HALFLIGHT IC

[sun.]

Theme song:

A world drowning in an ancient war.
With an enemy that might as well be ourself.
To defend and maintain humanity, must we lose it?

The sound of empty plates and glasses clanging against each other filled the air inside the cafeteria of ARMA University, rivaled only by the excited chatter between the Cadets that had finished their meals. Young and old alike simmered with excitement for the ceremony. Those chosen to be worthy of graduating being the stars of the moment, received praise, attention, and perhaps a bit of envy, while those licking the wounds of their rejection were coddled with support by the friends they had made during their stay at ARMA.

Now, however, it was time to prepare, if only mentally, for the ceremony. Various clusters of Cadets strolled across the campus to attend the Regalia Hall, where those chosen worthy would be called on stage, given their Regalia and papers, and would hopefully relish in that one carefree moment of bliss, before their grim duties awaited them.

"I hear the SWORD herself is attending this year's ceremony."

"No way!"

"I swear, even Sentinel Behel seemed nervous. Why would he be nervous if it wasn't for her?"

"You're just imagining things, she's way too busy."

Laughter and hurried steps sounded across the campus's outside, whereas muffled steps--their sound drowned out by the thick, grey carpet that was laid out all throughout the inside of the ceremonial hall.

The interior was kept in various shades of grey, most of them dark, the only highlights presented by light-brown wooden shells running along the corridors, where the ceiling and walls connected. From behind them, long, sustained lamps shone their warm light. Photographs of historical ARMA members were framed golden along the walls.

A long queue had lined up in front of the last door of the corridor; a large double door was wide open, revealing rows and rows of seats lined up in front of a giant stage, backed by a giant, pristine display. Murmurs could be heard throughout the entire hall. As the students flood in, a small circle of faculty members stand tightly together, a little off the stage, preparing themselves for the prestigious ceremony.​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Having awoken that morning, Mitsu was fairly excited. Not because infamous/famous SWORD would be there, nor as she would now be an agent, rather it was something far more simple. Her instructor had made a point of mentioning they had a rather unique weapon they wanted to pass on to her, that it would suit her well.

So far this had her a bit confused as the bulk of weapons she had seen were melee based. While she may have been an acrobat she was by no means a physical fighter, she was fast and flexible but not all that strong. Leaving her dorm room Mitsu wastes little time heading for the ceremonial hall, with a calm expression to her face. Only to be meet disappointingly by a line..

"...oh come on.." Standing on tip toes to look out over the crowds, the room looked as lively as a funeral. Taking note of the pictures the former performer swears she notices the image of the man who sent her here. Unfortunately the pushing and moving crowds meant she wouldn't be getting a look at it yet. "I just wanted to read the names.."

A bit dejected by this Mitsu marches along, clothed in the same outfit she was in on her arrival, it fit university rules. Though she was a bit disappointed that ARMA wouldn't allow her to walk around with her pair of revolvers, while she could use them in training and would get them back once she was made an agent it still sucked to be unarmed. Oddly in spite of this she still wore the gun belt, though she did at least leave her coat behind. Taking a seat towards the outer edge and as far forward as she could reach, the young Gun Slinger is curious if any of those here would talk to her or might even be future work partners. Turning her gaze across the room it was a good idea to study them all at least, even if she herself wasn't that talkative on her own initiative.

 

[★Under The Stars★]

---

---
Currently reporting to his assignment at the Ceremony Hall.
---

---

Miju woke up the morning of the Ceremony and calmed himself a bit. Today was the day he was going to receive his Regalia and finally begin the assault against the witches. He was not widely known as a Halfling, a half-witch-half-human, but that was not going to stop him from destroying those witches which make other people's lives harder. Killing people mindlessly is not the way to go about doing things. This organization... I will enforce some of my own rules. Harmless witches will not be harmed by my hand. I won't stand by as that happens, I'll make sure of it. My Mother died because of someone's obscene judgement against witches and I'll make sure that ARMA is just a protective agency, rather than a militia meant to eradicate witches.

Miju got dressed with a fire in his heart, making sure that his clothing reflected this same fire. Practical clothing was needed for the time being, which required he not wear anything like a dress or anything with too much loose fabric. He chose to go with a simpler black outfit with a black choker. He wore his hair down today, which reached all the way down to his hips. He decided to do his makeup a little darker to accentuate the seriousness of the occasion. His overall outfit made him look stunning and serious. This was a ceremony that needed respect and admiration. This was the first step to his success as an agent and as a reformer of the stigma behind witches.

As he moved toward the Ceremony Hall, he could see that plenty of people had gathered. If the SWORD truly was here, then he was adamant on making a good impression on the woman. He had heard from the teachers that his Regalia seemed to suit him very well and he should be happy to receive a Regalia that was above Rank D. He had heard most Cadets received a Rank D Regalia when they exited the Academy, but his class seemed to be better than most, so ARMA made an exception.

He packed himself into the building with the rest of the onlookers and tried to snag himself a seat toward the front. Unfortunately all of them were taken, but there was one nervous-looking girl sitting in a sear near the aisle. He locked eyes with her and touched her shoulder. He wore a soft expression on his face before quickly tensing his face and grabbing her shoulder strongly. "Move it bitch." The girl looked at him for a moment and was surprised, but then tears welled in her eyes and she ran toward the back. She cried as she ran toward the back of the hall and sat. Miju sighed, relieved that he could get a seat toward the front. The people sitting around him seemed surprised by his behavior, but he wasn't going to see most of these people again, so it didn't really matter.

However, there was a yummy-looking man sitting next to him. He smirked as he touched his shoulder. "Looks like we'll be sitting next to each other." He made sure his voice rang in at his usual high-pitched tone. "Aren't you excited?" He narrowed his eyes a little bit as his eyes quickly moved from the man's pants back to his face. He purred as he nestled himself against the man's shoulder. The man seemed to blush a little, but someone whispered in his ear and he quickly jumped back and his blush went away instantly. "Y-You pervert! G-Get away from me!" Miju rolled their eyes as they sat back in their chair. "Fine then. Guess you won't be having any fun today." Miju sat, trying to gauge whether the SWORD was actually going to be here or not by some of the teachers' expressions. It seemed that something important was happening, which wasn't surprising. Miju just couldn't tell whether was SWORD was actually going to be at the ceremony or not.​

 

[Ultra Paradox]

It was finally time, the moment Song waited so eagerly for since she was accepted to the academy with her cousin Marako. This was it, after four years, time to graduate and become an official ARMA member. She practically engraved this date into her head, from the moment she received the letter stating she had advanced signed by von Wolfhauss herself! Looking back on that day, she remembered almost bursting into tears when her instructor handed her the letter, and now here she was.

Last night was a sleepless one, not like most, it wasn't due to any nightmares or a bad night's rest. It was due to the ever growing excitement and adrenaline building up inside of her. Even in the cafeteria she could hardly eat her lunch, an above par meal (compared to their usual grub) in order to celebrate this special occasion. Song could scarcely look at the plate of unadon in front of her and ignored the students next to her who were conciliating their discouraged friends who had the misfortune of not passing. She was in a daze, those words replaying in her head, 'You are the pride of the nation. The brightest of the bright. The future of mankind.'

"The future of mankind..." All of her friends went on ahead, attempting to get a head start on the line. There was a rumor roaming on campus that the Sword would be here, something that wasn't fairly usual with the ceremonial event. So if it wasn't nerve wrecking enough that she would have to walk up on stage in front of the entire graduating class, now the Sword herself was here.

Eventually, snapping out of it, she decided to get moving. She refused to waste anymore time procrastinating, god forbid she showed up late and couldn't find a seat. Walking towards Regalia Hall, she remembered all the good and bad moments she experienced in every location. In the sparring building, she recalled being flipped by people much stronger than her more times than she could count. Then the student plaza, where everyone would go to hang out, all the enjoyable times she had spent laughing with friends.

Those times will surely be nothing but memories now, because they are no longer cadets. From this day forward, they will all (or at least the majority of them) be agents.She stepped into the colossal building, the enormous mahogany doors were held open for all the Cadets to walk in. There was a long hallway, leading to the door that than finally would lead to the seats. But between her and the seats was a line taking up most of the hallway.

People were pushing trying to get a better place in line, and it was all rather unorganized. There were strange characters here, some Cadets who were extremely short, some really older looking folks, and even someone with green hair. It was bustling with noise, a mixture of exhilaration and nerves.

"We're really going on stage in front of the entire school?"

"The sword's going to be here!"​

"I betcha my Regalia is going to be really strong!"

This is the line she's going to have to wait for to get inside, but she couldn't handle it, feeling almost overwhelmed. She stepped away out to the side, annoyed by the number of people 'accidentally' shoving into her. Some other students were doing the same thing, including the girl in green. But, she was to shy to spark a conversation, so instead she crossed her arms over her academy uniform (which you weren't required to wear, but she did) and waited for the line to get shorter before sneaking her way in.

 

[EmperorsChosen]

The day had finally arrived. Graduation was upon the cadets of the institution. Some awaited with excitement for the moment their graduation would be official while others dejectedly sulked in response to their failures. Regardless of the position anyone was in, the campus was filled with tension, save for perhaps a few. Takumi awoke that morning and lazily readied himself for the day. Rather than excited, he was more relieved. In the physical exams, the boy took the top spots with ease. It was the written tests in which he struggled and scaped by on. Thankfully, his performance on the prior exams kept him afloat and ensured his graduation.

With a yawn, Takumi exited his room, watching the various groups of people. Some celebrated and some sulked and sobbed. Though regardless of if these people were moving forward or leaving, he thought it fortunate that they've found companions and allies. Takumi believed that, while his physical prowess pushed people away at his prior school, it would instead attract people here. In most cased, he would've been right, however when you incapacitate other students with singular hits in sparring matches or toss them around like ragdolls—the situation had not altered from the status quo at his regular school.

Sighing, he made his way through the halls and towards the auditorium where the ceremony would be held, unintentionally listening in on the conversations he passed. Apparently the Sword might be attending the graduation. That'd mean that this year's graduates were truly exceptional or something special, as the letter of promotion all graduates received made them all out to be. The more naive and hopeful, like Takumi, probably took it to heart. The more realistic likely recognized it as the blind flattery and optimistic rumors that were repeated each year.

With a hopeful smile as Takumi entered the auditorium, his expression suddenly grew more morbid as a sobbing woman barreled past him. Another rejected cadet? It was sad to see, but ultimately for the best. A couple of years ago, he thought himself capable and charged a witch, and while he certainly wasn't weak, he was incapacitated within seconds. The institution wasn't simply to train people, but to identify those who had what it takes. It's one thing for a soldier to fall in the line of duty, another for an armed civilian. Shaking the sad thoughts away, Takumi continued his way inside before finding a seat. This was a time to feel pride in oneself, not the sadness of others.

 

[Shavynel]

Leo had not, like so many others, opened his letter as soon as he received it. Instead, he had slipped it into his pocket and went for a run, putting some distance between him and the rest of the school and all his friends. It wasn't even like him at all to go on a solo run. His norm was to drag at least three others and more often than not, make a race of it. But somehow, he had snuck out undetected, managing to dodge friends altogether. He'd congratulated himself on that for a moment (stealth not being a usual forte of his), until he realized in all likelihood, it was due to everyone's preoccupation celebrating or commiserating over already opened letters.

It didn't take long for the rhythm of the run to settle in, feet pounding one, two, three, one, two, three, and without the distraction of others around him, his mind started to wander. He hadn't thought he'd be able to make it in three years, had never assumed he would. He'd spent his three years fighting to just barely pass, so the thought that maybe ARMA was just fed up with his mediocrity weighed on him. What if he had failed? He could just leave campus, not go back at all. He didn't have to tell anyone, not even his parents. If he just disappeared, he wouldn't have disappointed anyone. Right? And Jamie would likely be ecstatic if he just showed up in Canada, so that was an option. But that was still tantamount to admitting failure to himself. Maybe he could beg for one more year. He was willing to do that, find the SWORD herself and make a personal appeal. If he had the guts to confront her, they couldn't say he didn't have the guts to confront Witches. Or maybe he should've prepared another year before applying a second time way back at the beginning (but at the back of his mind, he knew that had never been an option, that two years out of ARMA would've been twice the disgrace).

His feet slowed as he approached the farthest point of his run. Leo dug out the letter, flipping it over and over until finally, he bit his lip, committed, and ripped it open. There at the bottom, was the SWORD's mark. Yeah ... What had he been thinking? Making a personal appeal? He was crazy to even think of approaching her.

Leo forced his eyes upward, and word by word, he felt his worries dissolve, his inadequacies burrow, melting into a twitch of a smile, an unrestrained fist pump, a shove of the letter back in his pocket, and an extremely speedy retreat back to the dormitories, complete with a jump and howl of joy as soon as he saw another student, and a hug as soon as he approached.

"Con-congratulations..."

"Thanks!" he exclaimed, letting the other go, recognizing the student as not one of his close friends, but someone he had had some class with. Maybe history? In any case, it didn't actively occur to him that he ought to be embarrassed by his actions as he rushed on, shouting his excitement ahead of him.

Time both flew and crawled as the ceremony approached. Leo took and granted congratulations in equal stride as he flitted from friend to friend, mentally gathering a long list of all the graduating cadets ahead of the procession (that much, at least, was still the same as any year -- it was a matter of pride with Leo to stay on top of such happenings, and he'd already put himself an hour behind by going on that now-deemed unnecessary run). He'd led a group of friends to the Hall fairly early, eager to get a good seat, but he had vacated it as soon as he recognized a new face entering the hall. And then it happened again, and again, but others were more than eager to snag a forward seat as Leo moved further and further back.

He'd just seated himself again when the commotion up front caught his attention. His eyes followed as the girl rushed out, only to land on yet another familiar face. "Takumi!" he shouted, too far away for any hope that his voice would carry over the rest of the conversations, and so he left his seat (not even bothering to pretend he'd be back after the second time he'd jumped seats), and practically swam his way over.

"Congratulations!" He slapped Takumi on the back, "Can you believe it?" And without pausing, he slipped smoothly into the role of rumormonger. "You saw that right? I think she was sitting up front where that red-head's now. I wonder what happened. Some sort of lover's spat? They really picked a bad day for it. I mean, did you hear? The SWORD's going to be here. I can't wait for the ceremony to start. This is so exciting! I can't believe we're going to be agents --" Pause. "You are, right, graduating?" He couldn't imagine Takumi not graduating if he himself had made the cut. The guy was a beast in training.

 

[rissa]

Dragovic, Yelena

---

Sitting in the front row, one leg crossed over the other, Yelena Dragovic waited patiently for the ceremony to commence. She watched the idle faculty members standing off to the side of the stage, murmuring to themselves warily. With scrutinizing eyes she contemplated the rumors that were circulating their way across campus. They did seem more fidgety than usual, she surmised after a minute or so, a small smile hinting at her lips.

Oh how she loved the role reversal.

Slowly the ceremonial hall around her grew quiet and loud all at once. A wave of students flooded in and brought with them, the beginning of what was about to commence. Yelena could feel the atmosphere ripple with anxious excitement and though her graduation was near eight years past, she knew precisely how they felt. When she walked across that stage and was given her Regalia, it was nearly the proudest she'd ever been. The Spear of the Sea was as beautiful today as it had been the day she received it. Due in part to her meticulous care and the nigh indestructibility the Water Witch had bestowed with her sacrifice. It waited for her outside, with the rest of her belongings in the waiting quarters.

Impatience creeped into her psyche as the queue grew bloated and seats were taken and abandoned behind her. She enjoyed attending these ceremonies, even frequenting the University. Though the truth behind it was a mixture of alumni pride and melancholia. Besides, many of the graduating Cadets could potentially become colleagues. Getting to know them and their Regalias were helpful in the long run. So with the excitement bubbling in the air, Lena waited with bated breath, curious to see if the SWORD was indeed going to make an appearance.

---

@alaska

 

[sun.]

Mara Fukuma's shoulders were slouching, his posture defeated. A faint limp affected his steps, the right leg continously dragging a little bit, as droplets of blood were squeezed out of small cuts littered across his limbs. Thanks to the torn fabric of his pants, they were visible to the curious and increasingly pale faces of the younger students in the queue of Cadets who were still waiting to attend the ceremony. The lanky Agent's right hand clutched onto his shoulder, his teeth gritted, while the left was holding onto his blade's hilt so tightly that his already pale knuckles glowed white.

Nonchalant, he made his way into the hall, pushing young Cadets and their soon-to-be-agent friends out of his path. Slower than he'd like, he made his way down to the stage, by now followed by the gazes of hundreds of Cadets, and the nervous murmurs of his fellows. The ceremony hall seemed to quiet down in unison, as Mara, audibly heaving, tumbled up the little stairs to the side of the podium.

A few faint "Oh my god!"s and similar exclamations broke the silence here and there, as the three Wardens that had confabulated quietly at the corner of the stage came rushing to their colleague. They all aided Mara, who furrowed his brows and rejected the support, instead urging them to come closer.

Under the concerned looks of the audience, the four discussed something, the elderly woman to Mara's right almost jumping back, while the two men remained calmer, but certainly matched their female companion in terms of expression. All four of them nodded and gestured with grave faces.

"Yes, quickly. I'll call HQ." the tall man to Mara's left spoke, his voice so powerful that in penetrated the whispers of the Cadets, and remained clear to all in attendance. As he and the woman left the stage, the last one, the famous Bleack Feather, Io Shinohara, nodded to Mara. The young agent kicked his leg back and forth a few times, spat on the floor (causing a few audible words fo judgement from the higher ups in the crowd), and walked back up the stairs towards the entrance, keeping guard.

Finally, Shinohara stepped forward, the static of the microphone silencing every single attendee.

"I'm sorry to inform you that the ceremony cannot begin. There is an emergency. Please remain calm."

He adjusted his tie, clearly uneasy to continue on with the announcement.

"The SWORD herself has been defeated. We are currently issuing a state of alert. The government should soon send patrols for increased security in the streets, but for now, we wish to make sure everyone of you is safe. Please gather in groups of..."

He paused for a moment, gesturing for a woman in the front row to come to him. As she quickly stepped up, the two briefly discussed something. Both nodded to each other, and as the woman left the stage, she did not return to her seat, but instead walked up the path towards the entrance, and paused as she came to stand next to Mara.

"Please gather in groups of six. Every group will have an Agent assigned to them. The Agents will lead you to safety. Please follow their instructions closely. This is all for now."

Black Feather Io hurried off the stage, as the Agents and Wardens in the first row all shot up, hurrying towards the entrance. One of them, a giant of a man, surely upwards of seven feet, with unproportionally long arms, and a thin overall stature, lead a group of Agents.

"I will make sure every registered Cadet is put into groups. Please line up, we will assign you a chaperone."

Though a few of the younger ones began to cry in panic, while others moaned the fact their career's official start would be post-poned, several rows of students formed quickly. At the front of the line, the lanky giant had just operated a small device, presumably a sort of portable database. Six students followed a young, stern looking man out of the ceremony hall.

"Next please."​

 

[rissa]

Dragovic, Yelena

---

"Yes, quickly. I'll call HQ."

Honed instincts twitched and she unfolded her legs, leaning forward as if to hear the conversation Mara had induced. Her gaze scrutinizing, she assessed what she could from a distance and from his seemingly forever walk down the main aisle. He favored his right leg, scratches and lacerations were scattered across his lithe frame, and Yelena clenched her fists tightly, concern and paranoia making itself known.

Yelena kept alternating her gaze between Io and Mara, the latter spitting spittle and blood upon the stage. The act brought angry sneers from the older populace around her, but she paid no heed; her mentor was speaking and his words shook the young woman to her core.

The Regalia Hall reverberated with shock as the Black Feather spoke the words no one in attendance, or more truthfully, no one in Helios would ever expect to hear: The SWORD herself has been defeated. Those six words rang in her ears, her heart, her sense of optimism. If it were true, true that the SWORD, the strongest of them all had been defeated…

She stood from her seat just as Io beckoned forward the female Warden sitting next to her. Making her way to the entrance as the Black Feather continued to speak, she nodded to Mara and excused herself to gather her belongings. Yelena wasted no time throwing the bag over her shoulder and finding solace in the Spear of the Sea.

Noise erupted from the ceremonial hall and Lena drug herself back to the entrance, back to the beginning of whatever hell Helios had been doomed to. Mara and the female Warden who conversed with Io stood just outside the entryway. She made her way towards them and before she could speak, was given orders.

"Yelena, good. You're to aid Mara with the group he'll be assigned. There's no time for questions, we barely know anything ourselves."

Nodding silently, Lena glanced at Mara with an evaluating gaze. He looked worse close up. As the Warden stalked off, she turned back to her colleague with a curious glare. "You good?" She asked with a hard edge to her voice and then, "You know more than what they're telling us." It wasn't really a question.

 

[EmperorsChosen]

As Takumi found his seat, he heard his name called through the crowds of cadets. Standing up and glancing over the tops of his peers, he spotted an eccentric body squeezing his way over. Leo was practically the only one who befriended Takumi despite the latter's intimidating exterior. Honestly, he didn't think the guy was capable of disliking someone. Then again, it wasn't like he was going to complain. He'd take any friends he could get, and Leo was one of the better he could've wound up with.

"Yeah, you too! No more lectures..." Breathing a sigh of relief as he slumped back into his seat, Leo didn't waste any time to getting to the gossip. "A lover's spat?" Takumi repeated, glancing over towards the front at the designated red head. She was pretty, from the back anyway, but there wasn't much else that could be garnered from the distance they were. Then, as soon as he entered the subject, Leo swapped back to graduation. "Huh? Yeah! Yeah! ...Though honestly I think they only passed me for the physicals..." Pouting in his seat, Takumi didn't see how words and history lessons would help beat a witch. Physical prowess and technique, on the other hand was heavily valued by him. "Ya' really think this Sword Lady'll show up?" No sooner that he asked, a bloodied omen entered the auditorium.

A battered man shambled down the rows as the students recoiled. He looked like a mess. After he made it to the stage the announcement was made. The Sword was dead. Well, they said defeated, but why would it matter if she lost a fight but was still around? "You've gotta be kidding..." The students were all urged to remain calm and organize themselves. It was a poor situation, one that had most anxious. Takumi on the other hand, though he wouldn't admit it aloud, somewhat preferred this to what was already planned. If anything, it sounded like they would be see action sooner than normal, which beat out walking across a stage in front of hundreds of his peers.

Patting his friend on the back, Takumi stood up from his seat and began to head off towards the front. "Well, let's go. This'll probably be the only time I'll be able to get a full group." While sad, it probably wasn't far from the truth. Takumi could be intimidating, but not as scary as a witch that took down the Sword.

@Shavynel

 

[★Under The Stars★]

---

---
Miju is currently trying to get his Regalia, rather than gather in the group of six like he was instructed.
---

---

Miju sat quietly watching the different exchanges from the students as the ceremony was about to start. As soon as something was about to happen though, an agent strolled in and got up on stage. At this moment, Miju's eyes seemed to darken. I can tell this ought to be good. The agent explained that the SWORD had been defeated and they needed to escape as soon as they possibly could. Miju looked around at some of the panicked students as they announced this. At first, Miju was in disbelief.

The SWORD couldn't possibly have been beaten, could she? I mean, it is entirely possible that there is a witch out there who is capable of defeating the SWORD, but could she still be beaten? It seems that there were other agents fighting alongside her... Miju's eyes looked toward the person exclaiming what had happened. He smirked a little as he ran up to the stage all girly. He passed a few agents and shrugged off any students who particularly wanted to be in his group. He moved over to the person who had announced that the SWORD had been defeated. He seemed to be engaged in conversation with an interesting woman. This woman carried a lot of the same airs he enjoyed carrying. He was going to like this woman, and he wished they might have a chance to chat with one another under less seemingly-strenuous circumstances.

He leaned over to the Agent and he said, "Sorry to bother you, but if there's any chance we might be fighting, might I get my Regalia from you?" He smiled sweetly, but then morphed it into a dark smirk. "And on the low chance that this is a test of our abilities, then I hope I can be of service to you, Sir." Miju almost had the urge to lick his lips and pounce on the wounded man, but he kept himself composed. He stood up straight and waited for the answer to come from the Agent. Miju was also hoping the woman might make a comment to him about the groups. They needed to pair with an agent and maybe she was just the perfect candidate for his little group.

Miju knew he was supposed to get into the line with everyone else, but he thought he'd have a little bit of time before it was vitally important that he get into a group. And if he had his Regalia on him while in line, he might be able to show how much better he was than many of the cadets in the room. He wasn't about to get into a shitty group with some low-rate, low-class, low-ranking students who barely know how to fight. If he was going to be in a group, it was going to be a group with the female agent standing in front of him and he was certain she would pick only the best students to bring with her in case things got dicey.​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Turning her gaze across the room, of note was a Red head in a skimpy outfit making enemies or being insulting, she wasn't exactly sure. Next was a girl that was behind her in the line, seemed nervous, a rather tall cadet caught her eye, then there were a few others talking and exchanging back slaps, including someone on the fellow from earlier.. The pair of them she knew somewhat, more so the one doing the slapping, Leo wasn't it? He helped with some of her educational lessons. Not wanting to disturb his conversation she doesn't bother attempting a greeting, turning her gaze elsewhere. Overall the place was a busy beehive of anxiety and joy, unable to process it all what happened next was attention grabbing to say the least for the young Mitsu.

A lanky man with dark hair limped his way through the crowd, pushing or shoving those in his way past. He seemed fairly tired and worn out, it only took a brief instant to see why. Narrowing her gaze in a look of concern the man seemed rather cut up, like he ran into a feral red panda or fell down some sandpaper. "Hey-" Getting up from her seat to offer him a hand, the man continues forward with a single minded purpose, the Gun Slinger for her part steps out into the row for a better view, watching the man reach the front before doing a trick even she seen as somewhat impressive, falling up the stairs. Seeing a better view of his clothing the man really needed medical attention, he was bleeding quite a bit.


What came next after the four conversed before two took their leave a rather senior agent steps forward spitting on the floor with a terrible scowl to his face.

"Well now.. Did the Indians burn down the fort.." What words he spoke next were just as bad, seems by her terminology the Indians had took out the Marshall. With predictable results panic started to build and mummer. Keeping calm in these situations and with the horrors around you was the only way to survive in these times. Panic was a killer that spread like a sickness, wishing she had her revolvers to put on a simple show to calm the situation, it likely was not the time for it.

More pressing was if SWORD was dead, captured or just wounded. Even more so on top of all of that was the fact she wouldn't be getting that nice weapon she was told about.. Least not now. Though with the mention of safety, did that mean the Witches were here, or was it just security? Frowning a bit herself this day was like the worst of no-shows. Then that redhead she marked as a trouble maker proved her thoughts true. Following closely behind the what seemed to be a girl, Mitsu felt a bet of sympathy for the agent, he didn't need this.

Approaching from behind in her monotone voice Mitsu casts a rater pointed glare with her right hand resting just about where her revolver would be in her now empty holster. While it wasn't in her nature to normally just speak out, she wanted to check up on the man and hopefully keep him from biting the redhead's head off, more so after the others last and somewhat suggestive remark. Coughing lightly to gain the trio's attention the boyish looking girl unknowingly tries getting the attention of the Oni standing in opposition to her.

"Hey there partner, I ain't any more happy with this than you, my guns are in lockup.. More given to protecting myself than having others do it, but do yah really need to be bothering a wounded man just for a trophy piece after he got a bit what happened to his comrade? Least if yer coming up here to speak with the man you can offer giving him a hand to the medical wing.. Might be speaking out of place, but you don't need a hand Sir?"

While she knew she needed to go as well, she did want to at least check on him, from her time in the traveling circus they had came to be partial to the Agents of ARMA after all, taking note of the Female with him Mitus gives a head nod in greeting.. While it might be seen as brown nosing her distant gaze did seem fixed on him with a tight twitch to her lip.

 

[Ultra Paradox]

The announcement was made within five minutes of Song finding herself a seat. She found one all the way in the back, and tried to make herself comfortable. She was quick to fail, not being able see over all the heads in front of her. She wiggled around in her seat before finally sitting up straight in order to watch the gargantuan stage in front of them. The room was bustling with the sound of cadets prepared to graduate, and experienced Agents here to see the event. Of course, some people invited family members for the showcasing of their Regalia, but very few appeared due such short notice. Either way, this was going to be an event to remember. This will be the day her entire life changes, no longer a Cadet, but now the protector of humanity.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time, on stage there were three wardens whispering to one another. Whatever they were saying was shadowed by all the talking cadets. From where she sat she could hardly recognize them except for one man, Mr. Giovanna, who easily towered over the other two. She gave a quick look around the room, noticing a bunch of other familiar faces. Specifically the Takumi kid that she once had sparring class with. There was no way she could ever forget that fighting spirit in him, as he easily flipped kids without trying. People like that were viewed as the "perfect specimen", a true ARMA agent.

That's when the double doors swung open, and almost immediately the back row went dead silent. Someone came limping into the room, forcing her, no wait his, way through a group of Cadets who had yet to find seats.

"Oh my god..." Song gave a quick look around the room, the cadets in front of her stood up to get a better view of the scene unfolding before them so she did the same. Standing on her tip-toes to stare at the agent who stumbled up the steps leading to the stage, it couldn't of been clearer that something was terribly wrong. Then the announcement was made, and while half of the room was stunned the other half,including her, followed the directions given to them.

She had to join a group, but who? This was a state of emergency, there was something she had to do to assure her safety. As selfish as that sounds, she couldn't die here if something were to happen. She still had to accomplish her goal, she couldn't let Marako down, she couldn't let her father down. That's when a light bulb went off in her head, and she practically pounced out of her seat. She forced her way through the crowd, sometimes accidentally being shoved out of the way by another cadet due to her small stature.

"Sorry," She ducked under a group of people talking and squeezed in between two other people, "Pardon me."

After what felt like hours of pushing through a crowd of people, she made it to where she wanted to be, right in front of Takumi. The best person to be teamed up with at this point is none other than him! At first it was just awkward eye contact, then looking back and forth between him and some nice looking boy with brown hair. She gave a gawky bow, and then stood tall, "Sorry to bother you Takumi-kun, but I was wondering if you-" She paused and corrected herself, "The both of you, would agree to partner up with me. It seems like something pretty bad is going on and well, I just thought it would be best if we joined forces?"

'Good job,' She thought to herself, 'Could you make this anymore awkward?'

 

[Shavynel]

Leo let out a laugh, "Hey, passing is passing. Doesn't matter now." But even with the rapid-fire speed Leo held conversations, he didn't quite get another word in before quiet swallowed the crowd.

It wasn't till Takumi patted him on the back, reminding him that there was something to be doing, that Leo realized he had been holding his breath. "Yeah," he tried, words feeling awkward in his mouth for once.

He had been excited about graduating. It could not have been more clear than when contrasted with the feeling of disappointment that had settled over him. He wouldn't get to walk across the stage, wouldn't be receiving his Regalia, wouldn't get to see how proud his parents were of him. Were they even here? The ought to be given they were his parents, ARMA agents to boot, and Leo knew for sure neither one of them was away on a mission. His head scanned left and right, but there were too many heads, none of them orderly and everyone frantic to get somewhere. Maybe he shouldn't worry about them. They were, after all, agents. But for once, that wasn't comforting, not with the announcement of the SWORD's defeat.

Still, what good would it due to dwell on that? Leo knew better than anyone whatever had happened was past, and the only way to change anything now was to focus on the present. He followed Takumi, and once he'd gathered himself, offered a belated, "Come on. People are stupid if they don't want to be in a group with you." Okay, so, true, he'd fielded quite a few questions as to why someone like him would befriend someone like Takumi, wasn't he afraid of getting squashed by him? But really, those were ridiculous, as ridiculous as it was to think that Takumi's strengths would be overlooked when it came to forming Witch-hunting groups ... or Witch-surviving groups ... or whatever this was.

And as if to prove his point, someone (her name was Sing or Song or Sang or Sung, if he recalled correctly, though definitely not Seng) had approached them, clearly recognizing Takumi over himself. Leo couldn't help himself, elbowed his friend in the side with a hissed, "See?"

"I'm Leo, and of course!" he accepted, having never been the sort to wait for proper approval before including others. Though the how bright his words were surprised even himself a bit. Maybe it was just because that was who he always was, and it was easier to almost pretend this wasn't happening, but he told himself it was for her benefit, for the benefit of those around, that every voice not filled with dread would help keep the situation calm, and they needed that. He was, after all, going to be an agent today, and even if he wasn't getting the papers that proclaimed those very words right this second, he still qualified. And there was a certain standard agents were supposed to hold themselves to, of which acting defeated defeated did not qualify. Even if their strongest was down, they could not let the Witches even think they could infect the world.

They weren't far from the entrance now, where the bloodied veteran had taken post. Oh ... or that red-head with a new confrontation. He didn't like to judge, but the red-head was sending the sort of vibe -- drama-attracting, conflict-inducing -- Leo tended to stray away from.

 

[sun.]

The air becoming warmer by the second, Mara had little intent on entertaining any snowflakes. Listening with only half an ear, which additionally was occupied with the loud conversations throughout the entire hall, he looked at Miju with a droopy gaze, the corner's of his mouth not moving for a few long moments. Instead, he elected to ignore Yelena's accusatory tone and look straight past her.

"You think?" His voice was monotonous, and somehow, the absence of any sort of tonality made the remark sound even more sarcastic than it was on its own. His eyes flickered across the ocean of Cadets and helping Agents; it seemed a frenzy rioted inside his head.

"I'm fine. Just do me a favor and tell Viro to grant access to the chamber." he whispered, before stretching himself out, shedding his slumped and injured posture in favor of an authoritive one. He glared down at the red-headed boy, putting his hand onto his shoulders, slowly letting his fingers creep towards the center of Miju's frame.

"If we have to fight you'll stay back like a good boy and hope we're doing our job right." As he spoke, he finally tightened his grip around the boy's neck, holding him almost like a parent chastising their child. "You have been elected to be on my team... I guess." The last words making it obvious that Mara did not intend to wait for a group to be asigned to him, instead just taking on a group on his whim. He pulled Miji closer to himself, as if he was not willing to give the Cadet any room to breathe. "As luck has it, I intend to bring everyone to the artillery, so you'll be fine."

Still keeping his authoritive vise grip on the subordinate, he winked a few students closer to himself, then nodded to the gargantuan Agent that registered all the students.

"I'll take them." he stated matter-of-factly.

With that, he gestured to Song, Takumi, Leo, and Mitsu. Extending one arm, he comandeered the group to leave the hall, following the five youngsters.

"Not as luxurious as a ceremony, but let me congratulate all of you for graduating ARMA. If you'd follow me."

Mara led the group wordlessly, guiding them across the facility and through side paths that were usually not accessible for Cadets. Eventually, the group stepped outside, the cool evening air cutting into their skin, softened by the hot, damp atmosphere of the ceremony hall. The yard was wide and empty, and not even the ruckus from the other side of the territory reached their ears here. Stepping closer to a narrow building, that seemed to reach out into the darkening sky, Mara pushed the large, double-sided doors open.

"Good. If you so please..."

The immaculate interior of the artillery was impressive, shiny chrome and matte onyx dominating the vision.

"I've taken the freedom to let the weapon's master prepare your REGALIA. Feel free to get a good look and get used to them. Don't hurt yourself." He paused, moving his jaw subtly, while giving Miju a menacing stare. "And use them only when I tell you."​