Chapter 456: CHPT 456: The Healer and The Siblings
Watching all the students step out of their rooms groggy eyed and freshly dressed was a fever dream for Claude. One that felt like a memory on repeat all the way up until he headed down the hall and into the cafeteria for breakfast.
It was different from how he remembered it. He was never the best with names. But faces and physical characteristics could stick like molasses at times. And one thing he noticed was that. New faces paired with old ones. New groups entirely and familiar ones changed drastically. Made sense. People changed, new connections blossomed in the most peculiar ways.
He found himself wondering if Cassidy was alright in those moments as he waited in line. He hoped he was back at the Grove with Rollan and the others.
Back in reality the line moved. The smells of overcooked eggs and sausages roused the greater instincts within….. or maybe it was the dozens of eyes.
"I'm sure he's fine." Ursula said while leaning against his shoulder and yawning repeatedly. She was never a morning person.
"What are you talking about?" Maris said from beside her.
"Uh— nothing. I was…. Daydreaming." Ursula managed in her groggy state.
One adjustment they'd have to make is hiding their telepathic connection from public exposure. With the way Maris watched Ursula you'd think they already failed.
The sounds of students arriving at the servers window and gossipers behind him pulled his mind from his thoughts on the matter.
Warren added to it even more so as he spoke from behind Claude, Ursula and Maris.
"What do you think they'll have us doing today? I think for the most of it will be pulled from the normal curriculum. We might even train with the third years….. I don't know how I feel about that."
"Sure you do." Claude replied, "You're anxious. Me too…. Sort of."
"Man…. You were off fighting super lizards and Gnoll packs for a month straight what is a third year going to do to you?"
"Humble me…" Claude shrugged.
Ursula snored out of her sleep, "You aren't exactly the arrogant type to need humbling. If we're training with the third years then hopefully it'll be a learning experience."
"I want their best swordsman." Maris said while tapping the hilt of her blade with her pointer finger. Claude suddenly noticed her nails were painted. Red. But it wasn't paint…..
"—What do you think, Isaac? What will today bring?" Ursula said as Claude dragged her along with the line. You'd have thought she didn't sleep at all instead of eight hours.
Isaac shrugged his capped shoulders from beside Warren, "My dad was into all this stuff, but Universities in The Sunlands are different. Id imagine us getting thrown in with the big hitters is the plan. They'll probably spoon feed us some skills that we'll need, show us some speculated Monsters that each region will bring and how to smoke 'em and then rinse repeat."
"I can't do spiders man. Or rotted out witchmonsters. Last one was the demon thing. I swore to myself, bro." Warren said as he shook his head.
Isaac made a cringing sound, "Go ahead and break that promise for me, man. Id like it if our chances of survival weren't tanked like that."
"You don't sound like you're looking forward to this." Claude mentioned. He wasn't either.
"Because he's smart."
The others turned around to face the feminine sounding voice.
The reply came from the young woman standing behind them in line. She was on the shorter side— or maybe Claude's group was gaining a height advantage over the University. She wore the usual University uniform like everyone else with badges stitched into her right shoulder. Accolades of some sort. Claude wasn't sure. She also had an additional cloak over the Uniform along with a belt containing all manner of chemicals and natural components.
A Healer. Second or third year. Main Event entrant based on the Rune written band around her arm matching their own.
"World tournaments are about as clean as Ghoul pits, no young souls such as yourselves should have to wade through it." She said while sweeping her curled and nappy black hair behind her ear. It made Claude notice the rather sizable mole on her large nose. It became more visible beneath her round glasses.
"So we've heard." Claude replied. They were now so close to the service window that he could smell the lunch ladies arm sweat.
"The headmaster gave you the rundown. Good. Now all that's left is for the rest of us to wonder how you all got yourselves thrown into this."
"It's their fault." Warren pointed at Claude and Ursula.
"We worked for this." Maris said as she grabbed Warren and put a hand over his mouth.
"Hector said you guys were a little off…. Hehe. Always trust the Assassin. They're the groups eyes." The young Healer said with a satisfied nod before looking as if she'd just remembered something, "Oh— by the way this is Hector….. the Assassin in question."
She stepped aside, showing the shorter man who waited behind her. He had to be no taller than five foot two and that was with shoes on. Well, shoes was an overstatement. All he wore over his feet was black bandaging. The same bandaging wrapped his hands. The only armor he wore was a light leather upper body mold that held a straight sword.
"You all will call me El Sombra." Hector said, though all they saw were the black bandages wrapping the lower half of his face move.
The young Healer turned to face him and flicked his forehead, "Stop doing that! Posing as a Hero without a license is a serious crime. We're trying to set an example for the next generation, Hector! Act normal for once!"
"But I need to build my character for the upcoming Guild Sponsorships…."
"[What an interesting set of characters.]" Arne commented.
The awkward silence was tangible in the air. Hector who should've been the focal point somehow wasn't. Maybe that was an Assassins skill.
"Oh, forgive me. My name is Ivy." The Healer said and reached out to shake Warren's hand due to proximity.
"Nice to meet you, Ivy….. you know, our group is actually missing a Heale—"
"We don't need one." Maris interrupted. Ivy looked at her as if she wasn't human.
"Girl— do you want to die? Is that it? I can't keep moving like this."
Ivy's face twisted into a mask of confusion, "Are you guys really going into this without a Healer among you?"
"No." Claude replied. "I'm the Healer."
Warren and Isaac looked at each-other in confusion.
"Not used to Healers wielding spears." Ivy commented and approached him with a hand out. Scarring ran across her palm deep enough to make the scar tissue almost look fake.
Claude shook her hand, "Claude Grey."
"You're a rugged one." She commented.
Claude nodded.
"And who would the sleeping beauty on your shoulder be?" Ivy questioned.
"Ursula. She's not a morning person."
"Obviously." Ivy commented before pushing her circle glasses further up her sizable nose, "Anyway, just came to tell you all that after breakfast you report to the Training field for advanced lessons. We'll have another towards the end of the day, otherwise attend your usual classes. Also since it's Tournament season the University has government clearance for Main Event participants to finish two Tangents a week. Stay on your A game. This month will fly by, so try to learn what you can before it gets real. Until then!" Ivy smiled and exited the line with Hector.
"Y'all aren't eating?" Warren called after them.
"Fasted cardio keeps the hips slim and the blood pumping!" Ivy called back.
"I'll die before I fast intentionally." Ursula mumbled to Claude.
"Same."
Speaking of, the lunch lady yelled down to Claude to stop holding up the line flirting. She must've been referring to Ursula. He hoped his complexion was dark enough to hide the blush as he approached the line.
After that was all settled he found himself seated and eating. Eggs, sausage, roasted potatoes and an apple the size of Ursula's fist.
They'd all settled into an uncomfortable silence due to most of the first years staring. It was no longer just Claude, now it was everyone. And it wasn't even attempted to be hidden.
"Fuck man…. I think I understand why you were so angry all the time." Warren commented. He'd never been so wrong.
"Let's challenge them. Winner has to adopt the concept of human decency." Maris said as she manipulated the water inside her cup into a liquid dagger to spin on her fingertips causing Ursula to snort out her water.
"Where did you learn any of what you just said?" She asked from the other side of the table.
Maris shrugged, "Conroy recommends me books. His taste is as bland as his sword style, but I learn."
It was nice to hear they'd made friends elsewhere. Especially Maris.
Speaking of Conroy. Him and his group found the perfect time to join them at the otherwise empty table.
"Welcome back, Scarface." The tall blonde-haired woman seated beside Conroy said. Her nails were filed into claws and painted black, matching the eyeliner that made her green eyes pop. She was cat-like in her movements even as she slid into her seat and played with her food. Stella, the feline Beast Tamer. She'd throw up a million furballs if she knew about Loba.
"Hey." Claude managed.
"What she meant is, we missed you. I understand you won't ever look at us truly as companions, but that isn't the same on our side." Conroy explained. "Also, hello Ursula. You've grown."
Ursula smiled, "Thanks man. Claude isn't always the best communicator but something tells me he doesn't always want to rip your heads off."
The young curly haired boy with unnaturally soft skin and freckles choked on his food beside Stella. Goren was the same as always. Docile, quiet, stealthy. Probably still fanboying over all Support Heroes.
"That was a joke." Ursula said.
"And she's right." Claude agreed to their surprise. He didn't expand on the subject. Not with the intensity spewing from the man seated across from him.
He was taller than the others of Conroy's group. Closer to Warren's height and build only with less muscle. Truly a twig in the physical sense, but there was something about him. Maybe it was the eyes. Brown as wood. Brown as the long hair coming down to his shoulders. Or maybe it was the godly essence, the smell of pigs blood. The smell of a hunter.
Chase Greenwood. He looked mortified as he watched Claude through his sprawled out hands. They looked ready to tear his skin off.
"Why man…. Why can't you be normal?" Conroy questioned before taking one of his sausages and handing it to his Tank sitting across from Ursula.
Chase sighed dramatically and pulled his hands from his face, "I've been disrespected on all fronts. I'm sick to my stomach!!!"
"Here we go." Stella said after rolling her pensive green eyes, "If he's not being a pervert he's being mentally insane. Why would a god choose this."
"Because I don't miss." Chase became serious in a flash before turning back to Claude.
"Dude….. are we not rivals?!?!?" Why did he look heartbroken?
Claude bit into his sausage, "No."
"How could you not find me upon your arrival, Wolfboy? This is when the flame of challenge reignites!! A Tournament is coming, new power flows through us both. Why not come to me?…" Chase explained.
"[It's almost like he doesn't hear you.]" Arne commented.
"…..And to make matters worse you go to my sister first." Chase said.
Ursula scooted closer to Claude to talk to the Archer, "Who?"
"Who do you think, muscle maiden? Ivy. The Professors pet."
Everyone's eyebrows raised in unison at the mention of Chase' sister.
Chase didn't seem to care as he leaned in, "So, Wolfboy…. When are we fighting?"
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_Avatar0FFury_ Yo! Chill chap to reintroduce some old and showcase some new characters. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think. Also thanks for the powersgones Bop_, Sonuis, Shazac, shadowwwolf1928, Ominous_Reader, OSIRIS, Black_Rabbit_4378, Nate_Winslow, Alex_Walk, Alex99 and everyone else!
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