura, that was your best time yet!"

The gasp of delight from Monica said it all, and Casper could only shake his head and shrug, clearly awed himself. "Man, she just keeps getting better and better, doesn't she? Every time I think she's topped herself…"

"Haha, I know! But then again, it's Laura we're talking about here."

Laura smiled at them both, a little flushed from the effusive praise. "I appreciate the kind words, you two! Truth be told, I'm just relieved to have found out that my time away from Thors had no effect on my swimming. I was afraid that I had gotten rusty."

"Oh yeah," Casper chuckled, nodding his head. "I guess even with all the crazy training stuff onboard the Courageous there wasn't anything like a swimming pool, was there?"

"No," Monica chimed in, looking a little amused. "But I don't think there would have been anywhere to put it, anyway!"

"But uh, more importantly…" the brown haired boy coughed, snapping Monica back to attention.

"R-Right! So – what did you two think of our regimen for next batch of first years?" she asked, looking a little anxious.

As if on cue, the swordswoman and the second year looked at one another, their impassive expressions rapidly giving way to smiles of approval.

"I can't speak for Klein," Laura began, her gaze resting intently on the two other first years, "but I thought that as a whole it was an exceptionally well crafted training program."

"R-Really?!" Monica asked, clearly pleased with her friend's evaluation.

"Absolutely. It excels in what I believe to be the foundation of improvement; breaking down and then building up. The sprinting exercises at the beginning of the week will stress the muscles and lungs in such a way that repetition over the course of a full year will lead to more explosive strokes and more efficient recovery – if I recall, we did something similar to get your distance up to the 50 arge mark."

She blushed. "Hehe. You remembered."

"Of course. And furthermore," Laura added with a warm smile, "the addition of long duration swim sessions meant to specifically boost endurance is a fantastic idea, even if the swimmer in question might be better suited for sprints. Stamina is something that carries over in many activities besides swimming, after all."

Monica turned and grinned at Casper, who couldn't help but blush a little at the attention. "Looks like your part passed with flying colors too, huh?"

Laura raised an eyebrow. "His part?"

She nodded. "He's the better distance swimmer, so I left the endurance stuff to him. I'm better at quicker bursts, so I handled the explosive exercises. Everything else we kinda… um…"

"The rest was based it off the training that you had us do, Klein," Casper said, nodding at their club president with a look of solemn respect. "It's thanks to you that we were able to come as far as we have, so…"

"… So we wanted to keep that for next year's firsties," Monica finished, sounding a little sheepish. "I mean, it's almost kinda like you'd be training them yourself, right? Even if you're not here, you can still…"

She trailed off after that, uncertain, but the second year heard loud and clear.

"… You guys," Klein murmured warmly, looking over at all the Swimming Club members with fondness in his eyes.

"I can think of no better way to recognize your tenure than to have it extended into teaching the next generation, if only secondhand," Laura said, giving Klein a firm nod. "There's no doubt that between the two of them and what you taught all of us, the Thors Swimming Club will be a point of pride for the academy for years to come – "

"Hey, now," Klein interrupted with a grin as he held up a hand. "Not that I don't appreciate a little flattery, but it wasn't just me that made the club what it was. I couldn't have asked for harder working members in the three of you, and your efforts truly paid off when the time came, both in the water and outside of it."

He paused for a second, letting his words sink in before he continued. "As far as I'm concerned, if you carry the attitudes you've shown me up until now with you into the future, then you don't need worry about whatever comes next year, whether it be exams or training," Klein added with a glance at Laura, "because you'll all excel no matter what, and nothing makes me prouder as your club head than knowing that you'll help pave the way for all those that come after."

Corny? Perhaps, but Klein had grown up as the eldest sibling in a family full of love and support. He knew no other way to deliver his message, and Monica's sniffling, Casper's furious blinking, and the suspicious glistening in Laura's eyes told him that everything he had to say had ended up ringing home.

"Good work, all of you," Klein said, the praise coming from the bottom of his heart, and in unison the trio of first years nodded back at him, too overwhelmed to do anything else.

"You as well," Laura finally managed to say, sounding exactly like the dignified noble heiress she was. "Thank you for everything you've done for us up until now, and rest assured; your faith in us will not be misplaced!"

He gave them a slow, peaceful smile, feeling well and truly at ease.

Of course it wouldn't. With these three, how could it?

Thors Military Academy, Music Room

"They made you compose this many pieces before you've even set foot on their campus?!" Bridget exclaimed, shuffling through the various pieces of sheet music while looking absolutely pole-axed. "I've heard that the musical academies at Heimdallr have high standards, but this is…"

"I agree," Hibelle frowned, pushing up his glasses. "This does seem like an excessive amount of work for a prerequisite evaluation."

"Yeah! How long did this take you, Elliot?" Mint chimed in, staring at him with comically wide-eyes – not quite Millium grade, but close enough.

The redhead in question gave a sheepish laugh, his right hand rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Guys, it's really not as bad as it looks! I hear it's normal for all the schools to ask for a few samples of your work – "

"I think 'few' is the keyword there," the blonde pointed out, waving the sheaf of papers at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you've got enough music here to put on a full concert."

"Indeed," the Wind Orchestra president said, shooting Elliot a concerned look. "Are you sure you're not overdoing it? With all the final exam preparation that Class VII has, composing at this kind of pace might have you burning the candle at both ends."

"Uncle Makarov does that a lot. I have to bring him food because he forgets to eat, then he gets all grumpy when I get there because he's sleeping and I need to wake him up!"

"I-It's not like that!" Elliot told them, somehow managing to get a word in edgewise as he gestured toward the papers that Bridget was holding. "I mean, yeah I've been working on some of that stuff here at Thors, but honestly a lot of it has either come from last year or our time on the run. There wasn't exactly a lot to do in a windmill, so…"

The collective looks of disbelief he received made the arts specialist snicker in spite of himself, especially the one from Hibelle – he hadn't forgotten that his club president had been part of a two man guerilla campaign, after all. "Haha. That's pretty much how Fie looked the first time she saw me, too."

"I-I suppose that's all right then," Bridget finally replied, still a little taken aback. "At least you weren't killing yourself to get all this done."

"Nope – that's what reviewing for finals is for," he lamented, and the varying noises of sympathy told him that he wasn't alone there. "But now that you've seen everything, I kinda need a favor. Do you guys think you could help me sort through all these and figure out which would be the best pieces to submit? It's always better for someone else to evaluate your work, and when it comes to music there's no one I trust more than you three."

"Like I can say no after that!" Mint answered with a cheerful grin. "Too bad my uncle can't be as nice as you when he asks for stuff, Elliot."

"You get more flies with honey than with vinegar," Bridget noted, the blonde's attempt at an imperious expression morphing into an affectionate smile before long. "Not that we'd have turned you down regardless."

"It looks as if the 'ayes' have it, Elliot!" Hibelle declared, eyes twinkling behind his lenses. "But if I might make a suggestion; evaluating sheet music is one thing, but in my experience the only way to truly know whether a piece is worth the paper it's written on – "

"– is to play it," Elliot finished, a familiar excitement starting to run through his veins. While everything he had penned so far had been with his violin in mind, music was still music, and with a little practice and coordination the talents of the full Wind Orchestra could easily be put to full use.

Besides, it wasn't as if the club really had a chance to have a final sendoff performance; given the horrific circumstances, Elliot doubted that anyone really counted the concert in Celdic. Successful as it might have been, it was one recital that they all regretted the need for to begin with.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Bridget declared, lighting up with enthusiasm as her fingers began to slowly dance their way across the piano's keys, sending familiar chords into the air with each movement. "I mean, it's win-win. Elliot gets his work vetted, and all of us get to play together one last time. Let's face it, after this year…"

She trailed off, sounding a little troubled at the thought of what the future would bring; not just for the Wind Orchestra, but for Thors and Erebonia as well.

Of course, that was when Mint stepped in.

"Don't be sad, Bridgey!" the would-be engineer consoled, practically bouncing on her heels. "Even if it'll just be you and me next year, all four of us will be able to make music again someday, I'm positive!"

Hibelle raised his eyebrows, recognizing the mischievous look on Mint's face all too well but deciding to play along. "I certainly don't disagree. Where do you think our grand reunion concert will take place, then?"

"Isn't it obvious? Bridgey's wedding, of course!"

The delicate notes that had filled the room were immediately replaced with the cacophonous thunder that could only be caused by hitting more than a dozen keys at once, and Elliot and Hibelle both tried and failed to hide grins as their gazes immediately swung over to a stunned Bridget, who was desperately trying to say something and only getting "W-W-W-W-"

"Hey, I'd be honored! Maybe by then I'll have made it far enough in the Heimdallr music scene to really make a splash," Elliot said with satisfaction, musing all the while if this was it was like to be Instructor Sara.

"W-W-W-Wh-"

"Well, my future goals might be a little less lofty than yours Elliot, but I could certainly be convinced to bring my violin out for an occasion of that magnitude," Hibelle joined in with a wink.

"W-W-W-Wha-"

Mint cheered, throwing both arms into the air. "It's settled, then! We'll help Elliot with his stuff now, so that way we'll be ready for Bridget's big day later! Agreed?"

"Agreed!" came the answering chorus, before –

"W-W-W-What wedding?!" Bridget finally cried out, her face blazing red, and Elliot chuckled and turned back to the papers on his lap, flipping through as Bridget ranted that 'they weren't anywhere near that' and 'they were just still dating' so 'stop spreading rumors that might scare him off please?!'

The redhead was truly looking forward to the chance to finally spread his creative wings; that was an undeniable truth.

"But," he mused with a kind smile as he watched his fellow musicians laugh and tease away, bringing back treasured memories of days gone by.

"I'll miss times like this, too."

Thors Military Academy, Student Union 2nd Floor

When all was said and done, words were the almost only thing she had.

"If it gets too much, it's all right to sit down and let it all out. Whether you're a boy or a grown man doesn't change that. It's okay, Rean," Towa said, and when Rean's face crumbled in front of her and he allowed himself to be held like the boy that he had once been – the boy he still should have been – she felt her heart break all over again.

"I'm so sorry," he had wept, his body racked by sobs that she thought might tear it apart, and for a moment the brunette had wondered what she could possibly say to make this all right. Everything she had sounded trite and woefully insufficient, especially to someone who had endured as much as Rean had, so maybe he was better off not hearing anything at all…?

She had understood a moment later that would have been a disservice to both of them; Rean Schwarzer had never failed to say what needed to be said, no matter how difficult it was. For his upperclassman to falter in the face of that same responsibility would have been a travesty, an unforgivable sin, and nothing she achieved in the future, no matter how brilliant, would have been enough to burn that failure away.

Towa couldn't turn back time and keep Crow from walking his path to its final conclusion. Towa couldn't keep time from moving forward and bringing them further away from their friend with each passing day.

What Towa could do, however, was make Rean understand that he had done the only thing that someone in his position could have been asked to do when tasked with the impossible…

"It's okay… You did everything you could… You made sure he knew how we all felt… and you let all of us know how he really felt, too…"

… and that was the best he could. He had nothing to regret. Towa understood that, and she could only hope and wish that maybe someday, so would Rean.

Until then… well, she would do the best that she could, too.

Her fingers curled in his hair and his head resting against her heart, Towa bent down and let her lips brush his crown; a silent prayer for the Goddess' grace to be his guide in all the dark and empty places he would walk for the sake of all Her wayward children.

Rean breathed in deeply, moved back, and finally gave Towa a shaky nod of gratitude, his smile still not whole - but maybe not quite as broken as it was before, either.

That was all right. One second at a time.

She smiled back, quiet and peaceful, and the world carried on.

AN: I wasn't sure if I should have included Rean's section at the end; I knew that it was going to be a jarring tonal shift, plus it's the shortest of all the sections, but I finally made the choice to keep it and I'm kinda glad I did. Of course, they say hindsight's 20/20, so…

And if anyone needs a bit of a palate cleanser:

OMAKE

Thors Military Academy, Gymnasium - 1st Floor

"I must say, you two have impressed me over the course of this year. You've been diligent – "

"Eh. Kinda."

"Ahem. You've been resilient – "

"That's code for 'we didn't kill you', so props for that, I guess."

"… Yes. Well. You've also grown into strong fencers, and I truly think – "

"Okay, now you're just lying to them."

"Goddess above - are you quite done?!" Friedel demanded, turning on Loggins with an annoyed look.

The taller boy chuckled, waving a hand in her direction. "Yeah, yeah. Can't let you be all heartfelt without giving you a little shit, y'know."

Her violet gaze narrowed further, though he couldn't help but notice the slight upturn of her lips. "I see. And I suppose I should thank you for your… contributions, to use the word lightly?"

"Hey, this is your show. Do whatever you want."

She frowned.

"Come on, Friedel. It was a good speech. You're probably going to have to repeat it when they're conscious," Loggins added, jerking his thumb at the two vaguely human shaped lumps on the floor, "but it was a good speech. Right guys?"

Two moans echoed in reply.

She smiled a little at that. "A ringing endorsement, truly. But until they're up and ready to listen, we have some free time," Friedel noted, unsheathing her sword and stepping into a stance that Loggins knew all too well. "So. Shall we?"

"Why not? I guess this'll be good prep for this trip of ours," he agreed, his own weapon coming up to match hers.

"Exactly, and you'd best take this seriously. I plan to put you through your paces like I've never done before once we get away from here."

He smirked. "Is that a promise?"

Friedel being Friedel, it wasn't very often he could make her blush, but from the look of things – oh yeah, she was definitely blushing now.

"… You're going to pay for that," she murmured with an audible growl, and man, was he ever in trouble.

"Yeah, I figured. Worth it, though."