Genesis Crisis: Resurgence IC

- James -

James froze when suddenly a lightning storm struck Alex. His eyes travelled towards the source. It was Lenka.

No!

This couldn't be. How did this happen?

There was a turmoil of emotions running through him.

At least Rise's spell had snapped Alex out of his confused state. He couldn't worry about everything at the same time. Rise would make sure Lenka was fine.

He smiled at Rise's comment. "Really? Then I might not let you have them back," he replied with a wink.

James put an arm around Alex' shoulders and lead him to the kitchen. "C'mon, I'll make you a cup of tea," he said. "Why don't you grab some cups."

He went to work, boiling the water.

"You scared us, you know," he commented. "When you just disappeared...."

"But I also know it's our fault as well. If we hadn't been so busy...we should've noticed sooner. That's what friends do."

"I'm sorry we haven't been the friends you needed."

-------------------------------

- Lenka -

Lenka sank to her knees, looking at her hands. What had just happened?

She barely acknowledged Luke's comment.

Surprisingly enough she felt good? Expanding this much energy should have drained her to the point of fainting, but instead she felt energized. Lenka shivered. Her fingertips still tingled with electricity.

It was confusing. She looked around. James was already gone with Alex while Luke had collapsed on the wall, resting and Rise was helping Marcus and Lisa.

Aegis

- Marcus -

In a moment that made Marcus feel like he was getting whiplash, the altercation came to an even more swift ending than it began. As Rise led Alex over to James, Marcus slid his sword back into its sheath and took a deep breath.

His shoulder ached from taking a lighting strike, and he was fairly certain that a portion of his pants leg had been burned away. A quick glance down informed him that the fabric was still intact, but there was definitely some charring.

Running a hand across his face produced a small amount of blood from a cut that ran along his left cheek, but he didn't even feel that. Was this what being a magic user felt like? Despite the irritation of his pains, none of them seemed crippling in the way he imagined they should be.

Taking another deep breath, he turned and made his way back towards the others.

-----------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

As Rise led Alex across the room, Alina locked eyes with the other woman, giving her a silent message of thanks. Her rapier easily found its way back into the scabbard, but Alina's fingers wouldn't unclench from the hilt.

She had been prepared to strike down a friend.

Sure, it was for the country and people that she loved, that she had devoted her entire existence to since childhood.

But something inside her felt... Broken. In a way that never had before. Was this what she'd become? Was this how Adalia had become the man she'd known?

After a few seconds, she was able to pry her fingers away and turn towards the others. Of course, the last thing she'd expected was to have to stifle a giggle. Which is probably why she wasn't very successful...

Clearing her throat to compose herself, Alina regarded the girl who had joined them recently. "Um... Lenka."

"I've had some bad hair days, but this..." She gestured to either side of Lenka, where the girl's golden hair was fanned out from static discharge. "Well, this is pretty extreme."

------------------------------------------------------------

- Lisa -

As everyone else moved to help one another, Lisa leaned back against a wall and slid to the ground. Her head fell back against the cold metal, and after a moment of composing herself, she pulled out her com.

Pressing the button for Kokonoe's com, she waited for a response.

When the researcher came into view, Lisa gave her a sad smile. "I've got some questions for you regarding the side effects of the strain silencing procedure. The listed ones were pretty straightforward. Nausea, dehydration, depression." Lisa waved her hand as if to say those didn't matter. "What kind of side effects would you be looking at for someone who was administered the therapy upwards of a dozen times?"

Aegis

- Alex -

Alex smiled weakly at James as they sat in the kitchen, but he couldn't hold James' gaze for long.

"I'm so sorry, James," he said. "For all this. I feel like... my head is finally clearing up for the first time in so long. Like I'm finally waking up from a bad dream."

His eyes stung with tears, but he held them back. He had to be strong now for the others.

"But it's not a dream. It's all real. And I've done so much harm..."

-------------------------

- Rise -

Luke seemed to be okay - or, at least, he said he was - so Rise focused her attention on Marcus and Lisa.

"Hey, hold still," she told him, casting Dia over his injuries. She turned her attention to Lisa, who was calling Kokonoe on her com.

"Hey." Kokonoe peered at them though the screen. "Did you guys find that Lev character?"

Rise glanced at Lisa, who forced out a question first with a pained smile. "I've got some questions for you regarding the side effects of the strain silencing procedure. The listed ones were pretty straightforward. Nausea, dehydration, depression." Lisa waved her hand as if to say those didn't matter. "What kind of side effects would you be looking at for someone who was administered the therapy upwards of a dozen times?"[/quote]

Kokonoe's expression hardened. "A dozen times? That's impossible. No one would ever administer the treatment that many times. Admittedly, it's not 100% effective against people with multiple strains. But it's never administered more than two or three times."

Rise bit her lip and looked away. "What about someone with a Unified Strain?"

Kokonoe stared for a moment. Then she covered her face with her hand.

"Dammit," she murmured. "Don't tell me..."

Rise and Lisa carefully explained the situation to Kokonoe, who listened in stone-faced silence.

"Of course, I never accounted for silencing a Unified Strain. I'm not surprised it couldn't be done. But to attempt that many treatments... I can't even begin to imagine what kind of effects that would have. But to think he was Lev... That damned fool."

Kokonoe sighed and shook her head. Rise glanced toward the exit to the gym.

"Is there something we can do? The Amrita spell seemed to work, but could it happen again?" she asked.

"We're in unknown territory here," Kokonoe said, shrugging. "But I'll send you some things to administer that helped in treating other cases."

For now, that would have to do. Kokonoe asked Lisa to hand over her com to Alina, and Rise used the opportunity to heal Lisa's injuries.

"By the way," Kokonoe told her. "You'll be happy to know that I was able to pinpoint the signal that ordered the attack. It came from the Kaiser's place - but it wasn't you, obviously. In fact, it wasn't any Army-issued com at all. The signal works on a different wavelength from ours - the same wavelength our friends from Ergo used for their jammer."

Rise looked up, smiling. Finally, some good news. "So we can clear Alina's name, right?"

Kokonoe frowned. "Yes, but... this opens up some disturbing possibilities. Someone is playing the Old Guard and the Army against each other, and they're pretty darn good at it."

Aegis

- James -

James filled the cups while he listened to Alex. It was difficult to understand where he was coming from. Maybe they had been losing touch. He felt a little guilty.

He placed the cup in front of Alex and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Alex," he said. "We're here now and we'll get through it together, even if it's going to be difficult."

Running his hand through his hair, he sat down next to Alex.

--------------------------------------

- Lenka -

Lenka looked up from her hands when she heard her name called. It was Alina and the mixture of amusement in her expression was enough to pull Lenka back into reality.

Her hands went up to her hair. There was a light electric crackle when she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

She gave her a half-smile. "I don't really know what happend," she admitted and stood up, dusting her clothes off. Her hair still looked slightly charged with electricity.

Luke Jaron

Luke was not really sure, he was awake, but he did not feel much strength in him. Perhaps, not pushing himself for two years slowed his recovery rate?

Then again when was the time he had been able to recover like this?

Luke smiled and gave foolish grin, for once, he really had people watching over his back. Then he remembered someone.

Someone who helped him to escape... Someone he should have looked for and gave his thank...

"What was his name?" Luke muttered, then he remembered another name that man muttered. "Nadenka...? Why is that name familiar?"

Luke jumped back, steadily leaning on the wall. He looked at others, they were looking much brighter, it looked like there were some good news. Luke was happy and thankful that their situation looked better than before.

He, however, felt little troubled that all this time he had not said his thanks to the man who had saved him.

Aegis

- Marcus -

Marcus barely noticed Rise walking up to him as he made his way back across the room to the others. The warming sensation of her healing magic brought him out of his thoughts, and he offered her a smile in response. "Thanks."

As she walked away, he made his way towards Luke, who seemed to have wandered off from the others. "Heck of a day." Marcus said, leaning back against the wall beside the other man. "I feel like there was a lot of build-up for nothing. But I guess that's for the best, right?"

He glanced in Lenka's direction, noticing for the first time that she seemed a little stunned. Had the fight affected her somehow? Marcus hadn't been able to see her through all of the lights and explosions, and although she didn't look injured, clearly she wasn't in the same head-space as the rest of them were right now.

Alina seemed to be talking with her though. Hopefully whatever that was about would work out alright.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

"I've got a pretty good guess." Alina responded to Lenka's statement with a wry grin.

"May I?" She gestured to the strain band on Lenka's arm. After a moment's pause, she pulled the girl's arm closer. A tingling sensation surged up her arms, and she could feel her hairs beginning to creep up in a manner similar to how Lenka's had looked only moments before.

She turned the band over and tapped the pulsing, yellow icon on the side of it to disable the beacon. "You, my young friend, are in possession of at least one active magic strain."

"We'll have to talk to Keynes about that when we get back to the Capital, but since you're already enlisted as a member of this unit, there shouldn't be any immediate legal issues." She released Lenka's arm and felt the air crackle between them as her hair fell back into place. "You might want to be careful what you touch for a while though. It seems that you're carrying more than a little extra static right now."

Giving Lenka another smile, Alina made her way over to Rise and Lisa, where Kokonoe requested her on the com. Interesting as the scientist's discoveries might be, they didn't help with the current situation as much as she might like. Giving Rise a long look, Alina took a deep breath before stating her response.

"Kokonoe, while this information is invaluable, I'd prefer that you not share it with anyone else right now. My being removed from the Council is unfortunate, but if someone is manipulating people on the level you're talking about, I think it's best we let them believe I'm out of the picture, at least for now."

"High General Grey can't do anything to help her people right now, but Commander Grey can."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Lisa -

Armed with what little adivce Kokonoe could provide her, Lisa made her way into the kitchen, where James and Alex were sitting, both looking somewhat lost. Well, that just wouldn't do.

Stepping behind Alex, she stuck her fingers to the back of his head, feeling the knot she'd caused there. "Sorry for hitting you with a flashlight." She said, pulling her hand back away to sit down beside them. "You were kinda being a dork though."

"Or maybe you were just being a male." She shrugged. "All my psych courses, and I've still not figured out why males do half the things they do."

"You guys call us crazy, but at least I understand most of our motivations. Men just seem to do things with no reason at all."

Aegis

- Rise -

Rise followed Lisa back toward the kitchen. As she passed Marcus and Luke, she overheard them talking.

"Heck of a day." Marcus said, leaning back against the wall beside the other man. "I feel like there was a lot of build-up for nothing. But I guess that's for the best, right?"

"You call that nothing?" Rise sighed, shaking her head. She grabbed each of the by the arm and pulled them toward the kitchen. "Come on, many hands lighten the load. We're going to make dinner."

When they reached the kitchen, Lisa was massaging the back of Alex's head and apologizing for beaming him with a flashlight. Alex managed a weak chuckle and smiled up at her.

"I guess some things don't change, huh? I think we started our friendship with you hitting me."

Rise laughed, feeling warm at the sight of Alex returning to normal. It would take time, she knew, but it was a start.

"Come on, everybody pitch in," Rise announced, looking through the cabinets. "Hmm... resources are a bit scarce. Well, I know. We'll just have a mixed buffet! Anything you guys want."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

Kokonoe gave Alina a long, searching look.

"I know what you're saying," she said. "And I agree. But the thing is, I'm not the only one who was probing for that information."

She transmitted a series of data that probably would look like gibberish to Alina.

"I think it's from the Old Guard. I can't be certain whether or not they got the information. But if they managed to piggyback off my search..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Old Guard -

Maxim walked into the cabin where Farrington had set up post, accompanied by Belo. Farrington eyed them as they came in, then nodded to the guards. Behind them, the door was shut. Maxim glanced at it, then back to Farrington.

"Thank you for coming," Farrington said, gesturing for him to take a seat.

Maxim took the offered chair, Belo hovering behind him.

"I've been having our experts do some digging," Farrington said, stroking his chin. "Something about the attack on our headquarters had been bothering me. And we turned up some interesting information."

Maxim raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"It turns out that Alina Grey didn't authorize the attack after all." Farrington narrowed his eyes. "In fact, it wasn't an Army signal at all. It was an entirely different frequency from Kaddathian coms."

Maxim returned Farrington's gaze coolly.

"Do you have anything to say?" Farrington asked.

"Why?" Maxim asked. "Are you accusing me of something?"

Farrington's face grew red, his hands balled into fists. "Don't play coy. You authorized that attack, didn't you?"

Maxim titled his head and remained silent for a few moments. Ariana glanced between the two men and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I did," Maxim said at last. "It was a necessary measure to discredit Alina Grey and her government in the people's eyes. I say the results speak for themselves."

"We lost our base! Our men!" he bellowed.

"A necessary evil," Maxim said, waving his hand. "When we take the capital, I'm sure you'll look back and think differently."

Farrington folded his arms, eyes narrowed. "We won't be taking anything. Your contributions have been appreciated," Farrington growled. "But we're no longer in need of your assistance."

He nodded to his two guards, who approached them. Maxim sighed and glanced over his shoulder.

"Belo, would you?" he asked.

[OOC: Just have Belo take out the guards, Nex.]

Luke Jaron

Luke was about to answer Marcus, but Rise dragged them to the kitchen. Luke smiled as it looked like the atmosphere in the kitchen looked way lighter and lively.

When he was sat again with Marcus, Luke smiled. "It was not really a nothing, I told you to give your best shot at it, and you did..." It was then Luke realized what he might have said in the heat of the moment could have offended Marcus. "Marcus, when I told you to let your anger out, I only meant to do your best. It's a phrase used in many martial artists match. Well, at least, in my days." Luke shrugged, giving innocent smile. "And you did well. Without you and Lisa distracting Alex, my barrier would not have protected Rise as it did." Luke gave Marcus a gentle tap on the back, "I think you are quite awesome!"

Old Guard
Belobog Volkov, "Belo"

Belobog was very surprised with the facts that Farrington had revealed in front of him. However, the reason that Maxim had given in front of Farrington, it was enough.

A Necessary Evil

That was enough for Belobog to overlook what had happened. As the two guards approached Maxim, without any hesitation, Belobog quickly moved into the very first guard, knocking out in single punch to the abdomen, and twisted the neck of the falling guard. The next one was quickly chocked to its death and fall silently.

Belobog wanted it to be bloody, but as he was in front of the young lady, he decided to be kind. Well, actually, he did not like the idea of blood touching Maxim.

As if nothing happened, Belobog stood behind Maxim. There was no sorrow, nor had any remorse. Not even a sign of guilt in his face. The eyes of the Arusian was full with conviction; he was ready to do whatever Maxim would ask him to do. For Arusia. Belobog thought, and that mattered to him than anything.

He was not going to let Alexei and Ehlana sacrifice be wasted. In Belobog's perspective, it looked like he was finally taking part in what he had been signed up for. He was part of the very beginning of the silent yet deadly conquest. Kaddath shall be Arusians'.

[u]Aegis[u/]

– James  & Lenka –

James couldn’t help but smile at Lisa’s words. No one else could’ve lit up the atmosphere so fast.

“Maybe it’s better you don’t know why we do half the things we do,” James replied with a grin and stood up when Rise and the others came in. “You women are so nosy, let us have some secrets.”

He pulled out his tablet. The com had allowed him to listen in on Kokonoe’s words and he wanted to take a look at the data himself. This Old Guard was way more troublesome than he thought, or maybe it wasn’t the Old Guard but rather that small group around Ehlana that was supporting them.

He studied the data and touched his com to confer with Kokonoe when Lenka walked in behind Alina. She still looked a, well dazed was probably the right word, but not one he would’ve used to describe her before.

“Are you okay,” he asked Lenka and touched her shoulder. A slight tinge of electricity went through his fingers. James looked at the bio band that Lenka held up.

“I’m okay,” she said. “Still feeling a bit weird.” Her hand ran through her hair that still hadn’t quite settled down. After a few seconds, Lenka finally cracked a grin. “I feel a bit like I stuck my fingers into a power outlet, but the last time I did that, I just fainted.”

That didn’t seem to put James at ease. “Relax, brother. You need to get over this…” she gestured towards James as a whole.

Then she noticed the data tablet in his hands. “What do you have there? News?” she reached out to touch it. When her fingers reached it, here was a crackle of electricity and suddenly the screen of the tablet went black.

Lenka paled and pulled her fingers back, looking surprised. “Ooops. I’m sorry,”

“Lenka, are you sure you’re alright? I know your strain just awoke, but that’s not normal.” James once again tried to unsuccessfully keep the worry from his voice.

“I told you, I’m fine,” Lenka said. “Stop asking.” She pouted her lips. “I’m gonna go help Rise then.”

James sighed and watcher her walk over to Rise.

He knew when he was in a lost position. Shaking his head slightly, he looked at his fried tablet. Well that would take some work. Pulling out a screwdriver, he opened the tablet up.

“I don’t suppose any of you brought another computer, did you?”

Aegis

- Lisa -

Lisa managed an indignant "harrupm" at Alex's response. "I don't think I've ever hit you when you didn't deserve it for something."

She arched an eyebrow in James' direction. "Although there are definitely moments when I do appreciate not knowing what men are thinking, part of my studies is figuring out people in general. I can't exactly make a career of it if I only understand fifty percent of my clients."

Turning her attention back to Alex, she gave him a weak smile. "I am sorry though, really."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

Marcus shrugged at Luke's reply. "I don't feel like I did much of anything though."

"You, on the other hand, kept Rise and Lenka from getting pummeled by all that magic." He held up a fist and bumped his knuckles against Luke's. "Don't sweat the small stuff. I'm still getting used to having magic. So, everything is a learning experience for me."

He allowed himself to be dragged into the kitchen by Rise. No reason to fight her off when he'd intended to help out anyway. A few moments later, his opinion shifted slightly. At a quick glance, nothing in the cabinets seemed to mix well together. Rise seemed to have arrived at a similar conclusion, and with a shrug, Marcus pulled a can labeled 'Seafood Chowder' off the shelf.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

"Then they'll know that we've both been had." Alina finished Kokonoe's train of thought.

"And I don't see Farrington taking that very well." She contemplated aloud. "I'm also not sure he's discreet enough to keep it to himself, which means he could show my hand before we get to make a play with it."

Alina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers to try and relieve some of the tension in her body. "Okay, for today, this stays between us. I'll make a decision about the rest tomorrow, but right now, we need to focus on cleaning up the mess that we can. From there, we'll move on to dealing with the next problem."

"Just keep me posted."

Old Guard

- Maxim -

It was over so quickly. Apparently, Farrington had underestimated how skilled his agents were.

"And then there were four," Maxim mused, fixing his eyes on Farrington. "Oh, I wouldn't do that."

Farrington had raised his com to call for backup, but froze. Maxim raised his arm, his sleeve sliding back to reveal a wrist-mounted dart aimed directly at Ariana.

"I hadn't planned on this happening," Maxim said softly. "Not yet, anyway. It looks like I'll have to move up the schedule."

Farrington moved slowly to shield Ariana with his body. "I won't let you hurt her."

"Oh?" Maxim raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised, Farrington. Even though she's just a pawn?"

Ariana stared up at Farrington's back, trembling. "What... does that mean?"

"She's not a pawn!" Farrington snapped, his jaw clenched.

"I don't understand," Ariana said, staring past Farrington's coat. "What-"

"You're not Arzei Adalia's daughter," Maxim said calmly. "You're no one."

Ariana backed away, her eyes wide. "That's not..."

Maxim smiled, almost apologetic. "It is, I'm afraid. Another reason I was forced to employ my diversion. Had we remained any longer, Alina Grey would have realized you were not who you claimed to be."

Ariana trembled, hugging her arms to her body. No, no, it couldn't be true. But then, why wasn't Farrington denying it.

"Ariana..." he said softly.

"Is it true?" she cried, tugging on his coat.

It was dangerous to avert his eyes, even for a moment, but Farrington knew he had to meet her eyes. "No, Ariana. It's not true. You may not share Arzei Adalia's blood, but you are his daughter and heir. I have always believed that, and I have always believed in you. You are my High Lady of Kaddath."

Ariana gasped and stared up at him, her hand clutching her heart. She felt hurt and betrayed, and yet, touched by his affection and belief. He didn't believe in her lineage or birthright. He just believed in her.

"And that is why," Farrington said, turning to face Maxim. "I will not let you hurt her!"

He pulled out his sword and pointed it at Maxim, ready to charge. Maxim, however, let out a faint sigh.

"Your devotion is touching, Farrington. Truly it is. But..."

The dart shot forward with a faint hiss, jabbing into Farrington's neck. Farrington collapsed to his knees, then onto his face as he gasped in pain.

"...sadly misplaced. Ariana was never my target, after all."

Ariana dropped to the ground beside Farrington, clutching onto his arm. "Olivar..."

Farrington gasped, struggling to turn his face to look at her. "Be brave, My Lady..."

He slumped forward, unmoving. Ariana quivered, eyes wet but tears somehow lodged in place. She couldn't do anything other than stare as a shadow approached her along the floor, and then Maxim knelt down beside her.

"Now, Ariana," he said, smiling gently. "We have a lot to discuss."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Aegis

– Rise –

Rise smiled as Lenka came over to join her.

"Hey, that was a pretty impressive awakening," she said, mixing up some vegetables for a stir-fry. "Did I ever tell you about my awakening? We were on a train, escaping the Army. This huge Majin stopped the train and was spawning a bunch of lesser Majin to swarm the train..."

Alex listened to Rise recounting old times to Lenka and smiled weakly. If he could only rewind the clock, do things better...

No, he couldn't keep thinking that way. He had to stop punishing himself.

"Yeah, you're right," Alex said, smiling at Lisa. "No need to apologize. Please keep hitting me when I get off track. It's better when you punish me than when I punish myself. I think you're a little bit gentler on me than I am, after all."

Maybe a little too dark humor for the moment, but sincere.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

- Kokonoe -

Kokonoe nodded at Alina's words. She trusted Alina's judgment.

"I'll keep you updated," she promised. "Oh, and... it's good to have you back, Commander."

She smirked and signed off. Truly, seeing Alina get beat up by bureaucracy was no fun at all. It was nice to see her in her element again.

Aegis

- James & Lenka -

"Relax, Lisa. I was joking," James said at Lisa's slightly high-strung response.

He turned his attention back to his fried tablet and carefully unscrewed the back. Maybe he could save some data from it.

Meanwhile Lenka beamed a smile in Rise's direction. "No, I don't think I've heard that story," she replied and sat down. She pulled a loaf of bread closer and began to butter a slice.

"How did you figure out where you needed to go?" Lenka asked. "Or were just trying to get away from the army? When did you start to know that you wanted to stand up both to the Army and the Legion?"

Aegis
Luke Jaron

Luke was having some food as well; it looked like everything was falling in to its right place. He was not entirely sure if it was going to get better or worse, but he was glad that he had people who could watch his back.

"Sometimes, I wonder, who really was at the wrong and who was at the right..." Reflecting on his opinion that he had when he heard about Aegis for first time, "Then again, everyone did their best to do what was right." Luke just muttered to himself, and sighed. He just let such thought pass through and smiled at the group who looked enjoying their own time.

Aegis

- Lisa -

Lisa grinned at Alex's response while Rise recounted the tale of how their last adventure started. "I suppose you're right. We're always the hardest on ourselves."

She sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I know, James. Sorry if I'm a bit snappy. It's been a rough couple of days. And certain people," Lisa gave Alex a mock glare, "really know how to annoy me."

Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a smaller tablet and slid it across the table to James. "It's not the same caliber as what you had, but it's all I've got. Just, don't let Lenka touch it, okay." She teased. "I've got some notes on there that I might need for my classes."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

From the counter, where he was warming up his soup, Marcus watched the interactions between everyone else. Several interesting pieces of information had been tossed around, but for the most part, this just felt 'weird'. They were eating dinner with someone who had, up until a few moments ago, been the enemy. No one else seemed phased by that, but he was having trouble shaking the feeling.

The thing hovering over Alex's shoulder... Had no one else seen that? Or were they just ignoring it? After seeing the Redcape, then this, he was contemplating his own strain.

Gift or curse? Only time would tell.

He wouldn't be alone in that contemplation though. The word 'awakening' meant plenty to him. Now everyone at the table was either in possession of a strain, or had possessed one at a previous point in time. Still, he doubted that raising his concerns in front of Alex was the best idea. They guy seemed a little unhinged.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

"It's good to be back." Alina responded before turning off her com.

Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hallway and into the room where the rest of Aegis had gathered. Her eyes immediately moved to Alex, who looked more like himself now. Unfortunately, he would need to get some help once they got back to the Capital, but at least she could ensure that he got what he needed.

As she glanced at everyone else in the room, the dark cloud that had been looming above her seemed to receed a bit. Things weren't perfect, but at least they seemed to be getting back on the right track.

"Unfortunately, what is 'right' is often left to the interpretation of whatever person or group of persons is in power." She responded to Luke as she made her way to an empty chair. "The government we tried to create was to avoid that situation, but I'm not sure we did the best job of it."

"It's impossible to create a situation where everyone is happy, and we learned the hard way that trying to please the masses isn't always the best approach. Sometimes, you need to protect people from themselves."

Aegis

- Rise -

Rise smiled and continued to prepare their dinner.

"Oh, we just took it one step at a time," she said. "I think that's how life is. There's only so much you can really plan. When we started out, we just wanted to get away from the Army. It wasn't until we met Jax and found what they'd done to his sister that we knew we couldn't stand by and let Legion go. And the Army..."

She trailed off slightly, looking down at the cutting board. She turned to Lenka and smiled sadly.

"It wasn't until they turned on Alina, and they turned on Jane, that we knew they needed to answer as well."

Alina returned to the room and answered Luke's musings in her usual way.

"Unfortunately, what is 'right' is often left to the interpretation of whatever person or group of persons is in power." She responded said. "The government we tried to create was to avoid that situation, but I'm not sure we did the best job of it. It's impossible to create a situation where everyone is happy, and we learned the hard way that trying to please the masses isn't always the best approach. Sometimes, you need to protect people from themselves."

Alina and Lenka brought over the food they scrounged up to the table and set it down.

"I think you've all done a great job so far," she said, offering Alina a smile. "No government is perfect. But think how far we've come in such a short time. And even when things haven't gone right, they've been outdone by a lot more good. You have to stop trying to take the whole world onto your shoulders, Alina."

She glanced at Alex, who bowed his head and nodded. In a way, he and Alina had that in common. They were too convicted and too dedicated, and as a result, they always felt the need to bear the burden of responsibility.

--------------------------------------------------

The Old Guard

It was obvious that something was happening. Kurik could notice people starting to hurry around the camp, speaking in muffled voices. Not long after, an announcement went through the camp to immediately assemble. Swept along in the crowd, Kurik and the others found themselves in front of the command post as Ariana stepped out before the crowd, Maxim and Belo at her side.

"My faithful Old Guard," she said, her face pale. "I come before you with grave and tragic news. This night, an attempt was made on my life."

Confused and shocked whispers tore through the crowd. Ariana swallowed thickly and pressed on.

"Some of my trusted guards were compromised, secret agents of the Grand Army. They attempted to assassinate me. Commander Farrington..." Ariana said, a faint quiver to her voice, "died defending me. It was only thanks to our Arusian allies, Dr. Maxim Valery and Belobog Volkov, that I'm alive right now."

She glanced at Maxim, who smiled reassuringly and nodded. Well, perhaps Farrington had some merit to his words after all. The girl was performing quite well, considering the shock she'd just been through.

"I want to assure you all that my resolve is as strong as it's ever been," Ariana continued, raising her voice. "We will march on the capital tomorrow, and we will take it!"

The crowd, moved by the girl's bravery and resolve, cheered her on.

"Though Commander Farrington, and all he brought to this movement, cannot be replace, I must still choose another to carry his mantle as my commander. Due to Commander Farrington's last wishes as he passed, and a result of his brave and selfless action and leadership during the Army invasion... I would appoint Kurik Akatsuki as Commander of the Old Guard."

All eyes turned to Kurik. Though the moment was not appropriate for clapping, all the soldiers slowly began to salute, even as Kurik approached the stage where Ariana and Maxim stood waiting. And as Maxim watched, he couldn't help but let a true smile slip out.

Aegis

- James & Lenka -

James nodded when he took the table from Lisa. He wasn't trying to think about Lenka's newly awoken strain too much.

The others brought the food to the table while he was working on the tablet. He grabbed a piece of bread, even though he wasn't really hungry.

Lenka, meanwhile, sat down at the table, still thinking about Rise's story. "Well I'm glad we're here to try and make things right again."

"What happens now, after we eat, I mean?" she asked. "Like tomorrow."

------------------------------------------

Old Guard

- Kurik -

Kurik hurried to the assembly place only to find Arina standing before them, with Farrington nowhere to the be seen and Maxim and Belo close by her side.

More than one alarm bell rang in his head. Something had obviously happened and while he was busy cozying up to the Old Guard, Maxim had advance his plan. Had he lost focus?

He caught the look between Maxim and Ariana. What was going on? He felt like he was out of the loop.

The news Ariana brought were quite disturbing and Kurik had trouble believing the truth of it. How could that have happened? With all the protection they had.

For a moment he was lost in his own thoughts so his brain took a moment to catch up to Ariana's next words. She appointed him Commander? That confirmed his suspicion that Maxim must have a hand in this. Somehow that reassured him and he stepped up to the stage.

Kurik nodded towards Annabelle and Lorrin when he passed them on the way up.

Once at the stage, he took a step towards Ariana and bowed down deeply.

"I am honored by your choice, your Ladyship," he said quietly. "I will gratefully accept the position and would like to reassure you that the protection of your life and our mission are of utmost importance to me."

He took the small graceful hand, Ariana extended towards him and breathed a kiss on her rings. Then he straightened up and stepped to the side.

What had he gotten himself into?

Luke Jaron

Luke grinned at Rise's words; Rise was right, some people need to learn to just accept that they are not perfect and cannot save everyone.

"I think, sometimes, it's okay to laugh at oneself. Sure, working hard and living the best one can is important. But, I learned that there should be a time to laugh it all out about what's happening with good company. Like, right now.

When Lenka raised the question of what was going to happen tomorrow, Luke's eyes were directed to Alina, Rise and others. The Aegis.

_________________________________________________________________________

Belobog Volkov, "Belo"

Belobog stood tall, and confident in front of the masses.

The time to strike was coming near, and he could feel it. The Old Guards were no longer Farrington's dog, and as Kurik became the person who is in charge, the Old Guards were now new pawns for Arussia.

Belobog's head brought images of Alexei and Ehlana, he gave out short sigh. He felt guilty that his comrades had to be the sacrifices for this grand schemes of Maxim.

And Belobog could also feel it that his turn to be sacrificial lamb would come too. However, if it was for his country, he was sure that he could bare it. For the country that raised him, trained him, and fed him, his life meant nothing if it did not make his country even greater than it is now.

Aegis

- Alina -

"You're probably right." Alina responded to Rise with a sigh. "But it's getting more and more difficult to have faith in the government I helped create. Maybe that's the disadvantage of sitting at the top." She shrugged as she absently stared at the food on the table. "The more decisions we make, the more I feel like we're only going in circles, and my worst fear is that one of those circles loops back around to the previous administration."

Taking a deep breath, she leaned back in her seat. "Enough heavy talk though. For now, everyone get a bite to eat, and tomorrow, we'll regroup. I don't see any reason to get back on the airship when there are perfectly functional bunks here. Plus, I'm not a big fan of driving the thing in the dark. It's somewhat unsettling."

----------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

Having quickly finished his own meal, Marcus dropped his bowl into the sink and turned on the water. While it was heating up, he moved to the table, snatching up used plates and bowls. Might as well keep himself busy. It didn't sound like they were going anywhere tonight, but at the home, no dish went unwashed before bedtime. It was a habit he had no intention of breaking.

As the warm water ran over his fingers, he thought about that for a moment. Despite his upbringing, he wasn't really that bad off. Sure, he didn't know his parents, but that was better than having absent ones. Besides, growing up quickly was part of what had shaped his attitude. Maybe if he could just stay a little more positive, things would work out. That seemed to be the way of things anyway. His mind drifted briefly to a certain grinning blonde. Yeah, no way that was just gonna work out. He'd have to put in some more effort on that front.

----------------------------------------------------------

- Lisa -

"Well, if we're calling it an evening, I think I'll head for the common room then." Lisa got up, stretching her arms over her head. "I've not had the most restful few days, and I wouldn't mind just vegging out for a couple hours."

As she stepped past Lenka, she paused for a moment. "Everyone else in the room already knows this, but if you need to talk about anything, I'm around. And as your brother can probably confess, I'm a good listener." Giving the young woman a grin, Lisa made her way out of the room and towards the end of the hallway, where she knew she'd find a couple couches and a poker table. This place really hadn't changed, she found herself thinking.

Aegis

- Lenka -

Lenka nodded, glad that they didn't plan on leaving tonight. It was only now that things calmed down, that she realised she had a lot to think about.

Marcus began to clear the table and began washing the dishes. She threw an appreciative grin in his direction.

Lisa was the first to leave, stopping for a second to offer Lenka a chance to talk. Lenka watched the door close behind Lisa and then her eyes wandered back to the table. She was still hesitant to touch anything more than necessary.

Without a conscious decision, she stood up. "I think I'll excuse myself as well," she said. "Good night."

With a light smile, she left the room. At the end of the hallway, she could see Lisa heading for a room and quickly walked in the same direction.

At the door, she only hesitated for a second and then she knocked determined and opened the door without waiting for an invitation.

"Hi," she said and smiled. "Since you offered, can I steal a few minutes of your rest?" Lenka asked and plopped down on one of the couches. Before Lisa could even give an answer, she began talking.

"I don't want to talk to James...he's so overbearing," she rolled her eyes, "or Rise. And Alina is so frigid and reserved. And the two boys are just..." she shrugged, "Boys I guess."

The words that had come in quick succession now slowed. "And I don't want to be alone with my thoughts," she admitted. "I'll never be able to fall asleep like this."

Lenka finally paused to allow Lisa to answer.

Aegis

- Lisa -

"Of course." Lisa smiled as Lenka sat down. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't willing to talk. Besides, helping other people with their problems is therapeutic for me. Big difference from what my aptitude exams would have had me doing." She continued with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't exactly call James overbearing, but he's not my brother. Rise, on the other hand." She waved her hand in mock frustration. "I love her, but overbearing could have been her middle name."

"Alina isn't generally as reserved as she's seemed lately. She's carrying a lot of weight on those slender shoulders."

"And we won't even get started on boys." Lisa continued with a grin.

Pulling her feet beneath her, Lisa sat up a little straighter, and the air around her seemed to change. Gone were the jokes, replaced by a sense of professionalism. "But you're not here to talk about any of them. Let's talk about you."

"I've spoken with several university students after their awakening, and one thing I've learned is that none of them take it the same way. Most are confused, and that's actually not a bad thing. A few are panicked, and I try to help those get through it."

"The ones I worry about are the ones that let it go to their heads. Suddenly having this innate sense of power isn't good for a person's ego. I don't think you'll be one of those though."

"If anything, you're more reserved than usual tonight."

"Why don't you tell me what's on your mind? And before you ask, what you say stays between us. I won't go saying anything to your brother."

Aegis

- Lenka -

Lenka pulled her legs up on the couch, sitting cross-legged.

"Thanks."

She intertwined her hands, still feeling this immense energy inside her. It felt like it still hadn't subsided and the power was just waiting to break free if she lost focus for a second.

"I'm not confused, I know what happened to me," Lenka said, looking serious. It didn't seem like she would have trouble articulating her thoughts. "I didn't panic...yet. And I don't care about power," she added, confirming Lisa's statements.

"If anything, I feel lost," she said.

Being not always the strongest person in addition to having frequent fainting spells, Lenka knew she had her limits and over time had gotten used to asking for help. There was nothing wrong with it. And having this talk with Lisa seemed like a good chance to sort through her thoughts and get a different perspective.

"It feels like my whole life has been turned upside down," Lenka began. "I don't know how much James has told you about me, but all my life I've been suffering from inexplicable fainting spells. No one could figure out why or how they were triggered. It always made me weak on a physical level," she continued.

"I've come to accept that and it just meant that there were simply things I couldn't do. And now..." Lenka extended her hands, stretching her fingers. "Now, I feel all this energy and power inside of me that's just waiting to break free. I mean you saw the sparks I gave off. It feels like I went from pushing down the accelerator to keep up with everyone to having to keep a foot constantly on the break to slow down the speed."

"I keep wondering if that's normal. James doesn't like to talk about how he felt when his strain awoke," she pouted. "And when I was talking to Rise about how her strain awoke, it didn't seem to affect her much after the initial phase of surprise."

"So now, I have all these doubts in my mind. What if I can't control it because I'm not strong enough? I don't want to endanger anyone," Lenka cast her eyes down. "There's enough going on out there without me going crazy."

"Plus, it opens up so many possibilities," she said, changing the subject away from her sudden self-doubts. "Do I want to keep the strain? Does that mean I want to join the Army? Can I even make a positive difference there?" Lenka's voice picked up speed as she rattled down the questions that kept running through her mind.

After taking a couple seconds to reflect on her words, she smiled. "Ugh, I'm rambling. I know these questions don't have easy answers especially not right now. I probably need to take time and find them myself."

"How was it for you?" she suddenly asked, her bright blue eyes locking on Lisa. "When your strain awoke, I mean. What did you feel like?"

Aegis

- Lisa -

Lisa considered Lenka's words while she let the young woman talk. Sometimes, the people she saw didn't need her to say anything at all. They came to their own conclusions if she was just patient with them. Lenka didn't seem like one of those people.

"Your brother has mentioned you a few times, but I was unaware of any medical condition you might have." She contemplated her next move for a moment before continuing. "Is there any commonality to these fainting spells? Anything you notice right before one hits? An emotion, a sensation, anything?"

Lisa paused, having trouble sharing in Lenka's excitement of her own awakening several years before. "I have a theory, but I can't offer you any direct proof of it." She took a relaxing breath and shifted her eyes away for a moment. "Before I explain, let me give you some context though."

"When my strain awakened, I didn't feel much of anything towards it at first. It was a tool that I could use. Nothing more. Nothing less. Shortly after that, I hit a rough patch in my life." That was putting things mildly, but there was no reason to traumatize Lenka with the details.

"Those people I worry about, the ones who like the feeling of power? That was me for a while. I think that's the reason I can understand where they're coming from so well." She held her fingers up, looking at the slight current of air slipping around them. "It's hard to not feel powerful when you can kill someone with a touch."

"Sure, any of the others could do the same if necessary, but for me, it's almost too easy." Dropping her hand back to her lap, Lisa offered Lenka a sad smile. "When I realized that, I tried to contain my magic, to suppress it, but that didn't work."

"I could only keep it bottled up for so long before it would slip out on its own, and when that happened, I'd already expended so much energy trying to keep it contained that I could barely handle it. So, instead, I learned to release it in controlled ways. Meditation and I have become besties these last couple of years."


Taking another breath, she turned her gaze back to Lenka. "So, here's my theory. The reason you've always felt like you were barely able to keep up is because you were barely able to keep up. All that energy that you've been missing has been going into keeping this," Lisa gestured to Lenka's still slightly frizzy hair, "contained. To use your own words, the reason you've had to press the accelerator so hard is because you've always had the brakes all the way on the floor."

"Now that you've finally let off and it's found an outlet, I doubt that you've got the reserves to keep that much energy under wraps. In fact, I'd recommend you get as much of it out of your system as you can. That way, your body can have the time to adjust to a new normal."

Aegis

- Lenka -

Lisa's story was so different from anything she expected and she was caught up in it, forgetting her own problems for a second. It showed a completely different perspective and a side of Lisa she had no idea existed. A million new questions shot through her head. Before she could ask any of them, Lisa turned the topic back to her theory.

"I'm not sure I understand," Lenka admitted. "I mean there's nothing that helps me predict when I faint. There's no pattern or discernible cause."

"You're making this rather big assumption that no more fainting spells will happen now that my strain awoke. What if you're wrong?" Her blue eyes looked at Lisa. She didn't really want to know the answer. Maybe it frightened her.

"I mean, I've had these fainting spells for as long as I can remember, but strains don't awake until you're a certain age. How can these two things even affect each other?" Lenka shook her head, clearly not convinced.

Would that also mean if she had her strain silenced that the fainting spells would come back? However, she didn't voice that thought. Lisa's idea was just a theory and having her strain silenced was a big if. It was no good to worry about this on top of everything else.

There was a pause.

"So you're suggesting, I should meditate?"

Aegis

- Lisa -

"There's a distinct possibility that I am wrong." Lisa responded with a shrug. "That's why it's a theory."

"But I do feel like you misinterpreted one thing I said. If I'm right, and the fainting spells are related to your strain, then you're headed straight for one right now. There's no way it's good for your body to try and keep a lid on all that energy."

Lisa raised her hand again, and small magic circles expanded all over her body. Several lit up on the couch, and a few around the doorway of the room. "I leave a little magic behind everywhere I touch. It's how I keep all the energy under wraps. Controlled releases are much more safe than a massive discharge."

As she dropped her hand again, a sad smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "It's easy to forget you've not been around for all that we have. One thing we've learned the hard was is that there are exceptions to every rule."

"You met Kokonoe and Keynes' daughter, Millie, right?" Lisa paused for a moment, waiting for confirmation. "Well, her namesake was a little girl in Kokonoe's charge because her stain had awakened when she was a little older than two. Unfortunately, she was a casualty of the conflict."

Shaking her head to clear it, Lisa tried to mellow out the conversation a bit. "It's possible that meditation might be good for helping you keep your power level in check. However, right now, I suggest you go blast the hell out of something to try and deplete your reserves. Otherwise, you'll probably short out your hair drier."