Fandom Madness: Plague

[Arcanist]

Agnes Fairhair

Mentions: - | Interactions: Adra ( Sybil )

"Fine. Just try to keep up with me," Agnes quipped, pulling with Adra to lift her up onto her feet. She was surprised to see how...chipper she was, after all that had happened. Perhaps it was tiring being so aggressive and pissed off and insane; or at least, it seemed so to her.

But when she felt the two of their souls grazing, she couldn't help but feel an intrinsic desire to latch onto it. She hadn't felt the slither of a shared wavelength since she had parted from Clover, and even then, that had been some time ago. She couldn't remember what it even felt like to be on a similar wavelength with her other two partners - Louis Bandoeville, halberd, though, she swore never to speak his name, and he hers, and Valkryie, a great axe, whom hadn't lasted long with her. She felt herself almost craving that familiar feeling...though, forced herself to pull back when the weapon did. She would not be tempted into something else that would inevitably fail.

Or at least, that was what she told herself. She'd have to find a partner at some point, if the DWMA were to reconsider her. If she'd get out of the Fairhair Hall of Infamy.

And it seemed Adra wasn't willing to acknowledge it. She was fine with that. Perhaps it was something the two shouldn't have delved into too much. After all, who knew if the two of them could so easily pair up.

Agnes smacked her lips, looking from one sandy desert to the...rest of the sandy desert. "The kicking ass part I'm not concerned about...bailing the rest of the idiots though..." She smacked her lips again. The Surgeon's earlier words had bothered her, how some of them were recruiting, and some others were holding people back...wahtever organisation it was, it didn't bode well at all, nor did it alongside the DWMA.

"I say we head further towards the Oasis, where Midori and Gav ran off." Or, the 'Shirtless Baffoon' as she had once called him privately. That was a long time ago, but even now, the nickname and the incident still stuck. She was pretty sure she still...ah, no, not the time for it. She shook her head, already walking ahead. "They're the only two who we know are probably closest to us."

 

[Sybil]

Adrasteia Chandrice
"Whiplash"

"Closest huh? Fuck knows where the rest of them are for sure, this test is a real joke huh?" The weapon rubbed their face with both hands, groaning out of a sudden annoyance as she leaned back comically exaggerating the emotion. "Can we not just kill some big bad and move forward back to killing shit as a job? That is what we are for, like fuck.... so what they ran this way I think?"

With little time to coordinate she spun on her heel, beginning to march that way. She had plenty to think about on the way, but one thing for sure was that today was going to be hellish if they were all like the surgeon. Despite her renewed energy, Adrasteia mentally could not take another violation like that. She thought on how to avoid such a thing constantly, and the more she thought about it the more her smile faded. She had no way to avoid it if they had more vitality and only needed one touch? The thought made her panic, only for her to slap her face's cheeks with both her hands to call her to attention. Only once she applied the percussive maintenance during their journey would her smile come back, the weapon purging her mind of care.

If they can? I will fucking figure it out. Simple. Now stop worrying.

"So tell me, what exactly do we think we are gonna do? Fight some older person who clearly has no life or better things to do than harass the younger generations, or are we going to grab tweedle dum and twiddle fuck by their collars and drag their asses from the situation they definitely got themselves into?"

Location: Dall Island Oasis
Interactions: Arcanist

code by RI.a

 

[The Regal Rper]

Spoiler: Summary

Through part 1 and 3, the cast are still on the island. Four days pass between the events after the Paean Program is interrupted and are summarised in the three parts.

Part 1 focuses on the rescue, where DWMA steps in after the Plague and Antivu leave with Serafim (Ele's character). After DWMA establishes its presence the cast are pulled intl interrogation. For most of the cast, the time they are interrogated varies- Tau and Lily barely get much interrogation time for example. Gavril however gets the most interrogation due to being in a group that talked the most with a Plague member (and wasn't unconscious or disoriented).

Parts 2 and 3 cover Gabriel's conversation with Lord Death (Kidd) / Head of DWMA, and touches on some things like who the Plague Doctors are and who Antivu is.

At the end of Part 3, the Paean Program is moved to DWMA. Death City tab focuses on the cast returning to Death City among other things, before they get a surprise on one of their breaks given to them by Kidd himself.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Death City

• 
  Death News called him a One Man Army and reviled Antivu for the murder of a pair of elite agents, but this latest accomplishment was on an entirely different level. There were a handful loyal to Lord Death whose lips could be sealed, but it would be impossible to coerce such a diverse pool of characters. This was absolute confirmation that the enemies of the DWMA were not just rogues and renegades hiding in the shadows.
  
  The Plague Doctors, traitors to DWMA, were proof too that this was not just a single, powerful entity working alone. They made their escape while leaving multiple red herrings for DWMA trackers. There was plan upon plan for any method of tracking. Magical traces left in one direction, soul detection in another, even scents of blood and traps along certain routes all leading in different directions. There was a contingency for everything Lord Death and his agents could throw at them--because they knew he would.
  
  The events that transpired were confusing and complex, leading in as many different directions as the false leads made to keep their trail safe. They had successfully accomplished their aims. What wasn’t clear is exactly what they wanted from this specific endeavor.
  Clarity came from reports, and reports came from witnesses. The question: "What happened?" Repeated.
  
  So into the questioning room went Lily, Tau, Midori, Agnes, Ciel, Gavril, Adrasteia- and Skoll; all pulled into the interrogation at different times for the span of an entire day after they had been given a few hours of recovery, of course after learning neither Lily or Torres could provide any new information they were set aside to focus on the others. Numbers cut down to find the best answers until individuals were bombarded with questions by different intelligence officers, each account studied. Midori's accounts cross-checked with Agnes, Agnes' story cross-checked with Adra's, Adra's checked with Midori's. And then Skoll who would get questioned about what he saw, experienced, and knew. Which only just ended up turning attention on Gavril who spent longer in the interrogation room than anyone else.
  
  Sitting there now in fact on day three he sighed in front of Detective Winchester. Staring at his reflection on the mirror table in the room of mind numbing white. Three days now, barely much sleep. Dantas still unconscious. Teammate missing, no real understandings as to why. His own sister hurt in that fight. Gav rubbed his face, tried to stifle a yawn.
  
  How long had they even been doing this?
  
  He honestly wasn't sure. Guess it didn't matter anyway.
  
  He searched; Auditory, visual, clues, details. Anything. But they came up in bits and pieces now. Nowhere near as clear as they had been when he'd vomited out everything he could recall the first day and then tried to help in other ways that he wouldn't be allowed to.
  
  Winchester drummed his fingers over the notes he'd taken, saying nothing and Gav just waited.
  
  The silence painful, crushing. And he knew it was all just a psychological tactic to pressure him into remembering more.
  
• 
  “Detective,” Kidd's voice cut through, equal cutting tone, “while haste is imperative, it may be best to give him time to recollect his thoughts before we go prying further.” His golden eyes shifted off of Gav for just the moment to focus on the detective.
  
  "Ah but sir, if you'll excuse me saying," his tone filled with false apologetics, "we had a break not long ago. Half an hour ago, to be exact--"
  
  “A break is something you give a class, Detective. And I am responsible for the wellbeing of these students, am I not? That happens to include their mental health,” Kidd responded, his words as quick and cutting as his eyes. “These students, Gavril included, have been through a great ordeal and have provided ample amounts of information for your department to go over--for now. I can schedule individual interviews with them at later dates when their minds and bodies have truly rested,” he explained, a finality as he ended.
  
  Silence. A glance Gav's way who ignored the detective completely.. "Of course sir, my apologies for speaking out of turn." He bowed humbly once more, then exited. Only after the door had clicked did Gavril's slumped state straighten out with a bit more energy. Fingers running circles over his temple as he propped elbows on the table.
  
  "Thank you sir."
  
  “Do not misunderstand, Gavril,” Kidd responded. He did not immediately let his gaze fall back to the young man, instead staring at the door the man left in. Detectives were known for snooping long past their time of being wanted. “You will have to answer him, but not now. Moreover, do not misunderstand the situation. I was not hyperbolic when I stated you all went through a great ordeal. It would be unwise of me to expect any of you to be at your best, and as the reports I received from before the interruption to the program read… I’m sure you’re aware the bests of some of your companions happen to be less than impressive,” he explained. It was an odd combination of belittling and relieving, but Kidd wasn’t known for his deep empathy either.
  
  “There comes a time for truth and transparency,” Kidd said, changing topics and tones fairly quickly. This time, speaking softer. Not kinder, but softer. His golden eyes fell onto Gavril and felt a little less heavy. The detective being out of the room had changed the atmosphere significantly. “And, that goes both ways. I will not lie to you, young man, I am beyond angry. If I were a lesser being, I would let my rage guide me to guns blazing after Antivu. I want to. Do not mistake the cold nature of a Shinigami as being apathetic. The opposite, actually,” Kidd explained further. And then he paused in a almost human way before saying rather sincerely
  “I care deeply for all of you."
  
  He continued. "When I was a student, I made friends and allies that saved my back and kept my secrets. When I was a student, my very best friends walked dark paths that could have led to madness and destruction, but we brought them back. Not every time, but most times. That is why this program means so much to me. Giving up on those you care about isn’t something anyone wants to do, so I try to give order to that refusal to give up. To give it structure. To give it rules and regulations because that is how I am,” Lord Kidd continued.
  
  “So I am enraged deeply by this, Gavril. There are many things I do as a Shinigami. Many things I do in the DWMA. But, few are truly for me. This, however, was one of them,” he explained and more so gave his reason for it being personal. “With that said, I am not angry with you. If anything, I perhaps have an unhealthy sympathy for all of you. Just this once, be at ease… don’t worry about respect or formalities. Just tell me how are you."
  
  For a moment Gavril said nothing but seeing the head of the organization speak in such a way, he relented. Exhaling deeply, Gav looked up at Kidd and straightened out a bit, adjusting himself in his seat to appear more appropriate in front of him than he had been as time had dragged on with Winchester. Once he was settled, Gav looked into Kidd's eyes--
  
  --and felt the weight of Akira's words slam into him.
  
  "I'm doing…" he paused as if to lie, and then he looked back at Kidd and the lie crumbled, "not so great. I uh, well sir, if I can be frank, yeah. I presume out of all the other groups that got their tests sent to you, ours was one of the bad apples in the bunch. First a triggered Linked Resonance and all the infighting before things got interrupted didn't help. I personally didn't help, even if that wasn't my intent it was the result of my actions." Speaking as if he were reporting, or maybe confessing.
  
  Breathing in deeply Gav's smile persisted. It was an odd thing really. Lacking the energy or even confidence he usually spoke in. This tone was subdued, quiet. He barely maintained eye contact, staring more at his reflection on the spotless mirror table. When he exhaled, he continued. "When I went into this program Sir, I was confident I could show you all that I had changed. "I uh, well," he cleared his throat, "I can say between being called out by Midori, pissing off my teammates more than once in ways I couldn't just control, and getting dressed down by Akira Hoshino- who barely knows me- I can say I'm not feeling too great. Not at all sir." He drummed three fingers on the table. "Not at all."
  
  Gav went silent for a few seconds. Then just when it seemed he was done, he continued. "My sister got injured also. Morgiana, hurt?" Eyes still on his reflection. Maybe the one he was talking to. "Crazy huh? All these years, especially in this sort of business, you would think I would be smart enough to know even immortals can get hurt. Can die. But somehow he did it. You want to know what the terrible thing is?" And this time he did look up. Shrugging. "I'm not even mad at him for doing it. Detective Winchester asked me if there was a girl with any of the others when we confronted them, according to the others there was nothing of the description he gave us. I hear on news that Ismene vanished from the hospital. Sera's sister right?" He nodded, as if confirming something. "I assume that was what got him. His sister. Used her to get to him. Smart move. Must love her a lot. Me, different story. Can't say I love my siblings or hate them. So when I found out she got hurt but was alive, I took my time before checking on her. Says a lot about me doesn't it? Akira seemed to think I have this messiah complex. You watch all of us Sir. You know me. I know me. I get I'm messed up, and we all are. Its why we sign up for this second chance you graciously give us."
  
  Looking up he leaned back in his chair. "What's the deal with this Antivu guy?"
  
• 
  That question was the one that garnered a response from Kidd. Kidd was never good at acting intrigued and while made attempts for the sake of his position, few things interested him enough to cause even the slightest facial distortion. Admittedly, it wasn’t as problematic as his father, but it was nonetheless one of the traits he was known for. The inquiry about Antivu created a noticeable twitch in his eye and curl of that same lip. Not much, but a lot considering.
  
  “In the simplest explanation, Antivu was a DWMA Agent during the peak of MIBVI, the disease that infected many in the 2030s; he suffered a lot of loss due to it. He had hard life before that, though. He was a weapon, but his form was… questionable. A slingshot. Led a lot of people to push him to give up, but he didn’t. In fact, he found a niche on a team that was both odd and effective. You see, he also possesses an Anti-Magic Wavelength. Incredibly rare, as I’m sure you know. Less effective for a ranged weapon, let alone a Slingshot. He made up for it by mastering Chain Resonance and could have any of his teammates use it. Before that, his only real use was taking down magical barriers,” Kidd said after having taken a moment to find the proper wording for Gav.
  
  “Honestly, your sister will likely tell you everything about today, so there’s no real point in me dancing around it. We’re not sure what happened to him, but Antivu is far stronger than any Weapon we’ve ever seen. His Anti-Magic Wavelength can literally suppress magic, Gavril. To a weak mage, it’s like trying to start a fire underwater. But, that’s not what makes him the most dangerous. Somehow, someway, he can absorb mana and apparently even wavelength energy. There is no other word than useless for what Dantas and your sister were to him. He siphoned their power and used it against the others to the point his raw power was too formidable. There was even a Hoshi main branch there that simply could not harm him. One of our best assassins just plain couldn’t scratch him,” Kidd explained, emphasizing some very important points in his rant, specifically just how futile it was against him.
  
  “That said, Antivu seems to dislike killing. He could have easily ended all their lives from what I understand, but chooses not to. And, I won’t lie, it’s not the first time. He has only killed our agents when they refused to let him go. I do believe had they let him flee, that mission would have had no casualties. In the case of your sister, I believe her body itself is mostly unharmed. A few bruised ribs, not even broken. What I believe is she is suffering from mana withdrawal. Antivu drained her nearly dry. She will be miserable for a few days, but will recover with naught but a wounded ego,” he continued explaining, transitioning into some of the other topics Gavril brought up.
  
  “As for you, I have watched you get tugged around your whole life and perhaps given too much self importance by your mentors. If you want my honest opinion about you, Gavril, it is that you and all your siblings share a trait: an unhealthy ego. Despite your unassuming age, I think you forget that in the grand scheme of things, you’re still just a grasshopper in a hurricane. You may be the exact type of person this program was made for. With that said, I do have to confront you on this point: your group was not the worst. One group was completely canceled before the first test; they made it a race and ended up sabotaging their teammates until fighting broke out. When they were released, they did it again. Aside from them, there was a team with a similar problem. Once the island changed its ecosystem, their survival instincts kicked in and to shorten a long story, one student was removed due to near lethal injuries. Another student with a history of harassment was removed because she continuously harassed her female companion--that she just met--to the point we found it criminal. Skoll’s group split into two entirely different teams due to differing opinions. Another group completely split ways and we found at least two of their couples fornicating,” Kidd continued on, listing these failures with a clear amount of contempt. He even let out a slight sigh. The sheer amount of groups also gave a great sense of scale to the program.
  
  “I would like to not think about those that neglected the importance of this program. I understand you’re not feeling the greatest, Gavril. From what you’ve told us, Akari Hoshino was quite direct with you. To be blunt, I’m surprised. She’s a living relic. I’m not sure where or how she gained this ability to return to her youth, but it is quite concerning. There is literally no Meister alive with more experience than her. The fact she has aligned herself with Antivu is quite the problem. Dr. Hawkes is concerning, too, but Agnes’ conversation with her merely led me to believe Adrastreia is a greater problem than I anticipated. What Akari discussed with you is perhaps the most intimate conversation to occur,” Kidd went on, shifting in another direction and to a faster pace. “Tell me, what did you gather about her from your conversation? The detective will tell you to be objective, but I won’t. I want your opinion,” he asked, instructing Gavril to be more personal with this response.
  
  Bluntly he said: "For one thing, sir, if you'll excuse me saying...her youth form almost made me straight. In truth though, she doesn't like you. Doesn't respect you, not in the slightest Lord Kidd. I believe everyone in her group subscribes to the same spectrum of thought, especially when she…" he hesitated but pushed on, "made a comparison to your late father."
  
  “Do tell me… what did she say?” he asked quite plainly, attempting to keep his emotions repressed for the sake of the student in front of him.
  
  "To summarize sir, she stated you would never match up to your father and that he frankly knew what he was doing far more than you did. In her opinion, you'd be doing the world a favor stepping down where your father did leaps more stepping up."
  
  A silence permeated the air. Fear was not something Kidd inherently felt. Lord Death removed it from himself before he made Kidd and subsequently the feeling was weaker in him as a Shinigami. What Kidd knew was insecurity. And, in the deepest reaches of his, one of his greatest insecurities reared its ugly head: not living up to his father. For a brief, brief second, Kidd felt that gut-wrenching anguish that came with the consideration of that reality.
  
  It lived for but a second. A flutter of existence. In his lifetime of combating Madness and his inner turmoil, Kidd remembered the lesson his father passed down to him. He must face his problems. Lord Death removed his fear and created Asura, an evil by which there is nearly no comparison. What damage might occur if Kidd, too, removed his insecurities and it became a Kishin? That was the error of his father and perhaps the most important lesson learned from him.
  
  When Kidd felt those emotions spike, he at no other time was more self-aware. He knew he had to regain control. Refocus. “That is an opinion she shares with many others, it seems. In a situation like mine, Gavril, I have many options. I could point out the faults of my father and his naysayers. I could argue against her. I could try to justify myself,” Lord Kidd explained, his tone somehow more serene than just a few moments ago. “But, I will not. We take responsibility. It is true, I have made mistakes; I am not infallible. From them, I have learned and I am better for it. That is the definition of experience. She is right in that I am not my father, but every day, I am closer,” he told Gavril, for a moment just being bluntly honest about the topic.
  
  “What I will do is match her disrespect with respect. It does sadden me to know that someone with so much talent has such distaste for me and if I could rectify that within reasonable means, I would. She is a relic of the past and that does come with its whole own set of problems, but I can think of only one other figure that ever possessed the skill she has. Honestly, I would not put it past her to have developed a technique or some method to revert her age and I would not insult her by immediately believing that is the doing of Antivu. Respect your adversaries, especially those you wish were not,” Kidd told Gavril. It was also plain to see that there was a slight return to form for the Shinigami. He was returning to his normal ‘preachy’ self full of lessons.
  
  Wise advice, Gavril answered with "I'll do my best to sir. So, what is the plan for the program now?"
  
  Kidd exhaled somewhat loudly through his nostrils. "Now, it will be moved to Death City, and for your group, Skoll included, as well as everyone else involved I will be giving you all some time to rest. This is not up for debate" he stated, cutting Gav off before he could speak. "Am I understood?"
  
  Sighing, Gavril did understand. Even if he wanted to continue, he doubted honestly he could give it a 100. "Yes sir, understood sir."
  
• 
  The flight took a minor few hours, packed into a plane with dozens of other students and even faculty who were a part of the program. Leaving the island by night, at Death City by morning and the remaining day was left for the students to deal with the assaults of questions that came flying by the moment they all landed in the airport. Media threw questions, faculty that had suffered no harm or fully recovered acted as defensive lines while agents of other DWMA branches wrestled the hungry media backwards like a shepherd protecting sheep from voracious wolves.
  
  Needless to say, it was probably more exhausting than dealing with the island. Cars were packed and students and faculty left the premises
  For most of EAT, returning to Death City officially meant dealing with worried family and friends. That meant for others worried phone calls, and for some- personal visits. What could have been peaceful might have been hectic and by the time afternoon had struck it was even a wonder how the day hadn't already ended.
  
  Needless to say, it was no surprise when Lord Death himself made announcement that was specifically meant for those in the program. The announcement was simple.
  
  
  "Take a few days off. For those in the program your training isn't over. But I would be amiss to have you all continue so soon after the last three days you have all been through. Until notified, you all are going to be given a break. Spend that time to relax, collect yourself, and reassure your loved ones. My informants will keep you all in touch," and with a softer tone to his voice hardly seen he said, "so try to have a good time off."​
  
  
  That was two days ago. Day five was now. After all you had been through, you and all other Paean takers had been given rooms of empty dorms to rest in, spread between seven buildings. Your families and friends commanded to leave politely by dorm house masters who were with a team to oversee that the ones still taking Paean were not to be disturbed by family or otherwise. And with media outlets flying around, sometimes literally, they kept a Hawk eye on all things going on.
  
  Food and drink had been stocked in your dorms, all of which were surprisingly larger than you'd expect and had a small living room quarters. Almost like an apartment really.
  
  The time read 8 a.m. and maybe you were just waking up or already awake. But whatever you were doing, it stopped now. Because just as you were to continue with your day, an orb of light popped right before your eyes. To Agnes, Midori, Adrasteia, Skoll, Gavril, Tau and Lily, the little ball circled around their head before stopping right in front of their face and said: "Hello!" its volume defying its size.
  
  "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm part of PCN! My peers and I have been sent with the task to see that you and several other members that were a part of the Paean Program engage in a group gathering exercise for today! Nothing big don't worry" said the bobbing ball of light. "We're just to ensure you and your peers meet up, communicate, you know- a bit of group bonding" the ball said cheerfully. Perhaps a bit too much cheer for that morning.
  
  "So common!" A force gently nudged you from behind to face a certain path. "I'll be guiding you to Chrona's Memorial Park! We'll meet your colleagues there and then whatever you guys would like to do is up to you! We're just here to keep watch, so don't worry about any missions or stressful stuff like that."
  

Tags: Mook-LandStrider BriiAngelic Sir Les Paul Arcanist Sybil Taigakitt Elenion Aura

 

[Arcanist]

Agnes Fairhair
Mentions: - | Interactions: -
​

Of course, the DWMA could never let such an interruption and invasion go unattended. Even worse so, the Paean Programme had been compromised. This many of rogue students and whoever the others were who infiltrated it mixed in was bad for PR, worse if they were ‘recruited’. Agnes struggled to understand what that really meant still. She struggled to make sense of any of it.

The investigations and the little information that the students were given as a result didn’t help with that either.

After the programme was halted and they had been pulled into investigation rooms after a few hours of relief, Agnes had sought to get her story straight. It would do her no good to be uncooperative. This was Lord Death and the DWMA that were involved, and she was already skating on some thin ice with them as it was. She had been cooperative with them, she believed, for most of her career, bar the transgressions she made against prior partners, the messes she created on missions. When the governing bodies got involved, she gave them her complete loyalty.

Just like she gave to her name.

So, when they asked her about what happened, who she faced, who she was with, all the minor details running up to her and Adra’s encounter with that Plague Doctor, Hawkes. She agonised over every detail. When those questions were repeated, she simply repeated the same answers she gave. It was exhausting, to say the least, and she realised she - and her cohorts, no doubt - were being scrutinised for every tiniest detail. They were just doing their job, she understood that. Though, it didn’t make Agnes any less patient with the process.

It soon came to light that her, Adra’s, and even Midori’s story checked out between them. They could spend far less time in interrogation rooms as a result. Gavril, however, had spent the most time out of all of them being questioned, or so she heard. She doubted he was stupid enough to be in league with the imposters. Gavril to her was many things; arrogant and often times irritating being the first two to come to mind, but he was by no means stupid. She had hoped he wasn’t when it came to dealing with something so serious as this.

Agnes could do little more than wait then for when they would return to Death City. They had each of the students securely locked down. She heard names over the course of her days in secured confinement; Midori, Adra, Gavril, Tau, Skoll, Lily. Serafim was barely mentioned. When he was, it was in a tone, Agnes assumed, that indicated there was something wrong.

Another traitor to the DWMA, she thought morosely.

When the day finally came for them all to be shipped back to Death City, it was a welcomed relief for Agnes. She was sick of this island. She grew impatient and irate, and she wanted nothing but her own space, just for a day, to reconvene her thoughts. It had been a tiring week. Mentally, of course. And she knew, if mental fatigue kicked in, the rest of your body wouldn’t be at peak performance.

The flight home was pleasant enough, if it could be described as such. She caught up on some much needed sleep, the only point in that time she had decided to be vulnerable and to let her guard down, even amongst a dozen other students and faculty members associated with the program.

She needed it, for when they did get off the plane, participants of the program were hounded by the media. It wasn’t an unusual happening for Agnes. It happened to her a few times before, and with her father, and the rest of the family. It was natural, given their positions. She was more than equipped to deal with the questions of what had happened, what the rest of the Fairhairs thought of it, and questions regarding her misconduct.

It never meant that drained her though. And that was clear when she got into one of many cars to take them off as she sunk back into her seat.

~***~

If Lord Death had told her to take the next few days off, then she supposed she would have to do just that. Kindly, the students were provided dorm rooms, stocked with all their necessities. No doubt Agnes would have to have more personal belongings moved over, but that would be easy enough to sort out.

She had planned to spend her rest day in sweatpants and drinking berry tea and indulging in old, crappy daytime TV before she was forced to face the world again. Mind you, facing the world came quickly, as when she sat down to actually drink her tea, there was a furious knocking at her door. Agnes muttered to herself in her mother tongue, something about an inconvenience, before setting down her tea and walking to the door, bally yellow cardigan swooshing around her and all. The knocking continued, the sounds like a furious woodpecker at its work.

And when she did open the door, a blond boy shoved past her, exclaiming, “Whoa, nice setup! Place is practically a whole apartment!”

Agnes had been pushed into the door, wide-eyed and unprepared. She already knew she’d have to go back to training the next day with how vulnerable she had let herself be. “Orvar!” Agnes shouted, knowing her peace and quiet would likely now be ruined by her brother.

“Man, I almost forgot what my real name was,” the teenager grinned, jumping back onto the sofa, dirty shoes and all on the sofa.

“Feet off the sofa, twerp,” Agnes marched over, swatting Orvar’s feet off the sofa, to which the boy just laughed and tried kicking at her hands instead like a child. The older sister managed to grab both his ankles and practically wrestled with him to keep him from kicking at her. “Do you want your legs to feel like jelly? I’ll send waves right up your legs if you don’t stop!”

“Oooh, that’s big talk coming from you, who has a stick up her--”

“Orvar, give your sister a break. I think she could do without you annoying her for a day.”

Agnes let go of her brother’s ankles and looked back to the door.

Standing there was a man, long blond hair, with light facial hair gracing jaw and around his mouth, and bright blue eyes. He was dressed fairly casually, jeans, a good shirt...and of course, that black cane of his. He always preferred it, nothing too flashy.

She hated to look at it.

Beside him was a woman, long black hair, dark eyes, glasses. It looked like she had just come from work, since she was still wearing a blouse, skirt, and heels. Agnes could tell where she got her style from, that was for sure.

“Papa? Mama?”

“Do you have other parents you want us to know about?” Magnus said with a grin.

God, what an awful joke. She wasn't sure whether to be glad or not at her father not losing his sense of dad humour.

Agnes shook her head, sighing, though, walked over to the door. “It’s good to see you,” she managed a smile, giving her father a hug first before her mother was eager to get in on the hug.

“It’s even better to see you,” Elma squeezed her before pulling back, smiling at her. “Are you doing okay? We heard about what happened in the program.”

“And not from the media, before you ask,” Magnus added with a groan as he took a seat on the sofa. “We found out before they got their fingers on what happened.”

Agnes nodded. Of course, her father would have been notified of what happened before he heard about it in the press. That didn’t mean the rest of the Fairhairs would find out that way, mind you. “I’m doing okay,” she told them. It was the truth. She had recovered well enough, mentally and physically. Still questioning everything that happened but nothing that would knock her on the ground and keep her there.

“Can I get you all anything?” Agnes asked, and scowled a little at her brother piquing up.

“Oh, grape soda, if you have any,” Orvar grinned.

“You know I hate grape soda,” Agnes mumbled, rubbing her nose.

“I dunno, thought you might have had some by chance,” Orvar shrugged, “maybe grew out of hating it.”

“Enough.” Elma gave a warning hiss, and though Orvar backed down, he couldn’t help but smirk at Agnes. One way to get on his sister’s nerves, that was for sure.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Magnus shook his head. “We’re not here for that anyway, Agnes, you know that,” he looked at her, concern washing away his usual carefree features, “we’re here for you.”

Agnes looked back at her father, held by that concerned gaze. She moved her eyes away, only for them to land on the walking aid. She turned, walking to the kitchen. “I’ll make some tea for you all anyway.” It was the guise of good manners, politeness in making something for house guests.

It would centre her, if only for a bit.

~***~

Agnes was just in a towel when that orb of light appeared out of nowhere. Of course, still not used to ambushes and sudden scares apparently, she yelled at the sudden vision, banging her toe off the bathroom sink in the process. She swore in Swedish, then in English, before listening to what the orb had to say.

A guide to Chrona’s Memorial Park? For...group bonding. She groaned. Of course, they still were all stuck in the same programme together, forced to complete it until it was safe to say they were all good citizens and agents within the DWMA.

Agnes didn’t take it too well when the orb started nudging her to face a certain way, to guide her to the park.

“Not in just a towel, thank you very much!” She protested before walking out of the bathroom, towards her bedroom. “And no peeking either!” She shouted back at it, practically rushing to grab her clothes and throw them on her.

For once, she dressed rather casually. A deviation from her normal formal, prissy style, but she had placed comfort over such frivolities on this day. She still kept herself neat and tidy, presenting herself in an optimal and noble way. Once she was ready, she grabbed what she needed, before heading down in the direction of the park they were all waiting at.

Agnes did keep an eye on her way down there, however, to see if anyone else was already on their way.