daybreakacademy | As the feather turns [OPEN]

Who: Christo, open
When: Not long after returning from the Herald mission
Where: Various places on campus
What: Christo receives bad news
Warnings: Nothing I can think of off-hand. Please let me know if you need me to warn for anything.

A - Bad News

You can't be serious! We won! The mission was a success! Why now?!

[Christo's hand grips the cellphone so tight it's a wonder the device doesn't just snap in half. A part of him knows that he should be keeping his voice down, that this isn't a conversation anyone but him needs to know about, but that part of him has long been overruled by the bubbling, white-hot rage burning in his chest.

Individuals with enhanced hearing might be able to pick up on the voice on the other line]

"I'm sorry, Christo. I am working on it, you know. But all that darkness sitting around is unsettling."

Unsettling?! And what they're proposing is just fine?!

"I never said that. But you know my hands are tied."

[Christo growls, his eyes squeezing shut.]

What about the transfer program? Can't we just focus on that?

"Mmmmm... About that..."

[That might be an eye twitch from Christo]

Get to the point. I'm not in the mood right now.

"Vulcanus might have figured out your little plan."

What?! That idiot knows where I am?!

"Calm down, Christo! I'll see what I can do. I'm sure you'll find a way to--"

[Christo hangs up the phone and roughly shoves it into his pocket. He's still shaking with rage, eyes shut as he takes deep breaths to calm down.]

B - Work it Out

[The next few days see Christo with a worse attitude than usual, though to anyone who doesn't know him it might be difficult to spot. He still smiles, but not as much as usual, and more strained, and when he gets annoyed, it tends to show more on his face than he would like.

The coming vacation should be a blessing. Instead it leaves him lost in his own thoughts and trying to drown them out in research, gardening, and even stress baking.

There are probably at least three plates of cookies and cakes out in Aube's first floor common area at this point.

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[ He can't help but notice the extreme amount of baking going on. Normally he'd enjoy it, but after the Herald, he's been thinking more than he usually does.

He's not sure how to articulate what he thinks he's seeing, and he doesn't even know how to explain it. So, instead, there's an overly curious nine year old peering into the kitchen Christo is using today. ]

You sure are making a lot...Is it for a party?

Am I? I admit, I've hardly noticed.

[Though it does feel like barely a dent has been made in what he's set out so far. Maybe he has been making too much.

Well. It'd be a waste to toss out the ingredients he's already started mixing now.]

I've just always enjoyed baking. Would you like to help?

[After the Herald fight, Christo doubtlessly saw the injured state Valvatorez was in. Though by no means in serious danger after the fact, he did need to be touched up by the medical staff some. A rare sight at Daybreak, considering Valvatorez rarely did something stupid enough to end up in the infirmary, unlike a certain someone else he was friends with. Fortunately, a couple of days rest, some sardines, and proper care saw him largely good as new.

He was glad to finally be home, and before heading out on vacation anywhere, he spent plenty of time going around the campus, thanking people who helped during the Herald battle. It just so happened to be Christo's turn, and he found the man out gardening; pretty much exactly where he expected to find him. Under his arm was a nondescript looking cardboard box, and he approached Christo and his garden plot quite intently.]

You seem to be even harder at work than usual, Christo. I do not know much about gardening, but I did not expect July to be such an intense time for it. ...Be careful not to overheat out here, my friend.

[On the upside, Hieke doesn't have exceptionally powerful healing. He can only faintly here the other person on the line, and not nearly well enough to make them out.

On the downside, he over heard most of that.

He looks up at Christo, expression caught somewhere between sympathetic and curious.]

...Bad news, I take it?

I'm fine.

[He realizes it was said too quickly the second it comes out of his mouth, so he decides it's best to elaborate]

I find working to be more relaxing than standing idle. What's that you have there?

[Even if Christo's initial answer was short and terse, it didn't appear to bother the daemon, nor did he see need to press it. In fact, working instead of remaining idle was something Valvatorez could find quite a bit of common ground with.]

Oh, this? It's for you, actually.

[He held out the box to him. It made a slight clattering noise in the process. It wasn't securely shut, and would be very simple to open. Inside are some new gardening tools, ones that look quite high quality, along with some seed packets for some rather exotic flowers; some might even be of Outland nature.]

It's not much, I know. But consider it my personal thanks for all of your help, both during the school year and for helping to deal with Xelvak. I appreciate the hard work you've put in.

[He very nearly drops the box once it's open, jaw falling open.]

I... what? For me?

[Christo tenses. Of course someone was watching him. And of course it had to be one of the daemons on campus.

Wonderful]

Yes. Forgive me for not keeping my voice down. It's nothing to worry about.

[It is absolutely something to worry about. But it's not like he can tell anyone.]

Are you sure? Sort of seems like it's something major.

[He doesn't want to be the jerk who just keeps pressing, but, well. Christo seemed absolutely livid, and they've got enough problems already that it's probably better to be honest about problems.]

The scope, as well as the problem itself, is none of your concern.

[It is. But it isn't. It's his problem to handle.]

It'll be taken care of, so it's better to focus on our victory. Unlike some people.

You don't have to shoulder every burden yourself.

[What is up with people constantly being Like That?]

And I'm not sure that was much of a victory, but I suppose you're right.

[He huffs, not even bothering to give the first statement an answer.]

It was a victory, Hieke. Not a decisive one, no, and one made more difficult by the foolishness of a bunch of overconfident soldiers, but it was a victory nonetheless. Taking it lightly does us all a disservice.

It was a victory, but it came at the cost of more lives than were necessary. It was a victory, but they UN decided to cover it up with a bomb, that put all of us in danger.

[He frowns.]

I'm not taking it lightly just because I don't think things should have happened like that.

[There's a moment of silence.]

No. No it shouldn't. And yet, truthfully, I can't say I blame them for doing so.

They put us in danger, yes, and it was an incredibly short-sighted act, but it's easier to urge others to stay away from the destruction of a weapon than it is a piece of eternal night. The former is easier to swallow.

They could have claimed it was a failure without setting off a nuke. Putting up a perimeter would've been enough.

[He sighs.]

Nobody's going to believe them anyways.

Of course. I just hope they'll be useful to you. ...I dont know if the flowers are in season, but...

[Yeah that did not sound great. Emizel was not trying to overhear but it was hard not to with a volume like that.]

What was that all about? [Perhaps it wasn't his place to ask - actually, he knew it wasn't. But the whole school had been starting to act different ever since the Herald arrived and was destroyed. Shouldn't they be happy about that? Ain't that what they were fighting for?]

Nothing you need to worry about. Nothing more than news of a few ingrates.

No. But I can't see them staying out a realm of pure night, either. You know what they say about curiosity...

[He sighs and shrugs]

I can only hope missiles aren't their solution to everything.

Not yet, but...

[His grip tightens on the box a fraction, his brow furrowing.]

Why? What in the world could you possibly serve to gain from this?

[Valvatorez gave him something of a blank stare back, as if he was confused by the question. And the reaction, really. It's not quite what he expected.]

Nothing, I suppose. ...Is that a problem?

It didn't sound like really good news...

It killed the cat.

[Uuuugh. He hates this. He hates this a lot.]

They're humans. Their solution is going to be the worst possible one all of the time.

[Aube is a location that he visits semi-frequently, due to Wist's presence as the second floor RA. But it's to his surprise that he finds a bunch of baked goods sitting out in the first floor's common room as he's passing by.

Who is he to ignore that?]

This is quite the sweet tooth... Are you planning on eating all of this yourself?

[He says, like he's one to talk.]

As the feather turns [OPEN]

B

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A

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B