Post 14
Avalanche
Atypical Netizen
- Location
- Australia
XxXxXxXxXx
-[] If he is not awake, ask his frame what exactly it thought it was doing when it let him override the safeties.
-[] Discuss the match and pick out where they did right and wrong.
[]Steps to gitting gud: (I presume)
[] Practice impeller field manipulation with less volatile materials than plasma. Fine impeller control means you can wear it as a second skin rather than just a shield, use it for maneuvering, and deliver improvised attacks like we did yesterday.
No. of votes: 18
[] Keep pushing what speeds and g-forces he can safely achieve. He's a melee combatant, and that means he needs a lot of practice at high speed maneuver. As long as he doesn't override safeties and push to the point of injury, it's fine.
No. of votes: 18
[]Afternoon: Self Study. Transcendent Offense.
No. of votes: 21
[] Dinner: Bonding with your friends. Their suggestion, because we should learn more about them.
No. of votes: 25
-[] Dinner: Use the new cutlery for dinner.
No. of votes: 16
[]Evening: Continue down the list.
No. of votes: 30
-[] ... but not before dropping by the Crafting Club and thanking them for the silverware gift. Send your regards to the Baking Club too for the thought.
13+9+3=25(Pass)
XxXxXxXxXx
Yukari bids the pair of you farewell as lunch comes to a close, heading to the surface for her classes.
Setsuna yawns as she stretches like a cat, before patting her face twice and jumping to her feet.
"Alright, time for class. Let's go Anna."
You nod and follow her as she powerwalks through the corridors.
A few intersections away from the large scale simulators, you feel a slight jolt. Checking on the nudge, you notice that your service record has been changed. Where it used to state 'Squadron Four, Flight Seven, Keeper Position', it now announced you as 'Squadron Four, Flight One, Keeper Position'.
Flight One, Shuri's flight?
Moments after you parse the change, a notice pops up from the Arcology.
>Notice to Cadet Anna Sanchez: Your Flight, Squadron Four, Flight Seven, has been combined with Squadron Four, Flight One<
>Your current positions are: Squadron Four, Flight One, Keeper Position<
>Your current Assignments do not change<
>You do not need to take additional action<
>Flight Members List<
>>Shuri Kravala
>>Sandra Cambridge
>>Rokusabe Koujirou
>>Masaya Setsuna
>>Anna Sanchez
…What had happened to Catherine Han? Had she left Flight One before the merger?
Setsuna, having received a message of her own, pulled out her datapad to read it, "Wait, Anna. Did you also get the notice? We got absorbed into Flight One."
"I did," you confirm.
Setsuna shakes her head, stares at the datapad for several more moments, then sighs, turning to look up at you.
"We didn't tell you did we, Koujirou was Flight leader so…"
She trails off unsurely, seeming somewhat conflicted.
"I thought you were Flight leader," you respond.
Granted, you had never asked, but from Setsuna's more authoritative behaviour as opposed to Koujirou, who seemed far more relaxed, you had thought that she would be the leader of Flight Seven.
She grumbles slightly under her breath then speaks up, "Well yeah, but... it was after you left on Monday. He was putting his Frame through its paces, and we had a few matches."
Setsuna sighs, and slumps slightly at that, "I said that if he could take a match off me, he could be Flight Leader, so he kept choosing races and got lucky one time."
Come to think of it, it was Koujirou calling the shots in the simulators yesterday evening.
You shake your head slightly in bemusement at the idea, taking a moment to recall the orientation speech where the role of the Flight leader was explained. From your memory, the Flight leader could administer quite a few changes to their flight, such as the reassignment of roles, inducting new cadets and ejecting cadets. In first year, especially so early on, this was hardly notable due to the extremely fluid nature of flights. As such, the role was not very important. Later in the years, the position would gain more importance as the structure of Flights became more rigid and cadets took more and more conceits of the roles they would assume upon graduating into the Armed Forces.
"Well, at least he did something with the position," muses Setsuna, still reading her datapad as she continues walking, "The Golden Ace is probably Flight Leader now. I don't think Koujirou's head is swollen enough to try to claim that role over her experience."
Shuri.
She's Flight Leader now?
… You feel a surge of dislike for the other Valkyrie swell up again, before it's rapidly replaced by nervousness over what it will mean for your two charges. Shuri had not exactly been the best experience for the other Cadets in her Flight. Your mind flickers back to the message Sandra had sent you in morning class, where she told you as an aside that Shuri was easing up on the practice schedule. You will have to see for yourself to be sure.
"Uh, something wrong Anna?" asks Setsuna, looking up at you.
"I… I'm worried about you two," you admit, "I don't think you should stay in Flight One. Shuri isn't- she's not…"
"Not the best with people?" asks Setsuna.
You nod, and Setsuna grimaces, hesitatingly continuing, "I actually kinda agree."
There's a moment where Setsuna mulls over her thoughts, before she looks you in the eye with a decisive nod of her head and continues, sounding sure.
"You don't have to worry about us too much though, Anna, Valk practice is why we're here after all. We'll make it, I'm sure. Koujirou also knows what he's getting into. Otherwise, he wouldn't have signed up…"
At this, Setsuna suddenly looks a lot less certain, "Not that he has any sense. Maybe he's overestimating himself aga-"
"So you two won't be okay?" you demand, interrupting Setsuna.
Setsuna shakes her head slightly. Was that a 'no they won't be okay' or a 'no, they will be okay'?
"I'd like to think that I can keep up, and I really want to be able to keep up, but I'll have to try it to find out."
That does not reassure you at all. You're sure that the other cadets formerly in Shuri's Flight had thoughts running along the same lines. You scowl, and consider instructing the travelators to move faster to confront the other Valkyrie sooner when an alert nudges you.
>>Private Chat Start: Text Only
>>Participants: Rokusabe Koujirou, Masaya Setsuna, Anna Sanchez.
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "Uh hey guys."<
Setsuna immediately starts swiping furiously at her datapad as the alert for the chat appears on her screen.
>Anna Sanchez: "Have you fully recovered from your wounds?"<
>Masaya Setsuna: "Koujirou whats the meaning of this?"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "yeah no worries Anna"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "well I joined her for lunch prac"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "we both have like no ppl in lfgihts"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "talked a little"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "then yeah"<
Setsuna puffs out a sigh and shrugs slightly.
>Anna Sanchez: "Are you sure you can keep up the hours demanded by Shuri? It won't be easy."<
>Masaya Setsuna: "You better know what you're doing Koji"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "@Setsu oh I know what the ladies like"<
Setsuna splutters out a laugh, chuckling under her breath, "You're freaking incorrigible Koji."
You note her reaction with a little surprise. Setsuna seemed much calmer about Koujirou when Koujirou wasn't nearby.
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "@Anna nah talked to Sandra about it"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "lunch dinners, can prac at other times too when want"<
Only at lunch and at dinner now? That… shouldn't be out of the cadet's abilities. You hope.
At your side, Setsuna looks conflicted for a moment, before tapping out another message.
>Masaya Setsuna: "And? How many extra time periods are you planning to go to?"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "probs evening too til vanguard comp"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "would like to go breakfast too but not sure"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "you?"<
Setsuna glances sideways at you for a second, before tapping out a reply.
>Masaya Setsuna: "I'll probably do the same as you"<
"How about you Anna?" asks Setsuna, "I doubt you need any practice, but then again, neither should Shuri."
"Depends," you answer evasively.
It would help formation tactics and allow you to learn more about the capabilities of your flightmates, but on the other hand, they might insist on matching against you. As much as Koujirou had reassured you this morning that sparring inside the simulator would be safe so long as the safeties were respected, you're still not at all enthused at the option. You aren't even sure you will be able to calmly stand to the side if they fight against each other.
Setsuna nods in acknowledgement and sends one last message as the travelator arrives at an intersection. Both of you disembark and proceed on foot towards the large scale simulator rooms.
>Masaya Setsuna: "We're nearly there, see you in a min"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "k"<
XxXxXxXxXx
The pair of you arrive at the simulator room a dozen minutes before class starts.
Inside the lobby of the room is the rest of Flight One.
Now your Flight…
Koujirou is sitting on the floor, holding a slightly curved wooden stick, his Impeller flicking and waving over the surface. Shuri is sitting opposite him, looking on as Koujirou concentrates. Sandra was on a couch to the side, probably one that she expressed from her storage, using her hair as a cushion as she waited.
…That looks really comfortable. You should probably grow out your hair, though even when it was still long, it had no where near the thickness of Sandra's hair.
Sandra notices immediately as the two of you come in and stands up. Somehow putting her shining, blonde hair back into pristine order with a single lavish flip, the curls bouncing and swaying, she clasps her hands together and beams sunnily at Setsuna and you.
"Good afternoon, Anna Sanchez and Masaya Setsuna. I am Aleksandra Marianne Cambridge, and it is a pleasure to welcome you both to Flight One."
Wow… was that feminine grace? That was feminine grace, right?
You grasp for and fail to find something appropriate to say in response.
"She- she's really high level…" whispers Setsuna under her breath, sounding as awed as you felt.
Koujirou saves both of you as he leaps to his feet, waving energetically as he calls out a casual greeting. By his side, Shuri silently rises, simply nodding to the two of you.
Sandra is apparently not yet done with her greetings, as she walks up to you and extends her hand for a handshake. You reach out somewhat awkwardly, and allow her to clasp your hand with both of hers.
There's a moment where she hesitates slightly in front of you before she extends a small foot stool out, steps up onto it and-
Brushes her lips over the Impeller field covering your cheeks?
…What uh that isn't um you don't think-
"W-what!"
"Lilies?"
Sandra leans back and smiles at you, "I'm very glad you decided to join us after all, Anna."
…Well you didn't really-
She glides away and pounces on Setsuna before you manage to respond.
Setsuna's eyes widen, and the smaller girl manages to get her hands up in warding motion, which Sandra cheerfully misinterprets as a request for a handshake. Setsuna only manages to utter a slight squeak of protest before Sandra envelops her in a hug and gives her a slight kiss on each cheek.
…Setsuna sure is popular. This is the second time you have seen her kissed.
"Lilies," Koujirou confirms solemnly, having snapped out his datapad and taken a quick picture.
Shuri deftly snatches it from him and flicks the screen several times. Koujirou gives her a pleading look, to which Shuri responds with a simple raised eyebrow, before she taps the screen one last time decisively and hands the device back to Koujirou.
With a slightly disappointed look, Koujirou tucks the datapad away. Looking down at his waist pouches, Koujirou misses Sandra as she releases Setsuna, the girl looking absolutely poleaxed, and walks towards him.
…Maybe you should do something?
Nah.
It wouldn't do at all for Koujirou to miss out.
…
At the end of Sandra's… 'greeting', Koujirou was smiling absently, rubbing at his cheeks whilst Setsuna was looking even more shell shocked.
"Again, welcome to Flight One, former members of Flight Seven. That welcome was my pledge of piety to you, that I swear, for either better or worse, in both sickness and in health, I shall do my very best to care for and advance you in all respects during our time together as a Flight."
…Those words were… not usually used for this- this uh, 'occasion' surely? You're slightly embarrassed honestly.
"Wh- Pledge? P-piety?" Koujirou repeats with a slight stutter, also looking embarrassed.
Setsuna snaps out of her funk, and lightly steps on Koujirou's foot. "Stop looking so happy you moron," she mutters at the boy.
Ignoring Koujirou's injured look, Setsuna steps forward, squaring herself and lifting her chin upwards, her finger pointed accusingly at Sandra, snapping "I appreciate the words Cadet Cambridge, but why are you giving us that overblown speech? If someone needed all that, shouldn't it have been the Flight leader to lay it all out?"
"Ah, Setsu, well-"
"That is correct Setsuna. I take the role of Flight leader with as much earnest effort as I do every other task in life. There is nothing to fear."
Oh? Sandra is Flight leader? That is surprising to you. It seems that you don't have to fear Shuri pressuring your cadets too hard then. You feel that Sandra is rather more on the reasonable side for training.
"Wh-wha-?!" Setsuna gapes, her finger swinging from back and forth between Sandra and Shuri.
At a rather insistent look from Sandra, Shuri speaks up, "I have decided to pass the role of Flight Leader to Sandra. I did not- I think that she is better at the role."
Shuri pauses a moment, "Sorry," she adds, somewhat insincerely.
Setsuna looks ready to explode for a moment, before she seems to deflate and simply sighs.
"Hey Setsu, you don't have to-" Koujirou starts before Setsuna's hand snaps back up and points into his nose.
"Don't you start Koji.What exactly were you thinking last night? You still haven't satisfied me with your explanation."
"No! I really meant what I said," Koujirou babbled.
He tries to back away from Setsuna, but she follows, keeping an unerringly constant distance between her finger and his face.
"It really was an accident, I mean, c'mon, I wasn't even hurt. That bad. And I got an upgrade, it's a win ain't it?"
The two start making circuits around Sandra, before she intervenes. Smoothly enveloping Setsuna outstretched hand with her own, Sandra pulls the other girl to a stop and steps between the two.
"Now Setsuna, there's no need to pressure Koujirou too much. Neophytes make such errors all the time, and we have already talked the issue over."
Setsuna only seems more agitated by that. She snatches away her hand and snaps, "You've got a foot up on me, but I'm not going to lose!"
At that, Sandra draws herself up and flips her hair again with a dramatic flourish, resting her chin on a hand, and looking down her nose at Setsuna with a confident and challenging smile.
"Oho? Of course! I expect you to put forth all effort possible in our joust for the position of Squadron Vanguard. I will do the same, so there will be no space for you to restrain yourself one whit!"
"Squadron Vanguard? Uh, yeah! I won't lose there either!"
Koujirou had scurried over to your side in the meanwhile, and gives a slight huff of relief as the two girls start squaring off, Setsuna's attention successfully diverted away from him.
Remembering what you had wanted to do earlier in the morning, you greet the frame in every single manner that you knew of. The IFF responds to you. Only the IFF. It seemed like Kandakara, if it did talk, didn't feel like talking to you.
Koujirou doesn't seem to even notice your attempt, but Shuri, who had commandeered Sandra's couch, looks over inquisitively for a moment.
"So anyway, Anna. I figure out just before class starts would be a good time to ask, do you have any advice for me about what I could improve on?"
Ah, Koujirou just pre-empted you again. You did do some thinking on the way here-
"Cause when I was talking with Shuri, she said that I needed to practice inertia cancelling the most, prevent over-Gs from happening again- well, prevent it from happening as often anyway."
…
You're feeling rather annoyed and you don't even know why.
"…Yes, that should be the main thing you should focus on, focus on the potential of one aspect of your frame first. Just… listen to your safeties from now on."
Koujirou nods, "Yeah, I get the message, everyone I've talked to gave me a talking to about that, especially Instructor Leonhart…"
He shudders briefly at that.
"But back to things I can improve on. Anything else you see Anna?"
"Your Impeller Field," you continue on, "I think you should practice moving it around like with that charged attack of yours, but with stuff less explosive than supercharged plasma. Your Impeller is still a simple shape right now, but with practice you can form it into any shape you want and use it for moving and attacking."
Koujirou's face lights up at this. He runs over and grabs the stick he had been holding when you entered the room.
"Oh, I've got something for that. Hey Anna, watch this."
He holds out the stick and frowns down at it, concentrating.
As you watch, his Impeller Field flickers, distorts and runs over the surface of the stick. A few moments later, his Impeller Field shudders, then resonates… you think. It's awfully hard to get a read on someone else's Impeller, especially with both of the Valkyrie Frames still retracted, but it appears to be some form of zero range contact attack.
Koujirou grins at you, "Bet you can't do that flick to break my sword now."
Hmm… maybe. It would definitely be harder for you to induce a backlash like you did in the simulator, but…
"Rokusabe, that-" Shuri starts off warningly, before cutting herself off and sitting back into the chair with a slight shrug.
You gather and then condense your Impeller, and flick the stick with your index finger.
There is a crackle, and then a sharp snap accompanied by flash of white light as the Impeller Fields contact. The top half of the stick bounces off the ceiling, and Shuri lazily catches it before it hits her. It also breaks Sandra and Setsuna from their conversation, the two looking over at the disturbance.
Koujirou stares between his broken stick and your hand dumbly.
…Oops?
You awkwardly hide your hand behind your back.
"S-Shuri! It didn't work!" complains Koujirou. He turns to the lounging Valkyrie, looking bewildered, a slight shimmer covering him as his depleted Impeller recharges.
She shrugs slightly in response, "I did warn you about the Impeller density disparity Rokusabe. You'll need to improve your Impeller control an order of magnitude, or raise your Core compatibility til you have enough Impeller to offset the difference."
The other cadets start filtering into the room, and Sandra bustles around to collect her furniture.
Shuri was acting kind of strange. Compared to how tightly strung and curt she was that night where you joined her, she was… relaxed today. No longer on edge, you suppose.
"So… not there yet, I guess," says Koujirou, looking down at his broken stick.
"There are shortcuts-" Shuri starts, then cuts herself off as Sandra rests a hand on her shoulder, "-but you shouldn't find yourself in need of them."
Koujirou looks ready set to press the subject further, but the rest of the class files in and he shelves it.
XxXxXxXxXx
Hello? Roll d56 Result: 15: Fail.
XxXxXxXxXx
Following with the theory lesson regarding new frames, the practical session also appeared to be mostly geared towards people who wished to try out different Valkyrie Frames.
The simulation space materialised the squadron on a small raised plateau of barren rock a few dozen meters in radius. Forests and mountains rose up high on one side, and a wide coastal plain with endless seas lay on the other.
All along the outer edges of the raised platform, empty Valkyrie Frames stand silently- simulated Valkyrie Frames, you correct yourself, with their technical details projected next to them.
The Instructors lay out some quick guidelines, then set the cadets loose, both Instructors mingling to dole out help where needed.
Setsuna walks amongst the projected models with gusto, looking over the frames on display alongside Sandra, the two girls having come to a truce of sorts somehow after their confrontation in the lobby.
At Setsuna's insistence, Koujirou follows along, insisting all the way that he isn't interested in another Frame. Shuri sits down in one of the chairs, and seems content to watch. Similarly, while you weren't interested in replacing Durga, you're still pretty curious in the models of other frames made available to other cadets, so you make your way along the perimeter while looking over the frames.
There are almost seventy cores up for grabs, more than two for every cadet in the squadron. Some cadets eschew the displayed frames completely, and simply trade frames with each other to try on. More than a few wander over to ask Shuri if they can try on Konark. All are rebuffed.
Due to the fact that the simulator can project a model of the Frames under any conditions on demand, a battlefield quickly unfolds on the seaward side of the platform, simulated Valkyrie Frames fighting Antagonists and each other.
On the opposing, landward side, a few Cadets try out their new frames, flying simple exercises. Rather unnerved by the battle on the seaward side, simulated or not, you extend Durga and join the flying cadets, keeping a wary eye out.
Rather than exercise your multi-target capabilities, you decide to focus on your Wave Force Manipulation today.
You suppose that this is a slightly more productive avenue of work. You no longer have to kill all the Antagonists that you see by yourself from now on, but you still are still one of the only people who will be able to deal decisive strikes to Type Zeros.
You begin.
Your Impeller condenses, then condenses again, then again, then again and again, over and over, for forty iterations. You crush the field and the energy within ever denser, rippling and warping the light that passes through it until spatial notation within your Impeller points exclusively inwards.
Now, you just had to see how far you could safely push the simulation limits of the Large scale simulators-
>Simulator Safeties Engaged<
>Error d3460570e2ad248e34f8f7a086ab851f || 2e749821fdb740fd7ff9a42a50734cc5<
>β+/β− NaN<
XxXxXxXxXx
Good Sense Roll: 9
Afternoon Class: Transcendent Offense: Roll: 22
164+22=186/900
XxXxXxXxXx
"…to practice your Wave Force in the Western Australia Ordinance Testing Ground number five oh seven."
You nod sheepishly as you receive the coordinates and store them. A barren military testing ground, much like the rest of the Australian outback, but notably, located 400 kilometers to the East of Perth Arcology.
Instructor Leonhart sighs and rubs her face slightly as the rest of the class return to trialling their new frames inside the reinitialised simulator space.
"That restriction only applies to physically practicing your Wave Force, so long as you remain researching the theoretical, which I am sure you can do concurrently with lessons, there will be no need to make the trip."
"Alright," you agree rather meekly.
The simulator had not even had time to issue a warning to you before the safeties collapsed the simulation space as the class were enjoying themselves. Everyone had been shunted into individual 'safe spaces' while the simulator waited for the Instructors to give the all clear.
The class had been rather understandably confused, and Instructor Meyer had spun a tale about one of the Frames interfering with the simulator on startup.
"I understand that you would never deliberately put people at risk, but we simply can't risk you using Wave Force so close to the Arcology. Sorry."
With that, the Instructor closes the channel.
You feel a grimace take over your face. You didn't have even a shadow of intent to bring the Wave anywhere close to coherence. What you were doing was only the very first step of… very many, but you well understood the reservations of the Instructors of even the inception of your wave force technique.
True, it wasn't baseless alarm even if only the first step with the compression of your Impeller Field was completed. The energy gathered within, if you release it all at once, it would be… pretty bad. Worse than a shot from one of your Heavy Particle Projectors to anyone too close to you. You were sure that the simulator can negate that much energy, but if you weren't within its safeties, then bets were off.
You focus on researching on theory instead through the rest of the lesson, noting that Setsuna tried on several new frames. She favours a dark blue and black frame that appears to be melee focused, in complete contrast to her almost completely ranged Kousenjoubi. Sandra also tries several different frames without any specific focus. Koujirou seems to run into some issues with trying different frames, crashing several times before giving it up as a bad job and staying with his Kandakara.
XxXxXxXxXx
The lesson had just ended, everyone filing out of the simulation room into the lobby when a new alert prods at you. A comm channel from someone else in the Squadron, Cadet Rachel Khoo, not someone you had talked with previously.
"Hey, Anna, Anna!"
"Hello."
"Was that you who shut down the simulator? You were doing something cool with your Impeller just before we got the boot."
Uh.
…
Uh… avoid the question, that's what you should do right?
"I was doing something with my Impeller, but-"
"I knew it! Also, was that you in the new first year ace vid? I mean… are you also an Ace level flyer?"
…Diversion failed.
Um.
Well, it shouldn't matter too much to tell one person-
"I was in that video, yes."
Abruptly, half the squadron looks over at you. Well, thirteen cadets, but that is still practically half the class.
"I knew it!" "Told you!" "Wow, that's two Aces in our Squadron?" "Hell yeah! We're gonna wreck in cross squadron exercises!" "That's awesome, why didn't you tell us Anna?" "Wow, so are you a returning vet like Shuri or a talent like Zoe?" "Talent I'd bet. Vet aces at her age are rare as heck." "So out of the three of you, who would actually win in a fight?"
The other Cadets crowd around you, bombarding you with questions and comments.
Hmm. You did not check whether the conversation was exclusively two way.
The rest of your Flight look on with some confusion at the sudden and to them, inexplicable hubbub.
"Wait, why are there two Aces in one Flight?" "Dibs not matching against Flight One." "You were fine matching against them even before?" "Well no, but-" "That's gonna tilt the mark scaling so hard." "How exactly are Instructors gonna balance our exercises?" "Did Shuri clear the air with Excalibur when we were doing target ID?" "No?" "They're gonna hold back obviously."
You shift uneasily as the other cadets crowd in. You hate being the center of attention. -Help us please-
"What is going on here?"
The PA systems echo the voice, squashing everyone else through volume.
Instructor Leonhart wades back through the crowd, forcing a path with the sheer force of her glare. At the back with the other half of the crowd, Instructor Meyer also looks on, concerned.
"Instructor! Did you know that Anna was an Ace?"
Leonhart flickers her gaze at you for a brief moment, expression unreadable, before her glare zeros in onto the cadet who had asked the question.
"Yes."
"She's another Ace, we-"
"Cadet Cato, Valkyrie Sanchez was not drawing particular attention to the fact that she is an Ace Valkyrie. She was likely even downplaying the fact. Have you ever thought why that might be? Please, have some consideration."
Most of the cadets pause at that, while a few look down and away, chastised.
"Ha."
The short bark of laughter echoes through the silent classroom. Most of the class turns in surprise.
Shuri puts a hand over her mouth, looking as surprised as everyone else at her brief outburst.
"Something to say Valkyrie Kravala?" asks Instructor Leonhart slowly, her tone making it rather clear that she expected the answer to be no.
"I… nothing. I'm sorry for that."
Instructor Leonhart nods curtly, but her eyes flicker slightly to the side in sync with Instructor Meyer, the two likely in conversation.
"Squadron dismissed. Make sure to keep in mind the feelings of others before you badger them."
As she dismisses the class, Instructor Leonhart opens a private channel to you.
"Anna, if you want us to make them leave you alone, you will only need to ask."
You think for a moment, then shrug slightly in response. You feel conflicted about this manner of reveal, but there shouldn't be a need for the Instructors to intervene anymore than they had right?
Instructor Leonhart waits a moment longer, then nods briefly to you in farewell and leaves.
XxXxXxXxXx
"Well… I see that not listening to the Instructors on shutting up is rather global," Shuri states blandly as the Flight makes its way down to the cafeteria.
"Huh, what do you mean?" asks Koujirou.
Shuri sends a message to the rest of the flight, a link to the cadet forums. You follow it and sigh slightly as you read through the thread.
_-_-_-_-_-_
Confirmed Third First Year Ace
Page 7 of 7
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>>Cadet April Lau
>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
---
>>Cadet Syifa Wulandari:
---
>>Cadet Marianne Braun: (12,100) (583)
Respect her privacy.
After making a public thread and arguing whether we should respect her privacy while people throw her name around willy nilly. It's so hopeless I don't even know why I'm not using her name.
---
>>Cadet Leah Muller: (2970)
---
>>Cadet Julia O'Conner: (13800) (330)
---
>>Cadet Lim Ninghong:
I suppose her details are all behind the 'Elite Eyes Only' wall of secrecy?
---
>>Cadet Isidora Blake:
She styled all over me in a chess game. Been ages since I had a game where I couldn't at least force a stalemate. It was a brief acquaintance, she hasn't visited the fourth cafeteria as far as I know.
---
>>Cadet Sofie Iversen: (6850)
You can't mention her name on public net. Not on Local Arcology Net or Wider Arcology Net.
Highly suspicious.
*inb4 getting dragged off by UNOMI*
---
>>Cadet Lan Yüan Mur
---
>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
Wait, does that mean Meyer is playing good cop? Holy shit, fucking can't even imagine, getting chills just thinking about it.
---
>>Instructor Fiona Meyer: (Moderator)
---
>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
_-_-_-_-_-_
…Well.
…
Hm. People sure posted quickly. It has not been even four minutes since class ended.
So long as people do not question you directly about what happened, you can live with this you suppose. If you don't want this internet gossip, you could ask the Instructors to clamp down on it, though you feel that it might be a bit too late for that.
It appears that everyone else is reading through the thread, as your Flight makes their way down into the cafeteria and sits down at a vacated table. As always, numerous cadets glance over at Shuri but now a balance are looking at you too.
Koujirou finally puts down his datapad after skimming through the thread and looks up at you, curious.
"Hey Anna, how come you didn't tell me you were an Ace? I mean, I knew for sure after yesterday night, but before, when you first decided to join."
Because it didn't matter in the end.
You're not really sure. It simply… made you uncomfortable.
"I don't really like the attention and… it doesn't really matter, right?"
"Well, of course it matters. It's-"
Koujirou starts to reply, but he meets your eyes and cuts himself off. There's a moment of silence where Koujirou reconsiders his words. He seems to find and then discard several answers, his brow furrowing and lips turning down as he appears to argue with himself.
No answer seems forthcoming as the silence stretches on.
"Anna, Valkyries, all of us, but Aces in particular are symbols of hope," Sandra takes over here, "We're the reason that humanity can fight back against the Antagonists. People need heroes to rally around, something they can lean on when everything else looks bleak."
Shuri opens her mouth but Sandra places her hand over the other girl's in a wordless gesture to wait. She continues speaking, looking earnestly into your eyes.
"Even right here, right now, first year cadets like Shuri, you, and Zoe represent goals to achieve for the other cadets. Raising your flag will let others rally around it. Your skill, that you have strength enough that you can lend it to others, rather than hoard it for your own survival, it's something to take pride in."
Enough strength that you can lend it to others?
-I can fight them. I can keep you safe- -I'll stop them for good.-
"…They should place their hope in someone else then," you say shortly in response, looking away from Sandra's eyes. She didn't know you, she didn't know why people should never have to be forced in placing their trust in you-
"They can, and so can you."
What?
You sit up slightly in surprise.
"We're a cohort, and though we all shall support each other, we shall all compete also. Remember that you are a target, so don't think any of us will be content to stay below and forever look up to you, no matter how lofty the height of your abilities. Then, when we've caught up, you can pass the torch on. You can lean on us then."
Everyone at the table shifts in response to Sandra's declaration. Sandra flickers her eyes over at Shuri, who is staring pensively at her own hands.
"Right? Setsuna? Koujirou?" Sandra asks.
"Definitely, I don't need you to tell me that!"
"Yeah, there's no one in this Academy who won't be aiming for Ace status."
… This had some parallels with what Yukari had said at the beginning of this term.
If only back then too, that there were so many, that there were any, whom you could have relied upon…
Did you want to rely on and battle alongside others? They could get hurt. Then would you have others rely only on you? You failed once already, and they would still be hurt when you fail again.
Sandra looks expectantly at you, and you give a slight shrug at her points, conflicted. Sandra still smiles widely at your response, seeming glad to have received an answer at all.
XxXxXxXxXx
In the time that you had spent talking, Sandra had called a dolly that was balancing multiple trays of food to the table. There was more than the five of you could safely eat in a single setting.
Walking alongside the dolly is Yukari, looking rather bemused at the overloaded dolly.
Her eyes catch sight of the occupants of the table and widen.
"Oh! Sis! Come sit down," says Koujirou, waving.
"Sandra, Shuri, this is my older sister, Yukari. Yukari, Shuri Kravala and Sandra Cambridge."
Yukari gingerly sits down, still wide eyed. By her side, the dolly starts passing out plates of food for everyone, "A pleasure and honour to meet you both. To make sure, you're all in one Flight?"
Shuri again nods wordlessly in greeting, her eyes assessing.
"We are indeed," answers Sandra, "Likewise it is a pleasure to meet you. Koujirou has regaled us with the most flattering stories of you."
"A-ah, really now?" Yukari smiles awkwardly, then throws Koujirou an incredulous look, to which he avoids by ducking down into his food, "The rest of your Squadron, and maybe even the entire year must be throwing up quite the fuss over this arrangement."
"There is plenty of precedent for such in later years, there is more surprise that Anna is also an Ace Valkyrie."
"So you decided to let people know, Anna?"
"They found out for themselves really," you reply as the dolly places a tray of foods in front of you.
To your surprise, on the tray is a series of foods that coincided with ones on your list.
"Ah, with how you fly, it probably was only a matter of time," Yukari says sympathetically.
You nod, then glance at Sandra in surprise.
"That habit of yours is pretty well documented," she says with a slight smile.
"Where?" you ask, getting the premonition you weren't going to like the answer.
"On the network of course. I did notice that your eating habits are the topic of interest to a number of people."
… Surely there are more interesting things to talk about.
Still, damn the laughter. You're about to tuck in, before you pause and retrieve the gift from the baking and crafting clubs, deciding to use the ornamental cutlery instead. You'll have to thank them later in the evening.
XxXxXxXxXx
Character Relevance Gained: +1 = 12 (Center Cast Character/Shipping Wars)
Congrats on making it into central cast! Increasing relevance gets harder from now on.
XxXxXxXxXx
As dinner winds down, talk turns to what the Flight will be doing for the night.
"So what are we going to be doing today, Sandra?" asks Koujirou.
Sandra daintily wipes her mouth with a handkerchief and decisively starts, "Of course, having just convened as a new Flight, we must fly a full Flight exercise in the simulators. Since the afternoon lesson didn't have any exercises, now should be an excellent time to make up for it."
Sandra taps on her datapad rapidly and brings up a list of available scenarios.
"Now, which scenario would you all prefer?"
XxXxXxXxXx
>[]Randomly generated scenario
>>[]Easy
>>[]Moderate
>>[]Difficult
>>[]Write in, suggest a scenario. Detail general objectives. Difficulty will be determined by GM.
>[]Historic Scenarios (Moderate)
>>[]Dunkirk (Objective. Protect the Island of Bretagne and the arriving refugee convoys from Swarming Antagonists.)
>>[]Blitzkrieg (Search and Destroy. The Three Hundred Frames have devastated Antagonist forces across the entire European front. Uralsk breach was destroyed. March for either the Moscow or Elazig breaches, destroy every Antagonist you find.)
>>[]Red Tide (Objective. Clear away the forces over the Bering Strait in preparation for the Alaskan Offensive.)
>>[]Single Sweep (Objective. Fairbanks Breach has been subjugated and Saskatoon Breach has been destroyed by unknown means, the flank is secure, Portland Breach is vulnerable, sweep down the coast.)
>[]Historic Scenarios (Difficult to Impossible)
>>[]First Contact (Survival. As the name suggests. Survive the Antagonist attacks, protect the ICBMs on terminal approach, survive the resulting explosions)
>>[]Uralsk Massacre (Survival/Objective. First human attack on a Breach. Succeed.)
>>[]Battle of Britain (Survival/Objective. Hold the island until the first of the 300 frames arrive.)
>>[]Once more unto the Breach (Objective. The Elazig Breach is ahead, Type Zero Indra is behind. Destroy the Breach before you are destroyed.)
>>[]To the Stars (Escort. Protect Ark Ship Noah from Type Zero Abraxas. Until it passes Martian Orbit.)
>>[]Second Impact (Objective. Protect the ascending orbital defence satellites from attack.)
>>[]Omnicide (Survival. Type Zero Aswang has broken the back of the UN African Front. Regroup under intensifying Antagonist attacks and survive until the bulk of UN Forces committed at Guera breach and against Type Zero Indra return.)
>>[]One small step for man (Objective. Protect lunar base Armstrong from attack until Valkyrie Battleship Gomorrah activates.)
>[]Future Simulated Scenarios (Varies)
>>[]Manifest Destiny (The West Coast is now under human control. With only the major breaches left and isolated, clear a path to the East Coast of the North American Continent.)
>>[]Darkest Africa (The Tamanrasset double Breaches inch closer to each other with every year. UN Armed Forces does not know what will happen if they meet. No one want to find out. Cut a path to the Breaches.)
>>[]Ragnarok (After years of stalemate and defence, the UN is prepared to start the squeeze on the European Breaches. First on the list are Oslo and Helsinki, clear a path from Polar Orbit right to their doorsteps.)
>>[]Vae Victus (Humanity has lost. Earth burns. Protect the Major Arcologies as they lift off. Until at least one passes Lunar Orbit. Humanity will remember your sacrifice.)
How will you try to approach this simulation?
>[]Hold back. Allow the others to do most of the work, see if Sandra can put her money where her mouth is. You're still going to intervene if you see one of them in danger though.
>[]Use everything. No mercy, no calculus, no hesitation. No risk to the others. All you need is kill.
XxXxXxXxXx
Still to come:
[]Evening: Continue down the list.
No. of votes: 30
-[] ... but not before dropping by the Crafting Club and thanking them for the silverware gift. Send your regards to the Baking Club too for the thought.
13+9+3=25(Pass)
Roll: 36
XxXxXxXxXx
-[] If he is not awake, ask his frame what exactly it thought it was doing when it let him override the safeties.
-[] Discuss the match and pick out where they did right and wrong.
[]Steps to gitting gud: (I presume)
[] Practice impeller field manipulation with less volatile materials than plasma. Fine impeller control means you can wear it as a second skin rather than just a shield, use it for maneuvering, and deliver improvised attacks like we did yesterday.
No. of votes: 18
[] Keep pushing what speeds and g-forces he can safely achieve. He's a melee combatant, and that means he needs a lot of practice at high speed maneuver. As long as he doesn't override safeties and push to the point of injury, it's fine.
No. of votes: 18
[]Afternoon: Self Study. Transcendent Offense.
No. of votes: 21
[] Dinner: Bonding with your friends. Their suggestion, because we should learn more about them.
No. of votes: 25
-[] Dinner: Use the new cutlery for dinner.
No. of votes: 16
[]Evening: Continue down the list.
No. of votes: 30
-[] ... but not before dropping by the Crafting Club and thanking them for the silverware gift. Send your regards to the Baking Club too for the thought.
13+9+3=25(Pass)
XxXxXxXxXx
Yukari bids the pair of you farewell as lunch comes to a close, heading to the surface for her classes.
Setsuna yawns as she stretches like a cat, before patting her face twice and jumping to her feet.
"Alright, time for class. Let's go Anna."
You nod and follow her as she powerwalks through the corridors.
A few intersections away from the large scale simulators, you feel a slight jolt. Checking on the nudge, you notice that your service record has been changed. Where it used to state 'Squadron Four, Flight Seven, Keeper Position', it now announced you as 'Squadron Four, Flight One, Keeper Position'.
Flight One, Shuri's flight?
Moments after you parse the change, a notice pops up from the Arcology.
>Notice to Cadet Anna Sanchez: Your Flight, Squadron Four, Flight Seven, has been combined with Squadron Four, Flight One<
>Your current positions are: Squadron Four, Flight One, Keeper Position<
>Your current Assignments do not change<
>You do not need to take additional action<
>Flight Members List<
>>Shuri Kravala
>>Sandra Cambridge
>>Rokusabe Koujirou
>>Masaya Setsuna
>>Anna Sanchez
…What had happened to Catherine Han? Had she left Flight One before the merger?
Setsuna, having received a message of her own, pulled out her datapad to read it, "Wait, Anna. Did you also get the notice? We got absorbed into Flight One."
"I did," you confirm.
Setsuna shakes her head, stares at the datapad for several more moments, then sighs, turning to look up at you.
"We didn't tell you did we, Koujirou was Flight leader so…"
She trails off unsurely, seeming somewhat conflicted.
"I thought you were Flight leader," you respond.
Granted, you had never asked, but from Setsuna's more authoritative behaviour as opposed to Koujirou, who seemed far more relaxed, you had thought that she would be the leader of Flight Seven.
She grumbles slightly under her breath then speaks up, "Well yeah, but... it was after you left on Monday. He was putting his Frame through its paces, and we had a few matches."
Setsuna sighs, and slumps slightly at that, "I said that if he could take a match off me, he could be Flight Leader, so he kept choosing races and got lucky one time."
Come to think of it, it was Koujirou calling the shots in the simulators yesterday evening.
You shake your head slightly in bemusement at the idea, taking a moment to recall the orientation speech where the role of the Flight leader was explained. From your memory, the Flight leader could administer quite a few changes to their flight, such as the reassignment of roles, inducting new cadets and ejecting cadets. In first year, especially so early on, this was hardly notable due to the extremely fluid nature of flights. As such, the role was not very important. Later in the years, the position would gain more importance as the structure of Flights became more rigid and cadets took more and more conceits of the roles they would assume upon graduating into the Armed Forces.
"Well, at least he did something with the position," muses Setsuna, still reading her datapad as she continues walking, "The Golden Ace is probably Flight Leader now. I don't think Koujirou's head is swollen enough to try to claim that role over her experience."
Shuri.
She's Flight Leader now?
… You feel a surge of dislike for the other Valkyrie swell up again, before it's rapidly replaced by nervousness over what it will mean for your two charges. Shuri had not exactly been the best experience for the other Cadets in her Flight. Your mind flickers back to the message Sandra had sent you in morning class, where she told you as an aside that Shuri was easing up on the practice schedule. You will have to see for yourself to be sure.
"Uh, something wrong Anna?" asks Setsuna, looking up at you.
"I… I'm worried about you two," you admit, "I don't think you should stay in Flight One. Shuri isn't- she's not…"
"Not the best with people?" asks Setsuna.
You nod, and Setsuna grimaces, hesitatingly continuing, "I actually kinda agree."
There's a moment where Setsuna mulls over her thoughts, before she looks you in the eye with a decisive nod of her head and continues, sounding sure.
"You don't have to worry about us too much though, Anna, Valk practice is why we're here after all. We'll make it, I'm sure. Koujirou also knows what he's getting into. Otherwise, he wouldn't have signed up…"
At this, Setsuna suddenly looks a lot less certain, "Not that he has any sense. Maybe he's overestimating himself aga-"
"So you two won't be okay?" you demand, interrupting Setsuna.
Setsuna shakes her head slightly. Was that a 'no they won't be okay' or a 'no, they will be okay'?
"I'd like to think that I can keep up, and I really want to be able to keep up, but I'll have to try it to find out."
That does not reassure you at all. You're sure that the other cadets formerly in Shuri's Flight had thoughts running along the same lines. You scowl, and consider instructing the travelators to move faster to confront the other Valkyrie sooner when an alert nudges you.
>>Private Chat Start: Text Only
>>Participants: Rokusabe Koujirou, Masaya Setsuna, Anna Sanchez.
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "Uh hey guys."<
Setsuna immediately starts swiping furiously at her datapad as the alert for the chat appears on her screen.
>Anna Sanchez: "Have you fully recovered from your wounds?"<
>Masaya Setsuna: "Koujirou whats the meaning of this?"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "yeah no worries Anna"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "well I joined her for lunch prac"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "we both have like no ppl in lfgihts"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "talked a little"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "then yeah"<
Setsuna puffs out a sigh and shrugs slightly.
>Anna Sanchez: "Are you sure you can keep up the hours demanded by Shuri? It won't be easy."<
>Masaya Setsuna: "You better know what you're doing Koji"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "@Setsu oh I know what the ladies like"<
Setsuna splutters out a laugh, chuckling under her breath, "You're freaking incorrigible Koji."
You note her reaction with a little surprise. Setsuna seemed much calmer about Koujirou when Koujirou wasn't nearby.
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "@Anna nah talked to Sandra about it"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "lunch dinners, can prac at other times too when want"<
Only at lunch and at dinner now? That… shouldn't be out of the cadet's abilities. You hope.
At your side, Setsuna looks conflicted for a moment, before tapping out another message.
>Masaya Setsuna: "And? How many extra time periods are you planning to go to?"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "probs evening too til vanguard comp"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "would like to go breakfast too but not sure"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "you?"<
Setsuna glances sideways at you for a second, before tapping out a reply.
>Masaya Setsuna: "I'll probably do the same as you"<
"How about you Anna?" asks Setsuna, "I doubt you need any practice, but then again, neither should Shuri."
"Depends," you answer evasively.
It would help formation tactics and allow you to learn more about the capabilities of your flightmates, but on the other hand, they might insist on matching against you. As much as Koujirou had reassured you this morning that sparring inside the simulator would be safe so long as the safeties were respected, you're still not at all enthused at the option. You aren't even sure you will be able to calmly stand to the side if they fight against each other.
Setsuna nods in acknowledgement and sends one last message as the travelator arrives at an intersection. Both of you disembark and proceed on foot towards the large scale simulator rooms.
>Masaya Setsuna: "We're nearly there, see you in a min"<
>Rokusabe Koujirou: "k"<
XxXxXxXxXx
The pair of you arrive at the simulator room a dozen minutes before class starts.
Inside the lobby of the room is the rest of Flight One.
Now your Flight…
Koujirou is sitting on the floor, holding a slightly curved wooden stick, his Impeller flicking and waving over the surface. Shuri is sitting opposite him, looking on as Koujirou concentrates. Sandra was on a couch to the side, probably one that she expressed from her storage, using her hair as a cushion as she waited.
…That looks really comfortable. You should probably grow out your hair, though even when it was still long, it had no where near the thickness of Sandra's hair.
Sandra notices immediately as the two of you come in and stands up. Somehow putting her shining, blonde hair back into pristine order with a single lavish flip, the curls bouncing and swaying, she clasps her hands together and beams sunnily at Setsuna and you.
"Good afternoon, Anna Sanchez and Masaya Setsuna. I am Aleksandra Marianne Cambridge, and it is a pleasure to welcome you both to Flight One."
Wow… was that feminine grace? That was feminine grace, right?
You grasp for and fail to find something appropriate to say in response.
"She- she's really high level…" whispers Setsuna under her breath, sounding as awed as you felt.
Koujirou saves both of you as he leaps to his feet, waving energetically as he calls out a casual greeting. By his side, Shuri silently rises, simply nodding to the two of you.
Sandra is apparently not yet done with her greetings, as she walks up to you and extends her hand for a handshake. You reach out somewhat awkwardly, and allow her to clasp your hand with both of hers.
There's a moment where she hesitates slightly in front of you before she extends a small foot stool out, steps up onto it and-
Brushes her lips over the Impeller field covering your cheeks?
…What uh that isn't um you don't think-
"W-what!"
"Lilies?"
Sandra leans back and smiles at you, "I'm very glad you decided to join us after all, Anna."
…Well you didn't really-
She glides away and pounces on Setsuna before you manage to respond.
Setsuna's eyes widen, and the smaller girl manages to get her hands up in warding motion, which Sandra cheerfully misinterprets as a request for a handshake. Setsuna only manages to utter a slight squeak of protest before Sandra envelops her in a hug and gives her a slight kiss on each cheek.
…Setsuna sure is popular. This is the second time you have seen her kissed.
"Lilies," Koujirou confirms solemnly, having snapped out his datapad and taken a quick picture.
Shuri deftly snatches it from him and flicks the screen several times. Koujirou gives her a pleading look, to which Shuri responds with a simple raised eyebrow, before she taps the screen one last time decisively and hands the device back to Koujirou.
With a slightly disappointed look, Koujirou tucks the datapad away. Looking down at his waist pouches, Koujirou misses Sandra as she releases Setsuna, the girl looking absolutely poleaxed, and walks towards him.
…Maybe you should do something?
Nah.
It wouldn't do at all for Koujirou to miss out.
…
At the end of Sandra's… 'greeting', Koujirou was smiling absently, rubbing at his cheeks whilst Setsuna was looking even more shell shocked.
"Again, welcome to Flight One, former members of Flight Seven. That welcome was my pledge of piety to you, that I swear, for either better or worse, in both sickness and in health, I shall do my very best to care for and advance you in all respects during our time together as a Flight."
…Those words were… not usually used for this- this uh, 'occasion' surely? You're slightly embarrassed honestly.
"Wh- Pledge? P-piety?" Koujirou repeats with a slight stutter, also looking embarrassed.
Setsuna snaps out of her funk, and lightly steps on Koujirou's foot. "Stop looking so happy you moron," she mutters at the boy.
Ignoring Koujirou's injured look, Setsuna steps forward, squaring herself and lifting her chin upwards, her finger pointed accusingly at Sandra, snapping "I appreciate the words Cadet Cambridge, but why are you giving us that overblown speech? If someone needed all that, shouldn't it have been the Flight leader to lay it all out?"
"Ah, Setsu, well-"
"That is correct Setsuna. I take the role of Flight leader with as much earnest effort as I do every other task in life. There is nothing to fear."
Oh? Sandra is Flight leader? That is surprising to you. It seems that you don't have to fear Shuri pressuring your cadets too hard then. You feel that Sandra is rather more on the reasonable side for training.
"Wh-wha-?!" Setsuna gapes, her finger swinging from back and forth between Sandra and Shuri.
At a rather insistent look from Sandra, Shuri speaks up, "I have decided to pass the role of Flight Leader to Sandra. I did not- I think that she is better at the role."
Shuri pauses a moment, "Sorry," she adds, somewhat insincerely.
Setsuna looks ready to explode for a moment, before she seems to deflate and simply sighs.
"Hey Setsu, you don't have to-" Koujirou starts before Setsuna's hand snaps back up and points into his nose.
"Don't you start Koji.What exactly were you thinking last night? You still haven't satisfied me with your explanation."
"No! I really meant what I said," Koujirou babbled.
He tries to back away from Setsuna, but she follows, keeping an unerringly constant distance between her finger and his face.
"It really was an accident, I mean, c'mon, I wasn't even hurt. That bad. And I got an upgrade, it's a win ain't it?"
The two start making circuits around Sandra, before she intervenes. Smoothly enveloping Setsuna outstretched hand with her own, Sandra pulls the other girl to a stop and steps between the two.
"Now Setsuna, there's no need to pressure Koujirou too much. Neophytes make such errors all the time, and we have already talked the issue over."
Setsuna only seems more agitated by that. She snatches away her hand and snaps, "You've got a foot up on me, but I'm not going to lose!"
At that, Sandra draws herself up and flips her hair again with a dramatic flourish, resting her chin on a hand, and looking down her nose at Setsuna with a confident and challenging smile.
"Oho? Of course! I expect you to put forth all effort possible in our joust for the position of Squadron Vanguard. I will do the same, so there will be no space for you to restrain yourself one whit!"
"Squadron Vanguard? Uh, yeah! I won't lose there either!"
Koujirou had scurried over to your side in the meanwhile, and gives a slight huff of relief as the two girls start squaring off, Setsuna's attention successfully diverted away from him.
Remembering what you had wanted to do earlier in the morning, you greet the frame in every single manner that you knew of. The IFF responds to you. Only the IFF. It seemed like Kandakara, if it did talk, didn't feel like talking to you.
Koujirou doesn't seem to even notice your attempt, but Shuri, who had commandeered Sandra's couch, looks over inquisitively for a moment.
"So anyway, Anna. I figure out just before class starts would be a good time to ask, do you have any advice for me about what I could improve on?"
Ah, Koujirou just pre-empted you again. You did do some thinking on the way here-
"Cause when I was talking with Shuri, she said that I needed to practice inertia cancelling the most, prevent over-Gs from happening again- well, prevent it from happening as often anyway."
…
You're feeling rather annoyed and you don't even know why.
"…Yes, that should be the main thing you should focus on, focus on the potential of one aspect of your frame first. Just… listen to your safeties from now on."
Koujirou nods, "Yeah, I get the message, everyone I've talked to gave me a talking to about that, especially Instructor Leonhart…"
He shudders briefly at that.
"But back to things I can improve on. Anything else you see Anna?"
"Your Impeller Field," you continue on, "I think you should practice moving it around like with that charged attack of yours, but with stuff less explosive than supercharged plasma. Your Impeller is still a simple shape right now, but with practice you can form it into any shape you want and use it for moving and attacking."
Koujirou's face lights up at this. He runs over and grabs the stick he had been holding when you entered the room.
"Oh, I've got something for that. Hey Anna, watch this."
He holds out the stick and frowns down at it, concentrating.
As you watch, his Impeller Field flickers, distorts and runs over the surface of the stick. A few moments later, his Impeller Field shudders, then resonates… you think. It's awfully hard to get a read on someone else's Impeller, especially with both of the Valkyrie Frames still retracted, but it appears to be some form of zero range contact attack.
Koujirou grins at you, "Bet you can't do that flick to break my sword now."
Hmm… maybe. It would definitely be harder for you to induce a backlash like you did in the simulator, but…
"Rokusabe, that-" Shuri starts off warningly, before cutting herself off and sitting back into the chair with a slight shrug.
You gather and then condense your Impeller, and flick the stick with your index finger.
There is a crackle, and then a sharp snap accompanied by flash of white light as the Impeller Fields contact. The top half of the stick bounces off the ceiling, and Shuri lazily catches it before it hits her. It also breaks Sandra and Setsuna from their conversation, the two looking over at the disturbance.
Koujirou stares between his broken stick and your hand dumbly.
…Oops?
You awkwardly hide your hand behind your back.
"S-Shuri! It didn't work!" complains Koujirou. He turns to the lounging Valkyrie, looking bewildered, a slight shimmer covering him as his depleted Impeller recharges.
She shrugs slightly in response, "I did warn you about the Impeller density disparity Rokusabe. You'll need to improve your Impeller control an order of magnitude, or raise your Core compatibility til you have enough Impeller to offset the difference."
The other cadets start filtering into the room, and Sandra bustles around to collect her furniture.
Shuri was acting kind of strange. Compared to how tightly strung and curt she was that night where you joined her, she was… relaxed today. No longer on edge, you suppose.
"So… not there yet, I guess," says Koujirou, looking down at his broken stick.
"There are shortcuts-" Shuri starts, then cuts herself off as Sandra rests a hand on her shoulder, "-but you shouldn't find yourself in need of them."
Koujirou looks ready set to press the subject further, but the rest of the class files in and he shelves it.
XxXxXxXxXx
Hello? Roll d56 Result: 15: Fail.
XxXxXxXxXx
Following with the theory lesson regarding new frames, the practical session also appeared to be mostly geared towards people who wished to try out different Valkyrie Frames.
The simulation space materialised the squadron on a small raised plateau of barren rock a few dozen meters in radius. Forests and mountains rose up high on one side, and a wide coastal plain with endless seas lay on the other.
All along the outer edges of the raised platform, empty Valkyrie Frames stand silently- simulated Valkyrie Frames, you correct yourself, with their technical details projected next to them.
The Instructors lay out some quick guidelines, then set the cadets loose, both Instructors mingling to dole out help where needed.
Setsuna walks amongst the projected models with gusto, looking over the frames on display alongside Sandra, the two girls having come to a truce of sorts somehow after their confrontation in the lobby.
At Setsuna's insistence, Koujirou follows along, insisting all the way that he isn't interested in another Frame. Shuri sits down in one of the chairs, and seems content to watch. Similarly, while you weren't interested in replacing Durga, you're still pretty curious in the models of other frames made available to other cadets, so you make your way along the perimeter while looking over the frames.
There are almost seventy cores up for grabs, more than two for every cadet in the squadron. Some cadets eschew the displayed frames completely, and simply trade frames with each other to try on. More than a few wander over to ask Shuri if they can try on Konark. All are rebuffed.
Due to the fact that the simulator can project a model of the Frames under any conditions on demand, a battlefield quickly unfolds on the seaward side of the platform, simulated Valkyrie Frames fighting Antagonists and each other.
On the opposing, landward side, a few Cadets try out their new frames, flying simple exercises. Rather unnerved by the battle on the seaward side, simulated or not, you extend Durga and join the flying cadets, keeping a wary eye out.
Rather than exercise your multi-target capabilities, you decide to focus on your Wave Force Manipulation today.
You suppose that this is a slightly more productive avenue of work. You no longer have to kill all the Antagonists that you see by yourself from now on, but you still are still one of the only people who will be able to deal decisive strikes to Type Zeros.
You begin.
Your Impeller condenses, then condenses again, then again, then again and again, over and over, for forty iterations. You crush the field and the energy within ever denser, rippling and warping the light that passes through it until spatial notation within your Impeller points exclusively inwards.
Now, you just had to see how far you could safely push the simulation limits of the Large scale simulators-
>Simulator Safeties Engaged<
>Error d3460570e2ad248e34f8f7a086ab851f || 2e749821fdb740fd7ff9a42a50734cc5<
>β+/β− NaN<
XxXxXxXxXx
Good Sense Roll: 9
Base roll: 12
Mod: - 3
Result: 9
Result > 1
Did not damage simulators.
Result < 10
Still interrupted the lesson.
Mod: - 3
Result: 9
Result > 1
Did not damage simulators.
Result < 10
Still interrupted the lesson.
Afternoon Class: Transcendent Offense: Roll: 22
164+22=186/900
XxXxXxXxXx
"…to practice your Wave Force in the Western Australia Ordinance Testing Ground number five oh seven."
You nod sheepishly as you receive the coordinates and store them. A barren military testing ground, much like the rest of the Australian outback, but notably, located 400 kilometers to the East of Perth Arcology.
Instructor Leonhart sighs and rubs her face slightly as the rest of the class return to trialling their new frames inside the reinitialised simulator space.
"That restriction only applies to physically practicing your Wave Force, so long as you remain researching the theoretical, which I am sure you can do concurrently with lessons, there will be no need to make the trip."
"Alright," you agree rather meekly.
The simulator had not even had time to issue a warning to you before the safeties collapsed the simulation space as the class were enjoying themselves. Everyone had been shunted into individual 'safe spaces' while the simulator waited for the Instructors to give the all clear.
The class had been rather understandably confused, and Instructor Meyer had spun a tale about one of the Frames interfering with the simulator on startup.
"I understand that you would never deliberately put people at risk, but we simply can't risk you using Wave Force so close to the Arcology. Sorry."
With that, the Instructor closes the channel.
You feel a grimace take over your face. You didn't have even a shadow of intent to bring the Wave anywhere close to coherence. What you were doing was only the very first step of… very many, but you well understood the reservations of the Instructors of even the inception of your wave force technique.
True, it wasn't baseless alarm even if only the first step with the compression of your Impeller Field was completed. The energy gathered within, if you release it all at once, it would be… pretty bad. Worse than a shot from one of your Heavy Particle Projectors to anyone too close to you. You were sure that the simulator can negate that much energy, but if you weren't within its safeties, then bets were off.
You focus on researching on theory instead through the rest of the lesson, noting that Setsuna tried on several new frames. She favours a dark blue and black frame that appears to be melee focused, in complete contrast to her almost completely ranged Kousenjoubi. Sandra also tries several different frames without any specific focus. Koujirou seems to run into some issues with trying different frames, crashing several times before giving it up as a bad job and staying with his Kandakara.
XxXxXxXxXx
The lesson had just ended, everyone filing out of the simulation room into the lobby when a new alert prods at you. A comm channel from someone else in the Squadron, Cadet Rachel Khoo, not someone you had talked with previously.
"Hey, Anna, Anna!"
"Hello."
"Was that you who shut down the simulator? You were doing something cool with your Impeller just before we got the boot."
Uh.
…
Uh… avoid the question, that's what you should do right?
"I was doing something with my Impeller, but-"
"I knew it! Also, was that you in the new first year ace vid? I mean… are you also an Ace level flyer?"
…Diversion failed.
Um.
Well, it shouldn't matter too much to tell one person-
"I was in that video, yes."
Abruptly, half the squadron looks over at you. Well, thirteen cadets, but that is still practically half the class.
"I knew it!" "Told you!" "Wow, that's two Aces in our Squadron?" "Hell yeah! We're gonna wreck in cross squadron exercises!" "That's awesome, why didn't you tell us Anna?" "Wow, so are you a returning vet like Shuri or a talent like Zoe?" "Talent I'd bet. Vet aces at her age are rare as heck." "So out of the three of you, who would actually win in a fight?"
The other Cadets crowd around you, bombarding you with questions and comments.
Hmm. You did not check whether the conversation was exclusively two way.
The rest of your Flight look on with some confusion at the sudden and to them, inexplicable hubbub.
"Wait, why are there two Aces in one Flight?" "Dibs not matching against Flight One." "You were fine matching against them even before?" "Well no, but-" "That's gonna tilt the mark scaling so hard." "How exactly are Instructors gonna balance our exercises?" "Did Shuri clear the air with Excalibur when we were doing target ID?" "No?" "They're gonna hold back obviously."
You shift uneasily as the other cadets crowd in. You hate being the center of attention. -Help us please-
"What is going on here?"
The PA systems echo the voice, squashing everyone else through volume.
Instructor Leonhart wades back through the crowd, forcing a path with the sheer force of her glare. At the back with the other half of the crowd, Instructor Meyer also looks on, concerned.
"Instructor! Did you know that Anna was an Ace?"
Leonhart flickers her gaze at you for a brief moment, expression unreadable, before her glare zeros in onto the cadet who had asked the question.
"Yes."
"She's another Ace, we-"
"Cadet Cato, Valkyrie Sanchez was not drawing particular attention to the fact that she is an Ace Valkyrie. She was likely even downplaying the fact. Have you ever thought why that might be? Please, have some consideration."
Most of the cadets pause at that, while a few look down and away, chastised.
"Ha."
The short bark of laughter echoes through the silent classroom. Most of the class turns in surprise.
Shuri puts a hand over her mouth, looking as surprised as everyone else at her brief outburst.
"Something to say Valkyrie Kravala?" asks Instructor Leonhart slowly, her tone making it rather clear that she expected the answer to be no.
"I… nothing. I'm sorry for that."
Instructor Leonhart nods curtly, but her eyes flicker slightly to the side in sync with Instructor Meyer, the two likely in conversation.
"Squadron dismissed. Make sure to keep in mind the feelings of others before you badger them."
As she dismisses the class, Instructor Leonhart opens a private channel to you.
"Anna, if you want us to make them leave you alone, you will only need to ask."
You think for a moment, then shrug slightly in response. You feel conflicted about this manner of reveal, but there shouldn't be a need for the Instructors to intervene anymore than they had right?
Instructor Leonhart waits a moment longer, then nods briefly to you in farewell and leaves.
XxXxXxXxXx
"Well… I see that not listening to the Instructors on shutting up is rather global," Shuri states blandly as the Flight makes its way down to the cafeteria.
"Huh, what do you mean?" asks Koujirou.
Shuri sends a message to the rest of the flight, a link to the cadet forums. You follow it and sigh slightly as you read through the thread.
_-_-_-_-_-_
Confirmed Third First Year Ace
Page 7 of 7
---
>>Cadet April Lau
Cadet Jocelyn White said: …lol, so no vids? Just how?
Well of course we were taking video and stuff, it's all gone like it's never existed though. Even all the stuff I had on wider network.>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
Anna's clearly a vet, I mean, if Instructor Mom really called her Valkyrie Sanchez that is. Instructor Mom only calls vets Valkyrie this or Valkyrie that, if she was a talent, then it would be Cadet this or Cadet that.
---
>>Cadet Syifa Wulandari:
Cadet Maeann Rosen said: How the hell did they screw up that bad on Monday? If she was an Ace then she definitely could have carried them.
I mean, she's pretty quiet, I'm not surprised that her team mates could have screwed her up on day one, they were actually ramming each other when we passed them after all.---
>>Cadet Marianne Braun: (12,100) (583)
Cadet Sara Pöyry said: snip
Yes.Respect her privacy.
After making a public thread and arguing whether we should respect her privacy while people throw her name around willy nilly. It's so hopeless I don't even know why I'm not using her name.
---
>>Cadet Leah Muller: (2970)
The hell is with Y1S4F1 anyway? They get two Ace fliers and that guy (Coke-Zero or something?). Aces are like one in a hundred and guys are like one in two hundred, how is it that they are all on the same flight?
---
>>Cadet Julia O'Conner: (13800) (330)
Cadet Delma K. Gonzales said: snip
Wouldn't do that. She's freaking good at ewar. Detected a low band scan and slammed me for it right after I started. She was involved in Alaska somehow, that's all I'll say.---
>>Cadet Lim Ninghong:
Cadet Isidora Blake said: snip
Cadet Hiroto Asuna said: snip
Cadet Zara Wight said: snip
Cadet Marianne Braun said: snip
Cadet Julia O'Conner said: snip
Wait, how many of you Aces have met Anna? Is this another one of those 'Elite cafeteria' things?Cadet Hiroto Asuna said: snip
Cadet Zara Wight said: snip
Cadet Marianne Braun said: snip
Cadet Julia O'Conner said: snip
I suppose her details are all behind the 'Elite Eyes Only' wall of secrecy?
---
>>Cadet Isidora Blake:
Cadet Lim Ninghong said: …Is this another one of those 'Elite cafeteria' things?
No.She styled all over me in a chess game. Been ages since I had a game where I couldn't at least force a stalemate. It was a brief acquaintance, she hasn't visited the fourth cafeteria as far as I know.
Cadet Lim Ninghong said: Are her details behind the great 'Elite eyes only' wall of secrecy?
Higher classification than that.---
>>Cadet Sofie Iversen: (6850)
Cadet Mary Braun said: snip
Reporting in.You can't mention her name on public net. Not on Local Arcology Net or Wider Arcology Net.
Highly suspicious.
*inb4 getting dragged off by UNOMI*
---
>>Cadet Lan Yüan Mur
Cadet Rosa Silvia said: …She's pretty nice though.
Really? I find her kind of scary really.Cadet Zara Wight said: ... Instructor Mom.
Hold on a sec, you call Instructor Leonhart Instructor Mom?---
>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
Cadet Lan Yüan Mur said: Hold on a sec, you call Instructor Leonhart Instructor Mom?
Well yeah? I guess Leonart is playing bad cop for your squadron then? Hahaha you freshies are all so scared of the Instructors. She's actually a teddy bear, like, she'll bake you cookies and knit you clothes if you ask her, seriously no jokes I mean it.Wait, does that mean Meyer is playing good cop? Holy shit, fucking can't even imagine, getting chills just thinking about it.
---
>>Instructor Fiona Meyer: (Moderator)
Cadet Zara Wight said: …Meyer playing good cop? Holy shit, fucking can't even imagine, getting chills just thinking about it.
Heard you were talking shit, cadet.---
>>Cadet Zara Wight: (12,330) (556)
Fuck me.
_-_-_-_-_-_
…Well.
…
Hm. People sure posted quickly. It has not been even four minutes since class ended.
So long as people do not question you directly about what happened, you can live with this you suppose. If you don't want this internet gossip, you could ask the Instructors to clamp down on it, though you feel that it might be a bit too late for that.
It appears that everyone else is reading through the thread, as your Flight makes their way down into the cafeteria and sits down at a vacated table. As always, numerous cadets glance over at Shuri but now a balance are looking at you too.
Koujirou finally puts down his datapad after skimming through the thread and looks up at you, curious.
"Hey Anna, how come you didn't tell me you were an Ace? I mean, I knew for sure after yesterday night, but before, when you first decided to join."
Because it didn't matter in the end.
You're not really sure. It simply… made you uncomfortable.
"I don't really like the attention and… it doesn't really matter, right?"
"Well, of course it matters. It's-"
Koujirou starts to reply, but he meets your eyes and cuts himself off. There's a moment of silence where Koujirou reconsiders his words. He seems to find and then discard several answers, his brow furrowing and lips turning down as he appears to argue with himself.
No answer seems forthcoming as the silence stretches on.
"Anna, Valkyries, all of us, but Aces in particular are symbols of hope," Sandra takes over here, "We're the reason that humanity can fight back against the Antagonists. People need heroes to rally around, something they can lean on when everything else looks bleak."
Shuri opens her mouth but Sandra places her hand over the other girl's in a wordless gesture to wait. She continues speaking, looking earnestly into your eyes.
"Even right here, right now, first year cadets like Shuri, you, and Zoe represent goals to achieve for the other cadets. Raising your flag will let others rally around it. Your skill, that you have strength enough that you can lend it to others, rather than hoard it for your own survival, it's something to take pride in."
Enough strength that you can lend it to others?
-I can fight them. I can keep you safe- -I'll stop them for good.-
"…They should place their hope in someone else then," you say shortly in response, looking away from Sandra's eyes. She didn't know you, she didn't know why people should never have to be forced in placing their trust in you-
"They can, and so can you."
What?
You sit up slightly in surprise.
"We're a cohort, and though we all shall support each other, we shall all compete also. Remember that you are a target, so don't think any of us will be content to stay below and forever look up to you, no matter how lofty the height of your abilities. Then, when we've caught up, you can pass the torch on. You can lean on us then."
Everyone at the table shifts in response to Sandra's declaration. Sandra flickers her eyes over at Shuri, who is staring pensively at her own hands.
"Right? Setsuna? Koujirou?" Sandra asks.
"Definitely, I don't need you to tell me that!"
"Yeah, there's no one in this Academy who won't be aiming for Ace status."
… This had some parallels with what Yukari had said at the beginning of this term.
If only back then too, that there were so many, that there were any, whom you could have relied upon…
Did you want to rely on and battle alongside others? They could get hurt. Then would you have others rely only on you? You failed once already, and they would still be hurt when you fail again.
Sandra looks expectantly at you, and you give a slight shrug at her points, conflicted. Sandra still smiles widely at your response, seeming glad to have received an answer at all.
XxXxXxXxXx
In the time that you had spent talking, Sandra had called a dolly that was balancing multiple trays of food to the table. There was more than the five of you could safely eat in a single setting.
Walking alongside the dolly is Yukari, looking rather bemused at the overloaded dolly.
Her eyes catch sight of the occupants of the table and widen.
"Oh! Sis! Come sit down," says Koujirou, waving.
"Sandra, Shuri, this is my older sister, Yukari. Yukari, Shuri Kravala and Sandra Cambridge."
Yukari gingerly sits down, still wide eyed. By her side, the dolly starts passing out plates of food for everyone, "A pleasure and honour to meet you both. To make sure, you're all in one Flight?"
Shuri again nods wordlessly in greeting, her eyes assessing.
"We are indeed," answers Sandra, "Likewise it is a pleasure to meet you. Koujirou has regaled us with the most flattering stories of you."
"A-ah, really now?" Yukari smiles awkwardly, then throws Koujirou an incredulous look, to which he avoids by ducking down into his food, "The rest of your Squadron, and maybe even the entire year must be throwing up quite the fuss over this arrangement."
"There is plenty of precedent for such in later years, there is more surprise that Anna is also an Ace Valkyrie."
"So you decided to let people know, Anna?"
"They found out for themselves really," you reply as the dolly places a tray of foods in front of you.
To your surprise, on the tray is a series of foods that coincided with ones on your list.
"Ah, with how you fly, it probably was only a matter of time," Yukari says sympathetically.
You nod, then glance at Sandra in surprise.
"That habit of yours is pretty well documented," she says with a slight smile.
"Where?" you ask, getting the premonition you weren't going to like the answer.
"On the network of course. I did notice that your eating habits are the topic of interest to a number of people."
… Surely there are more interesting things to talk about.
Still, damn the laughter. You're about to tuck in, before you pause and retrieve the gift from the baking and crafting clubs, deciding to use the ornamental cutlery instead. You'll have to thank them later in the evening.
XxXxXxXxXx
Character Relevance Gained: +1 = 12 (Center Cast Character/Shipping Wars)
Congrats on making it into central cast! Increasing relevance gets harder from now on.
XxXxXxXxXx
As dinner winds down, talk turns to what the Flight will be doing for the night.
"So what are we going to be doing today, Sandra?" asks Koujirou.
Sandra daintily wipes her mouth with a handkerchief and decisively starts, "Of course, having just convened as a new Flight, we must fly a full Flight exercise in the simulators. Since the afternoon lesson didn't have any exercises, now should be an excellent time to make up for it."
Sandra taps on her datapad rapidly and brings up a list of available scenarios.
"Now, which scenario would you all prefer?"
XxXxXxXxXx
>[]Randomly generated scenario
>>[]Easy
>>[]Moderate
>>[]Difficult
>>[]Write in, suggest a scenario. Detail general objectives. Difficulty will be determined by GM.
>[]Historic Scenarios (Moderate)
>>[]Dunkirk (Objective. Protect the Island of Bretagne and the arriving refugee convoys from Swarming Antagonists.)
>>[]Blitzkrieg (Search and Destroy. The Three Hundred Frames have devastated Antagonist forces across the entire European front. Uralsk breach was destroyed. March for either the Moscow or Elazig breaches, destroy every Antagonist you find.)
>>[]Red Tide (Objective. Clear away the forces over the Bering Strait in preparation for the Alaskan Offensive.)
>>[]Single Sweep (Objective. Fairbanks Breach has been subjugated and Saskatoon Breach has been destroyed by unknown means, the flank is secure, Portland Breach is vulnerable, sweep down the coast.)
>[]Historic Scenarios (Difficult to Impossible)
>>[]First Contact (Survival. As the name suggests. Survive the Antagonist attacks, protect the ICBMs on terminal approach, survive the resulting explosions)
>>[]Uralsk Massacre (Survival/Objective. First human attack on a Breach. Succeed.)
>>[]Battle of Britain (Survival/Objective. Hold the island until the first of the 300 frames arrive.)
>>[]Once more unto the Breach (Objective. The Elazig Breach is ahead, Type Zero Indra is behind. Destroy the Breach before you are destroyed.)
>>[]To the Stars (Escort. Protect Ark Ship Noah from Type Zero Abraxas. Until it passes Martian Orbit.)
>>[]Second Impact (Objective. Protect the ascending orbital defence satellites from attack.)
>>[]Omnicide (Survival. Type Zero Aswang has broken the back of the UN African Front. Regroup under intensifying Antagonist attacks and survive until the bulk of UN Forces committed at Guera breach and against Type Zero Indra return.)
>>[]One small step for man (Objective. Protect lunar base Armstrong from attack until Valkyrie Battleship Gomorrah activates.)
>[]Future Simulated Scenarios (Varies)
>>[]Manifest Destiny (The West Coast is now under human control. With only the major breaches left and isolated, clear a path to the East Coast of the North American Continent.)
>>[]Darkest Africa (The Tamanrasset double Breaches inch closer to each other with every year. UN Armed Forces does not know what will happen if they meet. No one want to find out. Cut a path to the Breaches.)
>>[]Ragnarok (After years of stalemate and defence, the UN is prepared to start the squeeze on the European Breaches. First on the list are Oslo and Helsinki, clear a path from Polar Orbit right to their doorsteps.)
>>[]Vae Victus (Humanity has lost. Earth burns. Protect the Major Arcologies as they lift off. Until at least one passes Lunar Orbit. Humanity will remember your sacrifice.)
How will you try to approach this simulation?
>[]Hold back. Allow the others to do most of the work, see if Sandra can put her money where her mouth is. You're still going to intervene if you see one of them in danger though.
>[]Use everything. No mercy, no calculus, no hesitation. No risk to the others. All you need is kill.
XxXxXxXxXx
Still to come:
[]Evening: Continue down the list.
No. of votes: 30
-[] ... but not before dropping by the Crafting Club and thanking them for the silverware gift. Send your regards to the Baking Club too for the thought.
13+9+3=25(Pass)
Roll: 36
XxXxXxXxXx
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