SARP Third Try

After the assembly, and after he was speaking with one of the Angels about Demon hunting techniques and stories, he received a letter.

"Cornelius Alterus,

You have been assigned to Outpost 7, in central Koga. Your duties here will include: Patrols, Guard Duty and other ceremonial duties. A VTOL aircraft will be arriving at 06:00 in two days time. You will be accompanied by Nerva Vibiana, Rika Kyubei, Laila Lark and Richter Leone.

Archangel Micheal"

Fantastic. Cornelius thought as he read the letter. Formal wear won't be an issue, I've plenty of that. Neither will casual clothes. But what outfits should I bring... Cornelius pondered the possible outfits he could assemble and wear in Koga. The count was too many, He'd have to narrow down his choices and pick the most practical. That wouldn't be difficult, he had plenty of shirts and pants with pockets and various other utilitarian additions. He would be fine. He'd need rain gear though. Cornelius thought about it a bit harder.

He sat in his room with the letter in his hand. He'd read it and thought about it all the way back to his room after talking with the Angel.

Laila had managed to skip the assembly by hiding in her locked room and cleaning her ear. The fight with Nerva had left a bad cut just above it and shed only managed to get it to stop bleeding when there was a knock at the door. She didn't answer and a note was pushed under the door instead. A quick Scan of the letter and she was outraged, unlocking her door and storming off to Gabriel's on site office, leaving her own door swinging wildly behind her.

She slammed through the doors of the office, matching up to his desk and slamming the note down.
"This is an outrage. Nerva? Of all the common scum to walk this planet, she is not fit to be in the same country as me. I DEMAND another posting."

"Come in, Miss. Lark. Of course you can talk to me." Archangel Gabriel said sarcastically and without looking up from the book he was reading in his chair. "Postings are non-negotiable. Is that all?"

"I'm the second daughter of the Royal Duke of Lamorak. You absolutely can post me elsewhere. I'll take an Ashlands posting. I don't care. Just not with that common slut."

Laila slammed her hand on his desk again

Nerva slammed her fist into the wall, hard enough to actually hurt herself and she shook it like an idiot. "Of all the rich pompous arrogant BITCHES AT THIS SCHOOL!" she started to rant, mainly to herself. "I get paired up with that cheating cunt!? Just my fucked up luck isn't it!" This went on for a few minutes before she angrily stuffed her belongings back into her bag and beginning to think things through.

"Postings are non-negotiable." The Archangel repeated, "If you have a problem with that, you can always go home."

He'd have two days time to pack up for his mission, so he chooses to just leave packing for the night before the trip. No sense in reserving his clothes this early. His room wasn't decorated, the only things he brought were clothes and some money to get him through his last year. His walls are white with nothing on them. Some would say his room is barren, he'd say it fits his purpose just right. It's not his room, it's just a place to lay his head. With the current mission coming up, this only reinforces his belief.

Laila glared at the top of his head before stomping her foot and storming out of the room leaving a loud irritated noise behind her. A second later and she'd marched in again, picked up her letter from his desk and marched back out.

"Have a nice day, Miss. Lark." Gabriel shouted to her shortly before the door closed.

Rika had heard Nerva shouting, and briefly thought about whether it had been a good idea to place her and Laila together. She passed Laila at the door to the dorms.
"Have a nice holiday, Laila?" She asked.

"Piss off Rika" Laila snapped as she stormed on past and into the dorm room, aiming to change clothes and go beat the shit out of a tree for a while.

Could be worse, I suppose. We could have had that guy Nick from Lamorak. He doesn't look like he knows what he's doing in a fight. Cornelius remember when he sparred Nick last year. He just stood there and waited for me to attack first. Then when I did, he couldn't decide if he should block or dodge. I knocked him flat on his ass. Cornelius remembers being talked to about this by an Angel. "Don't be too rough with him, he's sensitive." They had said. He would be a terrible fighter, if he can't practice his technique then how can he be expected to fight a Demon?

Cornelius had packed most of his things already, only a few things needed to be put away and that could wait till the day of. He was pacing the halls thinking about the group and how they might function in Koga. They weren't the only ones stationed in Koga - they might run into other students on the fringes of their patrols. That might be a blessing. Unless it's someone Laila doesn't like. Or Nerva doesn't like. Leone and Rika will be the most well-functioning on this trip. Unless something about doing patrols and protecting people awakens something inside Nerva and Laila - makes them re-evaluate their life and change in some way for the better. Or they start being nice to each other at least.

"Okay." Rika answered, walking outside. It was nice weather for a walk. Not hot, not cold, and it wasn't raining. Two days and she'd be in Koga. Outpost 7 wasn't far from her where she'd lived as a child, but it wasn't like she had anybody to visit. Her aunt's house was near enough on the other side of Koga.

He leaves his room and heads outside towards the PE park. Instead of just sitting in his room, he aims to actually do something. He stops off at his friends rooms and asks them if they'd like to join him for a quick run. They both deny his request and go about their business. After some time he arrives and begins doing some stretches. He isn't dressed for running in the slightest, but it doesn't matter to him.

Nerva laid down for a few minutes, trying to calm herself down. If she was going to be posted, she was going to do that properly. She would just...have to stay away from Laila. The entire time. For the entire posting. The Magnusian girl sighed heavily and got up, leaving her stuff behind in her room to head to the small river that ran through one of the academy's corners. It was off near the training fields, in the more wilderness sort of area of the campus. As she walked down the halls, she silently prayed to whatever deity there might be to not run into Laila.

As soon as he was finished with stretching, he set off on the track at a jog. He didn't want to immediately start at a run and get himself too tired too quickly. Besides, it had been awhile since he'd last taken a jog or a run. He believes it was some time last year when one of his friends had bet him he couldn't beat him in a foot race. He'd taken the bet and had slightly come up from behind at the last few seconds and won. He feels the slight breeze pick up as he jogs and the smell he had smelled when he first arrived comes back to him. He focuses on this relaxing feeling as he continues.

As Rika aimlessly wandered, she saw Leone on his jog. As he came closer, she spoke.
"Hello, how was your holiday?"

A voice suddenly cuts through the air and somewhat breaks his focus. He looks at the source to see Rika. He nods to her.

"Pretty lackluster, if I'm honest."

He stops in front of her and cracks a smile, and says in between breaths.

"Glad to see some action heat up right off the boat, though."

"It's too bad that its the same thing every year though. You'd think they'd get bored."

He shrugs, slowly getting his breath back.

"I don't mind it, puts on a show for the underclassmen and gives them somethin' to talk about for a bit. Whether it's good or bad, I dunno."

Nerva saw Laila stomping down a corner, but luckily didn't get into anything with her. In fact, Nerva tried to avoid it since Laila had a murderous glint in her eyes. Nerva slipped out one of the side entrances and started her walk, making as close to a beeline towards her destination as she could, what with all the sports fields and fences in the way.

"They''ll eventually get used to it." Rika said, and was about to continue before she was stopped by Archangel Gabriel's voice echoing across the school.
"All of the students being deployed to outpost seven, come to my office immediately."

Nerva turned right back around, groaning to herself and started heading towards the administration building. She grumbled and muttered, but ultimately shut up about it as she drew closer. She had barely made it anywhere onto the field, so she was probably closer than the others.

"Hopefully I can either find a nice cozy place to sleep, or we can get some fightin' done." He says as he shrugs and heads off towards the building and the office. He would have pretended not to have heard the announcement, but this is for a mission he'd be sent on.

Might as well try to get some information.

A minute or two later, Nerva arrived at the office. "Archangel Gabriel." She saluted quickly before stepping off to the side. "Before the others arrive, can I quickly say I'm sorry for the fight at the docks today. Laila and I both lost our tempers."

"Just like you do every time you fight, I know, Miss. Vibiana. Please, sit down before Miss. Lark arrives, I don't want either of you losing your tempers in here." He said, waving his hand to one of the five chairs in front of him.

Nerva was quiet, she had nothing should really say to that, and sat down, sitting on the edge to give the maximum of distance possible in case Laila arrived. She didn't fidget, but did sort of play with her hands in an effort to distract herself from his scrutiny, even if it was just imaginary.

He enters through the door of Archangel Gabriel's office. He takes on hand out of his pocket and gives a lazy salute to Gabriel.

"Yo, Archie Gabe. How've ya been?"

He takes a seat next to Nerva and leans back slightly in his chair.

Laila span around and marched her way back to his office. Why he couldn't have just told her to stay and saved her a long walk, she didn't know and it annoyed her even more. Once she arrived in the office, she kicked the chair furthest from Nerva so that it came to rest as far as possible from the other group and slammed herself down into it.

"Aside from the usual problems," Gabriel said to Richter, "And here comes one of them now. Good afternoon, Ms. Lark."

Cornelius lightly stepped into the room. He looked around at everyone already there and then at Archangel Gabriel and gave a slight bow.

"Cornelius. Nice to see you as always." He looked at the students who'd arrived, "Did Rika actually turn up for school this year?" He asked, looking exasperated.

"She should be on her way." Cornelius answered softly.

Five minutes later, Rika ambled in and took her seat, offering no explaination as to why she was late.
"Well," The Archangel said, "As you know, all of you are being stationed at Outpost 7. You were supposed to ship out in two days, but as I've just been told, the Outpost commander has requested that you be sent early so that he can make sure you don't 'embarrass' him. So, you'll be shipping out in four hours."

Cornelius nodded, understanding the mindset of the Outpost commander. He was already prepared for the journey, he just needed to pack some basic essentials that were everyday items.

Nerva nodded and spoke up. "Any word on how the living quarters will work out? Or what our duties actually will be?"

"Well, it's a good fucking job I didn't unpack yet. God, this place is a joke. Four hours notice."

Laila muttered to herself under her breath, staying away from the rest of the group still.

"That's all going to be decided when you get there, your duties will be what was said in the letter. Perhaps more, perhaps less, depending on what the Commander needs." He glanced over to Laila, "Is there a problem, Ms. Lark? You are aware what the alternative is."

Laila stood up from her chair.

"Is that all?"

Nerva stayed quiet, and put her head in her hand, getting annoyed at Laila's attitude without even being the target of it. Regardless of how you felt towards your commander, you never treat him that rudely.

Cornelius frowned at Laila. She was so loud and angry.

"That's all," The Archangel started, before noticing that Rika was already halfway out of the door. "Take an extra three days worth of clothes," He added, just before Rika had completely gone.

Nerva nodded again and started getting up, moving quickly in an effort to avoid Laila entirely.

Laila made to move out the door and found Nerva in her way. She barged her off to the side as she left.

Nerva bumped into the wall, not hard but painfully enough that she muttered an insult native from Magnus under her breath at Laila, and moved out of the way, heading to her room again.

Four hours notice, eh? That's fine. He thinks as he stands and observes Laila's behavior. He looks at Archangel Gabriel and gives another lazy salute.

"The sooner we ship, the better, I think. Have a nice one, Archie Gabe."

He heads out the door after Nerva and makes his way to his room once more to pack up.

Outside, Rika debated whether or not she should finish her walk, though with only a few hours to get everything she needed for the trip, it seemed like a bad idea. So, she changed course and headed back for her room.

As he makes his way to his room, he can't help but feel somewhat miffed that he couldn't finish his jog. He hadn't even broken a sweat when they were all called to the Archangel's office. With a sigh, he approaches the door to his room and enters. He finds his duffel bag and begins loading it with all of the necessary gear that was asked of him.

Four Hours Later

Rika was lying on the grass of the training field, staring up at the reddening sky. The VTOL would be arriving soon. She was early, but that was because she didn't have anything else to do, and they might leave her behind if she was late. None of the others were here yet

He ambles his way to the training field. As he grows closer, he can see a figure lying in the grass. He moves in closer and as he does so, he can make out the person lying down as Rika. He approaches and nudges her shoulder a little with his foot before saying,

"Wouldn't've expected ya to be here this early, Rika."

He shouldn't say too much. The only reason why he's here is because his friends had pushed him out. Telling him he had better head off and do his duties. If they hadn't done that, he would have most likely been chasing after the VTOL just as it was leaving.

"I'm always on time, more or less." Rika answered, not bothering to look up. "Why dance to someone else's tune when mine's so much better?"