Aria: “...Mmmh..? Huh..? What happened..?”
Ophelia: “Oh good you're awake! Sorry if I scared you before-”
Aria: “GYAAAHH! Please don't hurt me! Pleasedon'thurtme – pleasedon'thurtme Please-”
Ophelia: “...”
Ian: “A-Aria ca-calm down! Did you hear what... what they said?”
Aria: “Ian! You're okay...? Wait...what they said...?”
Aria recalls back to that fuzzy voice she heard right as she regained consciousness. The kind words spoken to her made her normally peach cheeks flush bright red with embarrassment.
Aria: “Ah! I am so sorry! I, how could I have ever been so impulsive and careless! Stupid me, stupid! Are... Are you alright? Sorry for my reaction: I... I thought you were friends with this mean girl that pushed me earlier...”
Ophelia: “It's fine, lots of people think I'm scary at first. Either that or they think I'm a guy...”
Ian: “You're not?!”
*Smack!*
Ian: “Oww...”
With a smack and a glare, Aria manages to shut him up fairly quickly. At first, Ian starts to brood over what he calls 'wrongful treatment'.
That had been the case, until he stole a glance at Ophelia's face, trying to verify any feminine features visible. What he saw on there instead, was a pair of sad, pained eyes hovering directly over a forced smile.
Aria: “Don't be so rude! Obviously she is a girl, look at that beautiful hair! You must've taken good care of it, it looks great!”
Ophelia: “...I tried to take care of it….before today...”
Ian: “Um...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Sorry I mistook you for a man.”
Ophelia: “...Fine.”
Aria: “...”
Ian: “...”
Ophelia: “...”
The awkward atmosphere was suffocating! It was far too unbearable for these three who barely knew each other and just had a conflicting cat – and - mouse chase. Of course they didn't know what to do in a situation like this one.
As luck would have it, the stalemate wouldn't last for long. To begin with, the trio were only at odds due to a handful of misunderstandings. He moment such trivialities are cleared up, so would be, the awkward atmosphere. The true temporary struggle in this scenario, was only happening because none of the three had wanted to be the primary speaker.
3 minutes passed.
5 minutes passed.
Then, after 10 minutes of waiting...
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
…
Ian: “So... my name's Ian. What's yours?”
Ophelia: “Ophelia.”
Aria: “Hi! My name is Aria, it's a pleasure to meet you!”
Ophelia: “Same...”
Aria: “...Why are you ...oh! Oh no! You're hurt?!”
Aria bent over, reaching down for Ophelia's kneecaps. She didn't have to bend forward very far since they were all seated on the floor already, the problem was Ophelia's attempt to back away.
Eventually the larger girl relented and let Aria draw near. Below her skirt, each trembling knee was supposed to be hidden by Ophelia's leggings, but large holes did a grand job exposing them both. Upon the injured kneecaps, those gaping tears revealed a pair of ugly scratches trickling semi-dried blood.
Aria: “Where did you get this?!”
Ian: ”let me take a look – I have first aid in my backpack. My mom always makes me bring it along with the rest of my things because she's afraid I may have inherited my pop's accident - prone problems.”
Aria: “Well your mother is a very smart woman. The blood looks like it's drying, and unfortunately I don't have anything on me to treat injuries. You're the only one she can depend on, Ian!”
Ophelia: “...Sorry for the trouble.”
Ian: “Ehehe, it's quite alright. I'm planning to become a non-combatant so nursing future power – wielders like you will be one of my duties! This little scratch is nothing I haven't already prepared... prepared for...”
Suddenly the boy, already reaching forth with ointment and disinfectant wipes in hand, started to look pale before he outright fell sideways.
Thankfully, Ophelia was able to catch him in time.
Ophelia: “Careful! Are you okay?”
Ian: “I... I'm fine. I'm A-okay! It's just... I... I haven't gotten over my... heheh, my fear of blood yet.”
Aria: “You have a fear of blood and you want to take non-combatant courses?”
Ian: “Is that wrong?”
Ian's defeated smile showcased the minute desire he nurtured to overcome this helpless weakness of his. Unable to forgo it: the restless Ian trapped himself in a cycle of thoughts that all revolved around seeing the blood, then rejecting the blood, right before remembering Ophelia and Aria depending on his assistance and forcing himself to see the blood. Finally, he got to work.
To distract himself while working, Ian began to talk.
Ian: “So, when I first woke up, I remember you saying something about not meaning to scare me. Same with Aria, you were even apologizing to her.
If that was truly the case, then why exactly were you chasing us?”
Ophelia: “I – I didn't mean to scare anybody. It's true I swear!
Both Aria and Ian: “We know. You've said that before.”
Ophelia: “It's just... Noel wanted to catch up with you both and ask-”
Aria: “Noel? Noel... Oh! Do you mean that boy? The one who was with... AH!! Was HE the one who gave you those scratches? Then he ordered you to charge at us and scare us, didn't he?! That evil little jerk, wait until I get my hands on-”
Ophelia: “Please let me finish. That isn't what happened."
Although she wasn't trying to do so, her naturally stern tone when raising her voice actually managed to leave the already timid and frantic Aria silent.
Aria: “...”
Ophelia: “He... he isn't evil, so... please don't slander him like... that. If it wasn't for him... If it wasn't or him...!”
Ian paused her gauze-wrapping, and saw her hands tremble, as if this instinctive motion transferred from her kneecaps earlier to the upper body appendages Ophelia was using to wipe away fresh tears.
Ophelia: “He saved me. He asked for my help... when he didn't need it... gave me an excuse to... to be with him He... became my friend. I wanted to repay that.
When he walked beside me, he did it without caution. The first...”
As she continued her speech, it petered down into barely audible mumbling. She spoke so soft, that both Aria and Ian felt it necessary to move in closer, all in order to hear.
But only Aria, noticed her cheeks flush red.
Ophelia: “He was the first... in my life, that wasn't afraid of me. So when I heard him ask for me to catch up, I just... did.”
Aria: “...That's so...”
Ian: “If he was the one to ask for you to catch up to us, then he must've had a reason, right? What was it?
When I think back, I vaguely remember his smiling face. He was trying to say something while waving but I was too scared of y- I mean scared of the possible connection you two had with that girl from before! Yea...that's, all it was...”
Ophelia: “...He wanted to know how to get to the classroom for non-combatants.”
Aria: “Aww, oh my gosh you were escorting him to class, then?! That's so cool! You're already behaving like a genuine superhero by ensuring his safety! I think you'll do great in your Orientation debut for the hero courses!”
Ophelia: “I'm NOT a superhero. I'm not... worthy.”
Aria: “What do you-”
Ian: “Wait...why were you trying to go to class? It's the assembly hall everybody is supposed to gather in.”
Ophelia: “Assembly? Where?”
Aria: “Hehehee! Don't worry, I didn't know about it either until Ian told me, and I'm actually a non-combatant myself! Embarrassing, yeah, I know. But you don't have to worry about that. The seats for Heroes and Sidekicks are separated so just tell an instructor your name when you get there and they'll handle the rest for you: no matter which courses you take.”
Ian: “Just hand her the pamphlet I let you read. My mom made me bring one in case I needed it, but I only got one from her.”
Aria: “OK- Oh and I forgot to ask. What time is it right now? I don't even know how long we were passed out...”
Ophelia: “I was waiting here with you both for 10 minutes. I was counting how long Noel has been gone.”
Ian: “Okay just one sec! Let me first put away my medical supplies, then dig out my phone.”
Aria: “Thanks, also Ophelia – umm, you keep mentioning him but...where is he? I don't see him anywhere.”
Ophelia: “A strange person started chasing him. I couldn't see because I had you both, and the person was really fast.”
Aria: “...Isn't... Isn't that a big problem?! He could have been kidnapped or something!!”
Ian: "Let's see...Ah! Found it. Currently the time is a quarter before 10. We have to be at the assembly in like uh... let me check their websi- AAAHH-NO! The assembly is going to begin in 20 minutes, but it'll take at least 30 minutes to get there! We'll never make it!!”
?: “Relax. You don't need any minutes, 'cause I'll be taking you there personally. We'll arrive at the assembly hall entrance in 30 seconds.”
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