“Where to, Shay?” Bri asked, brushing copper hair away from her eyes.

She wore her usual sleeveless, white tunic that showed off her chiseled arms, and Shaya hoped she could look that good sooner than later. Shaya needed to do some shopping for new clothes soon to slow how faded her current clothes were getting from repeated washes, but food costs were higher than ever given the shortages and she would soon have to shell out for armour repairs.

Maybe I’ll get a discount working at Auric’s forge?

She turned her attention back to Bri’s question, “Honestly, I just wanted to walk and talk tonight. I think we deserve some time to just relax.”

Though I’m starting to fall behind on some of my readings...

“Not even jog, eh?” Bri’s nose wrinkled, “Are you going soft on me?”

“Yep!” Shaya retorted, smiling.

Her friend chuckled, “Alright, lead on then.”

The two women left the building and simply meandered through the residential district, taking in the sights they often ignored while running and dodging passersby. It was a quiet evening, just cool enough for Shaya to feel comfortable and lament the blistering heat of her home. They made small talk as they left the student quarters and entered the upper district where the professors and other employees lived, each building tailored to a particular set of tastes.

The extravagance of the noble quarters a layer below had blown Shaya away not two weeks ago, but the manors here were on another level. The ostentation seen below was only present in a few of the lots here, including one prison-like tower of Ionian design that Shaya wanted to pin to Professor Zaal. She was surprised to find a squat, plain Kelahkese manor, the small forge built onto its side and its simple, cozy appearance making her think of Auric. She wondered at another manor of a design she couldn’t recognize, thinking the wide, domed building might belong to Rea and her family.

“So,” Bri said, clearing her throat, “what did you really want to talk about?”

Shaya looked over to see Bri studying her with patina-coloured eyes, and shrugged at her friend, “I really didn’t have an agenda. You and I have been spending a lot of time together these past two weeks, but I feel like I still don’t know anything about you. And I want to change that, given how much I owe you.”

“What do you mean?” Bri frowned, “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I do,” Shaya replied, “You’re the only reason I managed to settle in here; I probably would have lost my shit and punched someone by now if you weren’t my friend.”

“Bull,” Bri snorted, “You’re holding it together better than I am most of the time.”

“Only because of you,” Shaya insisted, not letting the other woman brush it off, “exercising with you – and Ralus – has formed the basis of my routine here and helped keep me sane. That and our sparring have been a healthy way for me to vent my frustrations, rather than storing them up or taking them out on other people. So, thank you.”

“Fine, fine,” Bri shook her head, but her cheeks coloured as she blushed at the compliment, “You’re welcome and I’ll call in the favour later.”

Shaya chuckled, “Of course, that’s what friends do – we keep each other honest and accountable.”

“That doesn’t seem to be what you’re doing with Oraeus,” Bri said, frustration leaking into her tone.

“Ah,” Shaya nodded, “Yeah, that’s different. Our Lord Vehl told me in no uncertain terms that he’s not interested in friendship. That means keeping things civil like professionals, I guess.”

Bri’s fists clenched as she continued, “I don’t know how you can keep turning the other cheek given what a shit he’s been.”

“It sucks,” Shaya admitted, “but we need to rely on each other to stay alive when we go into active deployment – no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We can’t hesitate and we need to be able to trust one another.”

“We seemed to do fine at practice a few days ago,” Bri countered.

“That wasn’t real, Bri,” Shaya said, “there were plenty of safety nets and precautions that meant we were never in any real danger. Things are going to be very different when we’re all sent out at the end of the month – I think a lot of people are going to struggle in the field.”

Bri thought through the notion as they walked through a nice park, the trees’ leaves beginning to yellow as autumn slowly took hold. Finally, she shrugged and spoke, eyes up at the sky and tone level again, “I’ll take your word for it, I’ve been trained since the Astorian monastery took me in, but I’ve never had to...kill anything before.”

“It’s different from the tales we’re told,” Shaya said, eyes distant as she remembered the first Titan-spawn she killed.

She thought she was ready, but her inexperience meant it wasn’t a clean thing. And that was in an environment that promoted cooperation, she had no idea how anyone functioned coming out of this blighted Academy in its current state.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, “Anyway, I think I have him figured out, so hopefully we can reach a middle ground and behave like professionals.”

“As long as he stops spewing toxin from his face whenever his mouth opens,” Bri said, eyes narrowing, “then I’ll be content.”

“Bri,” Shaya said, hesitant to broach the topic – the one item she indeed had on her agenda – “is there more between you and Oraeus? He’s a shit, but your comment about reputations being well deserved...it has me wondering.”

“Between me and Oraeus?” Bri scoffed, “No, I never met him before this. His people? His kind? That’s a different story.”

“If you ever feel like telling it,” Shaya offered, laying a hand on her friend’s shoulder, “I’m here to listen, if you feel comfortable.”

“Sure,” Bri replied, a bitter note entering her voice, “I’m not one for secrets. My parents died after the war Shaya. Killed by pricks, who attacked their garrison not a day after the cease fire was announced; so those pieces of shit could try to claim a bit more glory or gold before the war wrapped up.”

“I’m sorry,” Shaya gave her friend’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, “I can’t imagine what it was like to learn of their fate at the hands of some greedy monsters.”

“My parents were still buried like casualties of war,” Bri continued, “thank the gods. But you know what worst part about it?”

I think I know where this is going.

“Those pieces of shit were just like Oraeus – they rationalized their fucking actions and ran the math. My parents didn’t even die because of a personal vendetta or patriotic zeal,” her teeth ground together, jaw muscles bunching, the rest of her words coming out as a growl, “and the pricks didn't pay. They convinced the tribunal they missed the gods damned memo even though other nearby units hadn’t.”

That’s not why they got away with it, Shaya thought, thinking of the position the diplomats must have been in – just wanting peace. There just wasn’t a will for more people to die if it could cause more bad blood and spoil diplomacy.

Bri looked down at her clenched fists, knuckles white as they popped, “and a part of me is happy they got away with it, Shay. It means that I can find them someday and bring them to justice.”

“Spit, I’m sorry for asking Bri,” Shaya said, stopping them in a shaded, empty part of the park, “I should have known better than to pry into other people’s affairs.”

“It’s fine,” Bri said, unclenching her fists and looking at her friend, “they’ve been gone a decade now and I’m on the right track to bring their murderers to justice. The Astorian monastery that raised me was good to me; they trained and prepared me for this. I’m sure it’s not easy for you listening about it either, given what happened to your parents.”

Shaya flinched, a crack forming in the dam she used to suppress those emotions, then shook her head, “It’s slightly different for me though. My mom died to a freak Titan attack that happened at the end of the civil war and, well, I take some comfort from her being my esper now.”

“What about your...other mom?”

“I...” Shaya hesitated, “I don’t think about her much, given everything she was accused of.”

And that her former friends don’t seem keen to defend her, even.

I just hope – wish even – that they’re just too afraid of the Inquisition catching wind, which is why they don’t speak of her either.

“Do you think the accusations were true?” Bri asked, voice cooled from its previous anger and now curious, empathetic.

No.

“Maybe,” Shaya sighed, shoulders slumping. This time it was Bri that offered her a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Devi was never religious...and I know she opposed the Sillanir joining yet another Celestial War of Succession, but heresy and treason seem...I dunno. That’s not the mom I remember, anyway.”

“Politics is shit,” Bri said, a small smile crossing her features, “am I right?”

Shaya snorted, “Definitely. I can’t wait to get out of here, this place reeks of it.”

Bri nodded, their eyes meeting, “But it’s not all bad, right?”

“No,” Shaya suppressed her darker memories and smiled back at her friend, “It’s not.”

“Good, I’m glad Azreon hasn’t broken you,” Bri grinned, returning to her usual self, “I don’t even think his goons got through to you today. You’ve basically been glowing since this morning.”

Shaya cocked her head, trying to remember the taunts from earlier today, but couldn’t. They had bounced off her completely, she didn’t even notice them. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“He looked pretty pissed though,” Bri laughed.

“Good!” Shaya said, “Titan’s take that piece of garbage.”

“Oh?” Bri cocked an eye brow at her as they continued walking, “Not going to play peace maker with him as well?”

“Oh no,” Shaya murmured, a sinister smile splitting her face, “I’m going to destroy that asshole.”

“Whoa, phrasing!”

“Wha-” Shaya gasped and blushed, “Why would- it was supposed to- I'm adding you to the list!”

“Slow down there,” Bri grinned at her, “buy a girl a drink first.”

Shaya’s face turned the dark red of her demonic progenitor, wishing she could melt into a puddle on the ground.