125: Plans In Motion

Following news of the attempt on her life, Roxanne announced an indefinite break from hunter work. Her guild as well, announced a temporary break in activities, causing a huge ripple online. News outlets flooded the internet with snippets, rumors, and blurry photos theorizing the current situation being hidden behind all the smoke screens.

Two photos dominated the news stories, a single crystal clear photo of Roxanne’s green dragon coiling in the sky above the institute, with a handful of small figures in the air around her like flies along with another photo of Nyssa’s transformation catching Roxanne out of the sky while plunging back through the clouds.

[S-Rank Hunter, Roxanne injured? Is she actually still alive?]

[Scandal at the institute, first attack in DECADES!]

[Kaiser under fire as students get injured! Guests reportedly all knocked unconscious!]

[Wildheart Sentinels in shambles as team announces indefinite break from activities!]

[Wildheart Sentinels’ Gideon spotted leaving store with bear plush!]

[The Ravensetin Family: A Story of Intergenerational Wealth]

[The newest member of the Ravenstein family? Younger sister revealed?]

“Ah, they’ve found out somehow...” Nyssa murmured with a sigh as she scrolled through the news stories. She laid against Celeste as they sunbathed on one of the Class Zero building’s balconies. “The secret is out, that I’m part of the Ravenstein family.”

“I’m sorry to hear...” Celeste rubbed her back while also scrolling on her own phone. “I can’t believe they think Roxanne is dead though. She wouldn’t die that easily. Any of the S-Rank Hunters has survived far more than this.”

“It’s because she’s not making media appearances, Roxanne is usually really open with the media and will talk to them pretty much whenever they request, even in the past when she was injured,” Nyssa shrugged, craning her neck back. “But now she’s a little preoccupied with Angelica.”

“True,” Celeste stared off into space, letting her phone fall onto her stomach. “Kaiser’s a good teacher though. A bit of a different teaching style, but it seems like we’ll have him for the foreseeable future.”

“Yeah, different style for sure...” Nyssa lamented. “I feel like I’m back in my childhood again.”

---

Earlier in the morning, Kaiser had spread his hands and pointed to the board where the day's plans had been written. “Sparring! No way to get better at handling your powers than fighting with them.”

“This is the fifth day of sparring in a row though...” Ryker groaned as Kaiser just smiled. “I may be fine, but I’m sure others’ bodies have begun to hurt.”

“That just means they’re not in good enough shape. Come on let’s get going,” Kaiser opened the door, motioning for them to head down to the training gym. Chairs dragged against the ground, and another round of groaning filled the room, but once all the students filed out of the classroom, he continued his explanation as they descended the stairs. “I know Angelica prefers a style of very careful development, but her style is something that only really works since she’s the one implementing it. Additionally, I think there’s an intangible that everyone needs to be successful in an actual battle, and sparring’s the only way to discover yours. It’s just... how do your powers define who you are. You must become one with your powers to be truly successful.”

Nyssa, having mouthed along to the entire explanation, rolled her eyes where only Celeste could see before cracking a smile. Leaning closer to Celeste, she couldn’t help but whisper, “You can really tell he’s old.”

“Nyssa, stop randomly whispering or I’ll make you do an extra three rounds of sparring with yours truly,” Kaiser’s gruff voice interrupted her from behind.

“You got it, Dad, I’ll be shutting up now.”

“That’s ‘teacher’ to you.”

---

“But yeah, I’m still so sore,” Nyssa grumbled, limp like a wet noodle. “I don’t know how I used to spar every day at home.”

“With a lot of willpower I guess, you also slept a lot more than you do now,” Celeste counted out on her fingers. “If you’re sleeping for twelve hours a day, I’m sure it makes a couple hours of sparring a lot easier.”

“True... “

---

Back at a certain apartment in the middle of the city, Roxanne sat by the window browsing the news in an unbuttoned dress shirt, tanktop, and pair of sleeping shorts. She ate a lollipop while running a hand through her hair. Nearby, sat an empty wheelchair as Angelica laid on the couch. Still covered in bandages, with a new set of bandages keeping her eyes shut.

Angelica, with mild labored breaths, smiled, and began propping herself back up. “You know, I think I could go in tomorrow to teach, my body doesn’t hurt that much-”

“Shut up,” Roxanne got back up, pushing Angelica back down onto the couch. Sitting on the ground beside the couch, she pinched Angelica’s nose. “How are you so rational about everything except your own body!?”

“Because... Because... I don’t know,” Angelica sighed, laying back down and reaching up to grasp Roxanne’s hand. “I want to teach the children, they’re my responsibility, you know?”

“And your body is your own responsibility,” Roxanne retorted, running through the same argument for the fifteenth time in a row. “I want you to get better faster, okay? When’s the last time we’ve been on a date? When’s the last time we’ve just gotten to spend time together?”

“It’s been four mont-”

“Rhetorically, love, I’m speaking rhetorically,” Roxanne patted Angelica. “Sleep, your wounds are opening. I can see the blood seeping through the bandages. I’ll wake you up in an hour to change your bandages, okay?”

As they fell quiet, the television, having been on the news, became audible once more.

[The world of hunters and heroes seems to be grinding to a halt. Has Roxanne from the Wildheart Sentinels set a trend? Today, three more guilds have announced an indefinite hiatus from activity.]

[Who is trying to assassinate the S-Rank hunters? Five more assassination attempts have been reported. Two hunters, who have asked for their names to not be disclosed, are currently in critical condition as doctor’s work around the clock to save them.]

“They’re all scrambling, but... in reality, nobody knows,” Roxanne whispered aloud as she stroked Angelica’s forehead. “Nobody knows the mysterious organization targeting all of us.”

“It’s the same organization that we discovered the laboratories for, just their technology is much more advanced,” Angelica revealed, “I was analyzing their armour while tearing it off of the assassins. It’ll be figured out soon enough by the association, so there’s no need to worry about it. I don’t know what their plans are, but war will probably break out soon. Their plans won’t be very pretty, and are probably already in motion by right now.”

“Yeah... I think it’s not that they want to kill us, since they know they’re not going to be able to kill the S-Rank hunters, but more that they want us out of commission, right?” Roxanne theorized while uncrossing her legs.

“Mhm, spot on, they just want you all out of the picture, so you might as well continue pretending to be hurt right now,” Angelica squeezed Roxanne’s hand.